Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-11-29
NEAR BIRTHSTONE.
You Can Smell the Fumes
When You Get to Wichita.
The Mecca of the Texas Ranger-The
Rattle of the Dice .box, and the Pop
ping of the Pepp..-box-What
Makes it Lively.

AIR. Abe Wartman sends Us two let.
tiers dated at Wichita, July, 1873
written TO the ST. Louis Globe by /,
regular correspondent, and which ap
peared in that paper OF July Is, 1873
from files of which Mr.. W. cuts them
The above is the heading of the letter
which we reproduce in full. 1t will
no doubt, recall vivid recollectiors tC
some and give new ideas of our pleas
ant and prosperous city to others:
WICHITA, July z, 1873.
Wichita is the county seat of Sedg.
wick county and the terminus of the
southern branch of the Atchison, To.
peka and santa Fe railroad. Ii is sit.
uated on the north bank OF the Ar
kansas river, near the mouth Of the
Little Arkansas. Its surrounded by
belts of timber, which give the place 9
lovely appearance. The valley of the
Arkansas is celebrated for its beauty
and fertility. That portion which sur.
rounds Wichita is the garden spot OF
the valley. Across the Arkansas
stretches away a wide expanse OF
prairies clothed in luxuriant green
There the unnumbered thousands OF
the ''lOng-horned' roam 1t is strik.
ing view to one unaccustomed TO the
sight, having gained an elevated
point, to look out upon these beauti-
full lands covered with hundreds OF
contented herds. To him the expires.
nf ST Ea
a thousand hills" has a beautiful sig
nificancc, only we should say prairies
instead OF hills. These cattle, num-
bering over one hundred thousand,
have been driven from Texas TO this
market. They are o. ned generally by
a class of men who are lost TO the re-
straints of home and good society.
They are class of young men who
Obeyed the injunction of Horace Gree
ley, go west" They have been
"roughing it, for years. They never
hear the kind words of loving
mother or the tender words of sister.
Accustomed to scenes of danger. they
arm themselves with revolver and
bowie knife, and carry their lives in
their hands. They know no law but
the law of self-perservation. After
returning from the hardshIps of Il
drive through Texas, they amuse
themselves in gambling and other
social evils" Money comes easy and
goes asier. This kind of socieiy ha-
its counterpart. AS soon as the cattle
season begin-, the "soiled doves" from
Kansas City, Leavenworth, Topeka
begin to ss arm at Wichita. Every
train is freighted with these unfnrtu-
mates. The number of those of easy
in and alb ut this place
l. variously estimated at from seventy
five 10 two hundred. This gives the
city a lively appearance. The paint
and powder business is flourishing.
Money is plenty, but it circulates
chiefly among the gamblers and the
girls. The city contains resident
of $500, and a h,aling
of almost as many more
The permanent population make their
money off the floating population
during the months of June aud De-
ccmber, and those intervening.
DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY.
As you alight from the cars, Oh the
right hand of the street, YOU see few
saloons. Iou go west to Main street.
and, in doing so, pass a number OF
residences. On the corner of Main
street you find Eagle Block" a fine
two-stcrv brick block containing
offices, EAGLE Office above,
postofiice, savings bani, and dry goods
stores below. On the opposite corner
on will see Stecle's land office. and
in the rear tent con-
tanning an armless little man who
performs all manner of fests with his
feet. whose miraculous performances
are announced by one of those autO-
MATES pecch makers, accompanied by
The inierminable hideous screenings
Of discordant hand-orgau. On the
opposite corner is a gambling house,
and saloon below, all kinds OF
20 us and other games above. This
psiitntion runs day and night. a
BRASS band is employed here, which
enlivens the city with its delightful
music from early morn till late AT
hight. In the evening, in the upper
Dom, the gamblers con9rcgate, and
Ill night long is heard the rattle of the
lice box, the shuttle of the cards and
he gamblers lingo. Much of the
Profits of the Texas cattle trade chang
IS hands here. The next building north
las a saloon below and the kero room
Ibove. Keno is purely game OF
nance, but one man is certain of max
hat ia N
'rietOr. He receives 4 certain per
ent. of all the money i'll the game.
'assing up Main street, Oh either side,
on ind saloons sandwiched with gro
cries, dry-goods houses and rcstau-
ants. The First National bank has
rected fine two-story brick block,
nd has Que of the finest banking
ooms in the state. Nessrs. Todd &
soyal are erecting fine two-s,ory
business house. \ joint stock com
ANY is now building magnificent
rick hotel. which will eclipse any
hing in southern Kansas. \ new
has just been erected for |
theatrical purposes: it is called the |
Varieties" The performances are
various" Here the lovers of vulgar |
EST do congregate. The poor unfor-
innate girls who perform have out
rown all their clothes except ihei,
tockings, which makes il very embar-
assing for their audience. Passing |
urther up the street we fiud n num-
er of business houses and some more |
alooBS. | have omitted To mention
he banking house of ". c. Woodmau |
: IN. which i located on Main street.
nesc gentlemen are among the |
arlv settlers OF Wichita, and have |
ided materially III securing its pros
Gritty. The business houses along
lain street are principally oue-storI
-ane buildings, but here and there a
iore substantial improvement il
lade. Douglas avenue extends from
ne depot west TO the Arkansas river
he Douglas Avenue house is built
pom this street one block from the
ver At the foot of Douglas avenue
the great bridge across the Arkau-
Is. Ii is a fine wooden structure and
as erected at cos; of 5000 II
owned by joint stock company.
he stock is considered very valuable
cross the river j West Wichita. Ii
popularity supposed that hades be-
ms mere. \ little TO the right Of the
ridge, down among the brush, are
vo dance houses. These are consid-
ed the most pandemoniscal institu-
ons this side of Birthstone. The
'gular call over there Is. "Ali hands
,und and promenade TO the bar" ,
here ore shou- ono hunirad and fiffv ]
.rsons in West Wichita, and the So
ETY. is no; of the most refined char .
ter. have attempted TO give q cor