The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-03-17

natural drainage, and bounteous sup ply of pure living water, and clean, dry, gravelly streets that are alien to mud and slush, this bright and boom- ing young city with its central plaza, or court house square, its public cen- tral park, broad streets and avenues, delightful suburban drives, elegant homes and solid business houses, is something for it's founders and build CTS to be proud of. Among
 OTHER SALIENT FEATURES
 are half dozen religious societies, several pretty churches, three hand some brick school houses, built at a cost of $30,000; an admirable public school system. including one of the best graded high schools in Kansas fiourishing Masonic, Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias lodges, & chap ter of the Eastern Star, strong post of the Grand Army, Woman's Re- lief Corps, camp of Sons of Veter- ans, Choral Union, and
 THE BOARD OF TRADE,
 a strong organization composed of wide-awake and influential citizens with active working finance, advertise ing, city extension, public improve ment, railway, salt and immigration committees who have in hand the best ways and means for the advancement of the city and county. Behind these active and influential agencies are & daily and four wide-awske weekly newspapers and Real Estate Ex- change, each of which is giving her. aldry to one of the liveliest cities in Kansas. The three local banks have n combined capital of S250,0o0 and are sound as bullion. Lyons is essentially
 STRONG COMMERCIAL CITY, and has under tribute large portion of the rich farm country reaching thirty miles west to Great Bend, thirty miles north to Ellsworth, thirty miles the Arkansas river. Its yearly trade foots up round million and half of dollars, the business of several con- cerns covering each upwards of Sl0o,- 900. The city is taking high rank as
 RAILWAY CENTER.
 The Sante Fe came in 1880, giving the town the advantages of great trunk system. In 1886 came the Missouri Pacific, bringing with 1t competition, commercial independence, increasing trade, growing industry, new heart and hope, new realty values and new impulse to every department of local life. The main line of the Frisco" came in 1887, giving the seeming of magic to new material progress in every direction. A dozen daily trains from north, south, cast and west the electric light, public water-works, elegant types of architecture in scores of beautiful new homes and business houses, the leading state dailies fresh from a dozen presses, busy work on the Board ot Trade, the new salt and natural gas find, confidential talk of new railroads and tokens of prepara- tion in half dozen industrial enter prises give
 THE BOOMING YOUNG CITY
 the unmistakable air of a metropolis, and such it is fast becoming The growth of Lyons during the year s87 was simply marvellous. Beginning with l,l67 people, it closed the year with 3,700 population, and to-day will hardly fall below 4,000, making the largest per cent of increase of any city in Kansas.
 SIX HUNDRED NEW HOMES,
 some of them costing from $7,000 to 1000, were built during the year at total cost of &650,O00. A score of new brick business houses, an elegant Masonic temple costing $30,O00, two new school houses, the electric light plant and other Improvements of n public and commercial order, cost a total of S240,000. Tine electric light plant, put in by company of public spirited citizens at cost of $30, ,000, Is one of the finest of it's class in Kansas. The
 TIOS,
 financially one of the most prosperous in the country, proved a powerful agency in the building operations of the year. The Rice County Fair As sociation, with its large neighboring grounds and spirited annual fairs, has given decided impulse to local pro- gress.
 FINE SYSTEM OF WATER WORKS, constructed, owned and managed by the city, and costing some s3O, 900, furnishes an unfailing supply of the purest living water from a capacious public well in Central park. The plating and rapid improvement of dozen new additions completely en- circling the old town, and greatly ex- tending the principal streets and avenues, involves the necessity of