The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-08-18
RATHER PROSY RUT EMINENTLY
PRACTICAL,

II has been the policy OF the Cairo
Property Trustees to encourage the up
building of manufacturing interest In
Cairo by giving locations. and in other
ways; but this policy, liberal though it
| was. has borne but Indifferent fruits.
The chief reason for this, and for the
| absolute failures any citizen of ten years
residence may call TO mind. may be found
in the fact that there has been an made
quacy of means. for the end. Men of lin
tied capital, Justly estimating our many
advantages as a manufacturing point,
too often preparations made out of all
proportion with their means. They looked
beyond the wants of Cairo to the great
markets of the south. and essayed the
establishment of an industry of cores
ponding magnitude. In pursuing
this idea they exhausted their capital
some of them before completing their
buildings, and Others before realizing
dollars return from the products of their
industry. Encouragement followed "A
knowledge of their inability to go ahead.
and total abandonment of their schemes
was the outcome. Had these men COM
menced upon small scale; sought first
to supply the home demand, and then,
as the profits of the business might war
rant, so extend the productive capacities
of their establishments as to meet the
known and reliable demands OF the sur
rounding country - had this been done,
Cairo to-day would have its prosperous
manufacturing establishment in almost
every block of the city. The largest
aud most successful manufactures now
i'm Cairo date back 10 a small beginning
while those which made a pretentious
and unwarranted commencement are
dragging out miserable existence"
FOR stand deserted and unused. Can we
not. from this experience, draw lesson
by which we may profit in the future?
No man who is capable OF reasoning
from cause to effect-who understands
the prerequisites to successful manu-
featuring business, will deny that Cairo
possesses all the advantages tor a sue
cessful prosecution OF that line of indus
try that are claimed by the most favored
localities on the Ohio river, aud many
other advantages of most valuable
kind. that are peculiar TO herself. What
we want now, and what we can most
readily obtain. is the presence among us
OF practical manufacturers of moderate
means, who will aim to supply the mani
fest needs OF the city and surrounding
country. a small foundry-an establish
ment that could be put in
operation by the outlay of $1,000
or $4,000, would pay at once,
and would gradually grow from the
increasing demands of the country around
Us. \ 100000 establishment ofthc same
kind, would fail in month. Two or
three practical carriage and wagon
makers-men who are finished workmen
might prosper here, on capital of ST.
800 or $1,000. a small factory for the
manufacture OF bale rope and bagging
would Ind 4 home demand that would
give it good support. With no tannery
within fifty miles Of the city, good
opening is presented. for that branch of
industry. \ vinegar ana soap factory
would succeed. as would an establish
ment for the manufacture OF plows and
other implements in use in the cultiva-
ton of the soil, None of the industries
named would succeed, however, unless
those engineering them used their own
brain and muscle, and kept ia constant
view the wants OF the market, and the
necessity for competing in the quality
and price OF their products with the
larger producers of neighboring cities.
An exercise OF good judgment in these
respects would more than compensate
the lack Of capital, and insure success
where mere dollars would be absolutely
impo.ent.