The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1874-05-28
Wichita.

a few days ago we TOOK 4 run uOWH
10 Wichita to see the boys" 1t is
big Job to get to Wichita and back. 1t
is not a great distance, but the cars
leave here after O'Clock and arrive
there after IL. Coming back they leave
Wichita about one, and arrive here in
time for early breakfast. This arrange
ment spoils two nights sleep, and that
is hard on person of regular habits
The Atchison Il Santa Fc is q nice
road. the smoothest running one IN the
state, and YOU scoot right along and
have pleasant ride.
We only had chance to see little
of the Cottonwood valley west of here
by dav light If there is a prettler or
more fertile country than that between
here and COttonwo God Falls, we have
vet to see it. We think we have said
this before. bat it will bear repeating.
Next time we '.go west" we will prob
ably say it again. 1t has new attrac-
tons every time we see it. We saw
several large new residences up the
valley. The country about Elinor, Chase
county, is absolutely as handsome as
picture. No wonder Martin. Beunett
and those other fellows like it.
Next morning when we awoke and
looked out of Marsh Murdock's bed
room window there was the Big Ar
kansas off to the left and the Little
Arkansas straight west. In between
the two lies the bright and busy city
of Wichita. In every direction we could
see as far as human vision can reach.
The country is as level as brick yard.
Paint is almost universal. The streets
are flanked by good sidewalks and are
wide and clean Trees have been plant
ed everywhere and already begin to
beautiiy the town. Nearly all the town
is built Oh what is now known rs the
new townsite. The gentlemen, who
laid out the town first, some eight or
ten years ago, selected by far the pref
test site, as it LAYS considerably higher
than that on which the city is built.
The original proprietors, we suppose,
made the mistake of too many town
companies. To use forcible express
sion they thought they had soft
thing They moved too slow, and as
a consequence have acres Of vacant
lots. In some way the company raised
the ire of VIM. Greiffenstein, who was
an old Indian trader, and who was
better known as Dutch Bill" He had
concluded to quit his rowing life and
r.locatc." He was pleased with Wichita.
A misunderstanding arose between
him and the company and the idea
struck him that he also would have a
soft thing" Possessed Of large
degree of two important ingredients OF
the successful western town builder,
liberality and shrewdness, he bought a
quarter section just south of the old
TOWNSHIP and "sailed in The balance
of the story is brief The town stands
on his land, while the old company
took theirs out in scoop
The thing that pleased us most about
Wichita, besides the wonderful display
of "pluck" to be seen on every hand.
was the attention which is being paid
to the matter of identifying the town,
and rendering it attractive. Nearly
all the wide and level streets are lined
with young trees. which grow very ra-
pidlv in that soil. and which already
begin to make quite show. Some OF
the places about the city already have
large and thrifty looking orchards
And right here let us mention one thing
Which is cOmmendable and which
forms an example that Emporia would
do well to follow. Old NANCY, dirty
destroying cows and hogs are not al
| lowed to run at large, and trees are Sc,
everywhere without the enormous ex
pense of fences. The people there take
| the sensible ground that the poor G!
man who wants to keep COW can build
a little pen for her much cheaper thar
his poorer neighbOrs can build a fence
around all his premises for the purpose
of keeping other peoples cows from
running him. Had this policy beer
pursued in Emporia at an early day
and kept up till now. we would have
had plenty of fruit and forest trees.
The most noticeable feature of Wich
tia is the '.pluck" spoken of above
You can get into muss there quicker
than at any place we ever saw by
shooting off your mouth in the wrong
direction. They rush things. Yot
can go on the street there for any thing
that benefits tho town and "raise tn
wind in short order to the amount o
thousands of dollars. Everybody be
lievos in Wichita. The fellows abso
luely pity you for living anywhere else
You receive an introduction to one o
the go-aheads. He asks you wher,
YOU are from. and with svmpathizin:
and patronlzing air he asks you if il i
not lawful dull' there. He SAYS. "lool
at that street" You look, and mus
acknowledge there are a good man,
people moving around, and goo'
deal of business going on. 1t is a mott
crowd YOU see. Broad-brimmed an,
spurred Texans. farmers, keen bushes
men. real estate agents, land seekers
greascrs, hungry lawyers, gamblers
women with white sun bOnnets am
shoes of tain pattern. EXPIRES
wagons going pell nell, prairie schoo
ners. farm wagons, and all rushing al
ter the almighty dollar. The cattl
season has not vet fully set in, Blu
there is a rush of gamblers and harlot
who are Giving in wait" for the gam
which will soon begin to come up froI
the south. There was a struggle 70
awhile which should run the city, tn
hard cases or the better people. TIL
latter got the mastery, and have Onl
kept it by holding Il tight grip.
Pistols are as thick as blackberrie:
The taxes are paid by the money re
ceived from whiskey sellers, gamblin
bells, and the demi monde, and thou'
ands of dollars are obtained besides t
further the interests of the tow
Wichita fourishes off the cattle bus
ness. and these evils have to be put u
with: at least that is the way iarg
majority of the people see II. Bu
understanding this man is as sat
f in Wichita rs anywhere else if he keep
out of bad company. The purlieus {
crime there are no worse than in man
eastern cities of boosted refinemer
and good order But woe to til
'.preeny" who falls into the hands {
, the dwellers therein, especially If b
carries money. From these must com
most of the stories of outrage at Wicl
ita. They are entitled to'little sympS
, thy because they can find plenty {
good company if they desire it.
: But there Is better and pleasantt
side 10 Wichita. She has her church6
: and schools, and christians TO worl
They are making good Roadway: goo
! people are settling there. The city
, improving rapidly. and already ha
, MANY beautiful and substantial bus
! ness houses and residences. James
\ Mead. one of the oldest inhabitant
; has a residence. which alone cost hii
} So. 600. He is surrounding himself wit
e trees and flowers. and his place is Oh
of the finest. in every way. TO be foun
in southern Kansas. j. Z. Fraker,
former resident OF Emporia. also hi
beautiful place. VIM. Greiflenstei
: has put up a commodius residenc
, MANY others are planned and in pr
ress of construction, among which
e that of NJ. VI. Murdoch. of the EAGLl
d On the business streets are the Gee
. dental Hotel. the First National Ban
e building. tho Eagle Block, aud other
as fine and large business houses a. al
= -. 49, ,,n-toru cifv II