Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-08
WHAT WICHITA WANTS.
The Whole Field Of Disputed Points
Discussed.
A Prominent Citizen Takes up the Railway
Rights of Way, Street Car Lines,
Etc, Etc.
To the Editor Of the Eagle:

To the Editor of the Eagle
That we boom no one doubts; that tt
It human hog is reaping the benefits withor
: assisting the boom there is no little doubt
that there are men in this city worth fro1
!, $4,000 up, who have business property III
. improved, who will neither sell to men VIII
5 viii build on it, or improve it themSelve:
. there Is no doubt Yet these same men ar
e booming outside additions, expecting tn
sales on the outside and Improvements on tn
0 inside to return them / 900 per cent on thei
business lots.
1t is time that these men be pointed out t.
the stranger, and, as men who do not prov
their faith by works in our boom.
The Improvement of business lots give
value and permanency to the entire city
The booming on the outside creates NJ
value We must solidify the center, anC
the human hog" ought to have sense
enough TO see it. 1t amt necessary to name
anybody, every man who reads this will a
once write the names of dozen Of them or
his mental tablet.
Second-Wichita needs market house.
Third-Wichita needs a double bridge on
Douglas avenue, one for east and one for
west travel.
Fourth-We are happy to state that the
creation of business lots in the Big
Arkansas river will stop in a few
| days. The United States engineer in
charge of the Arkansas river is in possession
of full data, and expects to inspect this river
under an order from the secretary of war
Ire ady issued, some time in this month.
Eifth-The railroad muddle. How shall
we solve this problem. There are many
ways suggested. One suggestion is as fol-
lows:
The city council can extend Rock Island
avenue from Douglas avenue north to Cen
trail avenue by opening street bet"eens
Mead and Mosely avenues. This changes
the frontage of all these lots on the new
street, and virtually makes Mead and Mosely
railroad alleys
To protect the people on the east of Mosely
avenue, and west side of Mead avenue, the
council can push the railroad over to the
west side of Mosely and East side of Mead,
and reserve the balance of these streets for
the property owners. This gives frontage to
property and does not injure any one except
west side of Mead and East side Of Mosely
and their injury will not equal North Wich-
tia street Again to prove this new street
benefit it may be assumed: l. That what
business men voluntarially do to create val
ue and make money is sound. 2. The own
ers of Rock Island avenue, who are business
men, voluntarially paid in money $4,000,
and gave the land to make the street of
which this new street would be simply an
extension 3. This was done in view Of the
fact that Mead and Mosely avenues were
dedicated to railroad use.
Fourth-We may assume that the opening
of this street, l. e., the extension of Rock
Island avenue, from Douglas avenue north
to Central avenue, even Oak street will be a
positive benefit, and that there will be no
real damage.
Fifth-All property on Wichita street
from Douglas to a point above Third street
between Central and Third has been boom
ed by railroads. and this with railroads in
front. We have a right to expect some
benefit on Mead and Mosley avenues, and we
need only to consider the damage above this
street.
Sixth-If the east side of Mosley and west
side of Mead have a portion reserved on
which railroads lay no track, these people
have less right of complaint than the Wichita
street people, to whom no attention was
paid.
Seventh-We conclude that the opening of
Rock Island avenue solves the entire prob
lem and, as soon as opened, and reservations
made on east of Mead and west of Mosley,
we will settle down.
Eighth-It is fact that values on Mead
and MoSley, south of Third, have not been
injured, but rather strengthened.
Ninth-It is a self-evident truth, that
which benefits the entire city, the entire city
should pay for. If property on the west
side of MoSley aud east side of Mead, above
Third street, is injured, somebody ought to
pay all, or at least part of it. Below Third
street, on the Rock Island avenue extension,
there is no damage except the lots fronting
on Douglas avenue, which has to be taken to
make the street.
Tenth-It is suggested that the committee
of twenty and the city council examine this
Rock Island avenue as it now is and see the
outcome of the extension by going over the
ground and if feasible act on it,
The writer hereof remembers when Col
Hartzell obtained his charter ana also re
members that Hartzell was the only man who
believed it would pay-and Hartzells local
directors hal doubts The balance of the
city had 10 doubt. They all knew it was a
Wild. cracked Drained, idiotic. visionary
scheme, ana would fail and wreck the stock
holders, and bust" the mortgage who pun
up the money.
The writer has no interest in the present
street car company, and desires 10 state
Fir,t-That the present street car compa-
ny have pat down more track than proceeds
dictate, and but for the aid extended could
not earn dividends Oh the same And these
extensions are the straw that will break the
"CamPbelis" back. and that the failure of
this company to earn dividends aud make
Other extensions demanded Will break and
prevent boom
This street car business helped materially
10 make our boom
To cripple this company is to cripple our
selves, and it should not be hazzarded hy
granting Other franchises. 1t Is better that
one company set rich than that two 20
broke.
The men who are clamoring for franchises
for street motors. etc. would not inr...t q