The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-07-07
Western Wanderings.
Correspondence of the Journal.

| City, a name unpleasantly associated with border
rutanism in the Eastern mind, but there is no
reminiscence Of her former evil notoriey that
should be remembered against her now.
| KANSAS CITY
is now the centre of the largest business west of
st. Louis and destined not improbably, to lead in
the competition for the business Of the West and
Southwest Its situation gives it the natural com
mand of the traffic of vast region. Already
fourteen railroads pour their tribute into the lap of
| this western queen and half dozen more Will
soon swell the vast volume of business. With
these long of power she has reached out to the
| Rocky Mountains down into New Mexico the In
dian Territory and Texas and directly southwark
through Missouri and Arkansas, while she is in &C
tive and successful competition for share of the
| business of the North and Northwest. 1t requires
| but glance at the situation to establish our CON
hdence in the future greatness of this young town
| Already it has population of 75,000 mostly the
growth of the last ton years. Eleven years ago,
when was last here, it was but a struggling ham
let in the comparison 1t still has the appearance
of an overgrown village. Evidently it doesn't know
| what to do with itself, like the awkward boy who
can find no place for his hands and feet Time
| will remedy its somewhat patent faults. But they
must be remedied without creating a large mum
| eipal debt The charter Of the city limits the
amount of Indebtedness to comparatively tritiing
sum- and renders it impossible for this generation
| TO Dequeath heavy burden to the next. Conse
| quently the march of public improvement may be
| little slower but let that fact lind compensa-
ton in another fact that this strong young city of
| al, Of
than 10000 annually, has a municipal debt scarce
| ly larger than that OF Belfast. In the end the wis
! dom Of this policy will be vindicated.
Mr.. Eugene Rust, formerly o. Belfast holds an
| important and lucrative office as manager of the
| Stock Yards, and is i'll the direct line Of promo
| ton to more important trusts He has located his
| family in comfortable little cottage in the most
pleasant and healthy part of the city, and among
excellent neighbors Their numerous friends in
the East will be glad to know that they are finding
life 50 pleasant here. The circle Of Mrs. Rust's
social life is already large, embracing many excel
lent families, who have extended the most courte-
Gus and cordial attentions As an honored guest
at a tea, can testify to the beauty and comfort
of their home May tie prosperity which they
have so well deserved continue to attend them.
Hon W. H. Mcclellan has also decided upon
| Kansas City as a place Of business. After pros
pectng this whole region to the Rocky Mountains,
he has concluded that here is the finest opening
He is having an office fitted up in a central quar-
ter OF the town, and will soon be in a situation to
give the citizens of Kansas City the benefit of his
eminent legal abilities. Your correspondent was
also made the recipient of cordial hospitality by
Mir. Mcclellan, which added much both to the
pleasure and profit OF his brief stay
l was also most kindly received by Mr.. Keat
ing of the firm of Smith 4 Heating on the letter Of
introduction, with which was happily provided by
one Of the Journal editors. Besides giving me
practical advice and assistance relative to my Jour
ney. he showed me over their immense ware
houses and manufactures of agricultural impe
ments. 1t is claimed that their establishment is
the largest OF the kind in the word-and certainly
| am not disposed to question the claim after tax
ing look over it, There several others here,
! only less extensive in the same line, winch must
be accepted as "a revelation of the present and
prospective volume of business necessarily centre
ing in this city. The large sale of agricultural i'm
plements from this point tells of the vast crops
that will here seek market and OF the thousands
of cattle from The stock ranges Of Kansas, Colora
do, New Mexico, Texas and the Indian Territory
along with the surplus that must be drawn from
thls point in return. There is probably no other
point in the country to day that holds out such III
ducements to The business man and the capitalist
as does Kansas City. Judicious investments here
must pay largely.
From Kansas City enter at once into the
| vigorous young State Of Kansas, and a ride of Gt
miles through a beautiful country, rich in its bur
den of corn and wheat, brings us to the line town
of Topeka the capitol Great activity in business
circles is manifest here, and the city, already en-
bracing population OF 10000 is growing yigor-
ousy. \ great deal Of building is going on, and
the citizens evidently believe il the future of their
town. This Is a sort OF New England town. |
have found great many eastern people among
them Mr., \. Dyer, foraerly of Strong Maine
| remember Of meeting him at Col. Herseys year
or two since, and he instantly recognized me, and
was glad to hear from his Eastern friends He is
doing successful business in crockery, glass ware
1c Next door to Mr. Dyer found Mr.. A. f.
Jones, also from Strong, Me, and engaged in the
drug business And at the central offices of the
Atchson Topeka and Santa Fe r. H. Co in charge
OF an important department, found my od trent
\ Wilder from my native town, Bratlleboro
VT The meeting was purely accidental, but how
! grateful, words could not tell.
In time Topeka will become a very handsome
town. Its location high ground is favorable
and it will necessarily be centre Of taste and OF
refinement The State House, wEich now looks
as if it had been disrupted by an earthquake lthe
| two wings are up but the central portion OF
the building is untouchedl will be creditabe to the
state when completed \ very handsome govern
ment building for postotlice and customs uses il
going up
Last night treated to Young cyclone,
The wind made things lively for Il few minutes.
The air full of all sorts Of loose material but as
the tornado blew straight ahead and did not 20 to
twisting about, very little damage was done, | am
satisfied with this for a specimen, and prefer to be
excused from a first class exhibition. $. D.