The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1878-05-23
From the Topeka Commonwealth.
VOTERS, OR CALVES.
The Future Possibilities and Probabilities Of
the Arkansas Valley.


In looking over the fifth annual Ag-
ricullural Report, one of the first pages
gives the wheat product. The natu-
raj Inference is that wheat is one of
our staples. We Kansans think we
make fine showing in this behalf
So we do; but compared to not only
our possibilities, bat our probabilities
in very near future, we certainly are
only q well-deyeloped infant. as yet.
Take The whole acreage of wheat
for rs, for sample; 75S,60o acres of
winter wheat was all there was in the
| State. Sumner county has 760,320
acres of as good wheat land IS we
want, or 1,720 acres more land snita-
BILE for wheat than was sown in the
State III 1876. The average yield was
near 1912 bushels per acre. This
county's average for the same year
was 16 bushels per acre. The Arkan-
sas Valley alone, taking north TO town
ship 20, south, and from she Stale line
of Colorado, range IS, west, to range
6 east, Will III square form include
about the area of the valley. This has
proven to be in every county includ-
ed good for wheat" as to quantity
and quality, equal to the best wheat
regions of The world This patch of
over seventeen aud quarter million
acres is capable of producing continu-
onsly, year after year, for the next
several centuries. over 150,0O0,00
bushels per annum, and if prices just
flied, making it on ten months no
tice, 100000, 600, or, with a 20-bushel
harvest, 100000 bushels.
Ia III 4.
for the Gobbler, we Will contract in
behalf of the Arkansas Valley to fur
nish breadstuffs for forty millions of
soldiers Oh side to eat with their
feathered game. Greenbscks mi ght
do US until we got our lands broke
and into good filth, but we would
want metallic basis after the first
year or two, as we would expect TO
lay up some to look at after the con- |
pleasantncss" was over. This is no
dream. 1t is he.mathematicai dem
onstration from the facts in the pos
session of the Valley farmers. l have
not counted in the other three fourths |
of the State, nor even taken in near
all of Tom Ryan's little Third dis
trict.
A very serious question would here |
arise, not how we would make the I
wheat; we can all do that, and more
too; but how shall we get it to the /
Bulls and Bears? Tom Ryan has in
troduced bill and passed the House,
10 investigate the Arkansas river as
to the practicability of making it nav
igable, either by improving the main
channel or utilizing it as a feeder to
canal. After the matter goes through
the circumiocution office and is deck.
ed in the legal amount of red tape, the
brings forth its mouse. 1t
kansas Valley Canal will be more val
liable than two Erie. Canals, as well
AS railroads, to be thing of beauty
(profiD forever, must carry ice to the
sugar and lemons, or lemons to the
ice. Railroads will do well, but the
day is fast coming when the visions of
Dewitt Clinton viii be realities.
The Valley needs the canal as bear
sr of the burdens of her wheat and
beef, but equally as much as power
TO make -four of her wheat, and cloth
If her wool, and calico of her cotton,
bought with her -four. purposcly
present our ability as wheat produc-
ng district in connection with the idea
If canal from the plains to the deep
water, as the realization of one neces-
'itates the accomplishment of the 9TH
r.. Railroads are the beau ideal of
luick transit, the passenger and all
light freights, but the canal or other
transportation for the heavy products
If the farm.
Unless we have some such ability TO
move the cereals without costing one
lalf to move the other, our wheat rails
ug will only remain possibility. The
aising of beef, pork and wool will be I
he staple business. We think the
,est minds in the State should wres-
10 with the problem: Do we need vo-
ers or calves? If we can get trans {
'ortation. we need 100000 people to
aisc wheat; if we don't get trans
'ortation, we need only sheep and t
alvcs. VALLEY.