The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-18
THINKS KANSAS ALL RIGHT
Have Changed Their Tune
says o. III. Bently.

| Hon. o. H. Bentley of this city, has just
| returned from an extended visit on bust
ness, to New York, Philadelphia and the
east. When called upon yesterday by a re-
| porter for the Eagle Mr.. Bentley said that
his trip included a business visit 10 thir-
teen Of the largest cities in the United
States, including New York and Philadel-
phia. and that he returns home feeling that
the next three or four years in Kansas
and the west will be extremely prosperous
years. There is an indication that many
new enterprises will be pushed and COM
pleted and that capital will flow into AKIN
sas and the West and we will have a repe-
tition OF the good times of 1855 and the
succeeding four years. Eastern banks,
trust companies and insurance companies,
both life and fire, are simply congested
with money. Large sums have been paid
in on their western investm ents, and num-
berless farm loans and city loans and in
vestments in municipality bonds, and there
Is a large amount of capital in the east
which is wholly idle. The president of one
Of the large insurance companies informed
Mr. Bentley, in Hartford, that the COM
pany had on hand S7,000 900 in the local
banks on deposit. and he said to Mr.. Bent
ley. You people in the west are now pay
ing your debts too fast"
AS an example. prominent capitalist In
Connecticut instructed Mr.. Bentley TO buy
him large tract Of land near Abilene.
Kansas, and make draft on him for The
payment.
Mr.. Bentley has been going east since
1895, and his visits to New England were
exceedingly chilly and unsatisfactory.
Now that is all charged and a Kansas
man meets with a cordial greeting. In
fact it Is supposed IN the east thai the en-
tire area of Kansas, east, central and
west, is prosperous. There Is great de-
mand for Kansas farm loans and the de-
mand for city loans viii come later. Sew
eral municipalities have tried TO compro-
mise their Indebtedness but have failed be-
cause the bond holders suppose Kansas
10 be very prosperous. There is a great
demand for Kansas and Oklahoma secur-
ities. bonds. school bonds and other secur-
titles. and there win be during the next
three or four years q period Of wonderful
prosperity in Kansas and the entire west
Oklahoma and the Indian Territory. SIS
vel as Kansas, have attracted the at-en-
ton OF eastern capitalists. IN southern
Kansas and the territory the next Jhreo
or four years will be an era o. wonderful
railroad building. The present lines are
Jealous Of their territory and viii contest
It inch by inch. Several lines are project
ed, which in my Judgment viii be com
pIeted all OF which viii tend to enlarge TIE
trade and prospects Of Wichita In my
Judgment. Oklahoma City Is the next large
town to the south Of Us. but II is far
enough away from Wichita not 70 interfere
with our jobbing territory Il mas the
promise and reputation in the east as one
Of the coming towns. The Choctsw rail-
road is one OF the great and growing
new railroads OF the west Il is reaching
out and VIII have Is lines from Memph
10 ewatherford. o T. completed oy No
ve-nber OF the present year. Cur pee
PIE should make an effort 70 get a branch
o. this railroad into Wichita
In short. the prospects for this state
and this portion OF the state and Wichita,
were never better than at present. He
looks for steady growth for tbs town
ana steady increase il prices Of Farm
and city property.