KANSAS CITY, in the state of Missouri, on the s. bank of the Missouri river, at the confluence of the Kansas river, and near the boundary line between the states of Mis souri and Kansas, which in fact runs n. and s. through the western suburb of the city. It is the county seat of Jackson co.; pop. '70, 39,260; '80, 55,813. The site of the city is alluded to by Fremont in 1843 as Chouteau's landing. The city now covers numerous knobby bluffs, which rise to the height of 120 ft. above the river. The abruptness of these the river necessitates deep cuts and fills for the streets, which are laid out to pierce through hill and over gulch, regardless of natural topography. The city, therefore, presents a rough appearance on a general view; but its business buildings are substantial, and ninny residences on the hills are elegant and tastefully adapted to the hilly sites. The growth of Kansas City began with that remarkable migration into the territory of Kansas urged by New England antislavery societies from 1850 to 1860. Before that time southerners with their slaves had begun to settle the territory. Kansas City was one of the gateways of this conflicting migration. After the great conflict was over its position proved to be most• advantageous for railway concentrations from the e. and the west. It became one of the great points for supplying west-bound emi grants to Kansas, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, and the overland trade with California before the Union Pacific railroad was completed, as well as the main market for the sale of the cattle, buffalo skins, and hides of all the plains w. and s.w. Where ox and mule trains and driven cattle mane the beginnings of its growth, fifteen different railways now radiate to all parts of the country, making Kansas City the heart of a great railway system. The bottom land at the intersection of the Kansas with the Mis souri makes a convenient meeting place for all the railways. An iron bridge across the Missouri 1387 ft. long, supported on 7 stone piers, built by a railway association.
furnishes a river-crossing for most of these roads. Two other fine bridges also span the Kansas and invite the growth of the city into the neighbor state. Four. lines of street railways are operated, connecting with Westport in Missouri and Wyandotte iu Kansas. There are six grain elevators, with storage for 1,495,000 bushels.
The city is especially the mart of trade iu cattle and other live stock. Its shipments for 1879 were: cattle, 211,361 head; hogs, 589,794 head; sheep, 61,157 head; horses, 15,826 head. The stock yards are extensive. A cattle stock exchange building, con tithing 24 offices, two banks, restaurants and shops, is at the yards. Beef and pork packing is'a business of great magnitude and engages a large European capital. Of late years bodies of. bituminous coal have been opened in the border counties s. of the city, and this fuel is distributed by rail and water over a vast country from this point. A board of trade was organized in 1872, which has been influential in giving direction to the business spirit of the city. The post-office receipts for the year 1879 were $98,948, realizing a profit to the department of $69,425; postal remittances received same year, $504,555; postal orders issued, $208,029. The free school system embraces 8 primary schools and 1 high school. Besides, there are Roman Catholic schools and seminary, a medical school, and commercial college. The city has 28 churches; 6 daily papers (3 morning and 3 evening), 2 triweekly, 6 weekly, and 1 bimonthly; an opera house and 2 theaters; a city hospital, an orphan asylum, a work-house, and a woman's home. The city has water-works by a combination of the reservoir, stand-pipe, and Holly systems, from which it derives an annual revenue of about $100,000 (1879). It is lighted with gas, has a paid fire department, and an efficient police. The bonded debt, July 1, 1880, was $1,353,702.