Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-05-18
THE OTHER SIDE.
An Answer to Farmer DoolIttIe's
Letter.

Letter.
GREENWICH, May IL.
To the Editor OF the Eagle
In your issue of May 10Th there ap-
peared an article from Farmer Doc
little.v entitled "a Kick on the Rail-
roads," Allow me to offer the writer
of the above few suggestions on the
benefits TO be derived from the pro-
posed railroad aid. lie states that the
proposed lines will not advance farm
property in Sedgwick county to ex-
coed $40 per acre; "a you properly
answer, seven that much ought TO
satisfy most landowners. But l can
see in the competition of three lines
an even greater advance for farm
property than this. Farmer Doolit-
tie SAYS the limit Of freight COMPETE
ton has been reached now. but | am
sure he is in error OF this point
at east. There is n still lower
limit. aud it will be reached when
enough trunk lines break through the
santa Fe blockade to establish new
general pooling point west of the
Missouri river. If you can
work now to secure such
an establishment within the limits of
Sedgwick county, every acre of farm
land in the county will feel the influ-
ence and respond to its effect a farm
is worth just in proportion to what it
produces: for instance. if you raise
forty bushels of corn to the acre that
p cents bushcl aud a pooling point
through lower rates would make il
worth % cents, the present value in
Kansas City, the difference OF cen Is
q bushel, or 81 per acre, would repre-
sent an advance of at least SIS an acre
in the farm value, and this without
taking into consideration the advance
from its proximity to a large city, the
lower prices on everything n farmer
consumes, and thousand other things
that can only be established by ex-
perience. Again, one or two of these
lines are projected through TO Texas,
state that consumes vast quantities
of our corn, oats, and pork, and with
the necessary establishment of large
packing houses at Wichita to
meet this large demand for cured
meats, and direct communication
and lower rates to Texas, and an ad-
vance in present prices on hogs from
$3.25 in Sedgwick county to 81, the
Kansas City price. leave the farm
ere Of Sedgwick county TO calculate
what effect that would also have on
the value of farm property here.
The voting Of bonds may not be
correct, under ordinary circumstances,
but the exercise Of the privilege has
largely been the cause that has pushed
Kansas SO rapidly TO the front.
We have not waited for it fifty or
sixty years, for development, as Hill
nois did, but bought it. if you please,
in ten year,, and l believe the voting
of these bonds will place Sedgwick
county at least fifteen years ahesd in
her progress. Calculate fifteen years
extra price for your produce, and
think if the advent of these new roads
will pay farmer who makes hot
bed in the spring ard by that method
of forcing his plants. puts early vege-
tables on the market three or
four weeks earlier than his neighbor
who does not go TO this trouble. and
expense. it has been some trouble and
expense but has not the increased
price fully compensated him? just 60
with the earlier requirement Of new
unes Of transportation. One word in
hersrd to the value Of the stock We