Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1872-12-26
CORREePONDENCE.

:
doubtless be done) very soon it's effects
will be very materiallyseen and felt in
the material interests Of the city and
county as well as the financial interest,
progress, and rapid increase of our
population.
The fact is, no city in this State or
short of Pittsburg, has the material
necessary in every respect for cheap
manufacturing, as has the city of OF
tumwa, Iowa, and these facts will
DO known through our manufac-
turing Association" doubtless in due
time.
Yet In this laudable matter with the
best Of motives for the interests Of the
city, inducing new men and new par
ties to locate here and establish manu-
factories of various kinds, both large
and small, may it not be proper to sug-
gest that we first look around and see
where we now are, and what machine
cry is y1asting out for the want Of q
nominal assistance at home.
That there is machinery now thus
rusting out in this city for the want of
proper aid, no one will question, ifthcy
will 90 to the Planning Mill, and ifnot
convinced there, call at the "Ottumwa
Wooden Mills" one of tho most inn
portant manufacturing interests of the
whole country, and particularly of the
vital financial interests Of the city and
county. More than $4,000 is already
invested by the parties in this Wooden
Mill now owning it, and their capital
isexhaustcd and they in debt, (and for
cause) it is assumed that they are a
fraud and can't pay, for the simple
reason that their machineryis ,dle for
the want of some material aid by
which this machinery can be run. This
machinery is owned by responsible
and honorable set of men, as your wri-
ter is advised, and they need a little as
sistance, and this only for the reason
that their capitals invested in machin-
cry to the amount above stated, and
the aid necessary will be from $1,000
to $1,000 to run it. This amount of
money furnished by parties who have
the means, will enable the parties in
interest to run all their machinery nine
months in the year, with capacity to
employ sixty hands every twelve
hours, making a total of one hundred
and twenty hands every twenty-four
hours.
Your writer with his small expert
ence in the business, is well satisfied
that with the aid furnish64 by men of
orr city, who can do 80, that with the
aid suggested, the "Ottnmwa1
Wooden Mil Co, " will for the nine
months Of the year 1873 do business
of one-fourM Of a million Of dollars,
and pay at least ten per cent. on any
money furnished to run the same, and
give employment to at least one hum
bred and twenty hands, as stated, who
have to be clothed and fed by the par
ties engaged in the various business
they now occupy in this city. To do
less than this would be like the man
thinning his corn, "pnu out the large
stocks to giUe the small ones chance
to groc.
When we have machinery now here
let us give aid and comfort and get
others to come. This is what we want
and help all we can, but not give the
\ -. 40 yhnt fo 1,
Let us take care OF them as far as poss-
ible, and when others at our request
come here for the purpose of manufac-
turing, our idle machinery, as above
stated, will not deter them.
In addition to the foregoing sug-
gestion, your writer further says that
for the complete success of the running
of said Wooden Mill, a store room for
the use of depositing the goods manu-
featured, will be found OF the utmost
importance, and also room for the
storage of wool. and when all the aid
given is exhausted, then let sensible
financial men, disposed to do right, and
in interest pursue such course as will
speedily, out Of thd stock, restore the
original status of the parties in inter-
est.
Your writer in conclusion would
saw that lie has not one farthing invest
ed in this matter, but has had some
successful experience in this direc-
ton, and that if the suggestions made
should receive needing, he does not
believe there will finally be any regret.
At considerable time and trouble, ]
am enabled to give you complete in
voice of the most valuable and import
ant machinery in said mill, now ready
to work with the proper material aid
as above suggested, and hope the mat
ter will receive at least some consider
alton. The people OF the city, as well
rs the county are certainly deeply
interestedsiH this matter, perhaps the
most important give the exhibit OF
the Ottumwa Wooden Mill Co:
The house is one hundred by thirty
five feet wide; three stories and attic,
the basement, stone, frame above
This building has one acre of land and
two tenement houses.
The mill house is divided into three
| rooms on each floor. The basement
contains engine, boiler, storage fol
| wool, shearing machine, fulling mill
| WE'LL, wash roller machine, hopper
press, copper kettle, tubs, and storage
| for dyes and unfinished goods. TIL,
second story contains eight looms
warper, beamer, two double sets Gus.
tom roll cards, one twenty inche
and the other forty eight inches, on,
picker, scales for weighing wool, ofiic,
and store room. Tho bird story con
tains full set of manufacturing cards
first and second broker and condenser
and one one hundred and twenty spin
kle, Jack, also first and second broke
and condenser. thirty-six inches wide
| two one hundred and eighty spindle
jacks. equal to nine manufacturin,
machiues, one picker and reel.
The attic is used for storing WOO
Skating, betting, with one buster.
With present capacity, about tire
hundred yards every twelve hours ca
be made, and on this basis of time
would use about 60,O00 pounds q
: wool per year, and if run on full time
, double that amount will be used an
/ produced, and on the twelve hon
time, 5000 bushels of coal will be use,
and the pay roll amount to about 500
per month, without the estimated pa
to the officers of the company. MOI
i ~ r..