Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-02-26

er communication with the Lakes and th
Mississippi. These, with the facilitie:
for manufacturing, give Watertown an ad
vantage possessed by no other inland cit
in the State, and should hare made it th,
second in size. and eventually ly will if ad
vantage is taken of them. 1t should b'
the immediate business of the people here
to improve these opportunltles-uncove
and develop these hidden sources o
wealth and strength It should be, if il
is not now, the policy of the owners o
! this valuable property to either improve
it themselves or make favorable terms tc
those who can and will. The capital tha;
should be employed here is lying idle
awaiting just such investment How
long will it be allowed to remain idle!
1t is for the leading men IN this city to
answer this question.
But, while it is true that all these ad.
vantages have not been fully improved
it is equally true that great deal has
been done-a commendable energy and
enterprise displayed.
This being the point of intersection OF
two great trunk and freight lines, large
transfer business is done at the joint de-
pot. This business averages, during the
busy season, about $780, 900 per month
no inconsiderable amount.
We have occupied a considerable space
in showing what has not been done, now
let us inquire what has been and is being
done, and first, because most important,
We make some notes upon the
MANUFACTURES.
Communities towns and cities-are
but societies of diverse, but reciprocal
and interdependent, interests. Nature
supplies but the simple elements Of wealth,
and they can only be converted to con-
tribute to our benefit by development,
combination, aud exchange of products
Domestic industry spins the sllken coil Of
its cocoon, and commerce, or exchange
and interchange Of commodities, wsaves
its threads into form and texture Form
crly commerce and civilization was mari
time, and followed great centers; now it
is inland, and every city contains, or may
contain, all the more essential elements
of its own st1stenance and wealth This,
in general sense, Is true. Each city
commands, or may command, the re-
sources of its adjacent country, and the
extent to which it does this is the meas
ure Of its growth and prosperity. We
see this illustrated in the influence man.
ufactories have upon aLy community. 1t
is a noticeable fact that real estate and
farm products are lowest where manufac-
turing is not carried on, and highest where
it is. In the former instance people pur-
chase manufactures from other place at
the higest prices, and pay for item in
agricultural products at the lowest prices.
1t does not require very profound study
of political economy to ascertain that it is
not an enriching process to purchase
costly foreign fabrics with cheap domestic
harvests, and the same principle holds
true of cities and States. The cost of
production impoverishes ono locality in
just the proportion it enricnes another
With an abundance Of raw material at
home, we are paying external manufacture
ers high prices for their goods, and sup
eradded is the heavy cost of transporta-
ton. The leading men of Watertown
seem to comprehend the situation in this
particular, and are utilizing, to a consider
able extent, the raw material, which is
found in such abundance about here
We will state, just here, that this city is
composed largely of Germans-that in
dustrious, frugal, and happy people
Many of these are engaged in manufact-
urlng Oh what appears to be small scale,
though the aggregates are large. They
will be found on side streets prosecuting
their business without pretensions, though
many of them have come to be extensive
manufacturers and merchants. Ameri-
cans make display of their wealth and
business, and live upon the surface. The
German keeps a close mouth and close
accounts; we go among them and see
not, or seeing understand not, as to their
private affairs But they are busy peo-
pie. One BY enc they make their debut
froH, comparative business obscurity into
Main Street as proprietors of large and
substantial brick blocks-and no mortg-
ages on them either.
Firso, among the manufacturers, we
visit the establishment of
WAIT, GALLUP CO.,
who are engaged in the manufacture of
the celebrated .sIron Hand Loom,'
Wrlsht's patent pendulum and ordinary
spinning wheels. reels, swifts, bedsteads.
chairs, and various articles of wood work
This firm is composed of j. b. Wait, Ii
B. Gallup, Chas. Wood, and Samuel
Baird. The business as now conducted
was organized the 1st of August, 1867
by consolidation of two manufactures, and
admitting Mr.. Baird to the new firm, who
had served as an officer, four years in the
late war. They are now doing an exten
sive and successful business, having the
best facilities for produc ng work, they
can guarantee. Tn additlon to- the shops