Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-05-21
A TACK FACTORY.

Mr.. CLARK, Of Rockford, Illinois. left the
city yesterday morning and will return in
about two weeks. He had been here three
days, the first two Of which he spent riding
over the city talking to our business men
about the probable future Of Wichita, and
in short was taking in the situation on gen.
eral principles. During the time he skilfnlly
avoided all questions that were put, with
the hope that he would tell his business, and
what is far more surprising he successfully
warded off all thrusts OF good bargains OF
real estate" that were made at him. On the
| third day he told some business men in The
city that he WAS connected with large tack
mandatory located in this city and that he
was oct in the west looking for suitable
site for another like establishment He had
been directed by the company with which
he is connected, to visit this city before he
returned, and his visi. here was made with
an eye toward business solely. He told a
gentlemen that Of the many places he had
| visited, Wichita impressed him rs being the
best site for = new factory he had seen. He
| further stated that this was the last city he
had on his list TO visit and examine and that
the company would act according TO his
suggestion. They had left the matter msin-
| ly in his hands and would direct the capital
wherever he pointed.
He left for his home where be viii give his
company the advantage Of the data he has
collected. judging what he said unsolicited
| evidently Wichita stands best with him at
the close of the first round. But as he very
eutcly expressed it there yet remains some
thing else to be taken into consideration.
The slight defect OF location can be rene
died TO n certain extent by money sub
scribed. The above small quoto,ion sug-
gests what is yet to be discussed and re-dis-
cussed, and finally acted upon. This matter
he will attend to when he returns.
The company with which he i. connected
employs ninety boys and sixty men. He
claims the facilities for successful operation
of his business here is much better than
where the company is located. The bills
for freight for both coal and iron, he main
tanned, will be less here than there. This
estimate is BASED upon our present railroad
advantages. The output of his mandatory
are tacks and all the smaller finishing
nails.
When the question of the territory for
selling the product was approached, he at
once Frightened up almost TO the verge Of
enthusiasm. and said he was confident
more extensive establishment could be run
here than the one al Rockford. The terri
tory, wide and long, snd free from compe-
tition, and from this fact would be able to
get foot-hold, and command the best
markets before any other could be pu: into
operation, wss decidedly attractive feature
and was long the subject of favorable COM
meni BY him.
A reporter spoke 20 a few of the energetic
business men of the city last evening about
the matter, and they were agreeably sur
prised to hear of the new scheme. Gene--
ally they were all long past that point where
encN Sooiu oe su1Pfiseu az my tnlng pro-
posed or done in this city in the way of
pushing forward new business and new en-
terprises. /, was generally conceded that
the theory, that no manufsctory could thrive
in Wichita, where iron and coal is used, is
of the vaporish family and would neither
stand the test of reason or experiment Es-
pecially in this case where the coal is used
in comparatively small quantities the probs-
biliiy Of such q mandatory being success
WAS materially increased