Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-08-16
PROSPEROUS ABILENE.

Some Improvements Noted in a Look
Over the City-Cold Days When She
Gets Left.
Every visitor to Abilene is surprised
at the wonderful growth of the Belle
during the past two years. The addi-
tons stretching out on every side make
it truly metropolitan in proportions
while the improvements observed in all
parts of the city show that the building
boom has not been sleeping.
Last year several hundred acres were
added to the limits of the municipality
in order to accommodate the influx of
people attracted to the town by her
fame, her beauty and her energy. This
year there have been no additions"
laid out, but the city has gone on i'm
proving in every respect, showing that
the future capital of Kansas is still a
loadstone to attract wealth aud giant
to inspire confidence.
A ride around the city reveals most
fourishing state of affairs and one quite
encouraging in comparison with the
stiffness that seems to Lave fallen upon
some of our sister towns.
In the heart of the city, the chief
attraction is Of course the $40, 900 city
hall which is just completed. 1t is a
credit alike to the city and the mayor
and council who overlooked its con-
structiOn.
East Abilene is fairly alive with
workmen putting up the twenty ele-
CANT residences contracted for by G. F.
Mead. Ten of these are already nearly
completed. The whole twenty will
cost from two to three thousand dollars
each. East Abilene also hopes to
secure the new college which is to be
located in this city, and if it does, that
part of the town will go far to the front.
The new residences just receiving the
finishing touches are in the most
modern styles of architecture and,
being on the line of the street cars,
will prove attractive abiding places.
Going north we find the palatial
homes of Messrs. Fry, Humphrey, Ed
wards and Reed that have recently
been completed. They are homes that
anyone may be proud to own. Then
there is the st. Joseph's college, cost
ing over $1,000, which will be opened
this fall. The college addition which
eighteen months ago was bare prairie,
is now dotted with pleasant homes in
which happiness and comfort are found.
West side has not seen as many new
buildings as it did last year but it has
been improved by the addition of sew
eral beautiful homes and the adorn-
ment of the lawns and streets. This
part of the city has lost the new" ap-
pearance which characterized it last
year and now is taken for long-settled
addition.
Southside has been growing with re-
mainder of the divisions and shows
many new roofs. Carpenters ham,
mers are heard in all directions and
tell of business and rustic.
We have not mentioned the new
structures in Richland Park or the
many remodeled and rebuilt residences
in the center of the city; but there has
been enough said to show that were
last years abnormal growth forgotten,
we would consider this a decided
boom" season.
This is in many respects the farmers
year. The cities of the State have
come to the point when they must halt
in their mad rush for immense size
and population and wait for the coun-
try to catch up with them in develop
ment. This halt is beneficial. Itgives
IuO WV llO d CllduCO W UCduGlly GutlI
surroundings and to make those SUBJ
stantial additions to their appearance
that distinguish municipality of the
eastern States from the newer towns of
the west. This they will do and it will
be much better for the cities than to go
on piling up additions" and delin-
quent taxes.
Abilene is gaining in attractiveness
every day. She is the best known city
of the second class in the State, and
when the boom swings around in this
direction again the large end of it will |
strike us amidships. For among all
Kansas cities that a crown of glory
wear for their enterprise and rustic
and their busy pushing air, there's
none wins so much as Abilene, none
has way so deft; for the air is mighty |
chilly,
When
The Belle