Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-08-07
WICHITA WILL.
The HAIL Already Opened.


will be the greatest city in the state; if she
loses she can only bea leading county town
in Southern Kansas. On the third of last
month the EAGLE contained long article
in which it was attempted to be shown that
the building up Of a city at this point wodid
necesaitate . reorganization Of almost the
entire hallway systsm of Southern Kansas,
. re-arranging of al time schedules and
freight rates. including the operation of lines
to and from this city, instead Of by and
and through this city. We pointed out
that the building Up of a jobbing and man
ufacturing city at this point was not only
against the interests of railway lines already
constructed, in the main, but that all ten
denotes to such growth or development of
Wichita as would threaten or compel Mis-
souri, river rates at this place, would be oppos-
ed with great vehemence by not only the rail-
ways centering at Kansas City. but by every
interest that Kansas City would have to
bear. Our assertions were not guesses nor
mere logic, but came ofreliable information.
The ball has been opened by at least one
line, or by men long identified with the
Santa Fe at Topeka. To cut off the chances
and opportunities of getting aid for the pro-
posed southwest outlet to tho Mississippi
river the Mulvanes and others at Topeka
who have always proved convenient cats
paws for the Santa Fe management, have
taken out a charter for road starting from
the vicinity of Independence aud sweeping
clear around Wichita and along the border,
with numerous branches and a capital as re-
diculously large as il is exact in its statement
one.
Bluff number two consists of q charter
fled day before yesterday by rome of the
same Topeka crowd for road from the
Santa FEES Reformatory town of Hutchinson
through Reno county, Stafford county and
Pawnee county to Kinsley. Capital stock
named in this scheme is S2,999,OO0. Why
the odd thousand dollars was left out was
unexplained, but the business men of Wich-
ita will notice that it is laid principally
along and through the territory proposed
for the Wichita & Colorado road. 3
Bluff number three is line from Halsted
to Kingman, through another part of the
Wichita & Colorados line, and number
four is proposition to extend a branch of
the Kansas Southern clear around us and
up to some point on the Arkansas
Valley in the vicinity Of Dodge
So much for these threats which the
Santa Fe is able to carry out II she deems it
necessary to encompass her interest and to
preserve her prestage.
We put it as sensible proposition that
too many lines nor branches can be built in
this section Of the state, providing such
lines and branches can all be intersected by
other lines reaching out from Wichita, and
that, therefore, our people must not be
baked in any of their railway enterprises,
whatever others may do or threaten to do,
until our importance as a city brings to our
aid other railways whose interests it will be
to take up our side of the fight, when, and
not till then, can Wichita stand upon either
neutral or independent grounds. When
any road, either already constructed or to
be hereafter constructed, finds greater in
terest in Wichita than at Kansas City, such
roads will, in caring for their own, take care
of Wichita's interests.
As for the people and towns, the town
ships and neighborhoods of southwest Kan
sa., we say TO them that direct connection
with Wichita and her three independent and
competing, if not conflicting lines of rail-
ways, Is better for them and their present
and future interest than any branch or con-
nection which will force them over a line to
connection with competition two or three
hundred miles distant at Kansas City.
Western Sedgwick, southern Reno, Stafford,
Pawnee and Hodgeman counties will have
their interests far better conserved by di-
rect connection at Wichita than TO be forced
to take their freight and passenger service
over an uncompeted line, at local rates, two
or three hundred miles to Missouri river
point. Surely this proposition needs no ar
gument. The road that will reach you from
Wichita will compete with any branch the
Santa Fe or Union Pacific may send out for
every pound of freight you may have to
ship in either direction.
The branch of a line already contiguous
to you will fail of any marked relief. There
fore We say, lift can be shown to your salts
faction that you can get strictly Compel
ing line, it will be naught but wisdom to d.
rect your aid, work and sympathy in secur-
ing connection with competing roads al
ready at Wichita, to say nothing of those
which are to come, rather than to tie your
selves to a line which will compel you to pay
local rates all the way from the Missouri
river to your homes.
To the business men OF Wichita We will say
that before the EAGLE commenced the ad
vocacy OF making Wichita commercial
city and before commencing the agitation of
the construction of the new trunk lines, now
contemplated, we had counted the cost, and
not only knew, but plainly stated, that the
result must be fight upon not only the
part of Kansas City but from one of the
greatest corporations in the country. That
fight is now on our hands. They can take
nothing from US that we have, for they have
never given us anything,not even Reforma-
tory or depot, but they may steal our
friends. Their fight will be an honorable
and an open one but none the less brainy
or powerful. We have the greatest county,
and in some respects, the greatest city in the
state, with capital, energy and brains suffi-
Gent for the victory if we but stand firm in
q united and vigorous fight.
Will we do it?
THE EAGLE LINE.
Mr.. j. p. Vincent, merchant at the new