The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-31
NEW DISTRICT FOR
IMPLEMENT TRADE
OPENED YESTERDAY
Missouri Pacific Survey for
Elaborate Switch System.
TEN BLOCKS OF GROUND
Takes in Everything From
Water Street 10 River
THREE BIG BUILDINGS
With 800 Foot Frontage Al
ready Contracted For.
THREE BIG BUILDINGS

Ground was broken yesterday in the
new implement and Industrial District"
That is what the men who are going in
there want it TO be called They named
it yesterday afternoon in the Office Of
swaitz Bros. and the suggestion came
from John Tracy
The new implement district begins
at Douglas avenue and extends south
along the east bank of the Arkansas river
to Lewis street. or. to be more definite.
to the Maple street bridge 1t extends
from Wichita street to the river. in di-
mansions about 1900 feet long and from
80 to $50 feet wide. according TO the me
andering of the river
The Missouri Pacific road is co-operat-
ing in the development Of this district
and yesterday placed its surveyors there
10 pat in a system of side tracks and
switches. According TO the plans as out
lined the Missouri Pacific viii extend its
track down Waco avenue. or rather where
~ AGO avenue would run if opened, as
far as they can go. At a point south of
will ange east TO Wichita street and at
the corner of Wichita and Waterman
streets it win be diverted 20 the alley be-
tween Water street and Wichita and
this spur. switch or side track viii then
be built northward 70 as near Douglas
avenue as it can get. It viii practically
come 10 the back doors OF the hoJ-es
facing on Douglas avenue. Another sys-
TEN of side tracks win be built for the
convenience Of buildings on the west side
OF Wichita street south of Douglas. When
completed the district viii be supplied
with elaborate switching facilities
Yesterday Superintendent Webb placed
an order Tor material Tor the extension
of the track, switches and spurs and the
work OF grading viii be initiated at once.
The land in the new implement district
IS owned by Mr.. Frank Swartz of the
firm of Schwartz Bros. He secured it ten
or q dozen years ago and held onto it on
the advice Of Mr. Russell Harding, gen
eial manager Of the Missouri Pacific rail-
way. who has always assured him it
would be valuable some day as an outlet
for the overcrowded wholesale district.
Mr.. Harding's theory is that Wichita
viii eventually be the biggest commercial
center of the southwest and he thinks
now that the town is about TO begin its
growth in earnest. This theory is also
held tenaciously by Superintendent Webb.
who also. is a great friend to Wichita.
The opening of the new implement dis,
trict VIII serve 10 keep the business cen
ter in practically where it is now located:
that is, the present business center is
the nucleus from which the greater bus
mess center in the future viii grow and
expand.
Already a brick frontage OF 200 feet has
been contracted for the new implement
district Yesterday Tracy and Beeson
broke ground for a nfty-foot building
on the east side of Wichita street 21n
feet south Of William. their intention
being to fiji up the other 200 feet after
awhile. The building win be fifty feet
wide for the present, by 120 feet deep and
two stories high, with a basement 1t
VIII be built substantially of brick and
stone and the material is already on the
ground The building win be used for
the storage and transfer Of heavy farm
machinery. including the Reed Thresh-
ing machines. fer which AR Tracy is
agent in a block OF territory consisting
H. the wheat belt John Tracy has assoc
ciated with him IN the enterprise Mr..
William Beeson. who recently came here
from Mitchell comfy 10 go into busi-
ness. Mr. Tracy is a man of wealth and
business qualifications. who has already
secured a home on University avenue.
He and Mr. Tracy We're schoolmates in
Indiana and they win make as good "a
team of business men as Wichita viii
have Mr. Tracy has already a fine home.
having secured it on the corner of Dewey
avcrue and South Water street which
has developed into one of the most sub
stautal resident sections ia Wichita
Another bis building going into the new
Implement district is planned and con-
tractcd for by 2Tr Baker Of the Baker
Implement comapany and others whose
names could not he ascertained. This
building has frontage Of leo feet and
"a depth Of l2p. il VIII he two stories above
the basement and built Of brick ard stone
L Win be located on the first leo feet