The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1872-09-06
WICHITA.

We copy the following extract from
letter published in the Linn count,
Observer:
EDITOR OBSERVER Your paper is
regularly received and finds All inter.
ested reader, curious to know what i.
transporting in the town where once
was his home. Your readers NAV have
some interest to learn more about this
town and this remarkable valley to
which the attention of so many at the
present time is directed.
Since last December the population
of Wichita has doubled. Wehave now
ia the ncighbOrhood Of twenty-five
hundred inhabitants, who live i'm more
than five hundred and nineteen houses.
This may be considered a rapid growth
for town not three years old, and in a
country which four years ago had
about as many settlers as could be
counted on ones fingers. Every avail
able quarter section has been taken
east Of the Arkansas river, and the
frontier has rcceded twelve miles, and
daily it is reccding farther. The tide
of immigration at the same time has
been sweeping to the south and south
i west.
Our town is ut present the terminus
OF the southwestern branch ofthc A. Il.
4 Santa Fe II. r., and we have good
reason to believe that it will remain
such for some time, since this company
is now straining every effort to secure
the large government land grant bv
completing their road TO the western
boundry Of the state before next
spring.
1t is estimated that within compass
of twenty-five miles there are upwards
Ofsevcnty thousand Texas cattle await
ing shipment or buyers. This requires
large force of herders, who, when off
duty, may be seen walking along our
sidewalks to the music Of their ling
ling spurs, or lOunging about stores.
The presence of this class Of persons
give a bad name to the place. Life
and property, with the exception of
horses, are as safe as in most places in
the state. Strangers are surprised i'm
finding an intelligent, energetic and
moral community in place which
they imagined WAS populated by herd
ers. gamblers and horse thieves.
The Presbvterians still continue to
have the only church edifice in the
place. Our Methodist and Baptist
brethren are about to build places of
worship in a few days.
The crops in this valley bid fair to
give abundant returns. The sod corn
in many fields will yield as well as the
corn on older ground. The rains have
been frequent. A week has not passed
this far this season in which the rain
has not fallen. l wish, Mr.. Editor. YOU
could see the luxuriant growth of grass
in this valley; as tall as a mans head
and still growing. The wild sunflow-
crs skirt our roads like hedge; in
some places they form almost a COM
pletc arch over the thoroughfare. The |
farmers in this region are busy pre-
pairing their soil for the first crop of |
wheat. The small grain raised this
season have greatly encouraged the
farmers to engage more extensively in |
them. Land can be obtained |
near this town at a comparatively low
figure. Quarter sections within four
and five miles Of this place can be pur-
chased for five and six dollars per acre,
and eight miles distant for half this
sum. Good claims can be taken thir-
teen miles west of this town, on the
other side Of COwskin creek. We are
a large immigration into
This region as the cooler weather comes
On. j. L. II.
Wichita, Kan, Aug 23d.