Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-14
CITY OF WICHITA.
A Comprehensive Letter from
a Competent Observer.
The Nile Of America. Its Metropolis
and Its Railroads, Churches,
Schools. and Many Other
Advantages.

this wonderful and charming city of ''Wir
ming Wichita" 1t is the best advertise,
city of the country, and Of no other cit
are eastern people more anxious to get in
formation than of this latest wonder in tn
| history of the rapidly growing cities Of tn
west. No city ever made more rapid stride
: from the wildnesS and barrenness of tn
native soil to the position of a great com
: mercial city, with all its great bushes
blocks, its hotels, its churches, its schools
its railroads, its street cars, its electric
lights and all other interests that give lif,
and activity to young city.
When we remember that scarcely twenty
years ago 1.-THE feet of no white man haG
trod the soil of Sedgwick county as al
actual resident" and that no longer age
than 1870 was Wichita incorporated as a
town, and one year later merged into a city
of the third class, and still one year later
QS72) into city of the second class; when
we remember these facts, we are filled with
wonder and amazement at what the energy
and determination of man has done.
1t is true that nature had here opened her
lavish hand and given man all the advan-
tage that he could ask for the foundation
of a great city A country vast in extent,
grand in outline soil in fertility not sur
passed by the Valley of the Nile, a broad
river rising among the springs of Colorado
and fed by the melting SHOWS of the "eter
nal hills, 3" furnishing the purest and best of
water, climate free from the terrible
cold and SHOWS Of the north and from the
burning sun of the south, a climate than
which none more healthy can be found be-
tween the two oceans-with all these ad-
vantages it is not strange that the energy
of man has been stimulated to its highest
and best endeavors, and that we behold a
grand result
Wichita is situated at the confluence of
the Little and Big Arkansas rivers. one
hundred and fifty miles from the east line
of the State of Kansas, and fifty miles from
the south line 1t is five hundred miles
southwest from ST. Louis, moro than two
hun drcd miles from Kansas City and about
$50 miles from Topeka. 1t is so far re
moved from the large cities east OF it that
she fears nothing from any of them. 1t is
sas, that none can ever hope to compete
with her or take from her the position she
now holds as the great commercial and
railroad center of the State. She must be
the great wholesale and distributing city |
for the immense country west, south and
southwest. Shrewd business men are see
ing this fact and already large wholesale
houses are being established and others are
getting ready TO follow No other city in the
State has such large wholesale trade to day
and tee jobbers have all the advantage in
freight that are accorded to the Missouri
river pooling points. There are three
great trunk lines of railroads reaching this
city now from the east, viz: The Atchison,
Topeka 6 Santa Fee, the Missouri Pacific,
and st. Louis & San Francisco, and these
have their branches leading out into splen-
lid territory northwest, west and southwest.
Four more roads will be here within one
Iear, The Chicago & Rock Island are
pushing work as rapidly as possible The
Chicago st. Joseph & Fort Worth is under
contract to be completed in 1887, with an
.xtention into the territory. The Kansas
Colorado & Texas is also under contract
o be completed in 1887, and also to be ex-
ended into the Indian territory There is
lso a road called the Kansas Midland
chartered, bonds mostly voted, and soon
will be under contract, starting at Wichita
emily rich country, into Nebraska. This
viii bring an immense trade to Wichita
here Will also soon be made links in a
ystem that will give a road through the
'erritory to Fort Smith and with Memphis
Thus it will be seen from
What are Row accomplished facts that the
abroad question is settled, and the railroad
enter of the state. and in fact Of the south
vest, must be Wichita. Having been iden-
fled with the Interests Of this city now for
ne year and resident for the past five ;
lonths, we feel that We are somewhat IA .
liiiar with the forces that are pushing it ,
onward and competent to Judge of its fu- ,
ure. We are often asked how long is the
Dom going 10 last?" wont it soon bust
p like Fargo and other cities that have :;
prung up SO suddenly y" Ii the common ,
cceptation of the term Wichita has no
boom The laws of trade and commerce
ave decrecd. and the people of the south :
vest. demand that here shall be big city, !
nd the forces that build up great cities arc
work with tremendous power to accom-
fish what has been decreed shall be done.
he growth is not mushroom. 1t is nor
il is true. but as sure as the pro-
ress of the human race. In 1880 Wichita
ad less than 5000 population: in 1888 ii
ad 5 200; in 1884, l24.4, in 1885. 49,
10. and in 1886 up to July l>t the census
howed $1,000 people, and the directory,
some three months later we -.
hink, showed population Of more than j.,
+ 900 We believe this steady growth :.
sill keep on and in less than five years :
here will be 81. eco people in the city. The !.
uilding the past year has been almost De
oud comprehension. Until lately no
bnilding permits have been reauired