31.20 Miles.
First incorporated in Kansas, February 12th, 1858 as Leavenworth, Lawrence and Fort Gibson Railroad Company. Name changed January 21th, 1867 to the L.L.&G.R.R. Company. Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston Railway Company incorporated in Kansas as the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Ft. Gibson Railroad Company, February 12th, 1858. Name changed January 21st, 1867. Sold under foreclosure October 22nd, 1878. Acquired by the L.L.& G.R.R. Co. Sold to the Santa Fe, February 15th, 1899.
This line was built in 1868-9-70 under Major B.S. Henning as Superintendent and O. Chanute as Chief Engineer.
On August 21st, 1870 the first time card was issued. They ran into Kansas City from Olathe on the Ft. Scott & Gulf (now Frisco) for which they paid them a fixed charge of $225,000.00 per year to cover the cost of everything.
The remains of the old roadbed is still visible about one-half a mile west of Olathe where the Santa Fe joined this old line. When they built from Holiday to Olathe in 1882 at which time they discontinued using the Ft. Scott & Gulf and pulled up their track connecting with same.
The double track, Olathe to North Ottawa was built at different times during the years of 1903 to 1905 and opened soon after. We made quite a reduction of grade when the double track was built about two miles west of Olathe in 1903, throwing the old track to one side and letting both lines down. We also did the same thing just west of Clare. At Gardner we built a new line in 1903 Gardner to Edgerton, on the north side of the old line, getting as far away as about 0.6 miles as the greatest distance in the center, converging at the ends. This was on account of the heavy east bound grade on the old line and brought about the same question as running left handed over the entire line, Holiday to Emporia, which was adopted.
About three miles east of Garnett there is a fine stone quarry, first established by B. Lantry & Sons. They sold out to L.W.Lewis & Sons, built on the north side of the track in 1884. Still running (1916) Considered one of the best quarries for ballast purposes.
H.U.Mudge, was General Manager and C.F.Resseguie, General Superintendent. T.W. Sterritt and J.M.Meade located the line. W.B.Storey, Chief Engineer, Grading was in charge of H.C.Phillips Asst. Engineer, Seely McCoy and W.B.Aldrich; the latter finishing the work.
W.J. Leatherberry, Road Master, laid the track. At Wellsville we made a big change in line and grade both sides of the station, going on the east side of town about 0.4 mile away from old line and abandoning the old line and depot. This was steam shovel work done by Lantry & Sharp. The same engineers were in charge for the Gardner change of line. Also, same Road Master laid the track.
Just East of Tauy Creek (East of Tauy Station) we made quite a grade reduction when the second track was built in 1903, leaving the old line (Eastbound) up on the original grade and building the second track much lower.
"Portion of page number 64 of Meade's Manual transcribed by Lou Nigro in altered form for the web."
Established 04/22/96-Updated 03/10/2009
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