Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1869-09-09
For the Gallipolis Journal.
OUR CITY.

hS PAOcPOiiey VI gu PioSC must uo
pend upon the energy and enterprise
of its citizens. Not as general thing,
of its capitalists. for capital seems to
be narcotic in its tendency, causing its
possesscrs to sleep and dream along
Through many golden chances Of bet
tering the condition of many industri-
Gus people, increasing the growth Of
the town where it sleeps, and adding
to its own proportions.
We find a few honorable exceptions
to this rule in every community
Wealth in a stagnant condition seems
to enjoy itself hugely, by throwing
cold water on any enterprise started
for public or private advantage. and
exhibits what little life it possesses in
opposition to everything good of a
public nature.
Many cities have acted against their
best interests by allowing rich land
holders to drive away those who pro-
pose to erect factories of some kind,
by their extravagant prices for land
GallipoEs has men of good business
capacity, men of enterprise, who are
comparatively little of this city, and
yet, nevertheless. evince lively in
terest in everything that has tenden-
cy. to further the prosperity of the
place; and to such men. sometimes
with capital. but often without, is al
most every place indebted for its growth
and influence Such are the men, who
have built up heavy wholesale and re-
tail business houses in our cityAand
made this the great commercial CEN
ter for SoRthern Ohio and West Vir-
ginia.
Such are the men, who have given
such wide reputation to our flour
mills, our woolen mills, our machine
shops, and who have erected fine busi-
ness houses and are now busy erecting
new furniture factories and wooden
mills, or beautifying our streets and
sidewalks. Such are the men who
have pressed willing shoulder to the
wheel until our public schools have
become source of pride to our citi-
zens; furnished with new and elegant
apparatus, good library, and an ex-
cellent corps of teachers, as they are,
we may confidently expect still greater
success. No city can make much
social or religious advancement with
out ample provision for the education
of all the youth! Nor can any COM
munity be highly intellectual without
the High School to elevate and refine
alike the children of the rich and poor.
No city can prosper in these higher
walks of life, when the children of the
poor laboring man are deprived Of a
higher education -
Such men are ours, and we have ev-
cry facility requisite for an extensive
town. There is no bet
ter place in the Ohio valley, for iron
than Gallipolis. The
outlet of two great coal fields-the ex-
tensive iron beds in our hills. Why |
cannot iron and coal meet here cheap |
er than at any other point on the river? |
Besides, we have an advantage in the
quantity and quality and cheapness of
all kinds of timber and lumber. of
which there is so much used in the con-
structing and operating such establish
nents, which makes this better place
tor manufacturing than any other on
he Ohio river. The history of most
cities shows that their
growth in this direction was com
nenced in some joint stock company.
Some cities, in our own State, are en-
Dying an increase in population of one
thousand a year, as the result of en-
erprise found in the citizens building
| joint stock furnace or iron mill. Yet,
hese cities have but few of the natu-
al advantages found in Gallipolis--
The men who are doing so much for
'ur city must see our natural advan-
ages; they are becoming too apparent
o be overlooked. We are proud that
o many engines puff away night and
lay in our extensive mills and shops,
nut shall we be content with these and
How other golden opportunities to
'ass without being used for our good?
There will be no trouble about Rail
soads; the rapidly increasing wealth
nd business of this part of Ohio and
Vest Virginia must attract roads.
If our own city will become thor
ughly awake upon this matter. there
7ill be no trouble in securing men
nth capital and experience to assist US.
we but improve upon our natural fa-
ilities. Our city, healthy, beautiful
'cation, with good schools and many
ther advantages, will bring to us great
in population, and make us
ne of the great business cities Of Ohio.
- GITTTEN