The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-05-30
EMPORIA NEWS.
FRIDAY, NAY 30, 1873.

u EMPORIA NEWS
FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1873.
EsPORIA, KANSAS
The Future Metropolis Of SOnthWe
Kansas.
: Rich Business Blseks--Heayy Bushes
Firms.
The State Normal School Building
: Coal Lands, etc.
). Correspondents of the st. Louis journal
Seldom have I met with a NOR
pleasing surprise than that 1 eX
perienced when sold SOL" peepin,
in at my window at the Madison
house, awakened me from my slum
bers, to view for the first time tn,
wealth and beauty of this thriving
and lovely city. To say it com
pares with any town along the NJ
X. Il L. railroad would not do i
justice, for while most of the town.
of the State are languishing, this
one is putting forth renewed effort.
and charging her borders rapidly
Nor is this in my estimation to b.
a fevered growtt, for its natura
resources are issieu that large
town is demai sded here to supply
the country, for Lyon county il
one of the thickest settled of the
counties in this part of the State
EMPoRIA
was located as a town i'll 1857, and
although much retarded in growth
during the war yet it is now Il city
of $500 population and still on the
increase.
HER RESOURCES,
as l have stated, arise largely from
the we'll settled country around,
yet her future may be glorious
one if the water power in the yicin-
ity be utilized. A glance at this
will l think prove my assertion.
On the north OF the town the Neo-
sho flows with it's rapid current
within one mile; at an equal dis
lance south flows the Cottonwood
river, both of these rivers having
ample water power to drive any
machinery that might be located
for manufacturing purposes. AL
ready eight mills, driven by water
power, are in operation in the
county. One of the finest pieces
of masonry in the State is the dam
in the Cottonwood river at the
foot of Commercial street and
which furnishes ample power to
drive the machinery of the fine
Touring mill operated by L. N.
Fisher. Adjoining this is the
FURNITURE FACTORY
of John Mcdonald, fine four sto-
ry stone building 65x45, in 1 hich
Mr.. Mcdonald manufactures
school furniture as well as house
furnishing goods, also sash, doors
and blinds, employing about thirty
men. Yet these two wheels do not
use one-fourth of the water of the
river. l think a few years only
will have passed when this valley
and that of the Neosho will ring
with the strokes of the mechanic
or echo the hum of busy machin-
cry. A good enterprise, known as
the
EMPoRIA CARRIAGE FACTORY,
is being conducted by Messrs.
Ryan & Conner in the manufacture
of buggies and spring wagons, for
which they find ready home mar
ket, as, in fact, do all manufactur-
ing enterprises in Kansas. A walk
through the town reveals q much
finer display of buildings than
those of most Kansas cities, and
no city has more attractive street
than is Commercial street. 1t is
100 feet wide between buildings,
is curbed the distance of four
blocks and also macadamized and
built nearly solid with buildings,
mostly brick, from one to three
stories high, and generally about
one hundred feet deep, thus making
the best of store rooms. In Ban
croft block the third story is de-
voted to Bancroft Hail." 4 hall
capable of seating 700, and having
good stage, drop curtains, etc.
With these general remarks re-
garding the extent of the town,
will give brief synopsis of the
leading business houses that Wis
tied. OF some however, am UNI
able to speak owing to the absence
of the proprietors. In
GROCERIES IA
there are Thomas & Jones, w. r.
Cochran with a stock Of $4,000
to $4,000, Wicks & Mayse with
an equal stock, and sales of $50, 900
per year. Bragunier d Bro, who
make a specially of fruits, cigars,
ETC., for the wholesale trade. All
of these houses do an extensive
retail and more or less of the job
bling business. Their stores are
heavily stocked and business is
lively. J.S.Smith &5 Co. also keep
groceries, but make q speciality of
farm implements and keep in stock
the KIRBY mower and Weir cult
vator, Canton clipper and Moline
plows, etc. the entire stock reach
es $4,000. One exclusive whole
sale grocery house, A. A. Baker d
Cr.. are doing a large business,
reaching out as far as 800 miles in
some directions, mostly west. In
DRY GOODS
there are also some firms carrying
a stock from which quite an a.
mount of jobbing is done. j. G.
Hall d Bro, have a fine stock of
about $4,000 embracing also boots
and shoes. Much of their atten-
ton is turned to the sale of the
'Singer" sewing machine and
musical instruments. In the sale
of machines they rank fourth in
amount of sales in four States.
Whitley & Henson enter more into
the general merchandise business
in which q large stock is carried.
Bancroft & McCarter in their
sales of geneaal merchandise have
footings of from $50, O0G to $780,
600 per year; A very fine stock of
dry goods, notions, millinery, ETC.,
is carried by the young firm of G.
w. Newman Il CO., They have
quite dazzling display, and con-
troll trade of about $65, 900 per
year. A magnificent stock of fur
niture is kept by F. w. Hirth.
His stock is probably the largest
west of Lawrence. Mr.. Hirth has
been in this business here since