The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1879-10-30
ARKANSAS CRY.
It Suddenly Assumes Commercial
Importance in the World.
A *a;iroad the 'mpeli'rg Power of
the Boom.

4 a;iroad the 'mpeli'rg Power Of
the Boom.
Familiar Talks Conc erning Its Ener-
setic CT zsns.
ARKANSAS CITY, KANSAS,
October 9th, 1879.
The subject of this letter will be
ARK iNsAs CITY.
Very naturally the question suggests it.
'elf, why should town so little known,
and one too which has taken no very con-
'picuous part in any great enterprise, until
quite recently, be selected as the subject of
3 newspaper article. To answer this ques-
ton in manner entirely satisfactory, and
10 keep myself within the records, shall be
my object. Situated as it ia upon the very
outposts Of our civilization, for it is under
stood that but four miles intervenes be-
tween it and the northern boundary of the
INDIAN TERRITORY,
it ia not TO be ordered at that the fame
Of the town "a commercial center, manu-
featuring, or business point OF any kind, (if
indeed such conditions had existed) had
not been hersided abroad.
In this letter no attempt will be msde
to prove that Arkansas City stards with
GU, a rival that the business transacted
by her merchants annually exceed. that of
any town in the valley from which the
city is named. On the contrary, it will be
the sole object to present truthful and
impartial, yet brief account of the place
speak Of its business rlen and houses, and
such other matters az may suggest them
selves, concluding with a prediction as to
the glorious future which most certainly
awaits it.
Arkansas City is situated in CoSley
county, which enjoys the enviab!e reputa
ton of being one of the leading counties Of
Kansas.
l think am not doing violence TO the
truth when I say that all the variou.
wants Of the farmer, whether it is to the
Pursuits of agriculture alone, or to stock
raising he wishes TO direct his attention
are more fully met in Cowley county thar
any other district of country Of the same
area, to be found in the State. 1t la.
been termed the garden apo. Of Kansaa
and while that smscks of the poetical oil
highly imaginative, yet want TO add my
testimony to the truthfulness OF the cay
ing, even at the expense of the poetry.
The town site of Arkansas City is coz,
ceded by all persons who have seen il, tc
be the incest one in the State. The city il
beautifully laid out upon a very high
piece of ground, and yet not 30 high as tc
appear abrupt, and is situated between the
Arkansas and Walnut rivers-a5out one
mile north of the Arkansas, and near the
confluence OF the two streams.
/ nave, in former letters, been demon
stratIpg the fitness or adaptability of the
Arkansas River Valley as an agricultural
district, and have submitted the figures in
support of all have claimed tor it. W.
are now a. a point where not only the
Arkansas Valley is one of the inducement.
to settlement, but where the beautiful W al
nut contributes to render the country more
inviting enchanting if you please.
With two such valleys as the Arkansas
and Walnut, how could the country BE-
other than good one in which to live, and
one too where the farmer can make money
very rapidly and with great ease.
Arkansas CITY then starts out with the
advantage of having a splendid farming
country around it.
No town or city, unless it be an entirely
manufacturing one, can prosper without the
support of an agricultural district the
better that district, and the more enligbt.
ened and enterprising the farmers, the bet
ter it will be for that town or city. / have
said that in this essential matter, Arksnsa.
City il on the " winning side" for no town
in the State ia surrounded by better agri-
cultural district. The citizens OF the p ace
are characterized for their intelligence and
culture. The population is not far from
ONE THOUSAND,
and at the present rate OF increase anothe;
year will not have passed before it mum.
bers fifteen hundred or two Thousand inhsb.
itants.
BUSINESS.
The town supports dry goods, : gro.
Gerry, drug, 3 hardware, stove and tin
ware, millinery, > jswelry and l furniture
store. 1t has l bank, | lumber yard,
real estate Offices, l news stand, meal
markets, harGess shop, 3 photograph gal.
leries, ) blacksmith shops, 3 livery stables
8 restaurants, 8 churches, l school house
3 hotels, mills, 8 saloons, 6 doctors and
s lawyers, and last, out not least
TWO NEWSPAPERS.
Approaching the city from any direc.
ton, the attention of the stranger is a,
once called to the magnificent school
building, the pride Of the city, built at a
cost of
TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.
1t e1cels any school building in the county,
and greatly discounts the one at the coun.
ty seat. The public schools are also Of the
very highest order, and on this point !
desire to say, that after msn who has a
family OF children has made up his mind
to GO west, if he would consider that which
is Of the most value to his children, viz.
an education, he will be careful to locate
in a community where the educational
facilities are good. Arkansas City heads
the list in this respect.
IMPROVEMENTS.
/ notice the evidences of prosperity on
every hand, reflected in the amount Of
building now being done, both for business
and residence purposes. Two nice COM
modious brick business rooms are in course
OF construction, and three more are to be
built during the present season; these
buildings are trimmed with stone, have
iron fronts, and will when completed be q
great addition to the business portion of
the town. A great many neat and attrac-
tive residences are beirg put up, 80 that
the town presents q scene of activity and
prosperity not found in maLy Of our wes-
tern towns.
NO HOUSES TO RENT.
There is a grea, demand for houses and
yet j am informed that there Is not va
cant house in tine town.
There must be some cause for this sudden
and unprecedented revival of prosperity at
Arkansas City. The reason for it is obvi-
Gus, snd without further words let me ssy
that Arkansas City will be
RAILROAD TOWN.
Certainly within sixty, perhaps within
thirty days the cars will be running to the