The Goodland republic., 1906-01-19
SQUARE TOWN OR STRING TOWN
FOR GOODLAND?

GoOdIand is coming to its own 1t
has the finest town site in the state,
the best water, the brightest prospects
for the future The citizens Of this
city should stand together to forward
the growth OF the city and avoid all
cIashing Of interests that would mill
tate against the future growth and
prosperity OF the town
The editor Of this paper has gone
carefully over the buildings erected in
the last year, to ascertain whether the
building boom was normal or other
wise He finds that for every house
erected for rental, and for purposes
Of investment or speculation two have
been erected and to be occupied by
owners: that houses for rental are still
in sharp demand; that all, nearly Of
business buildings erected are Occu-
pied by owners This certainly is a
remarkable showing, when it is con-
sidered that the past year sixty odd
buildings were erected and the year
previous about fifty were built The
only conclusion reached is that the
growth Of our city IS normal and na-
tural. and not an inflated and specU-
iative boom
The city has just installed the finest
pumping plant and standpipe Of its
size in the state. Six hundred feet Of
new fire hose have been ordered, and
a fire department will be organized.
There is immediate prospect Of the
erection Of an electric light and pow
er plant, and artificial ice plant The
franchise has already been granted by
the city council, and only needs a
slight change to transfer the title to
any substantial firm that will under
take the building, installing and Op-
Grating of the plant.
The Rock Island raiI-5ad is max
ing extensive improvements and the
permanency of its works here is as
sured.
There will be more building here
the coming year than in the year just
passed Wooden buildings viii be re-
placed by substantial bricks in the
business section. Two new hotels, so
much needed for a long time, will be
in operation in about a month. Every
thing points to an unprecedented
growth Of the city during the coming
year.
The writer has talked with men Of
large experience and widely travelled
on the city's prosperity. One man
said: "GOodland will be a consider
able town, the big town of western
Kansas" This man is a lawyer, was
a general in the Spanish-American
war, and was for several years adult
ant general Of the state Of Nebraska.
All these men say, by all means
avoid building a string town, but plan
to build your growing city a square
town
The city has unlimited space to
expand in, no typographical barriers
hinder the building Of a square town
Build square by all means Sectional
jealOusies should always be avoided,
national, state or municipal
In all human probabilities, this city
viii have more than one railroad con-
nectiOn. What has come to eastern
Kansas will come here. It is newt
able. Besides the trend of railroad
construction is north and south now
instead Of east and west. at least from
northeast to the southwest Gulf
connections are desired now more
than any other The prospect in this
direction is bright It has been re-
ported by those who are competent to
affirm, and in position to know, that
the Rock Island has long cOntemplat-
ed q line from -GOOdIand to Dodge
City. filling in a gap with both its
gulf and Pacific coast connections.
This is one OF the future prospects Of
GoDuAdAlu- OlLlGE EOauS GAlGAiuttA6 AAtAGS
through this part Of the state will na-
turally desire, for mutual exchange
OF traffic, to come to our city. This
also is inevitable
A B. Montgomery, the secretary Of
the GOOdIand Town company, predicts
that the town will go to 5000 pop
uIatfOn in a few years If this pro-
phecy should prove true. surely all
our people should desire to hasten the
event Build for the future as well
as for the present