Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-06-26
THE REFoRMAToRY INSTITU-
From the Fl. Scot, Monitor

The REFoRMAToRY INSTITU-
TON.
From the Fl. Scot, Monitor.
A matter of business took us 10
Wichita. en- Thursday of lat week.
While there we met the commission TO
locate the refcrmatory institute, pro-
vided for by an act of the last legi-la-
ture. These commissioners are Hon.
Ed. Smith. of Linn, Mr.. Bonebrake,
Abilene. and Col. John Severance, of
Marshall county. All three are men
of level heads and practical experience.
The personnel and qualifications of
the COMM ssion for so important a
work could not be surpassed by any
three men in the state. There are ten
or twelve towns in Ksnsas asking for
the institution, and we would be glad
TO see every one OF them receive il.
But as only one cal, the commission
have a delicate work on their lands, in
making q selection. We are very de-
cidely of the opinion that it should
be located. however, south of the kaw
river, for two reasons. if no more: Be-
cause il can be located more centrally
and accessibly TO all the state, and be-
cause the center of population is there.
As II must be located at some point
west of the sixth principal meridian,
there arc but four towns in that part
of the state indicated shat become for
midable rivals for it. These are New
ton, Hutchinson, Wichita and yelling.
ton. After coming into possession of
knowledge of the character and ex-
tent of this institution and of the re-
quirements necessary 10 an institution
Of this character, we do not, for a
moment. hesitate 20 reccde from
crudelv formed ideas about it, and
say from personal knowledge of the
country that Wichita is the place for
this Institution.
II is expected that in less than five
years from Is opening 10 contain from
500 TO 1000 inmates. aud manufactur-
ing will be very largely the occupa-
lion of them. An immense amount
of pure water easily obtained and
perfect sewerage are absolutely in-
dispensable. Ilogsheads of water and
sewerage must be carried of every
day. No ordinary well or wells. or
creek that nearly runs dry in the sum
mer, can be thought of for a moment
to supply such an institution with
water, and a large, steady-howing
stream is an absolute necessity for
receptacle for the sewerage.
There are also several other consid- !
erations: l. wants TO be located near
a large town-near railroad-at a |
point reasonably accessible by railroad |
from all parts of the state, and acces-
sible 10 fuel
Wichita combines all these require
ments more perfectly than any town
we know Of, either in Western Kan
sas or the state, for that matter.
Wichita j. upon the banks of the
Great aud Little Arkansas rivers. The
soil is a sandy loan, upon bed OF
sand under,aid with bed of gravel,
and a wei sunk twenty feet and often
less, is filled at once with clear, pure
water. that steam-pump throwing
an eigh:-inch stream will make no
impression upon. This we say by the
card, for il has been tried, and the
amount of water thus obtaiGable,
ready filtered by the very lest means
provided by nature-an immense bed
OF gravel, far from the riyer-through
which the water percolates, is simply
iheXhaustible. The third largest
rlyer in the United States-the Arkan-
sas-fiows past the city with mighty,
rolling current. al the rate of seven
miles an hour; and this supplies the
best receptacle that can be had, and
one absolutely necessary for the sew
erage.
Wichita is accessible, having now
four railroads, and others in prospec-
tive that will be built.
Ii is the fourth city III size in the
state, having a population now by
actual count of over 1900. Ii is 15s
miles west from the coal fields of Fort
Scott, Crawford and Cherokee coun-
ties, with two railroads direct 10 them
the Frisco and Sunfiower roads.
At the eastern end of the Sunflower {
road is Fort Scott, with her coal, and
between them lies the richest and mos, c
agricultural country that
God ever created. This is rapidly be-
coming the center OF population of I
his state. Around Sedgwick county i
IRE Butler, Kingman, Cowley, Sum- !
ler, Harper and Harvey. that scarcely c
las forty acres in them upon which i
IN average family could not make a
wing. b
On the western bank of the river $
nd within one TO four miles of the !
lily. are several hundred acres of q
and, as rich aud beautiful as the eye
yer beheld, lying at an elevation of !
rom fifteen TO twenty feet above the .
liver. In view Of these facts, obtained v
rom personal inspection OF The sur s
ouudings, we believe the purpose Of '
be law--the interests of the whole e
interests of the greatest c
and the best interests of the
will be but subserved by p
Is location on the west bank of the U
Arkansas, about two miles from the U
ity of Wichita, and location that an
majority of the people n
1 Kansas, who pay for il, will cor p