Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-05-15

above the bed of Smoky Hill river, with
the apI earance, at first glance, of being
level. but really slOplng in three diret-
ti0ns to the river, which makes a grand
curve toward the south at this point,
and the course Of which can be dis
tlngulshed for ten miles by the fringe
or trees on either side, which, in cOn-
trast, with the green hills beyond. Of
varied shapes and hues, covered with
handsome farms, stocked with cattle
ana horses, constitutes a most charm
ing picture. 1t is claimed for the new
city that 1t is almost the center of
Ellsworth county, the central county
OF Kansas. and center of the United
States" So that, at the same time
that 1t aspires to be some day the CAPT.
tai OF Kansas, there would be no good
reason. were the capital of the country
to be removed from Washington, why
1T should not be located at KanOpOlis!
Now, after the reader gets his breath,
let him proceed to consider the nature
and surroundings of the new city. The
site upon which its located Is 1900 to
1900 feet above the sea level. an alti-
tude certain to give it freedom from
malaria-an atmosphere perfectly pure,
dry, invigorating and healthful. The
river and creeks near the town have
swift currents OF pure sparkling
water, fed from innumerable springs.
1t is believed that the town will not
need a physician until the inhabitants
begin to suffer from old age! With a
well equipped drug store it is thought
that the people can worry along
for years without being heroically
dosed, in the regular orthodox way.
1t may further be said that Ellsworth
county and the adjacent and surround
ing territory compose one of the many
garden spots of the United States. For
$50 miles in all directions are ex
OF the most wonderful grain and grass
producing soil on the face of the earth.
The projectors of Kanopolis selected
their site with the purpose Of making
1t a manufacturing as well as a COM
mercial city, and they are Offering great
inducements to persons who wish to
organize and locate manufacturing es-
Establishments in their town. They pro-
pose to have hotels, elevators, school
houses, churches, trading establish
ments, etc, etc. at a very early period
very soon after the first great auction
Of lots. which will he held on the 18th,
18th and l4th Of May, 1886.
kanOpOlis had a railroad before the
railroad had il; that is to say, it is To-
Gated on the Kansas Pacific division Of
the Union Pacific railway, the direct
route from Kansas City to Denver-2lS
miles from Kansas City and 422 from
Denver, and the st. Louis, Fort Scott
and Wichita; the Missouri Pacific, and
the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
are now actually building toward Kan.
Opolis. The completion of these roads
in itself ought to make a city Of it. The
finishing OF the st. Louis. Fort Scott
and Wichita road will not only o,en a
very rich agricultural territory to Kan
opolis, but it will put the town in close
and direct connection with the immense
coal, iron, timber. lead and zinc fields
OF southeastern Kansas, Southern Mis-
souri, and Arkansas.
Nearly 1900 town lots have lfen
laid ont on public streets, crossing
each other at right angles. so that there
are l49 regular blocks, with 30 lots on
each, and the private sale has Just be-
gun, since the first of April. AS has
already been stated in this article, the
public auction sale Of lots will COM
mence on the 18th Of May and continue
during the 18th and IL. 1t is expected
that hundreds. If not thousands, OF per-
sons will be pr sent from various por-
tons Of the country on those DAYS. and
that thousands OF lots will be sold to
persons who will expect to improve
them at once. Business houses W IL
then go up as if by magic, factories
will be erected, and banks and other in
stitutions pertaining to a town or city
be established.
Several Of our citizens are already on
the site of the proposed town and
others are going. We shouldn't be
surprised if quite a crowd would be
present at the sale, the second week in