Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-06-04
WHISKY IN WICHITA

The Toledo Blades representative,
Charles Locke Curtis, who spent a
week or two in this city, has given
that paper the result of his investiga-
lions of the workings Of the prohibi to-
~ law in Wichita. Ills report is very
fair and truthful one, and don't make
bad showing for our city. True, he
found two or three places where
liquors could he had in upstairs rooms,
which conld be reached by those who
had been supplied with a key, but that
is no news Ia a large number of peO-
pie. A. to the saloons he SAYS that
thew are closed. As the law rs il is
now stands is directed principally
against the saloons, Wichita is, there
fore aw-ahiding. The point that he
found fifteen drug stores in Wichita is
nothing against the town or the pro-
hibition law, for the law recognizes
and authorizes the sale
of liquors by druggists Tha,
these druggists TO any considerable
extent violates the law or their oaths.
we do not believe. Mr.. Curtis even
admits that the old bum and regular
hard drinkcr were not. TO be found
about the drug stores. lie quotes
DIR. krohn rs SAYING that should these
secret places become open saloons that
they would he summarily squelched.
There is no doubt of il. And as
buildings and property are hereafter
TO be holden for costs and fines the
open saloon will bc seen no more I'M
der the present law.
After disposing of the whisky ques-
.tion the Blades correspondent adds
the following touching the city and
county:
Wichita. in point of size, is the
fourth city in the state, claiming
population of 5000. Four lines of
railroad pass through il, but except
for these and the fact that il is in the
heart of a rich farming country, one
ttull VIII Nhifi'i W lplNt> apHi-
binc To keep the city in existence. Ii
has had an a7toniShingly rapid growth.
and still keeps up its wonderful pace.
Ii might very appropriately be called
the Forest City Of the West" for its
streets are lined with beautiful shade
trees which have attained such a
growth Is 10 give ii the appearance of
an eastern city. This j. further en-
HANGED by the many fine residences
with their we'll kept lawns and cool
arbors.
Sedgwick county, of which Wichita
is the capital. contains nearly ESQ 900
acres of choice land of which only
about one-half is in a state of cultiva-
ton. The soil is sandy. and very fer
tile. yielding large crops both in corn
and wheat which are the staple prod
ucts. Last year the total wheat crop,
as reported To the state agricul-
tural bureau. was LOO. 900 bushels. the
corn crop 900, goo bushels. The fame
which the county has attained
for its excellent farming land has
gone abroad and the unoccupied pra-
irie is being bought up rs rapidly as
spectators will part with it ut any
thing like reasonable prices. The same
may be said OF Cowley, sumner. But
Ter. Reno. Rice and other counties To-
Gated in the Arkantas river bottoms.
The farmer can find no spot in the
world where he can get better returns
for his labor thsn right here in this
quarter of Kansas. The man who
takes up land in any of these counties
and fails 10 prosper has only TO blame
his lack of energy or inability TO sue
coed under the most suspicious cir
ctlmStanceS.