Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-07-07
WHAr sPRINarrELp NEEDS.


l. We need cheap fuel for the use of
manufacturers and other citizens. Cheap
fuel is pressing public demand. We
must have 1t, to enable us to compete with
the manufacturers of other cities, and we
can have 1t. Whether the best result
C. c.-the cheapest and best fuel-can be
reached by piping natural gas from the
Ohio gas fields, or by the manufacturing
of fuel gas from coal, or through the use of
crude petroleum, or by some other process
or method, is matter to be determined by
Investigation ind experiment These three
processes which we have mentioned are all
now actually In use. and we have the testi-
mony Of those who employ them that the
the cost of production is materially de-
creased by all of them and In so far as
we can reduce the cost Of production we
increase the margin of profit. The city
council has already taken step In the d.
rection marked out, and the board of trade
will soon be In position to give the coun-
ell efficient corporation In this line.
We can have natural gas. That is eer-
tain; and the only question Is whether II
can be brought here and supplied to our
manufacturers and to other large and
small consumers of fuel, at rate lower
than the cost of coal.
We can also havs fuel gas from coal and
from crude petroleum, or use the petroleum
direct. ALI of these features are in use In
manufacturing cities in this country,
and a committee from our board of
trade, or the council. could find out, from
inquiry and inspection. what the practical
results are, and whether any Of these
features could be so applied here as to re-
duce the cost Of fuel. In this one matter the
utility of the board of trade can be demon
strated at once, to the satisfaction of all;
and we need, also:
ii. A belt railroad line. This has been
repeatedly urged, by individuals Hon.
Samuel A. Bowman, Mr.. Amos Whitley
and others-and in the local newspapers.
A belt railroad In q town, or encircling a
town, is no experiment One has been
long in operation at Indianapolis, and a
council or board Of trade representative
would only need to take three hours ride
to discover just what our city needs as
much as anything else, and just what it
can have, and should have, st as early
day as possible. A belt road encircles the
city. In its suburbs, where land is
cheap. and e gives the railroad
companies sufficient room and facilities
for the transfer of freight. thereby reliev-
ing the centers Of cities from the annoyance
of the noise and obstruction by the fire.
quent passage OF freight trains required for
the handling of wares and products brought
here or sent abroad.
Then belt line would afford very advan-
tageous sites for factories, on line that
would give them direct access to all the
roads coming into the city and they would
carry on their operations outside of the
city.
A belt line would be of great benefit in
several ways.
1t would give the railway companies very
valuable facilities and they would contrib
ute largely to its construction.
1t would give Springfield an opportunity
to offer great Inducements to manufacturers
10 come here from other cities. Certainly
so If we could offer the additional facility
of cheap fuel! Neighboring cities are Sc
curing prizes of this sort which we could
have secured il we had possessed the sdyan-
.ages which We have set forth in detail.
No one individual. or newspaper. can Sc
cure these results. Individuals and news
papers can suggest and urge, and do but
little else. But the city council and an Or
ganized body of five hundred citizens ian
investigate, plan and push in the common
and general interest of the town and Its cit
izens. -
Organized. intelligent, well-considered
action continuous and energetic-in be-
half of Springfield, is the first object of
the board of trade and of all good citizens.
IS citizens. Individual enterprise has
already accomplished wonderful things,
here, and it almost goes without saying
that ali this Individual enterprise, repre-
sented in hundred or more different con-
Germs, can. if 1t co-operates and works as
one man, with single purpose Of building
up the town, accomplish still more remark
able results.