Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-06-24
THE RAMBLER
Roams Over the City, Learning
What is Stirring the
Public Mind
In Business, Real Estate and Railroads
and Matters Projected-What
People Talk About-How
They Regard Values,

4ney NegaSo VAAuSes
No sooner had 1 reached the postofice
yesterday, where the people gather for news
in the morning than l was besieged by
parties inquiring about the big offers on Ger
tain property reported in the morning EA-
GLE, and several parties informed me that
strangers who are here with view of locat-
ing in several lines of business were saying
that there Was no use in their
irving to invest as business prop
erty is held too high. Now, l desire
to state far the benefit of strangers that
while good business property is held at
pretty stiff prices, tina: which is actually for
sale is not, all things considered, unreasona-
biz high. Because real estate agents, who
may seek to bring themselves into promi-
nence and advertise themselves by Offering
several thousand dollars too much for such
property IS the county building and Kohn's
corner, which are not for sale, strangers
must not assume that these are the ruling
prices. Fancy figures may be offered In
good faith for choice locations, but rs q
rule good business property can be had at
rates as reasonable here as in any city in the
country with such a prospective future as
ours. Those who contemplate entering the
jobbing or wholesale trade can find suitable
locations where property is not unreasoha-
bly, high. We have some half dozen job
bling houses Of various sorts but no regular
wholesale center is yet established and those
contemplating entering into the wholesale
trade can secure suitable property on Market
street, Lawrence, Topeka, Emporia or
Fourth avenues and build up a wholesale
corner on either, which will be just as suita-
BILE for that purpose as Main street or Doug
las, and more 60. In short, permanent bus
mess centers cannot be said to be established
here yet, and combination Of strong bust
ness men may make some wonderful
changes.
Strangers, especially intending engaging
in jobbing in this city should first look to
the situation of our city with respect to per-
manent trade, the facilities for reaching the
retail trade, and the probable extent of tina:
trade. In order to be equipped for getting
| a. the extent of our wholesale trade, it will
be necessary to know something of the ex'
tent and resources. of the county naturally
tributary TO Wichita.
Situated as we are, 228 miles from kan-
sas City, and over 500 miles from st. Louis
| in the very heart of the finest agricultural
and grazing country in the world, with rail
| roads ramifying into the whole Of that vas
territory west and south of us, where thous-
ands of settlers are pouring in daily ano
where young cities spring up like magic
| whose doors the merchants of Wichita Cal
reach in two or three days less time thar
can the merchants of any other city, Lee
market for any goods is almost without
limit and will grow continually. The siz'
of our city, although it is Of no mean pro
portions, is no criterion as to the amount OF
jobbing tha: might be done here. The ex
| tent and resourse of the tribntory territ0r,
is what should be considered in the calcula
ton. With our five railroads already il
operation and four more coming, no city
will be as well equipped to supply the in
mense fertile region west and southwest o
US, and as soon as roads can be bull
through the Indian territory, the souti
laws at our door. have thus been par,icu
lar in this matter because l have hcarC
strangers say "You have enough wholesai,
houses for the size of your city," Ii VT
were depending on the city for our whole
sale trade we certainly would have plenty o
| wholesale houses now, but it is not our owl
city but the hundreds of cities and towns o
| which we are the natural commercial center
ting the trade to be done here. Men of ma
ture Judgment and familiar with this grea
west understand this.
Mr.. j. NJ. Offield, Wholesale grocer O
| Sedalia, No., who has been raised il
| the wholesale trade of the west, wa!
here day or two and after looking the city
over, and visiting other surrounding town.
he concluded this was the place for him ant
he will be here next week to build resi-
dence. Mr.. Symns, the big wholesale gro
| Ger of Atchison, who was here last week
said be had no doubt this would be the
commercial center of the state.
met Messrs. Henry F. Petersen and his
brother w. d. Petersen, of Davenport
Iowa, who are guests at the Madhattan anc
who come to the metropolis of the southwest
to see what could be seen and learn the pros
pect for business and Investment. These gen
tlemen are jobbers of dry goods.men Of large
means and mature judgement who will MAKE
thorough investigation before investing
Mr.. A. F. Petersen is vice-president of one
of the banks of his city. They express
themselves highly pleased with our city and
admire the ability and energy of our citi
zens, but they, like many Others, think Their,
is altogether too much real estate boom and
that wild prices are being offered for prop
erty. respectfully refer them to the fact,
set forth in the beginning of my article.
met one of our leading brickmakers yes.
terday and gentleman asked him why he
was not making brick. why" said he, ''i'
don't pay to use up the land. Land any
where near Wichita is worth from
$500 to $1,000 per acre, and at these rates
it does not pay to tear up land and sell the
brick at So per thousand" So it goes, and
if i, continues this way We will have to get
our brick from Kansas City and other town:
where the land is cheap.
was told that kids now steal horses from
peoples premises and ride them around
town and then turn them loose. This prob.
ably explains the loosing of SO msny horses
The police are onto some racket just now,
but it is not ripe TO give away yet. They
were out on the scent last night and the
night previous, and there is no telling what
the harvest will be.
GOLD WITH SILVER.
A few days sgo gentleman who lives q
short distance northeast Of town, bought q