The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-12-08
A Canning Factory.

Anent our article of last week on this
subject the following will serve as an
eye-opener, at the same time tend to re
infoIce our argument. 1t is taken from
letter in last Sundays Picayune and
written by that keen observer Catharine
Cole:
The Ruston cannery is the second in
dustry of the kind in the State. This is
remarkable, when it is considered that
Louisiana is one of the finest fruit states
in this country, and that the work can
be done better and cheaper than any
where else. This canneiy business is
the result of the enterprise of four young
men merchants of RustOn. They began
work last summer and put up $4,000
three pound cans of tomatoes, peaches
and pears. Finally in the height of
their season, when they had been can
ming peaches at the rate of 400 bushels Il
day, they were compelled to shut down
because they had run out of cans. Du-
ring the season they employed fifty per-
sons. and many little children earned in
the cannery from 50 to 81 week. The
cost for the factory for the machinery
and building was only $1,000. The pro-
jectOrs of the enterprise sent To Baltimore
for professional :canner, and their
anywhere. They have demonstrated
that canning factories will become a
great industry in the state, and that they
give employment and dispose OF fruit
that would otherwise find no market.
In order TO supply their cannery with
vegetables next summer the RustOn
Company have induced truck farmer
from Mississippi to locate on new farm
and have contracted with him for sup
plies of ochra, tomatoes, corn, peas etc.
And what is the spirit that moved
those young men? We quote again from
the same letter:
RustOn wanted a school. The citizens
dubbed together and each one dove
down in his pocket and gave his tithe.
Thousands of dollars were collected. q
fine college was built. and to-day I0Ore
than two hundred young men and wO
men are being educated in that little
town-On the proceeds of a patriotism
that is of the kind that will not die.
There it is in nut shell. And that
civic pride well directed has never yet
failed in accomplishing its object, the
subjOined excerpt from the same source
tells:
Once. during long sail up the river
Flo and visited for an hour or so u
Minnesota town by the name of WinOna.
The streets were wide. the houses elegant
hx, -. 1T al nd fhnrn N
gray stone and pink brick water towers
lovely enough for column of triumph
or monument to patriotism. We went
wandering along admiring rs we went
and picking up followers and citizens
who were delighting in our enthusiasm.
Never shall | forget the pride of their
town that animated those men. Nothing
in the world seemed to them so good as
what they had accomplished for their
little city. or had planned for il. To
them there was no state in the Union so
fine as Minnesota, no place so desirable
as WinOna and their patriotism was of
the right, practical and beneficial kind
that is free from selfishness or the fear
of benefiting some others as well. We
must think well of ourselves, honor our
selves strive for our own uplifting. No
modesty is more lovely or finer than
true self respect and q courage to get for
ourselves the best that is ours by right of
toll and earning.
Now let us ask if we have not at our
doors every essential necessary to make
a canning factory a success. And not
only this but many other small indus
tries could be inaugurated that would
unquestionably pay handsome returns.
Any intelligent man who will don his
thinking cap and wear it long enough
cannot but reach the conclusion that our
quickest advancement in the path Of
progress lies in the establishment Of ma
nufacturing industries.
Formerly this town was the distribu-
ting point of large area of country.
The advent of the railroad has diverted
the shipment Of that produce; so to day
nOught remains but the development Of
our too long dormant resources in other
words we must become a manufacturing
town, if we would reach that plane of
prosperity to which the admirable situa-
ton of our town entities her.
Who will take the initiative step to-
wards perfecting an organization for
the establishment first, of a canning fac
tory and then for others that might be
thought advisable?