The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-08-05
THE IMPORTANCE OF MANUFACTURE
IN EMPORIA.

Our city is rapidly growing into
prominence. The census will show
population of something over twenty
five hundred. One year ago an actual
count would have made it not more
than one half this number. Hundreds
ofpeople living in the eastern states have
been made aware through their friends
who live here or who have visited here.
of its beautiful location, its railroad
connections; its educational advan-
tages the enterprise of its inhabitants ::
the high moral standard which it vigor-
Ously and vigorously maintains, despite
stubborn opposition; the rich, broad
prairies, interviewer with fine streams
of clear, pure running water. Im-
pressed with such ideas of our beauti-
tul city, their chiefest desire is to sell
out and migrate hither. Thus our pop
ulatiOn will increase. The thoughtful
inquirer naturally asks: Twill EmpO-
ria be able to maintain her present pop
ulation, and at the same time have am
pie room for those who are coming and
shall continue to come? What is 10
support all this people, so rapidly aug
menting its numbers? What shall keep
busy all these minds and furnish en-
ployment TO all these hands ?" A good
agricuIiur country will do much, il is
true, and this we have. We can grow
abundantly the cereals, the fruits and
the vegetables. We can raise thousands
of cattle. Our county, it is certain, will
do much for us. But the growth of a
town, depending alone on the develop
ment of the country must necessarily
be slow. Allowing that every quarter
section constituted the home of some
thrifty farmer, we should, it is true,
have acountry population in the count!
of from fifty TO seventy-five thousand :
and a country thus densely populated
would support town of perhaps FL
teen or twenty thousand Inhabitants.
But with this vast number in the coun-
ty, there would necessarily be a hall
dozen towns outside the county-seat to
accommodate different localities. These
towns would lessen the importance OF
the county-seat. But such a population
for the county is not possible in any
1ear future. We cannot affo, d to wait
for such distant results. We must look
TO something else in addition to our
farmers for the permanent growth OF
our town. Our railroads may do much
for us. We may, by having competing
lines 10 Chicago, st. Louis, or farther
east be able to bring goods here at such
u cost TO our merchants as to enable
them TO control, at least for several
years, the trade of the country south,
west and southwest of us. But it will
not do to rely on railroads alone, even
if they give us the most desirable con-
neciions. The time will come when
other points beyond us will enjoy these
self same advantages in as great de-
gree. We may for time be able to
feed the valleys of the Verdigris, the
Walnut and the Arkansas. But towns
with railroad facilities equaling our
own will spring up on these streams
and say TO us some day: "This mOnop-
oily must cease we mean to share part
of these commercial advantages; we
are able to buy goods in Chicago, ST.
Louis or New York "a cheap as you
and we are going TO enjoy the profits
that have fattened your purse alone
These are unpleasant anticipations, but
we believe they will grow someday, un'
less other steps are taken for our city's
good. Into stubborn realities: One
thing we have certainly thus far over
looked is manufacture. We can afford
TO do this no longer. Upon its estab-
lishment in all its different varieties ouI
hopes for becoming the inland metrop-
oils of Kansas must depend. If we cal
establish manufactures here that shall
turn out plUws, drills, reapers, thresh.
RS, cotton and wooden fabrics, wagons
buggics, carriages, ETC., etc., and make
them so good, so cheap, and in such
quantities as to supply not only ouI
home demand but a much wider field
also, then we need to entertain no fears
of the future prosperity and growth o.
our town. Our railroads are opening
TO us timbered districts from which we
could obtain the material necessary fol-
the manufacture of the utensils and ma
chinery needed by the farmer, while the
close proximity of exhaustless coal
fields will render certain a never-faiiinS
supply of the necessary fuel. Let u:
do all in our power to encourage manu-
featuring in Emporia. Now is the tim,
we should be wide awake.