Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1918-12-20

!
ed TO him for the portions that
matter.
The Chanute Spelter conn
Brewster and Ebenstein mining
under mineral lease adjacent
presents figures that shoulC
Springs sit up and smile, that
the same breath Mr.. Eardley, w
that we have been a dull, sleepy
the course we have so long vii
ours.
Read the extracts from the
in Baxter Springs for many MOI
Ladies and Gentlemen: / hope
that none of you will take offense al
anything | may say this evening, as
/ may be very frank in pointing out
some of the weaknesses of the Baxter
Springs community.
do not know just when Baxter was
first settled; but, ! understand that it
is one of the oldest towns in the State
of Kansas, and has depended mainly
upon Agriculture for its support.
Mr. Victor Rakowski, in connection
with DR.. ]. w. Barnes, procured a
large territory under mineral lease
and after considerable effort, got
about 5000 acres. During the time
they had these leases, they spent over
100000, in addition to what their
sub-leasers spent, so, all told, about
$2O0,000.00 was spent in this region
before any properties were developed.
have heard much complaint, or
criticism, since the Chanute Spelter
Co., took this land, on account of the
little work done by our company. In
the fall of 1917, the zinc price dropped
materially, and it was on Dec. 18th
that the American Metals Company
took over this acreage, and in the year
that we have had this land, we have
spent between S250,OOO00 and $780,
100000, in addition to what we paid
for our leases, and, in addition to what
our sub-leasers have spent, and they
have spent over $10O,OO0.0O-so, in
this one year, over S4O0,0OO.0O has
been spent, and still we hear COM
plants on the development Of this
territory-we have drilled over 100
deep holes-all in one year.
In that one mile square, within the
next two or three years, you will have
at least eight mills. A large portion
of this ground is yet undeveloped. In
our opinion, within a very short time,
there will be, at BaXter's doors, twen-
ty or twenty-five mills, and as time
goes on the number will gradually in
crease. As we stated, we have now
taken steps to carry on the de-water-
ing of this acreage. We are pumping
5000 gallons per minute and the wat
err is going down 2 or inches day.
We are preparing to install any
pumps necessary to do the work and
bring this property into production.
Each mill will employ 100 or more
men-2O mills will employ 1000 men.
20 mills will mean 10000 population
for Baxter, which is in the heart Of
the field, and the field will extend.
Baxter Springs is ideally located
for the metropolis of the Oklahoma
Kansas Mining field; but, Baxter
Springs is going to lose a very great
deal of this business unless they move
faster. Land owners have kept out
many permanent home builders by an
ticipating real estate values fully 10
years. Some time ago, we were scout
ing around Baker for property, and
the property we were intending to
lease had been renting for $4,000 per
month. The owner thought US pros
porous and offered US q three year
lease for $4,000 per month in addi-
ton to all the taxes and upkeep, which
we were supposed to pay. Other deals
we tried to make were along the same
line.
During the winter of 1917, the wat
er supply was cut off, the sewerage
system was closed, and instead Of
remedying these conditions, Baxter
made it almost impossible for q
stranger to live here. understand
that the water system failed because
the commissioners could not decide on
which side of the street to lay the
mains. Such delays, and such spir-
it, is not going to bring Baxter to the
front.
A young man, an auditor Of one OF
the large corporations, was here last
week to audit the books Of one Of their
corporations. He intended to make
Baxter headquarters until his errand
was finished. saw him getting on
the train the day after talked with
him, and / asked him his reason for