Wichita eagle., 1889-06-07
THE SOUTHWEST.
It's Past, Present and Future.

i
cities and communities
| In A. d. 1874, tho year that stands as
the last year of ''old Kansas" and the
first year of .snew Kansas" Leavenworth
and the city of Kansas, standing alone
Atchison, Topeka, Wyandotte, came
next with an average population of ten
thousand people, following these were
Fl. Scott, Emporia, Lawrence. Round
about were Junction, Ottawa, Manhat-
tan, Olatbe, all good towns.
| On the line of the K. P. R. r. were
Salina, Ellsworth, Abilene; over to the
south east were Parsons, Columbus, In
dependence, etc. Along the
line of the Santa Fe r. r.
were Newton, Hutchinson. Great Bend.
Larned, Dodge-none of which were at
| that date classed as cities of the second
class, and all were situate in the home
| stead belt of lands, requiring only Office
fees and residence to obtain a home.
To the south and west of Newton was
an ''area" of Indian lands seventy-fve
| miles wide and $50 miles long, which
We're obtainable for cash and one years
residence. This area, except stub rail-
'
seven miles long, had no railroad and
was dependent on wagon transportation,
and the county in which Wichita was
situate voted $500, 900 to get this twenty
seven mile stub railroad. The Union
Island and NJ. K. & I. railroads gave to
the northeast, east, southeast and the
three lines from east and west an advan-
f1 hn in,
Kansas.
This was the situation, and the south
west, after the "grasshopper, sowed its
fall wheat and hoped for the best. At
this date the southwest did not
threaten in any way to disturb
the autonomy of the northeast part of
the state, dispute the supremacy of Kan
sas City, Mo-, or deny the dynastic rights
of the cities of Kansas.
In this connection the query is put as
to why the branch railroad line towns of
the southwest have equaled, if not out
stripped the older towns, and the main
line towns of Kansas?
The only fair solution of this is, "new
blood in Kansas" and agricultural lands.
No one will claim that the growth of the
southwest has been aided by legislation,
or the policy of the railroads.
Ell Dorado, Winfield, Arkansas City,
Wellington. Harper, Anthony, Caldwell,
kiowa, Medicine, Kingman, Pratt and
Wichita-what eight counties in the
northeast can show such solid growth |
and population since 1874 as Cowley, |
Sumner, Harper, Barber, Kingman, |
Butler, Pratt and Sedgwick? What other |
eight counties in the state, in a body can |
surpass them agriculturally? And yet |
west of these to the Colorado line is |
field seventy-five miles wide and $50 long
whose young and vigorous growth COM
mands respect, and whose possibilities
are beyond the eye of the human horO-
scope and whose possibilities are as much
beyond our view as the present ''south
west was beyond the narrow view of
the men who located the capital at To-
peka because the south and west was
composed Of sand hills and buffalo pas
lures.
In the days of cold Kansas" the su-
preme rule of Kansas City, Missouri, was
not only recognized, but was unques-
toned. The towns northeast quiescent-
" saw it draw to itself the products of
our soil and the capital realized from
their sale. Its banks grew rich from our
deposits. Its clearing house balances,
the great tonnage of its railroads and the
showing on packing hogs,
all made up by Kansas, were credited to
Missouri.
Neither Atchison, Leavenworth or
Topeka were able to break the chain.
At last Kansas City, Missouri, formed
a co-partnership with Kansas City,
Kansas, wiped out Wyandotte,
whose identity is gone forever, and in
this act of miscegenation Kansas City,
Mo-, purchased a factor to enable to fur
Their destroy the commerce of Kansas, IN
the fact, except for the purposes Of hold
ing offices and taxation, Kansas City,
Kan, is Missouri town.
The commercial interests of these
cities by the laws of trade are one.
They are the Simese twins of the west.
No legislation can separate them.
They are SO connected that the pros
perlty of one is for both; an injury to
either hurts both.
But the balance Of the state has rights,
and as the law of this country is ''The
greatest good to the greatest number
the question what are our rights and
how shall we obtain them?
But as a part of the state has no inter-
est in this question, judging from the
press and a part of it is acting on the
dog in the Manager" policy, it is the in
tention of the writer to look at this ques-
ton from a southwest Kansas" stand
point.
At the date of the terminus Of the
railroads at Kansas City, Mo-, there We're
less than 60, 900 people in Kansas, and
less than 100000 people south and west
of Emporia.
There are near :, 10000 of people in
Kansas now and near 1000. 600 south
and west of Emporia, and there are be-
tween one-half million and three-quar-
ters of million south and west of New
ton. These figures are approximated,
out they will stand the test.
In A. d. 1874 Butler county, contain
ing FL Dorado had $500 people: Cowley
containing Winfield and Arkan-
;as City, 1900; Sumner county, contain
ing Wellington and Caldwell. $500;
Harper county, containing Anthony and I
Harper, 90; kingman county containing
kingman, 80: Sedgwick county, con-
aiming Wichita, 1900. Total, $1,000 (
people. They now aggregate 100000
people. !
Should these people be tied to the
state of Missouri?
1t is alleged that this is a Wichita
scheme Grant it. Has not Wichita /
right to consideration before Missouri: I
1t is said that if Wichita gets a rate,
every Kansas village will have to have
)ne Grant it. Does not every Kansas
village have of natural right, a right to I
demand favors from Kansas officials: {
The railroads that pass through Kan {
'as City do not have so much to fear as