Katy Railroad

Katy Railroad. . The Missouri-Kansas-Texas , Early in 1870, Judge Levi Parsons, head of the Union Pacific Southern Branch, called a meeting. He announced his plans to be the first railroad to reach the Indian Territory bordering Kansas. The “Missouri River, Fort Scott and Gulf Railroad” (known as the “Border Tier”) was his main competitor in the race. Only one railroad was going to be allowed to build through the territory and Parsons wanted it to be his. , The Union Pacific Southern Branch name was changed to the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (the “MKT” or “Katy”) and Col. Bob Stevens, a popular and charismatic political figure, was appointed general manager. John Scullin, known as the “great American tracklayer,” was foreman of the railroad crews. The Border Tier had a sizeable lead, but, under the direction of Stevens and Scullin, the Katy crews worked impressively through rainy, flooded conditions and pulled ahead. In June of 1870, the Katy crossed the line into the Indian Territory and narrowly won the race. , Trickery in the Race to the Border , Having started the race to Indian Territory months after the Border Tier, the builders of the Katy were not above employing some sleight-of-hand to catch up. , Several years after the race to the border, former Civil War guerrilla and adopted Quapaw Bob Greenwell said he was paid by the Katy to cause trouble in the Border Tier's camp. Greenwell told a story of an event that happened in 1870. When a survey crew from the Border Tier traveled to the Kansas-Indian Territory border, Greenwell met them with a group of Quapaw. Disguised as a Quapaw chief and choosing not to speak English, Greenwell showed the surveyors an old border line that was miles from the new border. Satisfied that the line was going to be easy to reach, the Border Tier fired some of its workers to save money. The Katy promptly hired many of these fired workers. , Later, Greenwell helped to organize a celebration of the Border Tier reaching the border, though they weren't there yet. As a result of the wild party, funded secretly by the Katy, the Border Tier railroad had to collect their scattered workers. This caused another delay and opened the door for the Katy to win the race. , [Captions] , (Top left) The MKT logo has remained largely unchanged since its creation in 1889. The palm leaves behind the ribbon symbolize victory in the race to the Indian Territory, and the ribbon itself memorializes the Katy being the first northern railroad to enter Texas. Courtesy of Frank “Hoppy” Wesley , (Bottom left) Background: This drawing depicts the interior of a typical turn-of-the-century MKT passenger car. Used by permission, State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia; [Inset] Men pose on the engine of the first MKT train to reach Rocheport, Mo. Used by permission, State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia , (Middle section, clockwise from top) , . Above: A MKT train is loaded at a Missouri station. Lettering on the boxcar reads “Missouri Kansas and Texas R.” Used by permission, State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia , . Right: This MKT magazine ad from the 1940s features the Missouri lines. Courtesy of Dawn Fredrickson , . This example of an MT stock certificate is stamped “1910.” Courtesy of Dawn Fredrickson , . Building the MKT along a river presented many challenges, including frequent flooding. Used by permission, State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia , (Bottom right) A construction crew lays tracks along the Missouri River with the help of mule teams. Used by permission, State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia