Wichita eagle., 1888-05-20
TRIP TO WICHITA.
Clifton Review.

Chiffon review.
Tuesday noon of last week as the c.,
K. & n. passenger pulled in at the Cliff
ton depot the editor of the Clifton Re-
view and d. E. Ballard, of the Wash
ington Republican, stepped aboard.
Hitched to this train were two passen-
ger coaches for the accommodation OF
editors who wished 10 attend the dele
gate convention at Wichita. These
coaches were already well filed with
scions of the quill, coming from the far
off counties IN the northwest.
In passing down the Republican val
ley we took occasion to observe nature a
little, which now poses In its most beau
tiful garb of green-green fields, green
pastures, and along the streams green
ciumpS of trees to vary the monotony of
the landscape. Nowhere in our brief
journey of one hundred and fifty miles
we saw more beautiful fields than dur
ing the first part of our journey for a
few miles out. From Marion south the
lay of the country is excellent, and
the appearance of the country from the
cars is that of a great garden, raked
smooth with hand rake and tended In
the best style. About o'clock III the
evening our train pulled into the depot
at Wichita-that wonderful city, that
surpaSses all understanding III the man
ner of Its development and growth.
|. The editors were packed into five street
cars by the Wichita board of trade and
hurried to d hotefswhere the best kind of
a supper was served 10 the most right
eous crowd of human beings that ever
sat down to a meal III Wichita. After
supper we were marched To the rooms
of the board of trade, where we met the
business men OF the city, and We're
warmly greeted, and welcomed to the
hoSpitalities of the city. We were as
signed quarters among the citizens dur
ing our stay and received such kind
ness newspaper man Is not in the habit
of receiving always. The next morning
after our arrival III the CITY carriages
were furnished free to all who desired
them for a ride around the city to see
and be convinced by observation as to
what large and thrifty town they have
down there.
Right here is where the astonishment
comes in. Wichita is a wonderful city.
The general impression is that the town
has the wealth and the population to
bring it up to a level with the highest
estimation that has been placed on it.
But what problem. In appearance
and i'll fact the country surrounding
Wichita is no better than that surround
ing Clifton. 1t is just as good, but no
better. There are many railroads
leading to the city, and these carry on
the commerce of the city and surround
ing country. Clifton has as many
good railroads as Wichita has. Yet
Wichita has built up a large and flour
ishing town of over 40, 600 inhabitants.
The problem is, how has it been done.
There are more costly business houses
better residences and more of them than
there are in Topeka, Lawrence, Leaven-
worth or Atchison. AS you ride into
Wichita on the train you feel conscious
of the fact that you are being dumped
off in the middle OF great prairie. You
do not think it better location for
town than there is in any county in the
state. Yet great town has been built
there and factories of all kinds are going
in.
Wichita is way in the lead and out of
danger OF ever taking a backset. Ia
looking over the town one is tempted to
indulge in exclamatiOns something like
the following:
"Wichita! Wichita! Queen of the prairie
land.
Sovereign of reaches that stretch TO the
wonderland,
Where the red sun in his glory goes
DOWN.