The buildings are of good size and substantial, some of them costly. Shade trees line some of the business streets as well as those in the residence districts. Vitrified brick plant, planing mill glove factory, foundry, machine shops, sunbonnet factory, creamery, carriage and wagon works, cigar factories, body brace factory, oil refinery, agricultural implement works, cold storage plant, razor strop factory, broom and mattress factories, etc. There are 2 state and 2 national banks, one of which is a United States depository. Salina is a good lodge town, and has 14 churches.
Oak Park adds greatly to the attractiveness of the place.
There are ample express and telegraph accommodations, and the international money order postoffice has six rural routes. The population in 19190 was 9,688. Salina was founded by Col. W.A. Phillips, in 1858. Being practically the only settlement in Saline county until after the war, the early history of Salina is included in the county history. The original town company, chartered by the territorial legislature in 1859, was composed of W.A. Phillips, A.M. Campbell, James Muir, Robert Crawford and A.C. Spillman.