The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-11-03
FUTURE IS ASSURED
General Superintendent of the
Rock Island
TALKS ABOUT WICHITA
Says That the City Is Bound
to Grow.

BIr. W Il. stillwen, general superin-
tendent Of the Rock Island road west Of
the Missouri, with headquarters in To-
peka, arrived in the city last night in his
special car. He came here accompanied
by DR.. L. H Mum Of Topeka. to call on
Division Superintendent Abbott, who is
i'll at the Carey hotel.
After having seen Mr.. Abbott and call
ed upon a few friends, Mr.. Stllweu was
seen by a reporter for the Eagle. IN an
swer to question regarding Wichita's
future, Mr.. sdnwen said: 1T is not hard
to tell what wilabe the future Of wieh-
tia. While am not acquainted with
this city as well as would ike to be,
yet there is no question but what it viii
be a large city, and not so many years
hence, either.
81 notice the difference every time I
come here. The people seem to be busy
and in walking along the streets there
is that general air Of prosperity to be
noticed. AS far as figures are concerned
it would be impossible for me to say just
what the population of the city would
be in a term of years. but with the terri
tory surrounding your city it viii be a
large jobbing center, and if I am not
mistaken there win be many inhabitants,
too.
Il see that you people have secured the
Cudahys to open the Whitaker packing
plant. That is one Of the best moves that
you could have made to build up your
city. Everyone knows that the Cudahys
are not in business for their health At
St. Joe they built up the south part Of
the town, and that firm was one Of the
important factors in making st. Joe
reach the mark she did in the last cen
sus. If that is true Of ST. Joe, why
should It not be in Wichita? Their com
ing viii mean, too, that other packing
houses viii come here. IF Cudahy opens
up and runs his house at a full capacity
1t will naturally draw other houses here
and then your town takes another jump
in population.
THE Dold house is a good one, but It
needs more than one packing house to
make a packing center. know that you
people think lots Of Dold and for that
Go not blame you. But my impression IS
that this town can get enough live stock
for more than two houses"
What improvements are being thought
Of for this part of Kansas for your
road?"
we are planning Improvements all Of
the time, but they are in a general way.
This division viii be taken care Of and
we are now having made some hundred
or more new cars for use right in this
territory.
There IS one thing want to say,
however, and that is that the Rock
Island people appreciate the treatment
they have received from the people of
Wichita. We have nothing but good
words for Wichita. Within the next few
months we viii be forced to spend consid-
cradle money here for improvements"
What will be the nature Of the i'm
provements?"
Our freight business in this city has
been remarkable, and 1t has far exceed
ed our capacity for handling it as It
should be handled. This means that a
new freight depot viii be built and the
yardage increased"
tWhat do you estimate the cost Of the
improvements"
"Of course the plans are not yet out,
but within the next few months from
$4,000 to $4,000 viii be spent right in
this city. The new freight depot viii be
large enough to accommodate all the
business. Our other Offices are all right
for the present, but OF course we will
eventually have to make some arrange
ments for those.
we will take care of Wichita all right
when the time comes"
Mr.. shllwell went back to Topeka last
night in his car. For a few minutes at
the station he was talking with Mr. E
Drake, the agent here. and telling him
Of the things which he liked in Wichita.
Mr.. Drake became enthusiastic after the
train left in telling of Wichitss future