Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-12
PRATT CEN1ER.
One ofthe Live New Towns ofthe West.

To the Editor OF the Eagle:
In my last letter spoke of the rich farm
ing land in Pratt county. 1t is beautiful
country and believe will, in a few years,
be rich and thickly settled. One popularity
of Pratt county has been that Of being fav-
ored with rain when it was dry weather in
adjacent counties. 1t has been settled about
six years, but not until the last year has
there been general rush for the vacant land
there. The government land has now all
been taken and in the older parts of the
county good farms are bringing round
prices. don't think that any Of the valley
counties can show better samples Of grain
and vegetables than l saw on exhibition in
the real estate offices there. also saw some
very fine apples grown in the county. The
people of that county arc very enthusiastic
over their advantages and claim that they
have the best soil, climate and loca-
ton on earth. They certainly are
not surpassed by many. Iuka is and always
has been the seat Of justice for this enter
prising county. 1t is located six miles north
of its center and the same distance from the
Ninnescah river, When the Iuka people
discovered that the Wichita & Western rail-
road was to be built up the Minnesota valley
and directly through the center of the
county, number of the most prominent
business men organized stock company,
under the name of the Pratt Center Town
company, and proceeded to survey and plat
a new town ON the former site of Anderson,
exactly in the center Of the county, and on
the survey of the railroad and the banks of
the river. The gentlemen comprising the
town company are Z. p. Williams, Robert
Anderson, T. Z. Simpson, w. F. Pitser, C.
5. Calhoun and w. II. Cathingham. A.
personal acquaintance with these gentlemen
leads me TO believe that they could
build lively town in the wilds of
South America or any other place they
wished to. All of these men are moderately
wealthy. and they are also plentifully en-
dowed with pluck and determination, and
AlooS WHICH lchu ultii W lOoh
from cause to effect, stick their stakes and
then labor through all discouragementst that
may come, until they make for themselves
success. These men are sway up" in gener-
osity, sociability ard good hard sense, but
are poorly provided with shiftlessness, mean
ness and general cussedness. On the 9th of
last April these people built the first house
in the new town of Pratt, and inside Of
week they had the greater part of Iuka on
wheels en- route there. The town company
expended over five thousand dollars before a
dollar was realized from the venture. Busi-
ness lots were given to all who would put up
substantial buildings on them, and every
possible inducement was offered
10 those desiring locations TO
settle there. The Spit of enterprise and
determination thus ev. ICED by the founders
of the city, was caught by the new arrivals.
No dissentions crept in TO cause trouble
among the business men, all have worked
tremendously together for the general good
Of the town, and the result is tina. the town
now has population of about seven hun
dred people, everyone of whom believes
they have the best town in the state. There
are now seventy-three business houses, sew
enty of which are owned by the firms doing
business in them. The merchants all carry
heavy stocks of goods, many of them MS
large as those found in towns of two thous-
and inhabitants.
The city has recently been Incorporated
and Mr.. I. +. Simpson, the secretary of the
town company, elected as mayor.
There are two newspapers, the Times and
Press, the former under the management Of
Naron & CULLEN, and the latter of Messrs
Thompson Il Kelley. Like all the rest of
the sensible people of this wide awake town,
these papers are edited by men without jeal-
ousy of their rivals. There are no quarrels
between the papers.
Brother Naron is postmaster and county
clerk and Mr.. Thompson WAS recently
elected to represent his county in the legis-
lature.
Pratt has already three church organiza-
Presbyterian and Chris
tian Services are held each week in pub
lie hall until arrangements can be compiet-
ed for building.
The public schools are presided over by |
two teachers. The sessions are held in a
hall. The newly elected officials are con-
the erection of substantial
school building at an early day.
There are three hotels; the Adams, where
a stopped, being one of the best l have
found in Southern Kansas. 1t is owned and
managed by Robert Anderson, member of
he town company and probate judge of the
county. Mr.. Anderson is an excellent land
ord and is thoroughly posted on the town
md county.
The town company have contracted for
-oller Touring mill and are going to build
water works in the spring for the use of the
;ity
1t certainly does seem a little out Of the
Usual line to see 7-months-old town build
water works, but the money has been offered
~ eastern capitalists who are interested in
he little city and of course it will be done.
In conclusion will say that Pratt has less
violence of intemperance than any town /
ave seen. RALPH.