The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1879-03-27
Golden Belt.

The Kansas City Times of the 22d inst.
N an article ON Kansas wheat fields. says:
1t has often been remarked that no
State was ever SO well advertised as
hansas. and indeed it is true. From
die opening of the territory TO settle
nent there has been succession OF
vents that has kept Kansas before the
world, and made her more or less of a
sensation. In her earlier years these
events seemed to be thrust upon her, ~
1t were; she was not 50 much their
author as their Objcct--too often their
victim. The situation has changed,
however and with her growing strength.
she shows herself able to keep herself
before the world with sensational facts
oi her own creating.
The display of her productions Mt the
Centennial was one of these. and il led
to another-the immense immigration
of 1877 and 1873, which. being drawn
from wide quarters, and involving man,
people, became a sensation and aug
,ncnted its own volume. Another %
these facts, one that is likely to augment
immigration, is the crop yields of 1878.
particularly wheat. Kansas farmers
nave discovered within few years. tn,
superior quality of their soil and climate
ior this cereal, and its greater profita-
bleness. Ii is sure crop, failure o.
wheat in Kansas being unknown IN
Kansas history. Last year it received
more than usual attention, and the re-
suit was yield of 32,3l5,35s bushels ;
worth at the farms $lS.441 ,066.S4. In
ll77 the yield was II ,3l6. 705, valued Al
*l2.24O, 12S.72. The yield for 1873 was
the largest ever made by any Americas
the preceding year has attracted larg,
attention to Kansas rs the large wheat
region of the American continent.
The average yield for 1873 was 1929
bushels per acre, including the whole
State, which brings to view the superb
ority of some localities over others. The
valley of the kaw river-rathcr the
country contiguous TO the Kansas Pa
citic rai!rOad-has been much advertised
as the Golden Belt" because of its
superior prOductivencss Of this golden
grain. That il deserves il. is undeniahle.
especially that portion about Abilene.
Abilene is the county seat Of Dickinson
county. which has become much distin-
guishcd for its large wheat fields and
its enormous yields.
Will the Times allow us to give them
a few figures regarding the production
of wheat down on the Banana Line"
compared with their brag county on the
Kansas Pacific railroad. Dickinson
county in 1873 had in winter and spring
wheat 1898 acres, producing ,s53, 517
bushels. the value of which was estimat
ed at S1.lll .634.40: and in 1873 was
twenty-onc years old. Sedgwick county
in 1873 had soaps acres in wheat-al-
most ten thousand acres less than in
Dickinson county, but 1881 bushels
more wheat, showing much great
er average yield per acre--the val
ne of which was about So, 900 more
than the product of Dickinson. Scde-
county in 1873 was eight years old-a
difference of thirteen years in the age
of the two counties-and if Sedgwick
increase her production of wheat for
the next thirteen years-or until she is
twenty-one--in the same proportion as
between '77-7S il will reach the enormous
amount of l5,747 $50 bushels per annum.
We have only given figures Of one county
out of four in the Lower Arkansas val
ley whose combined production of
wheat alone in 1873 was 5,794.06S BUSH
els. Can any four counties in the great
kaw valley show such a yield rs this of
one product alone? Ii the kaw River
valley is known rs the Golden Belt"
we shall claim tor the four counties of
Sedgwick. Sumner, Cowlcy and Butler
the name of Diamond Cluster.