Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-07-18
WONDERFUL WICHITA.

The Daily Enporia News publishes
"reminiscences of the earlier days in
Kansas by Rev. G. II. Rice, Metho-
dist Minister, who now resides at Eu-
reka In its issue of the 10th we find
the following under the above caption:
"a few days ago | was studying
the figures of Wichita's ever swelling
about how long she had been growing
into the third city in the state. She
is comparatively. young, but has out
stripped the most of her older sister
towns. She is about fifteen years old,
and out weighs the most of them. But
| want to give the readers OF the News
some account of my first visit TO that
city. fiji .---
Early in the spring of 1870, think,
after long drive through the rain
and mud. found myself on the banks
of the big Sandy" looking for the
new town., Just before night ii was
found. As well as | remember there
were three HOUSES and two tents on
the upper town. The lower one had
been laid out few DAYS before, and
the quarrel between the upper and
lower sides was brewing. Interested
parties on both sides mistook me for
a "bloated bOndholder," and began at
once to show me ''corner lots in the
best part of town." An up-towner
could give one a hundred reasons why
the Tower town wOuld never improve.
A down-towner knew one would lose
money invested up town. But they
soon discovered my impecuniosity and
gave me a rest.
put up at the vigus house. 'sthe
only first-class hotel I'm the city" 1t
was built of cottonwood poles. and
was about 16x30 feet in size. The
poles were not notched down cabin
fashion, but set on end, spiked togeth-
er at the top. Other poles were laid
across the top, covered with brush
and sod laid over. The roof did not
leak when il rained, but the water
would soak through the sod in a few
hours and fall in large drops through
out the house. Those seasons of drop
ping We're always interesting, espec-
ially if enc were trying to sleep. The
greater part of the building. was for a
bed room. The beds were made on
scaffolds on each side of the
house. leaving narrow passage
between. j am not sure, but
think the family bed room was
in covered wagon box ut the
back end of the main building. The
djping room was just outside the
building under some canvass stretch
ed on poles. 1t was large and airy,
and those who got seat on the shady
side were protected from the suns
whitening rays. The front of the
building was adorned by an imposing
sign and large pair of elk horns.
The proprietor did his best TO make
his guests comfortable. ted them on
the best the market afforded, and only
charged them 50 50 per day
The town and country around were
literally alive with cowboys. They
are always interesting, and were then
enjoying an unusually quiet time. In
less than two DAYS the most of them
seemed to know me, called me parson.
and many of them fefraineG from
swearing in NV presence. One re-
proved another for swearing near me
by saying: George, YOU ort TO be |
ashamed 10 cuss so right before the
parson.t'
AT that time Sedgwick county was
an unsettled prairie. There was no
Harvey county with its flourishing
Newton There was no railroad west |
of Emporia Wichita was on the line |
between civilization and native wild |
ness. All around was sand, grass.
bnflaloes and cayotes. The Indians
had decamped but little while. Some |
of their wiywams were vet in 8 good |
state of preservation.
= At that time there were, perhaps, |
three families on the town site, living |
in shanties. They were adventures |
But very few persons had any faith in
that country then. Even the land
agent was moderate in his statements
except about the grass and cattle trail.
Most of the people thought Wichita
was too far out into the desert 10 |
make 4 town. But in fifteen years
She has grown into a city with rail-
roads, mills, shops, grand hotels.
stores. fine residences. churches. school
houses, daily papers, everything 10
make her the third city in the state
a. - u /