The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-05-29
THEY WON'T LET GO
GALVESTON BOARD OF TRADE
WANT AN ELEVATOR.

O. T. simmons OF This City Writes the
President of the Board of Trade Let
ter Which Appears to have Stirred the
Galveston Capitalist to the Need of an
| Elevator Here-The Galveston Paper,
Take Up the Subject and Call for Inn
mediate Action-That Point Wants the
Grain OF South Kansas.
| Galveston Is stirring itself with ref
erence to the future construction of an
elevator at Wichita with a capacity
of ], 000, 600 bushels according to the Gal
weston News, the work done IN the in
terest of the Gulf outlet by Mr.. Imboden
| will not be dropped, but will be taken
up and pushed to successful termina-
ton.
The paper in publishing extracts Of a
letter from o. T. Simons of this city
and in commenting upon the disadvan
tage accrueing to the gulf outlet by the
construction of an elevator beyond their
control says:
Mr.. James Moore has received sew
eral letters recently from o T. Simmons
of Wichita, addressed to him as presi-
dent of the board of trade, complain
ing OF iethargy in certain quarters in
pushing things and urging Galveston TO
be alive to the work Of emancipating
the west from the commercial shackles
of the east Mr. Simmons is a hard
worker and has been in Galveston look
ing over the field. LAS you are al
ready aware" says the letter, "the east
ern traffic lines have entered into an
agreement with the Wichita Commercial
club through some of the allies of GER
tain railroads to build a half million
bushel elevator in Wichita and have en-
tered into an agreement 10 reduce the
rates ~ cents to this particular corpo-
ration. These lines state in their cir
cular that this reduction in rates will
enable lines running east from Kansas
City TO carry freight over the entire
length of their lines Of road" In other
words, this adverse influence is prac-
tically antagonizing our efforts for the
short route TO the sea and have offered
the people this practical cut of ~ cents.
GAS you are aware, there are in forty
counties surrounding Wichita 100, 600, 900
bushels of grain awaiting new schedules
and the result of this fight. The battle
is on and our people are aroused as
never before. But unfortunately, a
large per cent of our people are poor;
they have already held their grain al
most to the full extent of their ability.
This new proposition coming from east
ern traffic manipulators proposes TO give
them ~ cents reduction within sixty
days, or as soon as the elevator can
be gotten ready. This is to the farmers
a tangible business proposition and they
are taking stock in it to a much great
er extent than they did in Mr. Imboden's
proposition. OF course this IS not nor
could not be made permanent. What
the people want or should insist upon
is the advantage that will come through
the short haul TO the gulf. 1t is folly
to think that railroads will haul 1000
miles as cheaply as they would 700, yet ,
our farmers are too poor at this time
to await the better effects that would
come through the gulf outlet, but simply
grab at the first proposition that offers
immediate relief.
1T does seem to me that now is the
time for Galveston TO arouse herself as
never before. Galveston should at once
begin the erection of elevators at a CEN
trail point and go after the trade with
cities and traffic associations are doing.
Wichita people know, and my own
experience of fifteen years has taught |
me that it costs money and lots of il |
and heroic efforts when you have a |
proposition to bring forward that means |
revolution and independence.
AS an illustration, in the fall Of 1883 |
this city spent over a million dollars |
for securing enterprises and nearly one
half that amount in advertising thro'- |
out the country. The results are not as
benenciai as expected, yet without such |
efforts we would be today simply a vii
lage Of 5000 or 5000 people"
A portion of another letter written by
Mr.. Simmons Is as follows: I'VE are
IN the midst of great commercial and |
revolution and the fight
In the interest of the gulf port at your
city is now fully on. The first gun of
opposition from eastern traffic lines
has been fired by the proposition to
build an elevator here and slightly re-
luce the rates, but still continue The |
ong, unnecessary haul to eastern ports.
This in a great measure defeats the
successful and perfect arrangements of
Mr.. Imboden in his heroic effort TO turn
rattle through the near gulf outlet.
Mr.. Imboden has done a work for the
west that ought to entitle him to great
honor from the people who shall reap
great benefits from the efforts and in
1uences set in motion by him. We
nave completed quite a splendid orean!-
;ation in the interest of this gulf outlet
movement and expect 70 keep up this
light until we succeed in getting the
same proportionate rate for the short
haul as now prevails for the long haul,
which would mean millions OF dollars
% the southwest annually.