Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-06-23
EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW
STORY oFATowN THAT NEVER LOST
ITS NERVE.
Although wichita, Kan, Experience
ed Dire Disaster, Yet Ii Bobs Up
sereneIy Iy-InbabItantr - Never Lost
Faith In the Town's Future.

sereneiy - -Inhabltants Never Lost
Faith In the Towns Future.
AS an example of what local pride
and a firm belief in a great future can
do for a town Wichita, Kan, is a
shining example. The citizens are ev-
er on the alert and always looking
ahead to discover some way to ad-
vance the prosperity of their beloved
city.
Wichita is a typical boom" town.
Twelve years ago 1t had a population
of $4,000. Today 1t has perhaps 25,OOO,
which Is a considerable recovery from
low tide in 1898, when 1t had less than
1900. according to estimates based
upon the number of names in the di.
rectOry. In lSS6-SS, before the boom
broke. Wichita real estate was selling
ut New York prices, and they point
out lots on the main street that sold
for 81, 500 front foot for which the
owners would now be glad to get $500
or SiOO. The real estate exchanges In
New York In good times will reach
about So 2,000,000 a year. In Chicago
in 1892, just before the Worlds fair,
the transfers as shown by the record
er's books We're about $30,000,0 200, but
at Wichita during the five months pre-
ceding the collapse in 1888 more than
$50, 100000 in town lots changed
hands.
When the boom burst, 1t Is said that
1900 houses were torn down and the
material used for firewood. Town lots
| that once were severed and sidewalk
ed and pip, for gas and sold for hun
dreds of thousands Of dollars are now
cultivated as corntields.
But everybody in Wichita still be,
lieves that it will yet be a great city
the metropolis OF the plains. That Is
the confident expectation of the entire
population, and, as | have already
said, the local pride surpasses any
thing 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 work
| ing for Wichita with Il zeal and con
fidence that Is amusing. They are,
however, extremely sensitive on this
subject, and there Is an impression
that all the rest Of mankind are
watching Wichita with jealous eyes
and throwing obstacles In the way OF
her progress when they ought to be
| helping her along.
Wichita Is Jealous Of Topeka and
Kansas City and Minneapolis and Chi
cago and London and New York, and
her people believe that the capital and
the energy that are now being eXpcnd
ed In the development of South Africa
and the Siberian railway properly
ought to have been invested here
Some malIgn influence has been exert
cd to prevent Wichita from having the
trade which gJes to New York. But
the people are so self confident that
they are capable of getting along with
out 1t, and they are SO patriotic that
they will put up their last dollar tC
promote or protect the interests OF
their town.
During the hard times they heart
that a packing house was to be erected
at the rival town of Hutchinson. Tha
would take trade from Wichita an(
therefore could not be tolerated. TIL,
people held public meetings every
night for week and appointed {
committee to run down the men ant
bring them to Wichita on any terms
dead or alive. The packers were will
ing to change their location If the!
were given liberal bonus. and 81
the committee reported. Everybod!
In Wichita was broke so the peo
pie could not offer any money, bu
they had an abundance Of town lot!
and subscribed them to the extent o
several milllons-at their own valua
ton. The packers did not care TO
that sort of bonus and declined. Tha
did not discourage the Wichitans
They never were "qultters," and the,
never will be, so their committee hunt
ed around until 1t found the agent o
an English investment company witt
the nerve to loan $150,000 upon sev
cral million dollars worth of tow
lots The packers got the money
Hutchinson lost a packing house an'
Wichita found one. The Engllshmel
have collected their interest regularl.
so far aud everybody hopes they vii
be equally fortunate In the future.
Five trunk lines Of railway furnisl
transportation facilities for this town
but they are not half enough, ant
Wichita will never be satisfied unit
this future great 'ity has more rail
roads than Chicago.
Wichita Is picking up rapidly. Th
: city has settled down to a bushes
basis and Is more prosperous and ricl
than It ever was. There hasn't beel
an empty house in town for a year
and $500 900 worth Of residences ant
. store buildings are now under con
struction There Is no finer town II
Kansas, nor in the entire west for tha
, matter, and both the residence an
business sections Of the city are be
ginning to take on q polished and per
manent air. The commercial transaC
tions last year were larger than eve
| before, and the increase thus far thi
season surpasses all records.