The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-16
/. THE REAL THING.
Western Kansas Prosperity Ex-
pressed in Dollars.
What Fifth and Sixth District
Figures Prove.
BIG INCREASE SHOWN.
Taxable Property Is Over Seven
Millions More.
Seventh District Counties Show
Similar Conditions.
BIG INCREASE SHOWN.

Western Kansas prosperity is real,
and can eb expressed in dollars and
cents.
There are % counties in the Fifth and
Sixth congressional districts, compris-
ing the entire northwestern portion of
the state Returns from the assessors
in these 30 counties show that the tax
able property there has increased $7,04l,-
927 in the past twelve months. On the
usual basis of valuation, this means an
actual increase of property in those 81
counties of at least $25, ,0O0,0 0O0
The Seventh district, comprising the
entire southwestern portion of the state,
also contains 80 counties. and its in
crease in wealth is equal to that of the
northwestern 30 counties.
That means that within one year,
western Kansas. the once despised
short grass" country, has increased It's
property value by the amazing sum of
$4,000, 600; a sum of such gigantic pro-
portions that If western Kansas were
disposed to use all its earning capacity
in the cause. it could pay the entire ex-
pense of building the Panama canal in
four or five years.
One of the surest signs of prosperity
luxuries; people can get along without
pianos better than almost anything else,
and piano manufacturers know that
hard times are felt hardest and longest
in their line of business. But by this
sign, western Kansas is prosperous, for
pianos ar hard to hide and they nearly
all get on the assessment rohs.
Within the past twelve months the
people living in the 10 counties of the
Fifth district have purchased 5f6 new
pianos. They have increased their total
from 2315 to 1881.
In the same time the people living in
the % counties Of the Sixth district have
bought 355 new pianos increasing their
total from 1,645 to 2,000
Pleasure carriages constitute another
item of expense in which the people do
not indulge very much when times are
hard And this is where the Sixth dis
trict people shine. The Fifth district
has a little the best of 1t on the piano
proposition, but when It comes to bug
gies. automobiles. traps, etc, the we'll
to-do farmers in western Kansas come
in strong
During the past year, the residents of
the Sixth district have bought 2-690 new
pleasure vehicles. increasing their total
from 1e.154 to 21.844.
The Fifth district, in the same time
has bought .514 new buggies, making q
total for the district Of II, ,851 compared
with 1887 last year
What the Sixth Has Done.
The Sixth congressional district, sec
ond largest in area in the state. has in
creased its total assessed valuation dur
ing the past year from $49, ,409. .321 to $54,-
1872, ,2g2.
The largest increase was made in
Thomas county. which Jumped from 81,
SIC, ,S1s to 50. .5s4. .745, an Increase of s6s7,-
932
Rawlins county. which Is Thomas
county's next neighbor on the NORTH, was
second in the amount of its increase. Il
went $500. 1924 ahead of its 1905 record.
Every one of the % counties in the
district shows an increase. The follow
ing table shows the amount of Increase
in each one of the % counties: