The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-06-07
He IS COMING BACK
Banker CatIin in Love With
Arkansas Valley.
WANTS WIFE TO SEE. IT
Bought 800 Acres of Land
While Here.

I am stuck on wichita an going
home and the next time 1 come out here
am going TO bring my wife, for know
can never get her TO believe what tel
her about this city. am going TO bring
her and let her see for herself don't
think I would have believed it myself If
somebody had told me just what I have
seen since coming to this city Mr.. Geh-
ring has taken me over the city, out TO
College Hnl and to Riverside park and
I am absolutely astOnished and delighted
with the place. Refs and Farnsworth
came out with me and they bought $50
acres Of land down here in Harper county
and Mr.. Refs is so taken with Wichita
that he is coming here 10 live. He is
now out looking AZ the Jewett ranch in
this county and he will probably buy it.
He IS a stock man and a good one, and
win make a good Wichita man. I think
here is the place TO invest either in farm
lands or city property. It is bound to
be good deal 4-lgher than it is now"
That is what Thomas D. Catlin said to
a reporter for the Eagle last night Mr.
Catlin is one Of the richest men in the
west He was formerly president of the
Pittsburg Glass company, but he said
when the trust was formed he reformed
and went out Of the business and is now
in the banking business at Ottawa Illi-
nois. He left illinois in company with
n. W Bach, David Refs and Mr. Farms
worth all Of Ottawa. Mr.. Catlin said they
just come out TO see Kansas and they
had left about $4,000 in Sumner and Har-
per counties for land and now Mr.. Refs
proposed TO start in this county by buy
ing the big Jewett ranch.
II. ". Bach said they began TO get Up
enthusiasm after they got down into the
Arkansas valley and that between here
and Newton he told the party that there
was no use in denying it any longer that
the Kansas people were laying it all over
them. He said he made up his mind
right then and there that this is the
incest country on earth. When they got
as far west as they intended to go, he
said they came back to Wichita to see
what they had heard was the commercial
center of this great country and when
they got here ana looAed over the city
they were stiH more surprised.
Mr.. Catlin said when he left Illinois
he had no idea Of investing but he had
bought 500 acres of land in Sumner coun-
ty and he was coming back to Wichita
TO make more investments Mr.. Cadin
and Mr.. Bach were at the Gehrng drug
store last night and left there for late
train to return to their home. George
Gehring. George X Spencer and S. Le-
land, who are all old Ottawa men. were
having chat with the capitalists and
+~nT-
men were live business men and they
seemed to be at home with the Wichitans
Mr.. Catlin said he could not see why
land should not be wor,. as much here
as in Illinois. He said there was no cues
ton about its soon selling a good deal
higher. He said that he had no idea Of
the amount OF the crops In this valley
until he came out and saw for himself
When q reporter for the Eagle told Mr.
Catlin that James Allison of this city
had sowed three acres Of ground TO al
falfa three years ago and that he cut
four crops last year. that this year he had
harvested the first crop Of alfalfa from
that three acres Of ground and sold the
hay for $500 he declared that was the
most remarkable thing he had ever heard
about crops in ansas, but when told that
the figures were obtained from Mr.. All
son and that he was a first cousin of
President Mckinley. the capitalist said he
would tell all his friends about Mr.. EIi-
sons experience with alfalfa at Wichita
and everyone Of them would believe il
when told thar Mr.. Allison was a truthful
man and q cousin Of President Mckinley.
He went TO his train and the last thing
he said to Mr.. Gehring was: II am com
ing back"