Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1905-02-23
PHiLLIPsBURd spRcULArIoNs.
A Glimpse Into the Future Some Pos
sibIe Developments Of Interest TO
the City.

Ah% CsNJf
Robert Rusk owned a moderate
amount Of property He vas he pos
seSSor Of a body full Of Local PRIDE.
His pride was 10 the town and its
welfare In which he lived A citizen
nf worth. h vas 'lls embodiment Of
enrrt ,,rg TX Gus for lhr g,Md
of ort-,-, scr N,. is All in
ter, y
3 PGilIpS"utE pfrneu I'd f"nln Held
Of operations the principal Town,
seated in the luxurious lap Of a great
county. In bis own words,-"Here
we have public square with the
court house as It's center. Business
is drawing away to the west and north
sides. This should be and Is the bust
ness quadrangle. But who can blame
a farmer-and what would a town be
without the farm trade-for tying his
team at place he can reach the side
walk by step, without being COM
PEELED to cross the entire street In a
Shiny pond of mud. The natural place
to tie is near the stores on the west
and to the north running toward the
depot. / tell you unless the citizens
do something drastic the business will
draw away from the square. Norton
had a square, but she moved it aside.
Smith Center had square, but she
abolished it. We will be in the same
fix unless we do something"
Local capitalists would lend no as
sistance and finally Rusk argued no
longer. Soon it was reported that
Syndicateformed abroad was buying
the lots on both sides of the street rum
ming north to the depot with the pur-
pose Of erecting twelve commodious.
brick, business buildings north of the
Presbyterian church On both sides Of
the street. This rumor did not get
abroad until the greater portion OF
this property had been purchased, in
fact it was found that three entire
blocks had changed hands In that ter.
ritOry. The county papers anxiously
sought truth Of the matter and
published half pages On the new bust
ness blocks an the occupants.
The Post found that the store-rooms
were to be rented for various purpose,
IN fact to supply all the needs of gen.
eral business interests.
The HERALD discovered that all
who rented buildings on the square
had been approached and asked to
rent In this new location The abun-
dant room furnished, the splendid dis
play possible with the plate glass
fronts, The Gem MT side. walks, the
good hitching racks, the crossings,
proximity To the railroad, and various
other arguments were used with the
result that the business location APP
peared to be taking a hegira.
The columns Of the Dispatch report
ed that the lumber yards and brick
plant had been given large contracts
The men had deem employed to begin
work. Also lamenting the fact that
the Post and the HERALD would soon
be relagated to the district OF the
empty buildings on the south side Of
the square.
The price Of lots and wooden shacks
about the square, which had earned
an enormous rent, fell in price. Work
began on the north. Merchants gave
notice to landlords that they would
move In six months. Lots on the
square went still lower. Some OF the
local capitalists sought to check the
movement but unSucceSsIully. Rent
became cheap on the north and the
fighters for the square gave up the
fight.
Some one purchased lots on the
south for pittance, In few weeks
it was reported that Robert Rusk
owned the rented buildings on the
west and the greater portion Of the
east, and In fact goodly share Of the
lots on the square. The quadrangle
lots rose in price not but before Rusk
owned the most desirable locations.
Brick and stone, laborers, builders,
carpenters and masons began to ar
rive in train loads. The wooden
shacks moved up the street and on the
back alleys New structures rose from
the ground ON The sight where the
old unsightly places stood. In a peri
cd of two months, the south and west
sides we're solid bricks. Robert Rusk
had won the fight as the head Of the
syndicate. -.