Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-01-29
DEEP WATER UP NORTH.
The Best Harbor for Kansas and Iowa.
The Railroad Route to Wichita
Northern and Southern Pines
kansas Enterprise and
Kansas Interests

I
The casual reader may think this is a
queer point to be looking for ''deep
water" 1t is conceded, however, that
Iowa, like Kansas, has run to water, and
some people think both have run mad on
that particular subject. My branch of
the water subject is to ascertain the
sense of the people on harbor facilities
on the Gulf of Mexico.
THE BEST HARBOR FOR KANSAS AND IOWA.
have heretofore indicated my idea of
the Importance of timber supplies in this
connection for Kansas. Iowa is, to a
large extent, in unity of interest with
Kansas on that particular subject.
True, Iowa is nearer the eastern
supplies of pine lumber than Kansas;
but these eastern supplies, great as they
are, are being diminished and Iowa has
mutual interest with our own state in
reaching the almost untouched timber
forests of Louisiana. Draw line from
the mouth of the CaIcasieu to Des Moines
and it would run through Sedalia, Mo-,
and the most practical route to avoid the
rough country of western Arkansas
would be through Kansas City. Kansas
City is the great city, and we cannot
successfully kick against the inevitable.
or | would suggest a Kansas Point. The
mouth of the Calcasieu, in a straight
line, is at least fifty miles nearer Des
Moines than is Galveston. The mouth
of the Calcasleu and that of the Sabine
are practically about the same distance
oil
other things being equal as to harbor
practicabilities. Iowa and Kansas have a
mutual interest in reaching the sea at
this point. IL we consider only the
shortest route to the sea, the question is
a mere matter Of measurement which
any school boy can compute, and if
there IS any argument in favor of reach
ing the gulf, it Is the question of the
long and short haul by rail, and both
Iowa and Kansas save fifty miles in that
haul of their corn and wheat to the sea-
board and the return goods from Europe,
the South American states and the West
Indies, to say nothing of the cotton and
rice and other productions of western
Louisiana and eastern Texas, for which
the cereals of these two states would be
exchanged. But the difference in the
length of haul is not all by any means.
There is great difference in the charac-
ter of the routes-one lying over the
Allegheny and Cumberland mountains
and the other through the level plains of
Kansas, Arkansas, the Indian territory,
Louisiana and Texas to the sea.
THE ROUTE TO WICHITA.
Now let the reader, or any Wichita
school boy, take his map and draw
line from the mouth of the CalcaSieu to
Wichita and similar line from Calves
ton to Wichita and he will find there is
but little appreciate difference between
the distance to these two ports, and what
there may be is in favor of the Calcasieu
as the shortest route. Add to this the
idea of
THE COMPETITIVE TRADE.
When ports are opened up to almost
one-half of the American union, taking
the western states from the Mississippi to
Utah, or l might say to the Pacific, as
regards the lumber supplies of southern
pine, and all the great systems of rail
way and the merchant princes of
the east will go into competition for the
trade and for the handling of
the wheat and corn and other produc-
tions of the grain producing states west
of the Mississippi. Already Garden City
for instance. sends alfalfa to Georgia.
Fully open up this route, and Kansas
hay will compete for the southern mar
ket along its route to the connection
with the Southern Pacific railroad to-
wards New Orleans, if it is not even
found there.
THE TURNING POINT
ON this question, it seems to me, is its
supplies of timber | have referred to
this previously. but think it is not
repetition to allude to the great prepon-
derance which this would give to Kan
sas over all other places. The pine of
this section is a superior article to any in
reach of Kansas. 1t is preferred at
Galveston to all Texas pines. while that
state has much valuable timber.
NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN PINES.
The ravages made on the white pines
of the north have made new demands
upon the southern fields, and have sent
new men with new methods in the dis
NAL regions of the south. This the |
northern lumbermen are beginning to
from Maine to Michigan. |
The Chicago Northwestern Lumberman |
of January 4th remarks: ALREADY the !
winter exodus of northern lumbermen of |
capital to the south is under full head |
way. Timber land purchasing promises |
to be as actively prosecuted this year as |
last, and large holdings will pass into |
northern hands. This will eventually |
lead to the extensive building of mills |
and general development Of manufac- !
ture in the south. :"
This excellent authority further says: |
THE past season has been remarkable |
Tor an unusually large dis |
-ribution of yellow pine throughout
The northwest, in which the trade of |
Chicago has abundantly shared Though |
is still going out of the |
The holiday season is sufficiently quiet TO |
give dealers an opportunity to take &C !
count of stock. overlook the past sea-
sons business and compare it with that |
If previous wears. Yellow pine |
mas made gain during the past twelve |
months that has given it a high rank in |
he north and west, and, as never before, !
las given the white pine interest to un- |
1erstand that the southern product has /
become q rival that can no longer be ig- t
lored. The requirement fer 1
;ar factory stuff is not likely to abate !
while there is scarcity of rolling stock /
throughout the country.
This is the material which the Calca-
lieu region furnishes. and this eminent |
authority fully sustains the position | |
nave assumed in former letters in regard |
o the value to all Kansas of this route
% the sea and the opening of its harbor. |
WHY NOT TAKEN Before:
That is a question ] have frequently TO
answer. The fact Is that that country