The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-26
One of the Growing Towns of
the West Is Syracuse.
Suffered for Several Years from
Lapse of Boom.
A TOWN OF WINDMILLS
Almost Every Dwelling Has
Wind Power for Water.
Freight Division Headquarters
Aids Towns Growth.

Syracuse, Kas-, April 26.-Syracuse
was one of the towns of western KAN
sas which experienced the folly of a
boom away back in the sos plated
farm lands and cattle ranges into town
lots, then lapsed back into its original
state of quietness for several years.
The town was given a new impetus by
the removal of the freight division
headquarters of the Santa Fe railroad
from Coolidge to Syracuse, thereby
adding a large number of families to
its population, so that at the present
time the business community is pros
porous and a. general feeling of con-
tent seems to pervade the place.
Syracuse has passed through the
boom, has discounted the collapse of
its irrigation companies composed of
failed to realize dividends, failed to
keep up their properties, and has for
me past ten years been developing her
own resources by her own efforts.
Aside from the direct advantage deriv-
ed from 3. monthly pay roll of consid-
cradle amount paid to its residents en-
ployed by the railroad company, SYRIA
cuse has all the sources of prosperity
at its command which are available
to any of the towns of the Arkansas
She has her cattle ranges extending
for many miles both north and south,
from which thousands of head of cat
tie are driven into Syracuse for ship
ment, and the proceeds of their sale
spent with her merchants.
She has thousands of acres of the
rich bottom lands of the valley ex-
tending for miles east and west with
their products of alfalfa. wheat and
other farm produce tributary to her.
She has an extensive range of coun-
try covering two or three counties,
which find it the most convenient point
Of VIII n shin
their cattle and to receive their freight
so that no small item of Syracuse's
prosperity is derived from the freight
ers. who, with their six and eight
horse teams and trains of trailers, al
most daily depart with loads of mer-
chandise for the country to the south.
AS stated the original irrigation Sys-
TEN for supplying the lands about
syria cuse with water was allowed to
go to ruin and practically abandoned
by the company owning It. sokthat for
a number of years the inha bitants OF
the town and the farmers Of the vail
ley were obliged to resort to wind
mill pumps for bringing the sub flow
to the surface for irrigation purposes.
Consequently Syracuse is probably the
best example of what can be done with
the wind mill OF any town or section
in the Arkansas valley, and has dem
onstrated that large bodies Of land
can be successfully cultivated by the
utilization Of the abundant supply OF
water underlying lIlS NelA6S AeNAA0S-
While this process Of demonstration
has been going on the abandoned ir-
rigation system has been acquired by
home interests, principally the farm
ers. has been put in repair and will
in the future supply a number OF
thousands of acres with water for If
rigation.
While it has not been done to any
extent, there is no reason why its
lands should not produce just as good
cantaIoupes as Rocky Ford, just as
good suDar beets as Lamar, and just
as fine potatoes as Greeley. Twenty
dollars per acre will buy the same
class of lands at Syracuse that sells
for sixty to one hundred further up
the valley, the difference in the price
of the land paying for irrigation plant
and improvements, which render the
small farmer or gardener forever in
dependent of the demands or imposi-
tions of irrigation companies.
Syracuse has in the neighborhood or
300 inha bitants and a number of cred
table buildings. One of the most no
ticeable features Of the town is the
large number of wind mills, almost
every dwelling being accompanied by
one Syracuse has the usual social ad-
yantages of western towns of its size
"a number of church and fraternal
organizations, good schools and the alb
sence of the open saloon. Being stu
Topeka & Santa F'e railroad, and an
1 important coaIing and water station,
Ian trains stop at Syracuse, being the
only station between La Junta and
Dodge City of which this can be SAID.