Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-03-31
KANSAS CITY
PAST PRESENT
Salt Lake Tribune.


Kansas City, Mo, was discovered in 1904
by members of the Lewis and Clarke expe-
dition, who evidently didn't know a good
thing when they saw IL, and later was re-
located by the Metropolitan Street Rail-
way company, the present owner. Kansas
City is bounded on the west and south
by Carrie Nation, on the east by Blue
creek and on the north by the Missouri
river.
The first settler in Kansas City lived in
a log hut down near the river, in what is
now known as the East bottoms. The low
altitude and the mosquitoes soon began to
make life burdensome for him, however
and he trudged to the top Of a bluff and
put up a store building. Other buildings
followed, and as the population increased
the residents began to make some pretty
strong bluffs themselves. The early set
tiers dealt largely in skins, and this in
dustry still fiourishes, but for some years
past the real estate agents have monopol-
lied it,
Many years ago five acres of land in
the present center of the business district
was offered to a Pike county man for a
blanket and chew of plug tobacco, but as
plug tobacco was scarce in those days, the
exchange was not made. The man who
owned the land insisted that the negotia-
lions were in the nature of a "quid pro
quo" but the fellow who had the quid
couldn't see it in that light. The land is
now worth more per front foot than j.
Pierpont Morgan, and the man who re-
fused to become its owner comprises the
major portion of the states population.
He is thinking of holding a reunion in
Convention hall, and 1t is believed that
there will be enough of him to make the
crowd at the national Democratic conven-
ton look like the paid attendance at a
performance of a local dramatic company.
mi 49, 1Iv Nf,-o1x
peared from Kansas City, although a few
can still be found in exclusive society cir
cles.
No people on earth are more enterprising
than those of Kansas City. If a hill is too
steep for them to go over, they go through
It, and the same policy has often been pur-
sued toward strangers, with satisfactory
results to the home industry idea. The
people, however are very hospitable.
Many a man who was completely undone
has strolled down toward the foot of Main
street during the evening, and been done
up nicely before midnight.
The only thing that has ever got by
Kansas City is portion of the water in
the Missouri river, but since a proper con-
nection was made with the product that
has made Milwaukee and st. Louis fam
Gus, the water has not been missed.
The Metropolitan Street Railway COM
pany's methods present something of a
paradox. The company makes a portion of
its money by carrying passengers, al
though the chief aim of the conductors
and motormen seems to be to prevent peo-
pie from getting on the cars. A joke is
now going the rounds of the press, which
originated in Kansas City, and emphasizes
the attitude of the carmen toward people
who want to ride. 1t is said that new
conductor had gone out on one of the
lines with a veteran, to learn the kinks,
when bright idea struck him. 81 guess
you have to keep a pretty sharp lookout
for people who want to get on the car
don't your" inquired the new man. you
bet" replied the veteran; 'if you don't
some of them will get on
All street cars in Kansas City were for
merly operated by cable, but electric lines
are now in the majority. The abandoned
cables, IL is said, furnish a splendid quail
ity of wire for political purpose, and hence
are not a total loss to the company.
In the western part of Kansas City there
is street which divides Missouri and
Kansas. Gambling is not allowed on the
Missouri side, and liquor selling is barred
on the Kansas side. AS a result when
two law abiding citizens desire to shake
for the drinks, they amble over to the
Kansas side and count the spots on the
bones. They then return to the Missouri
side and the loser pays for the poison. No
objections are urged against the Kansas
law, as it keeps the money on the Missouri
side.
As a general rule, the people of Kansas
City are we'll informed, although it is next
to impossible to find a man of prominence
who will admit that he knows where ST
Louis is located.