The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-11-19
WHAT A VISITOR SAYS.

l - W. AA'a6 " v CAuoCOs 4eAs, W0S A0 tIAs
city yesterday for the first time in several
years and to say be was astonished at the
changes would not be adequately express.
ing it, In speaking about them he said:
1t Is now nearly seven years since
| visited Wichita, and since then have
heard many and varied accounts of the
place. Some were words of praise but
more often 1.-The evil tide" was INDUCED
| in; SO that fully expected to see desola-
ton on every side. Leaving Santa FL
train upon my arrival. l walked down
Douglas avenue intending to count the
empty store rooms. Finding all the build
lnss first came to occupied l concluded il
was due to their nearness to the depots
But passing on down the avenue l noticed
the stores were nearly all large and con-
tanned fine, heavy stocks of goods.
To say that was surprised does not ex.
press it, when L found but one vacant
room on the avenue. was now thorough
ly interested and struck out on Main
street aud found practically the same con-
dition of affairs on that splendid thor
oughfare. This certainly did not CORE
spond with the calamity howl'' l had
heard about Wichita. After going the
rounds Of nearly all the doomed cities
ia the west, can without the least desire
to reflect disparagingly on any of them sar
that Wichita presents The most
thrifty appearance of them all.
This condition of the property
so soon after Il season of general depression
is one of the certain elements of proof that
Wichita's location is good and that
a great trade center is bound to grow up
here. 1t may seem to he an old story to
some. but it IS matter worthy of
agitation and should not be forgotten for
moment, that being the natural gate
way for at least one-half the Transmissis-
sippi country, the sooner determined
effort is made to turn the tide of traffic of
that section south, he sooner will Wichita
take her rightful place among the great
financial and commercial centers of the
county, and the whole Transmississippi
country will drop the yoke of
the great cast and west railroad monopo-
lies. There can be no question about the
great good competition via the gulf points
will be for Kansas and the west. If an in
stance Is required it is found in the ST.
Paul aud Sault Ste. Marie railroad, COM
monty called the 800" line. This line
opened up short route to the great lakes
for the northwest, and it would be diff
cult to calculate the immense benefit the
great northwest has received therefrom.
But it is not matter requiring demon
stration. All agree that unobstructed COM
munication with the Gulf of Mexico is
thing absolutely necessary for the continu-
ed rapid development of this section. But
find that leading men through the west
seem to think the time to take active meas
ures il this matter has not come. They are
awaiting developments at Galveston, for
getting or never having been fully inform
ed that at Velasco there is free and un-
INSTRUCTED entrance from the Gulf of Mex
leo into the Brazos river. I havs recently
returned from Il trip into Texas and visit
ed Velasco. The water over the bar now
measures Is feet and is steadily deepening,
while the Brazos river averages depth Of
35 feet for several miles from it's mouth
forming the best of harbors.
There is no use to wait longer on deep
water developments anywhere. The stu
alton seems 10 be Wichita's opportunity.
By taking an active part in opening up
would gain UNNECESSARILY and place the
west under everlasting obligations to her.
II Wichita IS prosperous under the present
discrimination in freight rates
practiced by the transportation compa-
MES she will be ten-fold more prosperous
when she can ship to and receive supplies
from the nearer ports on the Gulf of
Mexico"