Wichita eagle., 1888-11-16
THE WHOLESALE TRADE OF
WICHITA
Viewed in Connection with the Settle
ment Of Oklahoma
Tothe Editor of the Daily Eagle.

department, ordered his chief officials t.
! establish one like it, but he overlooked
the fact that the greater portion of hi.
; subjects had no use for postal depart
ment. Wichita is clamoring for the
opening of the Indian Territory to ths
end that it may food it with the goods
wares and merchandise that the rushing
tide of settlers will demand, but we have
overlooked the fact that our wholesale
trade is too small to even share in this
profit, let alope dominate it.
Candidly, in what branches of tbs
trade which will be demanded are we
equipped for the commercial conflict
with Kansas City, No., and Saint Jo
seph, if our prayer for the opening OF
this Indian Territory was speedily
granted?
Can we hope to draw the trade OF
settlers for twenty-six million of acres
OF land. g. an area equal to near
forty Sedgwick counties with the scanty
and meagre facilities of Wichita?
Ii this country was to be thrown open
to settlement and its people were, by
congressional enactment, made depend
ent ON Wichita, their only hope, only
relief from nakedness and starvation
would be wild game and ''breechclouts.
Our grocer companies, dry goods COM
pany and dealers in agricultural lmple-
ments and harness might sell an inn
mense quantity OF their wares and grow
rich, but Wichita as a jobbing point,
would not cut any figure, whilst the es-
tabllshed jobbing points would overrun
the country, establish branch houses,
borrow money to carry goods at the
| home banks. establish banking facilities
and make this country commercial
tributary to Missouri.
Were Wichita to bend every energy,
rnck every nerve to push its wholesale
trade, it cannot now, if the territory
comes In this year, lead in the CONNER
clal sweepstakes that is soon to take
! place on the plains tina we cover.
Kansas City demands this outlet, de-
mands it now because it is fully
equipped in every channel, avenue.
highway and by-way of commerce that
this new territory will desire, and hopes
to take possession before we awaken to
the fact and thereby compel US to dis
lodge trade before we can plant our
own.
Arkansas City expects to reap of the
first fruits Of this anticipated CONNER
cial harvest. by virtue of location. Cald-
well is eager to take a hand in this
Jackpot" of increased local trade but
the solution of the entire
problem is, wholesale trade, the best
goods, for the least money, and that the
supply will equal the demand No good
reason can be given why a dealer in the
territory will not buy goods at any point
south of us in preference to Wichita or
Kansas City if all things be equal.
Wichita demands the establishment
of the following lines of goods, each line
to have at least one hundred thousand
dollars capital.
Drugs, hardware, queensware, hats
and caps, boots and shoes, clothing and
additional dry goods houses, say at least
one million dollars, are required to be
put into active trade in Wichita to enable
us to make a showing,
The expenditure OF half million for
hog market is one branch Of commerce,
and Notwithstanding the current opinion
that the ''hog center" will bring all else
needed, it is asserted that the editor OF
the EAGLE will write poem celebrating
his one hundred and second year before
we have healthy wholesale trade de-
veloped unless we ourselves develop it.
If men who are here in trade, if men
who reside here and have money in
vested in land, money and mortgages,
will not take hold of this in earnest how
can it be expected that those who are
not here can be made to see the grand
opening in our trade and invest their
no hott To
vince man that venture is a good one
than by subscribing to the venture your
self, and while we may stand on
corners and talk loudly of the
opening of the territory and the building |
up of trade, the fact remains that the |
jobblng interest has not advanced a dol |
1887, now almost two years.
There is capital enough in Wichita to |
start every line OF needed wholesale !
trade, if it can be aroused to action.
This capital need not be all the capital |
put in the business but if this capital |
was aroused and correspondence entered |
into with non-residents we can succeed |
II inducing them to invest.
If we can organize these various cor
porations and subscribe one-half of the |
if we depend on the foreign trader to
come here, investigate us, and start the {
business, we will fail.
We have heretofore paid for every
thing we have received, why should we
suppose that we are to be the recipient /
of anything as a gift at this date or any
future date.
Unless we establish this wholesale
Ioo arl Na
big for a town. too small for city.
There are many ways to bring about
the results at which we aim, for which
all hope and to which we aspire, but
every one of them require energy. brains
harmonious action.
The writer of this article has no pet
theory, or hobby, no potent process, but
it is insisted that some business method
be at adopted, ciung TO and success
worked out by following it.
First Are there not men enough in
this city, possessed of sufficient capital
.o meet in meeting and take hold of
this matter, and in conjunction with
men now in trade, organize wholesale
houses?
Second. Cannot our own retail deal
9rs form a combination and merge the
,etail into the jobbing interest with the
I'D of local capitalists: .
Third. Cannot the board OF trade, |
With It's two hundred members, take
his matter in hand and subdivide itself ,
MS SIX bodies. and each one OF the six !
bodies secure one wholesale interest:
Who doubts that there are men in this
.ity. in this board of trade. who are pure Z
nd simple spectators. and who live {