▁being ▁laid ▁along ▁the ▁direct ▁route ▁east wards ▁from ▁ İ z mir ▁to ▁Kas aba , ▁about ▁fifty ▁kilom eters ▁in ▁length , ▁the ▁line ▁built ▁drew ▁a ▁wide ▁arc ▁adv ancing ▁first ▁to ▁the ▁north - west ▁from ▁ İ z mir , ▁through ▁its ▁Kar ş ı y aka ▁sub urb ▁to ▁whose ▁foundation ▁it ▁contributed ▁greatly , ▁and ▁curves ▁east wards ▁only ▁from ▁Men emen ▁on , ▁crossing ▁the ▁former ▁san jak ▁and ▁the ▁present - day ▁province ▁center ▁of ▁Man isa ▁to ▁join ▁Kas aba ▁( now ▁T urg ut lu ) ▁from ▁the ▁north . ▁The ▁first ▁con cess ion ▁under ▁the ▁name ▁was ▁granted ▁to ▁a ▁locally ▁based ▁English ▁entrepr ene ur ▁named ▁Edward ▁Price , ▁who ▁founded ▁the ▁company ▁and ▁built ▁the ▁line . ▁This ▁railway ▁was ▁extended ▁further ▁east ▁by ▁the ▁same ▁company ▁between ▁ 1 8 7 2 – 1 8 7 5 ▁to ▁reach ▁A la ş eh ir ▁at ▁a ▁distance ▁of ▁ ▁from ▁Kas aba ▁and ▁a ▁connection ▁north wards ▁starting ▁from ▁Man isa ▁itself ▁was ▁built ▁between ▁ 1 8 8 8 – 1 8 9 0 ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁l ign ite - rich ▁S oma , ▁another ▁dependency ▁of ▁Man isa , ▁through ▁a ▁ ▁line . ▁Price ▁sold ▁the ▁whole ▁network ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁to ▁the ▁Franco - Bel g ian ▁group ▁Comp ag nie ▁Intern ationale ▁des ▁W ag ons - L its , ▁which ▁extended ▁it ▁further ▁east ▁to ▁Af y