The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-01-09

WOODEN FACroRIEs.-BIG AND LITrLE-We
have seen estimates made that buildings and
machinery sufficient for a wooden mill in our
neighbering cities cannot be had sshort of some
100000. We hold these figures to be three
times larger than is necessary for the real bust
ness wants of any Of our towns, unless the fac
tory is intended for immense business We
can cite a case in point right here at home
When Joseph Shields started his WOODEN factory
here, he invested not exceed ten thousand
dollars. Events proved that larger mill was
required-so he more than doubled his facilities.
and has invested in buildings and machinery
about thirty thousand. This makes a safe thing
of it. Moderate beginning, and careful manage
ment Is what Is wanted-not huge CAPITAL and
extravagant outlay. A large share of the money
invested in magnificent mills, is merely unpro-
ductIve property used for ornament and not "a
means of profit. Many a noble project fails
because too much money is expended in getting
ready to commence the work and not because
the project would not pay if conducted on an
economical plan. In almost everything the or
namental costs more than the useful and the
greater part of orr failures are attributed to the
''irescoing" instead of the solidity of the struc
ture, and the necessities of running its various
machinery.
But few men, comparatively, are competent to
carry on an extensive business. They NAV be
successful when they keep within their depth.
but when they get into deep water and lose their
foothold, the tide becomes too strong for them
and they sink. The same laws which hold in
farming, rules mechanics and manufacturers
To succeed, there must be system-au economy
in the arrangement of things. farmer would
be considered insane to hitch a span of five
thousand dollar horses to a wooden pillow in order
to break up his land, and on the scratches made
by that instrument, SOW his grain with the ex-
pectation of getting full crop. The same NAV
be said OF manufactures. The show part fire.
quently receives the heavy expenditure, while
the really useful is often neglected. If such an
establishment fails, the fault is in building and
the recklessness in carrying it on is laid to the
want of the protection of the law against foreign
competition.
In many of our western towns we notice
WOODEN factories are springing No. and high
hopes are entertained of them. Rightly condnc.
ted they will be source of profit to their pro-
prletors The multiplicity of these mills sbould
show their founders the folly of putting too
much money in their structures. If there was
to be but one mill in the whole state il would be
well, perhaps, to rear magnificent structure.
provided all the wool raised by our farmers WAS
Obliged to be manufactured there and the peonle |
forced to patronize it to their utmost extent
AS 1t is, the business is open to competition and
wise men should look at the matter in business
point OF view, before branching out into a need
less expenditure. There is no doubt of tho
prohtableness of WOODEN manufactures when
conducted on the right plan, but il must ne
economically. Those who follow this plan will
nave no cause to fail in business, and if they do