Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-06-27
MANUFACTURES.

IN A. ~ nv 4 ~ A\SSs
WICHITA AS A MANUFACTURING CITY
The Superior inducements That This Cit,
Offers in Several Lines of Ma nufacture.
While population and wealth are neces.
sary adjuncts to manufacturing centei
surpassed only by those offering an unlim
tied supply of the raw material consumed
by any given line of manufacture, still II is
nevertheless true that the greatest CONNER.
cial centers of America are the greatest
manufacturing points, and general manu-
features seldom succeed when isolated iron
commercial centers. Show us town in
America that is doing successful jobbine
trade and we will show you town OF large
manufacturing interests. No doubt q
majority OF the readers of this are
in the habit of looking upon
the cities of New York, Philadelphia a, Bos-
ton and Chicago AS peculiarly commercials
cities. And they are in one sense. But
| they are the weallhest manufacturing CEN
tiers ON this continent, and in the order
named. New York is looked upon as the
commercial and monetary center OF Ameri
ca and it is, but 1t is also the greatest man.
ufacturing city this side Of the big waters,
and this rule holds true. Wherever the
demands of commerce builds up a distrib-
uting or jobbing point, there general man,
ufacture will be found fiourishing. They
will and must go together and
the exceptions are only isolated
instances where the cost OF trans
portatiOn Of the raw material is found to
be too great. The centers Of population
are the cheapest markets, therefore fur
nish the cheapest labor, therefore produce
the cheapest results of labor, in all direc-
tions, manufactured articles included.
Touching manufactures we make one 9TH
er statement, and that is as a rule no inter-
est of the kind is worth having which has
to be subsidiz ed, or given a bonus by the
town or city in which it is to be located.
Now that Wichita has reached the posi-
ton of whoiesaling or supply point, man
manufactures should follow, and they will
If the city succeeds in maintaining the
| grounds already gained. Wichita has not
only the population-and rapidly growing
one also-and a wholesale trade, but
in some lines has the necessary surplus OF
raw material such as will OF themselves at
tract the attention OF manufacturing ex-
perts and capitalists. Wichita is the great
est flour manufacturing point in the state
to-day, principally because she has the raw
material-the wheat, in the greatest
abundance. Now, with all our fruit, oceans
of it; vegetables of every description, char
acter and kind known to this latitude, can
| any one maintain that there is o better
point than Wichita in the United
States for dozen canning fac
tories. Sweet corn, peas, beans. tomatoes,
ETC., are not only now raised in the greatest
abundance aud surplusage, but in one
years notice hundreds of tons OF these
things could be delivered in Wichita at fig.
ures with which few countries could COM
pete. And the fruits and the jells, and the
pickles and a dozen other lines OF canned
goods not only carried by our wholesale and
retail houses, but shipped through to the
west by the hundreds OF car loads from
countries that cannot possibly compete
with this valley in the cheap production OF
these articles.
Take again the lines OF starches, both for
domestic use and manufacturers. There is
no place in the United States where corn is
SO cheap and abundant and SO sure crop.
What is there in the way of the cheap and
profitable manufacture Of corn starch in
Wichita. Nothing whatever.
Now one line Of manufactures IL sure TO
bcget Others, for the simple reai on that one
hinges on the other. The multiplicity OF
these can be seen in the cities which We
mention. Canning factories in Wichita
would be followed immedi ately by the man
ufacture Of tin cans by the million and the
printing of labels by the ton, which in turn
would give employment to timers and
printers. to paper makers and so on and SO
on. which needs no calculation, and the
starch manufacturers 10 box makers and
so on.
Speaking OF paper makers we desire 10 go
of in another line which would prove
profitable beyond any question. Some lime
since we had a talk with Edwin Ruggles,
Esq, who is well posted AS to the manu-
facture and profits of straw board, such as
Is employed in the making OF cheap paper
board boxes. At our request he furnishes
us with some calculations AMI suggestions !:
ave will refer TO straw-boarj mot straw
lumber and the less heavy papers manu-
featured from straw. The returns of the
of Nybaat aud nafs made In
the county clerk for the year 1888, by COM
putting one aud one-half tons of straw per
acre for wheat, and two tons per acre for
rye and oats, makes one hundred and forty
five thousand five hundred and fiity-eight
tons of straw produced in Sedgwick coun.
ty in that year, and more than half Of the
whole being within ten miles Of Wichita.
The amount OF straw produced is increasing
each year, and is burned up by the farmers
to get it out OF the way.
Lime, which is used largely in making
straw-board and other heavy papers, is
produced in great abundance within \ few
miles, and the best white lime eau bs had,
a barrel.
Coal, such is used for making steam, can
he had for $3.50 per ton, delivered.
Wichita is no further from ST. Louis and
Chicago, than are the manufacturing points
that supply the markets Of New York and
Philadelphia with these products, from
those cities, while the stock from which
they are manufactured can be had here for
less than half what IL costs eastern manu-
facturers.
Starch, glucose, cat meal, and all other
articles made from grain or fruit can be
manufactured here with great profit"
Mr.. Ruggies IL within the bounds OF
reason in his assurances, we believe, and
We know him to be correct in his estimstes.
In our judgment, now Is the time to
strike, and because we think so these sug-
gestions are laid before our business men,
especially our real estate dealers and bank
ers, who as a rule, are in more constant and
direct communication with the class Of men
who carry on these enterprises. We do
not urge the offering of bonuses Oh premi-
ums, or anything Of the kind, but simply
to help the EAGLE in bringing our very su-
perior advantages to the notice Of capital
lists and manufacturers seeking the best
possible openings and locations. The col |
umns of this paper have ever been aud will
be open TO any and every suggestion or
communication that any citizen may desire |
to contribute which would be likely to
make more plain some OF the matters upon
which We have merely touched.
Wichita 10 In fact the railroad center Of
the state, her facilities for getting east,
west, north and south being surpassed
at least by no town in the state, aud with
our rapidly growing trade and increasing
population, the chimnies Of hundred man |
should, within the next five or
ten years, be sending forth their smoke and /
flame, aud the hum Of whi.llng wheels and
din Of rapid hammers be augmerting our
present wonderful liie and activity. !