Wichita eagle., 1890-02-01
A TRULY WICHITA DAY.
SOME HARD FACTS CONCERNING
WICHITAS PRESENT AND
FUTURE
The Work Of the Board Of Trade and
Other NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Of a
Talk With President Geo. L.
Rouse ST..

Talk With President Geo. L.
Rouse ST..
There was more business activity yes
tel day in the city than the average. While
the average is gooG enough, yet an i'm
provement by way of an increase is always
acceptable in any city, not excepting
Wichita. For some days the increase has
been noticeable, 1t has not only been
noticed on the streets but elsewhere. The
elsewhere" means that it has been no.
ticed in the columns of figures that stand
for SO much money changing and entering
into business. The stranger as we'll as
resident to considerable extent estimates
the city by the number of people rushing
around attending to business and by what
they see that looks life commercial life.
While this may be regarded os a thermom-
eter upon which some reliance may be
placed, yet one outside the city,
not having chance to look
out upon the streets and see
the busy stream of people may not be able
to get as good an idea of the commercial
Importance of Wichita from description
of the streets as from some cold facts. To
begin with. the clearing house for yester-
day shows S21S027.27, with the cores
ponding day last year, SOB, 433 So Yes
terday was $4,000 more than double what
it was the corresponding day last year.
This fact may of itself be of some weight
to one who is acquainted with what 1t
takes to make a showing in the clearing
house. The total for the week will not
show such per cent of increase, but it
will be an eye opener to the eastern peo-
pie who read it about breakfast
time next Monday morning in the
weekly report. The clearing house
showing such an increase 1t was thought
Of interest to give some more facts of the
day. The average calls ON the central
office are from eighteen hundred to two
thousand. Yesterday the calls were over
thirty-three hundred and almost as far
above the corresponding day last year as
the clearing house showing. This may be
another pointer to add and there is an
other one in the line of facts At the
postoffice the outgoing and incoming
letters for some days are greater in num-
Der than in any time. The increase there
may not mean everything, but to gentle
man who was acquainted with the fact
said it certainly meant something. The
business houses of Wichita and business
interests sending out more business let
tiers. They hustle to get the letters O. on
the early morning or early evening trains.
They want them to 60 for they relate to
business.
All who are entitled to an opinion on the
question are free CO admit that there has
been more hard work at the board of trade
since the beginning of the year than at
any other corresponding time, and. for
that matter, more directory meetings of
the board of trade and other associations
that labor to the best interests of the city
than possibly ever before in the same
length of time.
Relating to the board of trade the presi-
dent, Mr.. George l.. Rouse, ST., said yes
terday:
at has been said that the work of the
board of trade is not well understood by
the public at large, and some of the new
members of the directory express them
selves as surprised at the amount of work
actually done by the board. Now, much
of this work would better not be discussed
in detail by the general public, us such
discussion would often defeat the end in
view by disclosing our plans and aims pre-
maturely, but as the men who elect the
directory expect discretion and good judge
ment in all sucn matters that phase need
not be dwelt upon. Still it seems that
something might be said as to the work
being done and the objects of that work in
a general way that would be entirely
proper and which the public would have
an interest in and right to know"
Continuing, Mr.. Rouse said: "In the
first place, the directory are aware of the
fact that now, at this time of all times, the
opportunity presents itself for efficient,
intelligent, hard work. 1t has been under
taken by common consent, as by one man,
and every man
OF THE TWENTY-FOUR
is at work in earnest, and in the following
lines of effort: Manufactures, jobbing
houses and railroads so much has already
been done this year as will certainly result
in the near future in the establishment of
additional manufactures, jobbing houses
new lines of railroads.
Rounding up the immigration move
ment he said: 1.-The immigration move
ment which originated in Wichita has
been and will be fos.ered and supported
by the board of trade, is grand move
ment from which the greatest good may
be expected and has already become as
broad as the state of Kansas. embracing
as it does every comfy, and when the
state organization shall have secured land
explorers and immigrants rates on Feb |
ruary 18th, prox.. the success of the move |
ment will be assured"
There are other movements" he con-
tinued, ''of equal Importance with those
mentioned, OF which the local real estate |
exchange promises to become an import
ant factor in advertising our advantages
to the country at large"
CHANGING over the board of trade work: |
For three years the board of trade, sup
ported at all times by the good citizens of
Wichita. has been sowing good seed and |
diligently cultivatng the field not, doubt |
ing the crop would be in kind and COM |
mensurate with our deserts, and can |
fairly say that in my opinion, and IN the
opinion of the men with whom | have the
honor 10 act, the harvest time is near and |
will be abundant. But as this harvest |
time will be shared by all, let US all !
and each one of us in his place and &C
cordiug to his ability and opportunity con-
tribute his share of sensible, efficient, |
honest work, so that when the harvest of |
1890 is divided none of Us may be COM |
PEELED to eat the bread of idleness, nor to |
reap where we have not sown."
Speaking in general of the city: witch |
ita today stands before the country a |
sound, energetic, live city, honestly great |
in all the elements of greatness and can |
and will become whatever ~e, her citizens, |
shall determined If it had been the good |