The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-12
Daily eagle
NJ. NJ. MURDOCH. Editor.
RETURNING TO WICHITA.


No one having lived in Wichita ever
lost faith in its future; as he or she VINO
has never departed has ever doubted
its final dominancy as the city of Soutn-
west Kansas. Wherever former resi-
dent of this city can be found, no mat
ter what the stress which compelled MS
Ceparture, or how far away he may be
located, there viii be found one holding
10 the desire and expectation OF return
ing whenever the opportunity shaii
make it possible. Even such former
residents as now find themselves an
chored for life elsewhere, in regretting
the exigencies Of fortune which forced
them TO abandon the Peerless Princess,
and her bright prairies for another field,
prophesy confidently of coming super
iority for the magical mascot OF this
sunIit meridian. OF this latter class,
four men, one located in New York
City. another in Indianapolis, the third
in st. Louis and the fourth fnChicago,
and all prosperous, met this week in
Wichita. drawn hither by the conviction
that the general improvement OF the
times felt elsewhere must find Wlcnlta
getting on to her feet again. That they
were not disappointed calls for no PROOF.
One glance at the life Of the Increasing
throngs along our business thorough
fares. but a note Of the substantial I'M
..INr. nllln
throughout the resident portions OF the
town. or the briefest talk with any man
of affairs. in whatever department OF
trade. would be sufficient to convince
any unprejudiced enquirer of the fact
of a renewed life, on a solid and per-
manent basis, in which there is neither
oyer-confidence nor inspiration begotten
of speculation. The stability Of all that
pertains to Wiohitas widening and
growing importance is self-evident, is
seen in every ything upon every hand, as
It is reflected in the daily life and trans
actions Of her business interests.
Probably no one indication of stabil-
ity, nor any stronger proof of the faith
of former or present residents alluded
to in the first sentence of this article
can be found than in the fact that
large per cent Of the most desirable or
the boom-swamped and mortgage
wrecked property of five and ten years
ago is being bought either by present or
former residents OF the city, In no
spirit of speculation has this species OF
realty been purchased OF late by the
classes named, for it is not for sale
again, but because OF It's present abso-
lutte rental value, bought as perman-
ent investment. In short Wichita is
being owned again by its present and
former residents, and not by invest
nent companies nor by outside specu-
iators, nor for prospective enhance
ment. but because of present unques-
tionable worth.
It is estimated that nearly one-half of
fhe present population Of Wichita Is
new, the major portion of whom have
come to the town within the past five or
eight years. If, in addition TO this new
blood. and In the full food-tide of re-
turning prosperity, majority of all
those whom untoward circumstances
drove away, finally come back TO fill
new openings and to catch on TO the
muItiplyisg chances ever to be found in
reviving opportunities, Wichita will
not only find herself eventually greater
than ever, but her destinies in friendly
hands and controlled by an element
whose enterprise. if ever equalled, was
never surpassed, and who, profitfng by
experience, will be liable to make few,
if any, of the mistakes such as formerly
proved so personally disastrous. From
every state and from almost every city
of importance letters Of inquiry are be-
ing received from former residents, all
of one trend, that Of chances to buy and
of opportunities to re-engage in business
in Wichita. For, and returning to
Wichita, therefore, are not only a re-
stored confidence, reviving trade, with
increasing values and solid growth, but
also many of the men and women who,
originally having enjoyed the inspira-
ton of its wide-out prosperity, and
having once partaken of the spirit of its
intense activities and the sustaining
qualities of its hopeful atmosphere, can
find contentment nowhere else.