The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-07-08
THE FOURTH AT WICHITA.
Rapid Growth Of the Town-How heCrops
Look-The Oratien, Dinner, Etc.

the usual exaggerated programme, hardly
one-fourth of W ich is ever carried out.
Having before visited the small hamlet of
Wichita, situated, as all of your readers know,
at the mouth of the Little Arkansas River, 1
made up my mind at once to spend the 4th at
that place and see how the roughs, and wild,
uncouth frontiersmen celebrated the Nations
anniversary. In accordance with this determ-
ination, on Saturday morning last, while you,
Messrs. Editors, and most Of the denizens of
our beautiful Emporia, were locked in the arms
ofMorpheus, /, accompanied by my son, started
for Wichita. The day was very warm, with
little air stirring, and that, with us, made the
travelling about as unpleasant as could be de-
sired by the most fastidious person.
Wereached Chelsea, So miles on our journey,
at 5 O'Clock in the afternoon. The farmers all
along the valleys were harvesting their wheat,
which Is generally OF very eScellant quality
Oats and corn could not be better. Everything
that the farmer has sown or planted betokens
an immense yield. ..Drouthy'' Kansas could
this year, If her immense acreage was in culti-
walton, feed the world land the rest of man.
kind, )" and have an abundant supply of seed
left for her eastern croakers and defamers-
who, If their papers speak the truth, tcW need
it. On Sunday morning ut . O'Clock we left
Chelsea and breakfasted at Eldorado, eight
mites distant. AT three in the afternoon we
reached Wichita, distant from Chelsea 40 miles.
One year ago i'll May last first looked on the
same spot, then frontier village of half doz-
en- dirt rooted huts. Now, Messrs. Editors, did
you ever read the story of Aladdin and his
wonderful lamp! i suppose you well as
everybody else have heretofore looked upon
that nursery tale fctitiOus-gotten up for
the amusement or small children; know such
was the view had of it. But have altered
my mind I should not at all wonder if that
and the travels of CULVER and the adventures
of Munchausen were historical and true. At
all events, things as strange and marvellous
have taken place right in our midst. Within
the last two months, 46 buildings, made
from pine lumber hauled from this city, dis
lance of % miles over the rivers and prairies,
have been erected in that village; 50 more are
now under contract, and will go up as soon as
the lumber reaches them. And these are not
small one story, SX10 houses, but are buildings
that will average well with those of our own
city. Among them are hotel 30X60 feet, two
stories high; five good sized boarding houses,
where as clean beds and as good victuals as
can be procured anywhere are set before their
boarders and guests. 1 can vouch for at least
one kept by Hiram ii. Allen, late of Chicago,
where we stopped, and where we We're as well
entertained as we were at the Eldridge House,
IN Lawrence, where we stopped over night
last winter when moving to your city. Mr.. and
Mrs. Allen and their son and daughters do all
| in their power to make their guests comforta-
ble.) Five groceries, three restaurants, three
| saloons, two lumber yards, two butcher shops,
one dry goods, grocery, boot and shoe, hats and
else that can be thought of, kept by our old
| friends Matsell 81 Hubbard, who are selling
| heaps of goods; one drug store, one livery and
| feed stable, kept by Mr.. McAdam, (and kept
we'll, as know by experience, for my horse:
were never better cared for;) n barber shop
two real estate offices, two physicians, one
| dentist, five carpenter shope, public hall, q
hardware store, millinery establishment, two
clothing stores, two bakers, one -four and feed
store, and a number of others that 1 cannot
enumerate.
We saw crossing the Arkansas River hero
of 3,100 cattle. 1t was a sight well worth
visit to Wichita to see. 10000 head of Texas
cattle have crossed the river at this point since
last spring.
| Weyisited and strolled through field Of corr
of 80 acres belonging to Mr.. Hubbard, that aver
aged nine feet high, all tasseled and silked out
| (RecolIect this was the 4th of July.) Lots o.
| it was over ten feet high. 1t was the rankes
and best field of corn ever looked at. There
was grass on the same farm 81 feet high; wa
ter-melons as big as your head; cabbages, GU
cumbers, onions, tomatoes, &C., that would
make your mouth water to lOokat.
/ While standing in front of the hotel early OF
Monday morning, four loaded teams passed by
| the first three with lumber. the fourth, a boxed
piano for the daughter OF Mr.. McAdam.
| Two years ago last February the first whit,
family-that of II. W. Vigus- settled in thi
valley; now at least n thousand people wer,
there on this 4th day of July-residents of tina
village and the valley of the Arkansas. Trutl
| is stranger than fiction. Aladdin is nowhere
| Religious services are held in the village by
the Episcopalians, Presbyterians and Meth
| odists.
think 1 hear you say this is quite length!
preface for description of q 4th of July cele
| bration. Pardon me; am now coming TO 1t
At daylight salute Of 81 guns was fired, an
nouncing to everybody that the Nations birth
day was at hand. About nine o'clock tn
neighboring farmers with their families CLOTHED
in holiday costume, commenced arriving. A
IL o'clock the procession moved from the Wich
ita House, preceded by the band in a Wagon
drawn by four horses; then foiloweda covered
carriage containing the officers and orator o
the day; Immediately behind that was wag
on prepared for the occasion, 80 feet long, Will
the stars and stripes floating from platform
erected in the centre, supported by young
woman in red. white and blue, personating tn
Goddess of Liberty, while seated on each sid
along the whole length of the wagon were
| young ladies dressed in white-a representa-
ton for each state of the Union. This Wagon
was drawn by eight horses; behind that, 70
over half mile in length, closely packed to
gether, followed farm wagons and carnage
packed full of men and women; and still be
hind them followed on horseback the youn;
men of the surrounding country. The Who'll
was under the charge of Chief Marshal Capt
D. L. Payne, who, with his aids, admirably
managed the whole affair.
When we arrived at the grove, where a larg
crowd had already assembled, the services sool
commenced. Mr.. Reuben Riggs, president o
the day, called the meeting to order, and IN
troduced Rev. DR.. Boggs, who made mos
excellent and appropriate prayer. Then fol
lowed music. The Declaration of Independ
ence was well read by J. NJ. Steele, Esq. The
in few appropriate remarks the President in
PRODUCED Mr.. William S. jay, of this city, who
hone cOuIu luuSe ny buc NOec VI tuaHhs1 accOu
panied by three hearty cheers that welled u
from the entire audience, gave entire satisfaC
tion. Nj. Jay spoke for about an hour. II
was followe ed in a few short but appropriat
remarks by SIr. Fulton Stewart and Capt
Paine; then followed song. sung most beauti
fully by Miss Mary Grey, child about eigh
years of age. The meeting then adjourned {
!, two long tables set in the grove, and LITERAL
loaded down with good things. Inever saw
better taflc set out on such an occasion. G
meats, there was cold boiled ham, 20 pairs {
roast chickens, pies and cakes in the create.
profusion, all kinds of confectionery, nuts RAJ
sins, figs, ice cream, and great variety {
: canned fruits. The buffalo was there in sc
Der reality, roasted whole. /, however, pre-
ferred the other fixtures, and therefore did nc
taste his bovineship. There was plenty
everything to eat and everybody eat plenty
At night there was grand ball given at tn
. Wichita House-P. c. Hubbard, Proprietor
81 tickets, at SO per ticket, were sold. Her,
also, everything went or admirably.
And now, to bring this long and hastil
written production to end, 1 cannot clos
without returning thanks TO the committee. {
, which our former townsman, G. II Smith, wa