Wichita eagle., 1889-06-18
VISITORS FROM WICHITA.
a Meeting on Change to Welcome Them and
Work for Closer Relations.

From the Globe Democrat.
between thirty and forty commission
merchants, and others interested in devel-
oplng the trade of St. Louis, met at the
Merchants Exchange yesterday morning
to receive the delegation from the board of
trade of Wichita, and hear their argu-
ments in favor of a closer business rela-
ton between that city and this The bust
ness men of Wichita believe-and for that
matter so do the majority of ST. Louis
merchants-uhat the interest of the two
cities are to a certain extent mutual: that
the development of the trade of St. Louis
in the southwest can be greatly advanced
with the assistance of such a powerful
auxiliary as Wichita, and that
Wichita, on the other hand. can
enlarge her own business by
direct commercial connection with this
market. Heretofore, however, the Mis-
souri, river ditferentlal, discriminating as
it did against St. Louis and in favor of
Kansas City and Chicago, has drawn the
trade of Wichita and the country tribu-
tary to her into Kansas City, and, of
course through Kansas City into Chicago
But now that Wichita has also been made
a Missouri river point, there is no great
reason why the bulk of this business
should not come here. Wichita" says
Mr.. VI. NJ. Murdoch, editor of the EAGLE,
and leader of the delegation, desires to
stand in the same position towards St.
Louis that Kansas City does towards Chi
cago. 1t is a well known fact that Kansas
City connection with Chicago has been the
principal cause of her prosperity, but, at
ha mo hos ,oI svx-if
much as her protege by the connection. She
has slapped Kansas City on the back and
in return has been given the bulk
of the trade of that city. Now, we
want St. Louis to slap US on the
back. Wichita has now 5000
inhabitants, and in ten years will be as
large as Kansas City is to-day We have
ten railroads radiating in every direction,
and we hold the key to the jobbing trade
of Oklahoma and the Cherokee strip,
which will soon be opened. The grain
production in the territory Immediately
tributary to Wichita will be this year
about 80 000, 900 bushels, or four times what
it was last year. We want this grain to go
to st. Louis, by barge to New Orleans and
thence to Europe; or, in other words, we
want to make St. Louis our exporting
point. Our cattle business is very large
and is constantly growing. Our two pack
ing houses-one of which belongs to
Francis Whitaker. Of st. Louis-can
handle 5000 head of hogs and l Zoo head OF
cattle per day, but yet there is a large sur
plus for shipment The Missouri Pacific
and the St. Louis and San Francisco, the
two direct lines between St Louis and
Wichita, have always been very friendly
to us, and say they viii do everything in
their power 10 promote the interest of the
two cities
One of the objects of the delegation is to
secure the cooperation of some ST Louis
men in the erection Of an elevator at
Wichita, and a number of elevator men
and commission merchants will go there
in the near future TO look into the matter
The meeting yesterday awakened lively
interest in Wichita, as the delegation
hoped it would, and they returned feeling
satisfied with the result Of their visit