The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-03-21
ITEMS FROM THE HEAD CENTER.
Business at Lawrence-State University
Railroad s-Churches-'sThe


Business at Lawrence-State University |
Railroad EOtes-Churches-'sT
DAM"
have heard it said by one who ought |
TO know that Emporia is one of the bust |
est towns in the west, and that it has as
much trade as Lawrence. Be that as it |
may, Emporia will find it necessary to |
bestir herself if she wishes to hold her |
place alongside of the historic city, for,
with the coming of spring, business has
improved TO a wonderful degree; and
what is the most hopeful sign of all, our
merchants are waking up to the fact
that the funeral Grafton which Topeka |
predicted would be soon given over the |
lifeless body of Lawrence need not be |
given; that we are not dead, but are as
lively corpse as can be imagined, and
that by the application of such remedies |
as mutual cooperation and hard work |
the patient may yet be taken from the
sick ward and he sent on its way rejoic-
ing. So much for the business prospects
of Lawrence.
There is a university at Lawrence
which the Topeka Faber-wielder of the
Leayenworth Times calls the Lawrence
university" Now it is risky matter to
attempt to deny such statement, because
newspaper correspondents, and especial
" those who digest Tefft house hash, are
we'll known to be both the best informed
and also the most modest men in the
world. but notwithstanding that indis
putable fact / shall venture the assertion
that the Lawrence university is myth,
a fable, delusion and nonentity, having
existence only in the brain of the afore
said correspondent. Furthermore, l
would add that if that individual will
come to Lawrence and hire a hack and
ride out one mile south of the Kansas
river he will see an imposing structure
browning Mount Dread, and known in
this region as the Kansas State UnfUerS
fty. If he will condescend to alight and
enter he will be courteOusly shown one
of the best arranged buildings for educa-
tional purposes in the United States, and
if he will take the trouble to inquire con-
corning the students who attend he will
he told that there are 1856 names on the
roll for 1919; that these students repre-
sent 43 Kansas counties and fifteen states
and that the average age of the students
is 10 years. Ifhe wishes to know wheth-
er it is rich mans college or not, he
graduating class of 10 are seated and
will learn that eight of them have been
dependent upon what they could earn by
working in the summer for means to con-
tinue their studies. The university is
doing good work. 1t does not seek to
build itself up by the misfOrtunes of 9th
er institutions, but on the contrary recOg-
nizes in the normal system of the state
an important adjunct to its welfare. Law
renee rejoices that the Normal school is
to be rebuilt.
The railroads do not love Lawrence.
They do not send petitions to the city
council asking for right of way, or ground
for machine shops, or concessions of land
for depots. They do not compete and
cut rates for our business. They do not
run special trains in order that country
merchants may transact their city bust
ness in one day. The fact is the only
thing they do not do is to treat US decent
ly. Sam. Riggs was to he the means of
our railroad salvation(at least we thought
sol, but somehow or other Sam. fiZZled
out He loaded too heavily with powder.
The truth of the matter is that we have
been ruined by smart men, and, instead
of getting a bill that would have saved
us from unjust discrimination, have not
gained anything. There is some proba-
bility that the Kansas Pacific will move
ther shops to Bismarck and utilize part
of the power now running to waste over
the dam. AS yet the removal has not oc-
Cured.
Travellers say that Lawrence has the
finest churches of any city of its size in
the west, and that it also has one of the
best breweries. These two facts may
seem antagonistic, but the brewery is
outside the city limits, and no one ever
goes there, even on Sunday-every one
goes to church. The Congregational
church, formerly ministered to by DIR.
Coriley, now of your city, has the finest
edifice and the best organ. Regarding
superiority of preaching it would hardly
be right to make a statement, since there
are many good Baptists and Methodists
who would make it warm for me if
should award the first place to Rev. Mr..
Spring. Of 1 have said anything derog-
atory of any one, be assured it is to be
construed in Pickwickian sense). Dur
ing the winter several meetings have been
held by lady evangelist at the Metho-
dist church, and as a result of her labors
over two hundred have been converted.
There are a few sinners left.
We have a dam at Lawrence. 1t is a
wonderful dam. 1t is a Phoenix dam
1t is an un-put-down-able dam. We hope
it will be a permanent dam. On that
dam the eyes of the dealer in real estate
fondly rests, and he whispers to himself,
six flour mills, machine shops, starch
factories, pillow factories, rolling mills,
10000 people, lots trebled in price and a
good time all around" That his wish
may come to pass is the wish of
w. II. S.
| LAWRENCE, Ks, March 10, 1879.
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