Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-03-21
WICHITA Will WALLOP.
TRUNK LINES AND LOCAL
PLUGS BUT AUX
ILIARIES.
She Has the Big Bulge on a Big
Situation-the Biggest
Thing on the Map.
A Few Reflections Jotted Down by the
Screamer for the Benefit of the
Tirnid and the Better Informa-
ton of the Increduious and
~ Dedication of Our
Enemies.

A contemporary says that the EAGLE
claims that Wichita is to get six more lines
of trunk railway. That is a mistake. We
said that the representatives of six trunk
lines of railway were negotiating for extern
sions of their respective lines of roads TO
Wichita, and that Wichita ought to be
reasonably sure of securing tSo or three OF
them. The first assertion being true, we
deemed the conclusion safe one. In fact
to make Wichita sll that she expects to be,
that is, TO furnish her with all the really ne
cessary lines Of competition, one or two
more roads from the east would be entirely
adequate. The truth is Wichita to-day is,
in this respect, far better off than any city in
the state. She is enjoying, and fourishing.
by real live competition between the three
great systems OF the trans-Missouri, while
the towns along the Missouri river
are tied up by a general pooling
rate Wichita has, in fact, reached
that point in her commercial life where, en-
ioying the best Of facilities for getting goods
laid down at satisfactory rates by the car
load. she now wants feeders" that is,
roads leading out to the communities whom
she would naturally serve as ajobbing
point. There are at least twenty counties in
southwest Kansas alone which she is reach
ing now only in a limited and unsatisfactory
way, which she could reach largely and
thoroughly if we had but the necessary ex-
tensions of local or through lines of rail-
way. So we hold, and we believe the posi-
ton is q sound one, that Wichita should
bend her energies in encouraging and in
pushing roads out southwest and west, to
reach not only the desired communities, but
to intersect all roads which tap such points
as Wichita can reach with her supplies or
with the demand of the market here being
built up. Wichita, with what roads from the
east she already possesses, and their connec-
tions, will soon possess the facilities to handle
and the ability to pay Missouri river pricei
for grain; will have q packing house that
viii take care of the hog product, and yards
that will handle the cattle, of southwes!
Kansas, and at virtually the prices paid a,
the Missouri ri7er. When this comes about
which it soon will, farmers and stockmcn OF
the southwest will not pay local rates all the
way to the Missouri river, when the same
prices can be had at Wichita. 1t is said
upon some hands that the Santa, and maybe
other trunk lines, will hedge Wichita about
with lines which will carry the products OF
the west and southwest around and by US
All such alarms are unnecessary and i'll
founded. Wichita has but to hold her rela.
tive supremacy, maintain her ability TO
handle what naturally finds market here
and We will risk the other Appended com.
plications. The Wichita and Colorado line
and the Wichita and Western, and proba-
bly, other lines, will be pushed out this sea.
son into grand and new fields, new to Wich-
tia, but fields whose demands can and will
be met by Wichita without the least exer.
ton Like the threads of web, seven lines
of railway now radiate out from Wichita
FIVE of them 10 the south, north and west
and which lines will intersect any and al
lines which may try TO push by us within a
radius of fifty miles This fact of itself i:
assn rance enough that we must soon have
stock yards, packing houses and elevators
more nearly commensurate with our sur.
roundings and already existing demands.
But to come back TO the influence of trunh
lines and feeders. Wichita had a phenom,
inal growth before she got any road at all
she enjoyed phenominal growth when she
had but bare one road she has gloried in q
phenomenal growth every day since; and
she will continue TO grow in a phenomenal
way, though she didn't get another rosd IL
five years. Wichita has. the big bulge on q
big situation; is the biggest thing on the big
map OF Kansas and will remain the big
thing. Jay Gould says that Wichita is
bound TO be the biggest city between the
Missouri river and the Rocky mountains;
the management of the San Francisco road
says she is the bigges: city to-day on their
line west of the Mississippi river, and her
bigness, generally. makes the Kansas City
Santa Fe sick every day in the year.