The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-11-15
w1CH1rA,s SUPPOSED RIVALS.

wICHITA'S SUPPOSED RIVALS.
A writer in the Capital dwelling upon
the advantages of Topeka and the posi-
bilities of that city becoming the COM
mercial metropolis of the state concludes
with the observation that if her rival in
the sandy valley of the Arkansas does not
outstrip her then Topeka will unques-
tionably become the principal city.
There is no kind of rivalry, in the
sense of competition, between Wichita
and Topeka, nor can there be beyond
the natural local pride that arise
from the fact that they are
the leading cities of respective sections
of the same state, of state nearly as
large as all the New England states COM
bined, and of greater agricultural re-
sources and capable of sustaining a
larger population probably than any
state in the Union, outside of three or
possibly four exceptions. Topeka, COM
mercially speaking, is just as much of
rival of Omaha as she is of Wichita, her
distance from each being the same. If
Topeka should eventually rival Kansas
City or even overshadow both Kansas
City and st. Joseph it would be to
Wichita and Wichita's commercial
future no more than IF all three
of the above places should consolidate.
The field in which Topeka must struggle
for ascendency is that for the trade of
which Kansas City and st. Joseph are
more directly depending. Wichita is
beyond and outside of the valleys and
rivers of the area which has developed
the above cities, in the midst of coun-
try the waters of whose valleys flow in
another direction, and whose ''commun-
ity of interests" are independent of and
have an entirely different trend than
those of the Missouri river and its tribu-
taries. The natural channels and the
future traffic-highways of the Great
Arkansas Valley and of all its tributary
valleys and streams, are down to the
lower Mississippi and to the Gulf. To
Fl. Smith, or to some new city yet to be
developed, if not to be yet founded in
the Indian Territory, Wichita might
look for possible commercial rival, but
never in the direction of the Missouri
valley or its tributaries.
And this leads us to note the fact that
Wichita is not only the commercial CEN
ter of the distinct area in which she is
located, the railway center, the
manufacturing center, the mercantile
center and the educational center and
the central of capital and population
and the prominent market for the
products of the distinct area named, but
the power that the prestige of these gives
her renders rivalship practically out of
the question.
And this leads US to recall another
fact in the metropolitan advancement of
Wichita and which, while it renders her
practically impregnable against possible
is lost sight of and overlooked by |
many, especially by communities that
have dreamed of rivaling this city at
some time in the future. With all her |
prestige of size, location and financial |
power she has secured and encompassed |
the great enterprises and Improvements
that constitute the real city without hav-
ing overburdened her people with debts
and taxes. Her railroads have been &C
CURED with little or no cost compared TO
what these have cost other aspiring
places, and all the appurtenances and
of a city, such as
public buildings, sewerage, paving,
water, gas, etc., ETC., are actual entities
and vet her per cent. of taxation is lower
than that of any city in the state, many
Of which have these things practically
yet to provide and pay for. In any POS
sible race of the future for supremacy
Wichita stands thuswise reinforced and
without the load or incumbrance
which any other city In this section
would have to assume before declaring
any claims, with a number of which the
extra burthen would be too great.
In short Wichita has no rival, and
with all that her peoplesboas in the way
Of the natural and acquired advantages
named there is no city in the state that
shows the energy and confidence seen in
the dailytbusiness life of her streets and
IN her varied interests and industries.
And when again the tide of times begins
to swell and flow in developing currents
and enterprising streams in the west,
Wichita will be the first of all the cities
Of Kansas to respond to the impulse and
with such vigor as is begotten only of iu-
herent strength and in a manner that
will cause the world to exclaim rivalry,