The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-26
INTERESTED.
Long Articles in Chicago Papers
About the Train
TO BE SENT BY THE MILLION CLUB.

An Interesting Article About the
Matter in the ChicxgO "zsecOrd," the
Paper Having the Largest Morning
Circulation in That City,
The following appears in yesterdays
Chicago Record:
According to the ancient song, "potatoes
grow small in Kansas" This is accepted
generally the solemn truth. Every
body knows that corn and wheat grow to
giant size on the black dirt of the Mis-
souri, bottoms and Kansas cyclones have
a world wide cele brity.
The error about the potato is odious 10
the Million club OF Topeka, Kan. 1t is
com posed of men, who own a good deal
of the real estate of the state. They went
across the Mississippi river a good while
ago, when there was little to be found
there except range grass and jackrabbits.
Their effUrts as much as anything else
have transformed the state into a corn
field, market garden and a fruit orchard
which requires no apology whatever in
any company. That is why it effends the
Million club TO hear the words of tho
hackneyed song and to reflect that half
the people east of the Mississippi pity
the Kansans.
1t occurred to the Million club of To-
peka some time ago that little mission
sry work would do the state good After
some discussion one of the influential
men of the club said:
The only way to correct the general
error is to send cut carload or two of
our products for exhibition all the way
between here and the east"
"Send five cars of the best you've got"
said another millionaire, land when you
have shown them all along the line adj
vertise that you will give the stuff to the
poor"
J. S. Collins and J. L. Durham were
appointed committee to carry out the
plan. They rummaged the state for fair
average samples of all the staples raised
there. All the premium lists of the coun-
ty fairs were reviewed and priza produc-
ers of vegetables and fruits were taken
into the scheme.
One farmer said that he had a pump
kin weighing ninety pounds and an enor-
nous cabbage, but the committee declin-
ed with thanks, saying that nothing was
wanted but average samples. In this way
the com ittee made arrangements fer
the delivery of enough stuff to fill five
cars.
Yesterday Mossrs Collins and Durham
reached Chicago and called on Mayor
Swift They explained that their state
had been maligned By topical song
writers, and that the Million club was
about to set matters right.
Nov Mr.. Mayor, we want you to help
u.s. Five carloads of the finest fruits
and vegetables raised in Kansas will be
shipped to Chicago from Topeka Octo-
Der 80. When the produce arrives here
we want to place it on exhibition for a
few days and then we will distribute it
I to the poor of this city. We would
like to have you help us to fad a place
for the display of the cargo and to desig-
| nate some one to direct the distribution
after the exhibition.
I'VE will have all kinds of fruits and
vegetables. There are potatoes as fine
as any you ever saw, sweet potatoes and
yans, beets, furnips, pumpkins and
! sqaashes and all sorts of garden pro-
| duce; apricots, pears. ounces, plums and
| prunes as fine as they are grown any
| where in the union; persimmons, peaches
and grapes of all varieties in clusters as
| large as the spies of Joshua brought
from the land of promise. To cap the
! exhibition we have one item of 125 bar
rels of apples. sound as dollars and per-
| feet beauties.
ave will give away every dollar
worth of this stuff without cost to any
one if you will help US to find a place
to exhibit it for day or SO and desigulte
some one to see that it is given to needy
citizens of Chicago"
Mayor Swift thanked the committee
and said that he would do all in his pow
er to assist in the enterprise. He referred