The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-07-16
Something TANGIBLE.

Forgears past our bssines men, feeling
tie necessity Of planting III oaS uiast bro
ductiye enterprises and pXten ding the
trade Of the city, haze been eizsd with
periodical spasms oftalb abaps establish
ing large manufacturing industries and
adopting other means 5fs Sncreasing sbusi-
ness and attracting p6pHgaff6n The
trouble seems to have been they aimed too
high. Instead of settling on some tangi-
bic scheme. Within the limits of their
power to put into practical operation, they
have. been building castles in the air. in
the hope that. others .wouldybep allured by
the picture into. reproducing 4sthes.slzy
structure in brick and mortar. For
years and years past the attractions of
stanton as a manufacturing site have
been harped upon, and the paper plans
have been almost as nnmereusa as the stars,
butthe plain practical work Of laying the
foundationofl the city's futare growth and
prosperity remains untouched. Instead of
putting down the money to. idaugarate a
manufactofy which would require $50, 900
or $4,000 capital, and would be- within
the reach Of our, business community, we
are constantly talking of great iron works,
car works, railroads, laid other projects
requiring millions, the very magnitude Of
which renders any contribution we could
make insignificant. % Tlhe-restlit is that the
scheme claims attention for brief Season
and then vanishes to give place, erea great
while to another Of its. king, equally i'm
practicable, and at the end Of a yeara or a
decade We find .ourSelXesostilli dreaming,
whilst the denopportunitya.is passing
Thelold fable of. the farmer ana the lark
could be studied with profit We have
waited long enough for our nefghDors, our
friends and our relatives to help US with
the harvest ialsy and now II behooyes Jus to
pull Off our own coats and. enter the field
FIVE would not lose, a]Las What Staunton
needs to start with is small mandatory
such as shoe factory, wagon factory, paper
mill or other industry, the means for the
inauguration Of which ought to BE- raised
with scarcely an effort. The chance to
make beginning in the right direction
may be offered in the following extract
which We clip from the Manufacturers
Record ....ss'2 s,ss.s,.sE s},s.ls4tE rssosss.g
Mr.. e.. Az. Gibson, of the Dowa1 ire
Works. Louisville, Ky., writes as q BETTER
which is worth the investigation of the
business men in southern towns that de-
sire to build up their manufacturing in
terests. The enterprise, which; he Intends
to establish will employ from. fifty Ito a.
hundred hands. and we have seen it stated
that the amount of capitalize be invested
in it will be from SAG, 000to $50, 0a09 1.-THE
letter is as follows:
Dow WIRE Works CoAIPANY,l
ssI265andg 728 ". Market street, .&l
LOUISVILLE, KY, June 4,.l8S5.
Editor Manatf dcturers' Record
Dear Sir.-Having purchased the entire
outfit OF the Southern Wire and Iron
Works Company of this city, Lsdesire 10
locate the same in some enterpriSing city
where we can procure cheap iron, cheap
fuel, and low freight rates in.every direc-
tion. To the city SO located, offering the
greatest inducements, / will move the
above plant for manufacturing iron feRe-
ing, bank and counter railing, and all Kinds |
of wire goods; said machinery is all first !
class. complete in every department, and
sufficient. in quantity to Keep employed
from fifty to one hundred hands. Hoping
through your valuable paper to find a good |
healthy location in a mild climate, l re-
main yours, G. w. GIBSON.
Let our Merchants and Manufacturers
Association and City Council look into
this matter and see if something can y. qbe
made of it. If this fails, thenlet them,go
to work to make a COMMENCEMENT inca
modest way and put the ball III motion.
We hayeah talk enough, action is needed !
now.