Morning journal and courier., 1888-09-27

st. Louis-St Louis6 Athletic s.
Louisville Baltimore 4, Louisville 2.
HOW THEY ARE DOOMED.
Notable Examples in Western Cities
Methods OF Booming EmPIOyed-F.
ID, Paveyss Paper-The Chamber of
Commerce meeting-GOOd Results i'm
New Haven.
A meeting of the Chamber of Commerce
was held at their rooms in the Lyon building
on Chapel street last evening. President Dew
ell occupied the chair.
A resolution was offered and passed that
all delegates submitted to the national board
of trade shall be SO done by the committee
and not by the chamber itself.
F. D. Pavey then read a paper, extracts
from which are here given upon methods of
booming western cities:
Ny subject is general, but am almost
compelled to confine my paper to narrative
of what know about the methods of BOOM
ing one particular western city-Wichita,
Kansas.
Twenty years ago Wichita was buffalo
pasture. The act establishing Sedgwiok coun-
ty was approved February 26, 1867. In NoA
vember, 1868, the first election was held and
thirty-fve votes were cast. By their first
official act the county commissioners proved
that they had proper appreciation OF the
fiery spirit necessary to make Wichita the
first city in wealth and population of the pro-
hibition State of Kansas. They granted q
license for q saloon.
The first law Office was opened in 1870, and
in the same year the first bank was started.
The completion of a branch of the Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe railroad In 1872 made
Wichita the headquarters in Kansas of the
Texas cattle trade. For four years the place
was boisterous, cowboy border town. In
1876 the cattle trade was transferred to Dodge
City, and Wichita settled for six years into q
dull country town. The change came in 1882.
The population was six thousand. The town
grew rapidly, chiefly in a commercial way.
In '83 the population was eight Thousand. In
'S4 novel advertising feature was hit upon.
In February of that year the Ohio river
flooded its entire basin. The damage was
unprecedented and the suffering extreme.
Wichita procured thirty-one cars of Kansas
corn and sent it to Cincinnati for
the benefit of the poor who were
was decorated with banners bearing
"Wichita" in unmistaksbly large type. For
three consecutive years the population ad-
vanoed 900 each year, reaching 10000 in
1886. During the next year over II 900 peo-
pie were added to the city, according to the
official State census.
One normal result of this increase in pop
ulation was a rapid appreciation in the val
ues of real property. This appreciation was
intensified by extraneous circumstances.
That year witnessed real estate boom gen.
eral throughout the country, unparalleled in
extent and active speculation. From Boston
to baltimore, from Birmingham to Duluth,
from Tacoma to Los Angeles, the epidemic
ranged. The condition of Wichita was ia
vorable for violent attack, and she had it.
The crisis was passed in March, 1886. The
speculative fever subsidized And now the
question was: Had the constitution of the
patient been impaired Had she the vigor to
| hon
business men decided that she had. In April
the board of trade was organized, or rather
reorganized on an efficient basis. They had
about 1876 members, since increased to over
200. Each member paid 500 cash into the
treasury, to be expended in promotion of the
interests of the city. The customary officers
were elected. A board of "a directors had
full authority for the determination of all
questions coming before them. salaried
corresponding secretary was appointed. An
efficient executive committee haC immediate
charge of affairs. Permanent committees
were appointed on finance, advertising, i'm
migration, transportation, railroads, legisla.
ton, buildings, manufactures and o special
committee on packing houses.
Interest centers chiefly in the work of the
special committee on packing houses and the
work of the executive committee In securing
the location of large car works. The Bur-
ton Stock Car company was Boston concern
having q capital of 1,000, 900, which has
since been increased to 81, 000, 900. They
had perfected and patented an improved
stock car known as the Burton palace car,
which they proposed to manufacture. They
had determined to locate, at Kansas City and
the building plans were drawn for that city.
The proposed buildings consisted of six large
brick . buildings and several minor ones.
When in full operation the works would en-
ploy from fifteen hundred to two thousand
able bodied men. The board of trade learn
ed of their plan and induced them to locate
in Wichita.
Some months ago the board of trade of Fit.
Worth, Texas, invited the cities throughout
the West to send delegates to a convention
there to take steps for securing deep water
port on the coast of Texas. Wichita was
the only city of Kansas that responded to the
CALL Her delegates were three. They may
have paid their own excuses, the board of
trade may have paid them, but they got
there all the same.
An object lesson in comparative methods
was here given. The Chicago, Kansas and
Nebraska railroad, the Kansas extension of
the Rock Island route, built through the city.
of way through convenient street. They
| wanted facilities for a passenger depot CEN
| trally located. Their plans involved large
purchase of prosperity and the entire occupa-
| ton of the street for half mile. The rail-
road company foresaw all the kicking that
l WOulO 6Q4Q0 Gue1T 4OO86lOA In Inc CenGEh1 10
cation, and all the long and vexatious delays
that might be interposed. So they obtained
| optional prices for the central location, and
prices for location just outside the city.
They they offered the central property own
ers the choice of paying the company $55, 900
| toward making up the difference in price Tin
view of the improvement to private property
or of their seeing the company's depot located
further out. This settled the case, and in
| three weeks the railroad company got It's
| central location on the terms proposed.
| In conclusion Mr.. Pavey spoke eloquently
/ of the great West and its etil greater flu
| ture, adding that In the East, as In the West,
the future of cities depends greatly on per-
laanal and concerted effort. The foundation
2 success in New Haven as at Wichita must
| be laid in the motto Of Wichits, ''Harmony,
| Unity, Strength, Success"
AZ the close of the reading remarks were
made by several members in approval of the
ideas expressed in the paper and much en-.
thusissm shown towards using every method
in furthering the general prosperity of oul
city. President Dewell stated that many
letters, calls and applications were coming
into him every day from manufacturers. Id
cited several cases of manufactures induced
to come here instead of to other cities anG
said: "Our city has great facilities freight
WISE Great good will be done if only W
put our shoulders to the wheel. We are ad
| vertising in trade papers, and believe New
| Haven in twenty i've years will have popu
} lation of 1875, 600 if we keep up our work AM
interest Others"
II A vote of thanks was rendered Mr.. Pave
4 &7nA a7.o a1fnaPF4nd