The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1858-05-15
From he Region of Fori Riley.
JUNCTION CRY, &. Z.
Aprii 3Oth. 1853. {

3Iom me Region o. : OH nl1Sys
JUNCTION CRY, &. To
April 90th, 1853. {
Mn. BRowN Tho people of Kansas
have been so infatuated with a desire to
suddenly accumulate fortunes, by specu-
lation in towns, laying out cities on a
large scale, in many instances before q
foot of ground has been brought under
cultivation within circuit of ten miles,
and with no reference to the location of
the surrounding country, it is not unnat-
ural that most of our early towns have died
sudden and untimely death, or still lin
ger out a sickly and feeble existence.
Towns are a necessity of the country,
and the country must first be settled up
and improved before that necessity can
exist; the more country that can be made
tributary, the more prosperous viii be
the town. The natural features of the
country will in many cases indicate where
towns should be built, but extrinsic causes
frequently conspire to assist OF retard their
growth railroads viii probably have
more influence in disclosing where all our
large cities are to be, than all other sgen-
cies combined, and until they are con-
rstructed, we can in most instances form
but a remote idea of what towns in future
will be, by their pretensions at the present
time. But few points can expect to be
materially aided by the building of rail-
roads-in passing through country they
do but little for the towns; it is only where
they terminate or intersect with other
railroads they promote the advancement
of cities. At such places depots are ere
ated for the accumulation of products and
commodities of an extensive range of
country-here travel concentrates, and at
this point are deposited the freight and
passengers of the whole country through
which they pass. I have said this much
to call the attention of enterprising men,
to the superior advantages Of Junction
City as railroad town. This place is To-
Gated at the termination of Kansas river,
and between the confluence of the Re-
publican and Smoky Hill rivers. Here
must stop the great valley railroad, and
here will commence the other roads, one
running up the Smoky Hill, and another
up the Republican. This place is also on
direct route for southern road to Ar
kansas or Texas. 1t is but two miles from
Fort Riley, and is the natural key of the
whole country west of US. The country
is fast filling up on both the rivers above
US towns have been located for sixty
miles west all this upper trade on both
rivers is compelled to pass through juno
ton City before it can reach a point be-
low. For the last three years this site
has been held by company of specula-
tors, and it has only been within the past
two months that it was secured by its
present owners. They have gone quietly
to work and in that time, commenced the
erection of one of the finest hotels in Kan
sas bought a printing press, which is
now in town and will be in operation a
month from this date. They have estab-
lished an excellent ferry over the river,
and are now engaged in putting up some
fifteen or twenty buildings. A large and
extensive store is in successful operation
at the present time, and another will soon
commence business. A daily line of
stages will be started between Leayen-
worth and Junction City sometime in July.
But it is as a railroad position that this
place possesses peculiar advantages. The
first and most important railroad that will
be constructed through our Territory, will
be up the Kansas river this road will pass
through the centre of the Territory, and
will be the great trunk from which branch
es will start to all parts of the country !;
this road will be compelled TO termi-
nate at Junction City, unless it should
leave the valley and run over the bluffs,
which is almost too improbable to be
thought of. When this road is built,
Others will then start to intersect it; we
may then reasonably expect among the
first of this number, two branches up the
Smoky Hill and Republican, as they are
the largest rivers in the Territory, after
the Kansas. Yours, truly. j.