The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1889-12-19
roV nm W8OLE CLorH

1otloWtng communication Irom neN'
n. A. Hoffman, ct Smith Center:
DRAR SIRs: IL has been reported
here that 6alina contains 500 empty
houses! don't believe the half Of
10. What are the facts7
Mr.. Hoffman wsuld have been
safe In not believing the one tenth
Of &c. SalIua has not 500 empty
houses, nor 400, nor 800, nor 900, nor
100, nor fiftyl The empty houses OF
sallna In fact could be counted on
the fingers Of two hands, and these
would be mostly shanties In the out
skirts Of the city. Instead Of Q
decrease Of population, 90 implied
In the malicious report referred
20 by Mr.. Hoffman, the best and
most conservative Judgment Of we'll
Informed persons 10 that we have
to-day not far from 1000 more
people living In SaliDa than q year
ago. SalIna In fact has had . steady
growth In population, rs well a. q
healthy increase In business enter
pFIsss. This is evidenced In the
establishment OF Q number Of
wholesale houses, the increased
prosperity Of the retail stores and
manufacturing establishments, the
air Of thrift that charActerizes the
people, the nOn-exIstenes of business
failures, and the enlargement Of
different lines Of trade and Of indus
try. BalinA IL not merely q local
trading point; her Wholesale msr-
chants, manufacturers aud mIlIsrs
rsach out 10 far distant points In
every direction; her advantageous
position as q railroad center IL
utilized 20 the utmost; aud her en-
tsFPFlsinE citizens are never ceasiBg
In th cir efforts TO extend trade and
business. Too far away from Kan
sas City TO be overshadOwed by Il;
the central point In an extensive
region Of unsXampl6d fertility; and
the principal, most beautiful and
most desirable city for more than a
hundred miles around, IL 10 not at
all strange that, instead OF having
SO empty houses aud being In Q
state Of decadenee, IS indicated by
the sbsurdly false report spoken Of
by Mr.. Hoffman, SalinA IL not only
steadily, but even rapidly growing In
population, wealth and business.
Not only IL there growth In mater
lal affairs, but the educational In
terests Of SAlinA are also Ia healthy
condition. The number Of scholars
In her colleges and universities IL
greater than ever before, with every
prospect for still greater increase,
the management Of these InstItu-
lions being 50 thorough, able aud
energetic a. TO attract attention from
far distant points. Besides, there IL
not within the borders Of the state q
region more refined, prosperous and
thlckly populated from which such
Institutions Of learning can draw,
than the far-famed Golden Belt.
But Mr.. Hoffman evidently knows
Of all this, and hence he has. no
doubt, - indicated In his card, EN-
phatically denied the false and
malicious report circulated In Smith
Center TO our discredit. He can
safely, and doubtless will, continue
TO deny such reports and brand them
- dsYilish instIgatiOns Of jealous
detractOrs.
Be It said 10 the credit Of neigh
boring cities, such reports as the
above have not been frequent. IL
seems to be conceded by all that
Ballna IL by far the best located |
point In the Golden Belt for n large |
business eenter-the best In railroad |
facilities, the best In central posi-
ton, the best equipped In established
Wholesale houses, manufacturing |
plants and milling interests, aud |
INCIDENTALLY much the largest in pop
ulatlon aud size. II there Is much |
Jealousy Of Salinas pre-eminence,
those entertaining such jealousy
have the policy or grace TO refrain
from . public manifestation Of Il.
The JOURNAL il not Of that
enthusiastic number who think and
say SalinA will have O,OOO inhabi.
tants withina year, though such a
thing IL possible. But Il does hon
estIy believe that Its growth will be
steady, rapid aud healthy. II he
lIevss also that another twelve
months will see a''decidsd increase In
the number Of Its Wholesale houses
and manufacturing enterprises.
Indeed, negotiations are already on
foot which will bring hither very
large additions to these interests
already located. SaIiua is,positiveIy
destined to become one of the largest
and WealthiesI cities In the great
state Of Kansas. IL IL already that
In this region, but will before many
years, by mere force Of superior
location 10 nothing else, forge to the
front rank Of the cities Of the state.
No, Mr.. Hoffman, there are but
few empty houses In Salina, aud
more 10 steadily going on,
that the rapid increase Of Popula-
lion may be suitably housed and
aud decently provided for.
TIE Mcpherson RepublicdH At