The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-09


workmen We're busy that morning were
left untouched for years after, and one
third of the residences and business blocks
were tenantless for the next six years
Marsh Murdoch fully realized what he
had done. No man in Wichita felt deeper
or more genuine grief. His own hopes
and future prosperity suffered from the
blow that ruined his fellow townsmen, but
when they packed what little they had
left and started for their former homes in
the East. he remained as he had been
from the beginning, the foremost citizen
of Wichita, and has ever since been labor
ing 10 build up the town.
Murdoch. like everybody else, believes
that Wichita will yet he a great clty-the
metropolis of the plains. That is the con-
fident expectation of the entire popula-
ton and, as | have already said, the To-
cal pride surpasses anything that can be
found elsewhere. That is what keeps up
the place. That Is what the people are
here for, and every man, woman and
child Is working for Wichita, with a zeal
and confidence that Is amusing. They are,
however, extremely sensitive on this sub
ject and there is an impression that all
the rest of mankind are watching WI
chita with jealous eyes and throwing OBJ
stacles in the way of her progress, when
they ought 20 be helping her along.
Wichita is jealous of Topeka and Kansas
City and Minneapolis and Chicago, London
and New York, and her people believe that
the capital and the energy that are now
being expended in the development OF
South Africa and the Siberian Railway
property ought TO have been invested here.
Some mallgn influence has been exerted
to prevent Wichita from having the trade
which goes to New York. But the people
are so self-confident that they are capable
of getting along without it, and they are
so patriotic that they will put up their
last dollar to promote or protect the In
terests of their town.
During the hard times they heard that
a packing house was 10 be erected at the
rival town of Hutchinson. That would
take trade from Wichita and therefore
could not be tolerated. The people held
public meetings every night for a week
ana appointed a committee to run down
the men and bring them to Wichita on any
terms, dead or alive. The packers were
willing to change their location IL they
were given a liberal bonus, and so the
committee reported. Everybody in Wichi-
Ia was broke" so the people could not
offer any money, but they had an album
dance of town lots and subscribed them
to the extent of several millions-at their
own valuation. The packers did not care
Tor That sort of bonus, and declined That
did not discourage the Wichltans: thew
never were cutters" and they never will
be, so their committee hunted around I'M
I'll 1t found the agent of an English in
vestment company with the nerve to loan
$15O,OOO upon several million dollars worth
of town lots. The packers got the money.
Hutchinson lost a packing house and
Wichita found one The EngiIsbmen
have collected their interest regularlv 81
far and everybody hopes they will be
equally fortunate in the future
Five trunk lines OF railway furnish
transportation facilities for this town but
they are not nalf enough, and Wichita viii
never be satisfied until this future 0raat
city has more railroads than Chicago. An
other source of discomfort lies In the f..s
that these railroads discriminate against
wichita and in favor of all the rest of the
universe. From the local point of vleU a.
would be no more than fair IL the railwavs
were to give half-rates on all freight 10
and. from this town and free passes to al,
its citizens whenever they want to travel
Such a recognition of the present import
ance and the future fame Of Wichita
would be only just and proper.
To prevent and punish sucn discrimina
ton the people OF this town have been trv-
ing for years TO elect one OF their citizens
Governor Of Kansas. March Murdoch
tried II once, but all the evil influences ON
earth were combined against him, aud re
failed by few votes TO get the nomina-
ton. That is the great sorrow of his life
He has he'd good many offices He sat
for years in the legislature, serving terms
in both houses. He has been postmaster
under almost every Republican adminis-
tration, and occupies that office now but
he was never a candidate for anything ex-
cept Governor. All the honors he has en-
joyed we're thrust upon him, and the one
he wanted was beyond his reach
But the people Of Wichita finally got q
Governor in the present incumbent of that
office, who was inaugurated on Jan.
last. But no sooner was Mr.. Stanley in
the executive chair of Kansas than he
went straight back on his fellow towns
men, for in appointing the board of rail-
way commissioners he selected only one
member instead of the entire five from his
own town. so that it is stiA impossible to
get an edict requiring the railroads to
haul the fright Of Wichita free
Wichita is picking up rapidly. The city
has settled down to a business basis. ana
is more prosperous and rich than il ever
was There hasn't been an empty house
in town for a year, and $4,000 worth of
residences and store buildings are now I'm
der construction. There IS no finer town
in Kansas, nor in the entire West for
that matter, and both the residence and
business sections Of the city are begin
ming to take on a polished and permanent
air. The commercial transactions last
year were larger than every before, and
the increase thus far this season surpasses
All records.
The relics of the boom period are seen
on every hand in magnificent residences
erected twelve or fifteen years ago by men