From El Paso (Sept. 4, 1872)
Title
From El Paso (Sept. 4, 1872)
Subject
El Paso News
Creator
Wichita City Eagle
Source
Wichita City Eagle
Wichita, KS
Oct. 10, 1872
Page 2
Accessed at Newspapers.com
Wichita, KS
Oct. 10, 1872
Page 2
Accessed at Newspapers.com
Rights
Public Domain
Format
image/jpeg
Text
Correspondence of the Eagle.
From El Paso
El Paso, Sedgwick, Co., Ks., Sept. 4, 1872.
Editor Eagle: Seeing a letter in last week's issue from our little neighbor across the water. Waco. I thought I would tell you something about us for the benefit of your many readers who may not know where and how we are situated. I will say that El Paso is in the southeast corner of the county, situated on the Arkansas river at the junction of the beautiful Spring creek. The town is laid out on the high prairie, overlooking the river and the vast bottom in which Waco is situated. There is one remarkable feature of our town, and that is the style of buildings up and in course of erection. They are of good size and substantial build. No little 10x12 cottonwood shanties. Mr. A. L. Minich of the firm Minich & Bro. lives in his two story brick residence on Baltimore Ave. Another residence of worthy mention is our gentlemanly postmaster's. Dr. H. C. Tucker has built a fine residence in the rear of his drug store and brought his family to town. Although there is not much sickness here he is kept pretty busy, as he has the reputation of being the best doctor in these parts. Our enterprising fellow-townsman, R. R. Costin, is building him a fine store and residence on the corner of Baltimore and Market and is fitting a hall up stairs to be used by the votaries of the light fantastic toe. There is also a rumor that the Masons will organize and use the hall for a lodge.
George Litzenberg, of the grocery firm Sharpnack & Litzenberg, is doing a flourishing business in the real estate line. He says he has farms on Spring creek to sell from $300 to $1,500. In fact anything a man may want in the "dirt line."
I will say here for the benefit of your castern readers that this is one of the finest tracts of land in Kansas - well watered and timbered; and we think the day is not far distant when we will have coal mines in operation, as we find indications of coals in every well dug here. e climate is mild and salubrius, winters short and so mild that stock runs and feeds on the prairie the year round. The soil is of the richest in the state, and is a black sandy loam, with just sand enough to make it pulverize well. No mud here the year round, and a man can work in his corn fields three hours after a heavy rain.
Our farmers all have their fall wheat in, and it is all up and looking fine. This is as good a wheat climate as any in the country, and the farmers are all putting in every bushel they can get hold of.
I have just returned from a trip through Cowley county and the four mile strip. Everything looks flourishing, and all the inhabitants are calling loudly for a railroad.
We have had two railroad survey,s but we don't hear the whistles as yet. That is all our town needs to make it a "city of the first class."
Our wide-awake saloon-keeper J. Griffey has just completed a fine livery and feed stable, size 22x36 feet, with a dance hall overhead, in which he gives a dance almost every week. Some of our Wichita neighbors could spend a pleasant evening at there "socials" - plenty to eat and drink, and good looking girls for partners.
Mr. McWilliams, one of our most extensive farmers, built him a house here and expects to live in it this winter.
J. H. Bernard has built a factory and is going to manufacture wagons and farm implements. He and our blacksmith are turning out some good work.
Our merchants are all doing a good business, and there are but two changes that I know of. Mr. Neely has purchased the interest of his partner, Mr. Vance, and has restocked his store, and is doing a big biz. George Mamson has traded the El Paso House and furniture for a farm, and his successor J. Q. Graham, is playing mine host for the benefit of the traveling public, and for the few poor mortals here who are not blessed with a "household angel." He dishes up as good hash as any hotel in the state, and says that as long as Kansas City, Leavenworth, Lawrence, Wichita and other places send out "drummers" that leave the wealth, he will continue to do so.
Judge L. E. Vance, the gentleman nominated on the liberal county ticket for probate judge, is a resident of our town, and is a gentleman fully qualified for the position, and although a "crow eater," will carry this and surrounding townships where he is well known.
"Farmer Doolittle," your farmer correspondent from this place, being a strong supporter of the "honest sage," feels so badly over the election returns from North Carolina, Maine and other places that he cries for "a lodge in some vast wilderness," where rumors of political success may never reach him more.
We are all please to see the improvement in your paper. Keep on, and you will make it one of the best county papers in the state. As soon as the mail arrives from Wichita the office is filled and the general cry is "give me my EAGLE." Through neglect of the department at Wichita we failed to receive this week's issue. They sent the Southwestern mail here instead of ours. More anon.
Pete
From El Paso
El Paso, Sedgwick, Co., Ks., Sept. 4, 1872.
Editor Eagle: Seeing a letter in last week's issue from our little neighbor across the water. Waco. I thought I would tell you something about us for the benefit of your many readers who may not know where and how we are situated. I will say that El Paso is in the southeast corner of the county, situated on the Arkansas river at the junction of the beautiful Spring creek. The town is laid out on the high prairie, overlooking the river and the vast bottom in which Waco is situated. There is one remarkable feature of our town, and that is the style of buildings up and in course of erection. They are of good size and substantial build. No little 10x12 cottonwood shanties. Mr. A. L. Minich of the firm Minich & Bro. lives in his two story brick residence on Baltimore Ave. Another residence of worthy mention is our gentlemanly postmaster's. Dr. H. C. Tucker has built a fine residence in the rear of his drug store and brought his family to town. Although there is not much sickness here he is kept pretty busy, as he has the reputation of being the best doctor in these parts. Our enterprising fellow-townsman, R. R. Costin, is building him a fine store and residence on the corner of Baltimore and Market and is fitting a hall up stairs to be used by the votaries of the light fantastic toe. There is also a rumor that the Masons will organize and use the hall for a lodge.
George Litzenberg, of the grocery firm Sharpnack & Litzenberg, is doing a flourishing business in the real estate line. He says he has farms on Spring creek to sell from $300 to $1,500. In fact anything a man may want in the "dirt line."
I will say here for the benefit of your castern readers that this is one of the finest tracts of land in Kansas - well watered and timbered; and we think the day is not far distant when we will have coal mines in operation, as we find indications of coals in every well dug here. e climate is mild and salubrius, winters short and so mild that stock runs and feeds on the prairie the year round. The soil is of the richest in the state, and is a black sandy loam, with just sand enough to make it pulverize well. No mud here the year round, and a man can work in his corn fields three hours after a heavy rain.
Our farmers all have their fall wheat in, and it is all up and looking fine. This is as good a wheat climate as any in the country, and the farmers are all putting in every bushel they can get hold of.
I have just returned from a trip through Cowley county and the four mile strip. Everything looks flourishing, and all the inhabitants are calling loudly for a railroad.
We have had two railroad survey,s but we don't hear the whistles as yet. That is all our town needs to make it a "city of the first class."
Our wide-awake saloon-keeper J. Griffey has just completed a fine livery and feed stable, size 22x36 feet, with a dance hall overhead, in which he gives a dance almost every week. Some of our Wichita neighbors could spend a pleasant evening at there "socials" - plenty to eat and drink, and good looking girls for partners.
Mr. McWilliams, one of our most extensive farmers, built him a house here and expects to live in it this winter.
J. H. Bernard has built a factory and is going to manufacture wagons and farm implements. He and our blacksmith are turning out some good work.
Our merchants are all doing a good business, and there are but two changes that I know of. Mr. Neely has purchased the interest of his partner, Mr. Vance, and has restocked his store, and is doing a big biz. George Mamson has traded the El Paso House and furniture for a farm, and his successor J. Q. Graham, is playing mine host for the benefit of the traveling public, and for the few poor mortals here who are not blessed with a "household angel." He dishes up as good hash as any hotel in the state, and says that as long as Kansas City, Leavenworth, Lawrence, Wichita and other places send out "drummers" that leave the wealth, he will continue to do so.
Judge L. E. Vance, the gentleman nominated on the liberal county ticket for probate judge, is a resident of our town, and is a gentleman fully qualified for the position, and although a "crow eater," will carry this and surrounding townships where he is well known.
"Farmer Doolittle," your farmer correspondent from this place, being a strong supporter of the "honest sage," feels so badly over the election returns from North Carolina, Maine and other places that he cries for "a lodge in some vast wilderness," where rumors of political success may never reach him more.
We are all please to see the improvement in your paper. Keep on, and you will make it one of the best county papers in the state. As soon as the mail arrives from Wichita the office is filled and the general cry is "give me my EAGLE." Through neglect of the department at Wichita we failed to receive this week's issue. They sent the Southwestern mail here instead of ours. More anon.
Pete
Collection
Citation
Wichita City Eagle, “From El Paso (Sept. 4, 1872),” Derbykshistory, accessed April 19, 2024, https://derbykshistory.com/items/show/10.