The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-03-11
THE NEW SOUTHWEST.

The negotiations of the Vanderbilt
and Huntington systems for a connec-
ton of their eastern termini with the
port of Galveston, not only show that
the new outlet of the southwest is the
natural seaport for the Transmissouri
country, but that it is so recognized by
eastern railway interests.
Edward Atkinson has truly said that
commerce finds its way over all oppos-
ing forces. By this it is meant that
trade flows in natural channels, and that
sooner or later, trade will find them. No
combination of interests could ever make
great seaport of Eastport, Me. Pos
sessed of fine natural harbor, and at
the point nearest European ports of any
city on the continent, yet, by reason
of its remoteness from any base
of supplies, it remains only fishing
port. New York, backed up by a Sec
ton rich in minerals and suited to agri-
culture and manufactures, and at the
border Of our oldest civilization, was
destined to be the first aud greatest
seaport on our coast line. There was
yet room, for similar reasons, for Bos-
ton, Philadelphia and Baltimore. The
great lake system made Chicago a
necessity, and the Mississippi river,
with its countless tributaries, skirted
by illimitable valleys of great fertility,
forced the building of st. Louis and
New Orleans. The Pacific coast would
be a chaos of drifting commerce with
out the great city back of Golden Gate;
and even the icy north finds place for
Minneapolis, st. Paul and Duluth.
1t is not the surveying of railroads, or
the devices of town builders that makes
these great cities. 1t is the natural flow
of trade which comes with the develop
ment of the country naturally tributary
to them. In no instance have they
grown or thrived till their natural
feeders began to haul in supplies. This
provided, they have grown of necessity
and without effort.
1t is by the same process that the new
outlet of the southwest at Galveston bay
is to become great commercial center.
The vast territory west of the Missouri,
greater in extent than all New England
and the middle and older southern states
combined, is the last territory remaining
for settlement, and the forces which are
to make it veritable empire Of wealth
are even now actively at work. It was
these forces which prompted the gov
erRment to appropriate over 5000, 600
for the improvement of its natural har-
Dor. 1t is these forces which will trans
form these great plains into western
Mississippi valley of wealth and
happy homes. The influences
which have built the great
cities have in all cases, been retroactive.
While commerce has poured into the sea-
port towns. the land producing it has
grown in value, and interior cities. rival
ing in wealth and population the border
cities, have been no less a factor of SIM
Infamous growth. Instance Columbus,
Ohio, indianapolis, Des Moines, Kansas
City, Omaha and Denver-an remote
from navigable water ways. In the
newer west and south are Wichita, For:
Worth, Dallas and San Antonio. There
is future to these younger cities.
bright as that OF the larger points named
bur a few years ago.
Yes, the great railroads viii come, and
the systems will figure for outlets and
inlets to the coming region which viii do
more toward bringing the center OF