Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-10-04
The RAILROAD QUESTION:.


o the Editor of the Eagle
While twelve snd one-half cents per
hundred miles is a fair average of
'reights OH one hundred pounds over
ar more expensive roads in Illinois,
We have to pay an average of about
cents (Which makes it
bout fifty per cent higher for one
hundred pounds for one hundred
miles, from ST. Louis to Wichi' a, and
far worse Than this through Kama
City.
In vain ma, We look for cessation
of pooling with the Santa Fe by the
roads that tap Kansas City on tile
east for who knows but that they
get portion of The grab. For this
reason we may never expect to see
them consolidate, and thus necessitate
equal through rates.
Be this as il may, the people Of Kan |
satifaciion with their railroad advar-
iage-, and the EAGLE, in touching
this question, awakens a feeling of
sympathy in the heart of every man
who is true 10 Kansas 1t is, and
should be, humiliating to all her citi-
zens 10 know that we are subjected to
a bleeding local system, that goes
largely TO build up an illegal child of
the state of Missouri, the taxes of
which aggrandize that state and i'm
poverish ours.
In speaking of Kansas City and
Wichita, according TO the advantages
that form cities in our nation, the for
mer has no more than The latter.
Kansas City is located where the ends
of streets have 10 be fenced 10 prevent
the Traveller from plunging down hum
dreds of feet, and where in wet wealth
er raft is necessary TO keep ones
head above water.
The causes of the upbuilding OF
cities of magnitude along large rivers
as they near the coast, and on the
coast. are very apparent. If the state
of Kansas were a Lake Michigan. Kan
sas City might hope TO be a Chicago;
and if Lake Michigan were the state
of Kansas, Chicago would never have
existed where It is. Tie growth OF
Kansas City, largely from onr infant
helplessness, will soon be Gu, asunder
because the unparalleled increase oi
population and wealth is bringing
Kansas rapidly TO manhood that vii
demand and have relief from unequal
ed railroad advantages, AID fron
;, buidin. up city in another state
The great question is, how shall w
remedy the disadvantages If which W
have been speaking! One thing
= very sure. the A. 4. & ;. +. will neve
give as reasonable rates rs do easter
roads, although they could afford I
do even better, while they are CON
: PEELED Ia by The right Kind of compd
ttion. While to gain a truly ind'
Z pendent cast ard west line. eithe
:" north or -oufh of Kansas City, woui
be great advantage Ia central an
western Kansas. |, might rot prov
continuous competition. nor PRIV
, very enriciIing t" u, from the fact III;
10 eastern ma rkcis are often uniform an
=. low. " hen AT the ZANE time a southrr
: or western market might be great
q" 10 The opposite, which every s'aso
holds true with one or another artic
=" of commerce. Ii.dep, ndent II. Il. line
: to three points of he compass is VIII;
u and all is necessary for competitio
u that cannot be pooled. To have ih
u advantage on a large scale, il is only
matter of lime when Central Kans;
= will sweep the stakes, being n, ar u
IL center ofthe United States.
'e The pressing necessity to-day f
= Central aud Western Kansas. and 4,
l. Wichita and surrounding cities, is Il
IL outlet TO the gulf and direct II the T.
: citic coast. and one west that will q
y" low a Kansan TO ship baled hay wit
n out taking il all for freight charge
y These roads are the kind every ms
7, in Kansas must work for, and be vii
!" ing TO pay for. The advantage of :
IL eastern, western and southern mark
- would soon enrich our farmers man
- hundred fold. Ii will build up OF
" own cities.
u There is shrewdness and wealth
abundance south and west. the self
'" aud jealous eye of which will sos
W wakcu To the fast growing wealth
a our state that will readily meet us
l. we extend our roads toward thcu
" Competition from the west and soui
H. with the advantage of those market
L. would give us three strings to pl
Il upon that would almost set impositi,
II by pools at defiance. Let Wichi
~ make sure of her Fort Smith al
y Northwestern railroads. +. w. l..