Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-16
THE FUTURE or ST. Paul.


our business men choose to make it. No
one questions that in all mercantile lines
this city leads the entire Northwest. Our
jobbing trade is large and constantly increas-
ing. In the manufacture of clothing, boots
and shoes, and in many other lines, we oc-
cupy commanding position, second to no
competitor. But there are many things
necessary to be done to fully establish our
city as a centre of commerce and manufac-
lures, and these things can only be accom-
plished by earnest effort and united action
on the part of our business men. It will not
do for this or that man to say that he is not
interested in building up St. Paul as man
ufacturing city, for every man engaged in
business here is interested vitality in the mat
ter. He may not be directly concerned in
the profits Of an enterprise, but he benefits
indirectly through an increase of business
brought about by successful manufactures or
quent upon the failure of such enterprises
It has been demonstrated over and over
again, that lumber and -four can be manu-
featured cheaper by the use Of steam than by
water power. While those who use water
are compelled to stop operations part of
the year on account of low water or obstruc-
ton of their machinery by ice, those who
use steam are able to keep their mills con-
tinually at work. The experience of the Mil
waukee milers amply demonstrates this
fact. Although they have water power of
unusual excellence, few of them avail them
selves Of its privileges, but have placed steam
in their mills as the only reliable motive
power. At other places the same state of
facts exists Steam is reliable; water is not.
Hence the superior advantage of steam over
water power.
While manufacturing cities have been
built up with a water power
as nucleus, more and larger
cities have been built up as manufacturing
centers by the use of steam power. This
fact ought to have bearing upon the future
enterprise of st. Paul. The project for a
boom bellows the falls of st. Anthony may
be considered an assured success, and by its
means logs will be brought directly to the
city. Here they must be manufactured into
lumber, and to do so we must have mills We
have no doubt these mills will be built. and
that from the start they will be profitable.
But our business men and property holders
must encourage their establishment, not re-
pei them. We must also make an effort
looking towards the establishment of more
Touring mills here. St. Paul, by her natural
position, will inevitably become a great wheat
market. Part of the product, of course, will
pass through the city to Milwaukee and
Chicago. But if the facilities for milling
are here, we can retain much Of it until after
it has been manufactured into flour, and
thus derive an additional profit from hand
ling it.
With the establishment of these two in
dustries here, other manufactures will be
encouraged to locate in our midst, and thus
add largely to our business and population.
But in all matters relating to them we must
pursue liberal policy. We cannot afford to
drive3 them away by exorbitant exactions
for ground privileges or other rights neces-
sary to their existence. It will not be neces-
sary to subsidize them, either, although our
business men could we'll afford to do this.
But we must frown upon all extortionate ex-
actions that may be contemplated, and do all
in our power to encourage the establishment
of mills and manufactures here. The motto
of the city in this matter should be olive
and let live" By following this principle
the supremacy of st. Paul as manufactur-
ing, as we'll as commercial city, can not
only be maintained as at present but it can
be incidentally increased.