The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-01-05
srAUNToN. VIRGINIA. JANUARY 5. 1883.
Kansas City.
REAL EsTATE-CABLEEA RAILROADS.&C.
GROWTH OF KANSAS CITY.
especial Correspondence of the vrne1s1As

Especial Correspondence OF the vrRGINIAN.]
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Dec. 10, 1887.
10 the Virgdian Thinking "a letter
from this city might interest few OF your
readers, L have gotten my consent to risk
displeasing the others.
For growth, wealth, speculation, BUSH
ness and mud, Kansas City deserves to be
classed among the phenomenal cities of
the great west. 1t would seem Il mere
matter of opinion. in which Of these she
eXcels; however, upon reflection should
say the mud takes the cake. Considering
the magnitude OF the business done IN this
rapidly increasing city, you have problem
to solve, worthy OF a professor of mathe-
matics, to-Wit: The depth. width and con-
sistency of the never receding. ever pre-
ceding and ever sticking mud. that neceS-
states four horse team to move a one
horse load. For all this, Kansas has it's
charms for those who dream OF great
riches easily obtained; and riches thousands
upon thousands haye gained. for none,
even the boot black but has the Specula-
tive fever and reyels in real estate gam
bling. Every other house contains real
estate agent, whilst the streets are over
crowded with the excited populace, watch
ing the turn that brings them riches or
poverty. This excitement is not to be
wondered at considering every square can
boast of more than a score of mushroom
capitalists, who but yesterday. as it were.
eked out a precarions existence on a twenty
acre lot and mule, that has netted them
$500 front foot or eighty thousand per
acre. This is not by any means an eXcep-
tional case. for miles and miles around
Kansas City in the last years this is the
rLle-these provokingly multiplying mnsh
room capitalists, many OF whom the gas
Jets. cushioned chairs. velvet carpets, and
fine carr iage and horses set heavy upon
their stomachs. Just now the boom
Stands still. but a glance at the Kansas
stock yards, covering go acres, filled to
oyerfowlng daily, and consumed the next,
and within gunshot of the yards, by the
largest pork and beef packing establish
ment in the world, which gives employ
ment to thousands OF men, women and
boys; and then glance at the map of
our country, showing that the whole OF
the great southwestern cattle ranches of
Texas. New Mexico, Arizona, Indian Ter
ritory, saying nothing of Missouri, Ne
brasia, Kansas and the great northwest,
that must and does find an outlet through,
and market in this city: we are perforce
convinced that the bloom is but beginning.
that viii ultimately make Kansas Chi
cage of the West A city, but a small
town a few years since, now embracing
in its suburbs, Armonda,e. Wyandotte,
Westport, R0sedale and Independence,
(most of which are only separated by
county and State lines, the two former
lying in Kansas, the latter in Missouri)
have population of two hundred and
fifty thousand.
A city that as but yesterday propelled
the Mud street with mule cars, now encir
cled by the finest cable systems in the
world. The cables of such length as
would break of their own weight if sus-
pended. These vast lines extend over the
city, costing millions of dollars to con-
struc5. On yesterday line Of FIVE miles
TO '.Westportn was opened. making nine
cable lines now in operation, the 10th
street and 18th street lines nearly COM
pleted and other companies chartered and
organized. They had but one electric ca
bic, which proved complete failure and
was this week abandoned. They have one
elevated road and second being organized,
at the head of which we find Col. A. w.
Jones or Jersey JONES' as he is known to
some.
The Colonel is doing splendidly here at
his place OF nativity, the very place for a
man of his business habits and energy.
He is also President Of the Indel endence
electric light company, Independence be-
ing one of Kansas Clty'S suburban towns
Its residents. business men of this city
Col. Jones has his Office here, but his res
idence, "a very fine one, Is in that city, the
two PLACES connected by street cars run by
dummy engines.
The Colonel is still staunch Repub-
lican. | think from what | hear he will
be delegate next year to Chicago, but he
assures me, delegate or not, he will meet
our boys at the Convention.
| had the pleasure of meeting Col Tony
5StoyalI, former Republican Senator from
Henry county. He has recently sold his
half interest in his great Texas ranch of
one hundred thousand acres, to his partner
and cousin, Col. j. Il. Pace, of Richmond
or which they had fourteen thousand
head. including four hundred fine short
hGru. bulls. They branded this year four
thousand calves and sold twenty seven
hundred head, with sixteen hundred in
the Cherokee strip fattening for the spring
market. Mr.. Pace now owns in fee sim
pie This. vast territory OF land and i'm
mense herd of cattle fenced with fifty
seveh miles of three strand wire.
Daring The Colonel s trip here, he struck
Kansas her hey day, and in one deal
melted tbree hunored per cent. on heavy
He owns much of the finest
real estate here and hence | found him
full of speculative schemes and dreams of
riches, yet loving to talk of his rarch life
(which was both interesting and in
struetiye. He. has lost none of his Re
publican ardor. and if he can so shape
has Affairs will be with us next year to
help carry Virginia for j. G. Blaine or
whoever may be the nominee OF the grand
old party. DR.. Peterson-formerly Of Rich
m0nd-is his real estate agent. The DIR.
found real estate far more lucrative than
bread pills. Nobody has time to get sick
here. SO he abandoned the pills.
DR. Mcdowell Massie, son of the late
Col. and Prof. Massie, at Lexington, has
Just located here He is yet practicing medi-
cine and calls himself an old citizen, though
he has only been here some three months,
During the panic of '73, a banker of N.
Y !, formally of Kansas city, had his for
tune~4grecked, and believing honesty is the
best. policy, stood his breast to the storm.
paid his debts, and with his remnant
turned his steps to his former home. He
owned forty acres near Kansas, valued at
IS 600, which he traded for ten acres near
er the business part of the city. giving
$4,000 difference. Since then this forty
acres has sold for two hundred and forty
thousand and he has sold one fourth of his
Cen acres for eighty thousand, and is to-
day the honored President of the largest
bank of deposit (six millions) in Kansas.
one OF its first citizens. surrounded by a
happy family; his sous the most. honored
young business men, his daughter BY viz
tue OF education, accomplishments and
beauty a reigning bell in the fashionable
society of Kansas. IL.
Moral: BE honest and go west, lieu of
dishonesty and Canada. A
L n. B. from this instance. which is far
rom being al exceptional case, your read
ers can gather some idea how wealth has
poured itself into the laps of all classes and
conditions Of men.