Wichita eagle., 1888-01-31
Ellsworth Connected to Wichita by
the st. Louis e. San Fran
cisco Railroad.
A Rich Territory Taken from the Eastern
Jobbing Houses and Placed Where
it Belongs.
The Present Terminus Of this Midland
Branch Will he at Ellsworth,
Where Fine Shops are
Being Erected.
Special dispat oh to the Daily Eagle.

Special dispat oh TO the Daily Eagle.
ELLSWORTH, Kan, Jan. 30.--Today a rep
resentative of the EAGLE had the pleasure
of witnessing the arrival of the first pas
senger train to this city over the st. Louis
& San Francisco (Midland) road The
people of Ellsworth have been anxiously
waiting for direct communication. with
Wichita, and today, when the first passen-
ger train arrived, the people received it
with loud cheers and praises.
Arrangements have been completed
whereby the through freight and passenger
traffic are transferred to the Union Pacific.
The ''Y'' was completed Saturday night
and two cars of through freight from st.
Louis to Salt Lake City transferred Sun
day.
The merchants and shippers here appre-
ciate the fact that it will give them a
direct market for their grain and live
stock, and afford the merchants the oppor-
tunity of buying goods at Wichita, thus
saving time and enormous freight bills.
The wholesale houses of Omaha, Kansas
Union Pacific, have controlled the trade
here for the past twenty years at their own
prices. The people of this place are only
too anxious to try new market over a
new route. The territory. is open to
Wichita and she has but to enter it to
control it.
The Frisco has erected round-house
and machine shops and expects to make
this the terminus of the road for an
indefinite time. The completion of these
and the breaking up of winter have caused
quite stir in the business circles. But
this is one of the few towns in the state
that is not acquainted with the word boom.
The people have never gone into any wild
cat speculations They have never voted
bonds to Eastern spectators for electric
lights; when the town is not large enough
to support such. They have never voted
aid and given ninety nine year franchise
to some street car spectators for the
purpose of building line not needed.
They have never given monthly assess
ment Oh the business men of the town for
the purpose Of starting and maintaining a
daily paper. They have, however, many
natural advantages and could lay founda-
tions for real boom if the people We're so
inclined.
They have erected an excellent system
of waterworks which, however, was not
put in until much needed, for since the
organization of the town, and up to the
completion of the system, the town had
sustained over 500, 900 in losses by fires
They have fine public buildings. equal
to any in the state found in towns of this
size. They have two large Touring mills,
each with capacity of over 100 barrels
per day, with four large elevators. Many
may say they have them, but have no use
for them: such is not the case. The first
year the elevators were built they handled
over 100000 bushels Of wheat The mills
are at present running day and night,
manufacturing fine grade of flour some
of which you will find on the Wichita
market.
The main business portion of the town
consists of magnificent stone and brick
blocks; costly residences, with excellent
school buildings, crowded with 900 pupils
attending; large church edifices of every
denomination; two good and ably edited
newspapers and five fiourishing societies.
At depth of 80 feet they found solid
bed of rock salt l35 feet thick. They have
never blown about it, but are drilling still
deeper with bright prospects of good
flow of gas. We are frank to confess that
Ellsworth is not to be compared with the
average Kansas town. 1t is
different in almost every respect.
Organized in the spring of 1861, located on
the north bank of the Smoky Hill river, in
the center of one of the best counties in the
state, the exact center of the state; rail-
road in operation before the town was
located; water to be obtained at an average
depth of thirty feet: as early as 1852 coal
was discovered and over fifty hundred tons
mined and sold during the year.
Together with all these advantages, and
the county seat. she has never doomed
They have never advertised their natural
advantages. The majority of the people
are well off-Some rich. Nest of them
Chlllc DcIG Az tue StNtUlltS ana nave
developed with the country. There are no
empty buildings here, like are to be found
in all mushroom towns in the west The
buildings have increased just as the Gevel-
opment of the country and the growth of
the town demanded them. One would
naturally term it an eastern town. The
country is well settled and largely cuiti-
waited. In comparison with other towns
property in Ellsworth is low in price. We
would say to those who are in search of a
business location or pleasant home in q
town where 5000 prosperous, happy con-
tented people live, come to Ellsworth,
The EAGLE received many very latter
ing compliments. and the people EXPRESSED
themselves that it was the daily for their
town.
We wish to return our earnest thanks to
Mr.. l.. NJ. Bailou. of the Ballou house. for
courtes sizes extended us during our stay in
the city. Mr.. Ballou conducts a first-clas>
house and we take pleasure IN recommend
ing it TO the travelling public.
A LAKE SHORE WRECK.
.-urclco Iup IN Rannr,S rasrbad ,h;s