The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-16
EMPORIA's PROSPERITY.
Some of the Business Ventures That
Makes It Substantial Town.

Emporia Feb 16.-The Gazette tells
of Emporia's prosperity as follows:
A few weeks ago Major Hood and l.
E. Lambert and others We're appointed
by the several commercial orgaHiza-
tions in town to do what they could
towards getting the government build
ing for Emporia. The committee re-
ceived a letter from Congressman Miller
asking for a statement concerning the
amount of business done in Enporia,
and the economic and educational value
of her various institutions. They have
gone to the heads of the various bust
nesses and secured lists of the work
done here.
The total value of the public build
ings, including churches. theaters.
school building, etc, is $3.50, 600.
Among these buildings is the State
Normal school building which is valued
at 100000. This school is one of the
largest Normal schools in America and
bring $35 900 into the town a month. The
enrolment at this school was /, 957 in
'97-'9S and 1902 in $3.50 1t is now over
1000. The College of Emporia also adds
TO the educational tone of the town,
while tWenty-fOar churches minister to
our religious needs.
The school census taken in Emporia
July l was 2,9SS The total enrolment
for the schools last year was 2.057. The
valuation of the school property, real
and personal, is about $1,000 900.
A signed statement of T. L. Ryan.
county treasurer, shows that the
amount of taxes collected in the coun-
ty for 1899 was $219 $50. 81. Lyon county
is fourteenth in population and fifth in
wealth of the counties in Kansas. 1t
does more cattle business than any
other county in the state. The state
ment of one firm of cattle dealers shows
that 1880 head of cattle have gone
through their stockyards in the last six
months and were put on feed in the
vicinity. Their value was estimated at
$3.50, 600. Emporia received 617 cattle
cars last year, and the sales of one big
cattle firm for five months amounted
to $99,13 The Santa Fe does the
largest business in the town. Twenty
miles of track are laid in the town
limits. Fifty trains a day is an aver
age number of the trains that pass
over these tracks. The amount of
freight and ticket business last year
was 1924, 1929. In addition to this there
is the economic relation that the rail-
way bears to the town by reason of
the large number employed at the
roundhouse and in the shops.
The committee visited a number of
private business enterprises. An I'M
dertaker and furniture dealer says that
for the past four years they have aver
aged $4,000 year. There are three
such establishments One hardware
firm places it's December business at
100000 Another hardware firm gives
Sl29, 1880 as the amount of their sales
for the last year. In one month a book
store sold 81. 500 worth of books A dry
goods merchant did in one month a
$12, 600 business. Another dry goods
firm states that last years sales were
S229,0 00 Another mercantile house
states that in the last four months of
1899 his sales were $4,000. The sales of
a music house for the past year have
amounted to $50. 500. The freight paid
out on their stock was SO, 126 There are
three firms that handle eggs, butter,
poultry and hides These averaged a
business of $155,000 last year. Kansas
may have bigger towns, but none that
do more business in comparison to
their size.