The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-10-06
CH)CIhN MOVEMENTS
All indications Point TO WiCh-
tia as Destination.
BUILDING TO ANTHONY
Destination Is Evident to Be
Wheat Belt.

! LliS NoAe lONdiuS AIlnOIy from AVA,
and townsites along the route are being
/ laid out. 1t is not the intention of the
road to stop at Anthony. II is aiming for
the center OF the grain belt; and that is
1 Wichita. The purpose and Importance
Of the road is very evident from the fol-
lowing, in the Little Rock Democrat:
To one who has never been in the
/ Oklahoma Of today. the magnificent farm
ing lands. broad pastures with large herds
( OF wei grazed cattle, the ne wrailroads
and the towns along their lines, that
have sprung up in few weeks from the
open prairie land into thriving business
I towns. are revelation. one may read
Of all these wonderful things, and go into
! that beautiful country expecting 10 find
It beautiful; yet the chances are he VIII
md it beyond his expectations.
After the recent drawing of public lands
at Ele Reno there were, Of course, thous-
/ ands OF persons who failed to get q
I slice of the government lands and many
/ Of these have journeyed westward ana TO
| the north and have purchased or leased
very desirable Farms in a section Of the
+ country which is even richer than that
/ south Of FL Reno in agricultural re-
sources.
The Choctaw, Oklahoma & Gulf Rail-
road company has been responsible. in q
/ great measure. for the opening up of d
/ large portion OF this beautiful country to
/ settlement, and latterly the Choctaw
/ Northern Railroad company has invaded
a field heretofore untouched by any rail-
way lines, and which is a sbeautiful as
! any farming land in all Oklahoma.
! IN order mat the reader may the bet
! ter understand the locality Of the lands
/ above referred TO, it may be well to
state that the CEoctaw. Oklahoma & Gulf
was completed to TT. Reno, o. T., in 1890
( and IN 1898 the company extended its
lines westward from TT. Reno TO Wealth
erford, O. T., distance of 50 miles. In
June the same year the town of Geary,
which was located on farming land. was
opened. The location Of this line between
Shawnee and Geary traverses the rich,
fertile valley of the North Canadian river
for a distance OF 80 miles. At Geary the
main line Of the Choctaw towards Wealth
erford leaves the North Canadian river
crossing the divide between It and the
South Canadian river
In March of 1901 the Choctaw Northern
Railroad company was organized and it
at once started construction under Pres
ident c. Z. Ingersol. This line connects
with the Choctaw, Oklahoma & Gulf at
the town of Geary and extends up the
North Canadian a distance Of IS miles to
Watonga, The county seat of Blaine
county the richest county in Oklahoma
Territory. his county has a greater pop
ulation per square mile than any other
county in Oklahoma, excepting Oklahoma
and Logan counties Watonga was with
out a railroad at all until the Choctaw
Northern was built. and the track was
laid at this point on the line opened FOR
business Nay of the present year
Between Geary and Watonga the Choc-
taw Northern Townsite and Improve
ment company, who have the townsite
privileges on this line of railway. viii
shortly open the town of Greenfield, dis
tant eight miles from Geary, where the
survey of the Chicago. Rock Island &
Pacific's western line crosses the Choctaw
Northern. aince the advent of the rail-
road company's line in Watonga. material
and permanent improvements in the town
are evident everywhere. Frame buildings
are being replaced by brick. new build
out. and the prospective completion Of
the c. r. /. &. p at an early date to
this point VIII doubtless make Watonga
city o importance.
From Watonga the Choctaw Northern
descends the ridge between the North Ca
madam river and the heads Of the Cimor-
ron's southern drainage. which is about
go feet below the bed of the North Ca
madam river The railroad crosses salt
creek 30 miles from Geary. at which point
the town Of SaIt0n is located salt creek
has its source in a canyon four miles
west of Salt0n. in springs of salt which
repeated analyses show 70 have satura-
ton Of &c per cent With railroad facili-
ties the uDper. salt creek valley is des-
tined TO become the salt manufacturing
center of the southwest. The water flow
ing i'm salt creek under the railroad com
panv.s bridge is q deep brine and the
basin through which the shallow creek
winds its way is almost white with the
deposits Of salt left by the water
After the railroad climbs out Of salt
creek valley IL comes upon level plateau
- the north which is virtually one large
wheatield TIE plateau being vel watered
and crop failures being an unknown
quantity Here as far as the eye can
see which in some places is from 80 %
y miles. huge stacks Of wheat straw at
fhis time of the wear thickly dot the land
In the middle Of this level. wen watered
rlafn. and distant 90 miles from Geary. IS
the town of homestead. which was open
cd hy the Towusite company In june Al
ready Ii has Two hanks, many prominent
buildings and on the day that the railroad
was opened 10 that point there were %
carloads OF lumber delivered there There
Is every evidences that the growth of this
town has Just commenced as Homestead
Il the prirclpal shipping point for All the
wheat in This section 90 the country, and
has population ~ one thousand
The next town 90 The rauroad. II mixes
further north. is Rusk opened So July 70
this year. This thriving town s. in the
Csua-ron river valley, iu srar wheat
country. amid q German settlement o-
farmers. and IS destined IN become one
~ the Important towns on the raiiroad.
After crossing the Cimarr11 river the
tonr ~ cleo. ID miles froD GT
reached Geo IS on Easis Chief creek
s running stream The vear 1r1I- ara
tlree rifles frarn TIE uarr7u riser lh
i ii 1he ala CfaroSee S-i0 ana
.ha opening was wti E7Wn e.
traders ana f~tnrs t
rar-try on accounr - the
errsres ~ pure weter wrE ~
+as heh hanks ur Tt.h tfa tkl
ana which ur l
- Tn- raur
tr enc