Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-20
KANSAS AND WICHITA.
Medicine Which, if it Lacks Sugar Coat
ing, is Not Gall and Must be
Swallowed.

that states wealth, and the more marked
its prosperity.
Kansas can never be truly great
state in the absence of great traffic
| center.
The hope of Kansas, her essential
| chances of standing financially among
the leading states, is only in, by and
| through Wichita If Wichita fails of
making great city, then there viii be
no great city within the borders of Kan
sas. The towns and cities of her eastern
border, if they ever possessed the chances
Of becoming dominant traffic and man
featuring centers, have not only lost
bsuch chances but also the advantages
pertaining to their location IN the matter
Of the necessary distance from the other
great centers. They have been
completely oFershadowed by cen
ter whose consequence not only
precludes any possibility for them
but whose Importance must go to the
augmentation of another state
That Wichita will become great city
is not only generally conceded by disin-
terested judges, everywhere, but that
the state has already largely partaken of
and been greatly benefited by the spirit
of this city, is undeniably true. The
wonderful era of prosperity SO lately en-
joyed by Kansas, by her towns and COM
munities, was not only reflex but di-
rect outgrowth of Wichita enterprise.
The three trunk line systems of railroads,
viz: The st. Louis C San Francisco, the
Missouri Pacific and the Chicago &
Rock Island were all tolled in and per-
suaded into projecting their lines across
the prairies of this state by and through
influences and exertions put forth by
Wichita. The wonderfully rapid
growths of a year or two since
enjoyed by Ell Dorado, Winfield,
Arkansas City, Wellington, Kingman,
Anthony, Harper, Hutchinson, Newton
and of the towns by the score on and
away to the west and northward to To
peka, were but a reflex of the more phe-
nominal example of expansion-accre-
ton maintained and shown by Wichita,
and which IN there preceded them all,
taken in connection with the result of
the building of the roads mentioned and
of their various extensions and branches
and those constructed by the Santa Fe
in an attempted preservation Of her ter
ritory
The facts stated and conclusions
drawn being irrefutable, the next great
wave of prosperity which shall sweep over
Kansas, over her towns, starting them into
a renewed activity and growth, over her
real estate and farming lands, augment
ing their values, will begin at and with
Wichita. This new onward sweep,
whose impulses are already being felt in
this city, and which in substantial char
acter and magnitude will far excel any
thing in her past history, will first be felt
in the towns and cities closest to US, and
then it will spread until the whole state
shall not only again feel its influence,
but which Will be felt, and for the states
good. by the great enterprises and monied
interests of the east.
1t will not be understood that, in any
event, Kansas will not go forward and
grow and increase with the years,
as western states have and
must grow even to the maximum
of statistical census, but it is meant that
Wichita being the typical or representa-
tive city of the state of Kansas, her new
onward march will be felt by not only
her near neighbors, but by the entire
state.
In face Of, and in spite of the majestic
strides being made by this city today, in
the direction of commercial supremacy,
and greatness, in face of and in spite of
its phenomenal past. and in face of and
in spite of the great interests but lately
secured and the vast sums Of money
being expended to materialize and to
constitute these great interests palpable
there may be still leaders
among the older inhabitants of the state
who are incredulous. That cannot be
helped. They need but come and per-
sonally investigate to be convinced The |
mayors and city councils of the older |
cities of this state departed from us
but yesterday so convinced. Such in |
is not astonishing. In 1870. |
when, in discussing the possibilities of
western Kansas with Col T. J. Peter, |
the first manager of the Santa Fe. which /,
road at that time reached but a short
distance southwest of Topeka, the writer |
of these lines tried to convince him that
if ever there was a great city built in |
Kansas it would be at the confluence of
the two Arkansas rivers or vicinity, and /
that therefore the Santa Fe should be |
projected via the mouth of the Little |
he laughed with incredulitv. /
When, afterwards, in talking the matter
over with the MeSsrs. Nickerson of Bos- |
ton, whose money and influence had /
more to do with that railroad than that 1
Of anybody else, we said the same thing. /
and we, at that time. no more than they.