The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1875-12-30
Bonds and Taxes,
ROCKFORD TOWNSHIP,
December %. 1870.

ROCKFORD TOWNSHIP,
December 30. 1879.
DEAR EAGLE: Two or three weeks
ago read a statement in the Beacon
that some very enterprising farmers
had emigrated to this county, and, on
account Of the high taxes here, had
settled just across the line, in Sumner
county, where they now have finely
improved farms, and now comes word
that another colony has settled jus,
over the line in Batter county, driven
thither by the railroad taxes in our
county. That these men who thus
become alarmed at our railroad taxes
and pass by our county are men who
have an eye to business and would
make valuable citizens is abundantly
proven by their squatting Immediately
after crossing our county line.
Now the question ARISES, why did
these men just cross the line? Why
did they not, while they were SIAM
peding from Sedgwick county, go to
the rich lands south and west of We'll
lington, or to the gentle and produc-
tive slopes east Of Douglas or Augusta?
Simply because they wished to avoid
the payment of railroad tax and at
the same time get as near as possible
to Wichita. Augusta, Eldorado, Win
field and Arkansas City are all good
towns, yet SO far as their value is con-
cerned, TO the farmers, they all COM
bined do not equal Wichita.
Wichita excells them all in this /:
She has a roilroad and furnishes us
and market for the
surplus products of our farms. The |
people of Sedgwick county obtained
this supremacy for their county town
by the payment oftwo hundred thou
sand dollars. This is no temporary
and time will demonstrate
that the people of Sedgwick county
acted wisely in assuming this railroad
1ebt. The rows of brick buildings
now rising, as if by magic, on Douglas
avenue, is but shadow ''cast before" |
IF the mighty things that will come to
pass in the years to come. Z
A railroad down the Walnut would s
benefit the farmers infinitely more q
han the holders of town lots, from the d
act that number of good little towns f
would spring up. The same may be r.
aid of road on the west side of the t.
Arkansas river. n
Sumner and Butler and Cowley fl
onnties are rich in soil, and when n
hey have built their railroads they O
Will soon be great counties, but they h
Will never be able to concentrate trade h
ufficient in one place to build a for v
lidable rival to Wichita.
Let who viii laugh at the railroad ia
ebt of Sedgwick county. Two wears SC
go when she voted 500, 900 in bonds III
ne recorded the decree of fate, which OF
lakes Wichita the commercial and O,
oney center, the Queen of the Ar
ansas Valley. The thousands of dol 70
re of taxable property added to our al
'unty by the upbuilding of Wichita &C.
ill, in time, make this county the
ost desirable for residence in this val TO
y,so far rs the. payment of taxes is sh
ncerned. The hundreds now settling to
this county understand that, and fix
II they will come, as Whittier says va
al hear the tread Of pioneers
OF Nations yet to be,
The first low wash OF waves, where soon an
Shall roll human sea.
The rudiments of empire here VA
Are plastic yet and warm; fsc
The chaos of mighty world
Is rounding int FORM ID.
FABkER Dout1TTLE: poi