The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-09
A GREAT AND GROWING CITY
a Few Facts About Indianapolis for
Capitalists Everywhere to Consider.
It's Unequaled Advantages as Manufacture
ing Point and for General Business Point
ed Out by the Board of Trade.

It's Unequaled Advantages as MaHulactuT-
ing Point and for General Business Point
ed Out by the Board of Trade.
The Board of Trade will issue to-day pamph-
let giving statement of the advantages OF In
dianapolis a point for prohtably investing
capital, and it will be sent to manufacturers
throughout the country. In speaking of the
citys location the boards pamphlet says: ut is
central being the capital of and in the center of
the State. nearly the exact center of population
IN the United States; being the center of tho
great agricultural and cereal-producing district;
being near the center of the great American rail-
way system and surrounded by abundant
supply of natural gas, coal. hard wood and
building stone. 1t is healthful. being in
medium climate. not subject to the greatest ex-
tremes of heat and cold, and by the United
States census is shown to have the smallest per
cent. of deaths of any city in the country"
map accompanies the pamphlet, showing
that the city is in the border of the largest
tinuous district of natural gas-bearing land in
the world, a district comprising over 20, 900
square miles and over II, 100000 acres of land,
which. it is stated, '.has been developed and
tested by hundreds of gas wells, demonstrating
beyond all doubt that the gas supply is mex
haustIole, and its quality for fuel and iilumina-
to the city, and those in course of construction,
have demonstrated that the friction be over
come in piping short distance Is trifling, and
by discreet legislation and the organization of
local companies, composed of consumers,
ample supply of natural gas is assured to manu-
facturers at cost not exceeding % per cent. of
the cost of coal, even when that fuel is supplied
at less than one dollar per ton. AS a result,
large manufacturing esta Adjustments have for the
past year been locating IN this gas field at the
rate Of one per week from the date Of its certain
development"
The population of the city is estimated at fully
49, 000 making 1t twentieth in number or ID
habitants As to the citys growth and manu-
featuring industries, it is stated, 1T has about
one thousand factories, with annual output
of nearly $50. co., 900. sold throughout this and
many foreign countries. having but eight cities
leading it in manufacturing this country. and
not one factory has failed in business in the
past four years, while the introduction of nat
ural gas will save them in fuel an amount, In
many cases, equal to per cent. upon their
capital invested, making competition next TO
impossible. The manufactures located in any
part of the natural gas field must necessarily be
tributary to the business of the city, and while
gas fuel is m de absolutely free in many parts
of the gas field, it is also fact that 1t will be
made so nearly free to manufacturers in and ad
jacent to Indianapolis, that the superior ship
ping and market facilities are worth more to the
factory than the nominal cost of gas fuel, and
manufacturers not afford to locate in tho
gas field away from the city and pay the addi-
tional cost of transportation which is saved to
them by our superior railroad facilities"
1t is set forth that, las railroad center the
city has few equals having fifteen completed
lines, connecting in the State with one hundred
other lines. all landing their passengers ia one
magnificent new union depot, from which one
hundred and twenty passenger trains arrive and
depart daily, carrying an average daily of TWEEN
ty-hve thousand passengers. From nearly ev-
cry county shown the map. embracing all Of
Indiana and a large part of Ohio and Illinois,
persons may come and go in a day, and the pop
ulaton thus made tributary to the trade of the
city is twelve hundred thousand. These
railroads are all connected for freight purposes
n md n nj a n m o.
nifcent stockyards. Over i've thousand freight
cars pass daily over this Belt road, and from
three hundred to FIVE hundred carloads of stock
are handled daily at these yards. which do a
larger business than the yards of ST. Louis. Gin
cinnati or Louisville. The line of this Belt is
rapidly filing up with large manufacturing
adjustments, which obtain, without expensive
switch charges. direct connection with all the
railroads entering tho city, the switch charges
on the Belt being only ST. per car.
SIN consequence of the railroad connections
and large field for trade, the city has always
been good location for merchandising. Many
merchants have amassed fortunes and retired
from this field, while few have failed. The city
has over three hundred wholesale aud jobbing
houses. aud over one thousand doing retail
business in the various lines OF merchandise.
The sales for the past year at wholesale are est-
mated at thirty million dollars The people of
the tributary country being comparatively free
from debt. there have been few bad debts made
and the business has been very remunerative
Our city is believed to have the most successful
Wholesale street in the country In many de-
partments the city has the largest and most
complete retail stores to be found in America
and there is little, if any. occasion for our peo-
pie to go away from home to do shopping, while
hundreds come from neighboring cities daily to
attend the numerous conventions held here, and
while here make their purchases.
'The city has four national and two private
banks, with aggregate capital of about three
million dollars, and all of these banking insti-
buttons are sound and conducted on the most
conservative basis. Tho reports of the clearing
house for the past year showed business of
about one hundred million dollars, which
an increase of nearly 90 per cent over the pre-
ceding year. The system of building and loan
fund associations which has been in success
full operation in the city for the past ten years,
has contributed largely to the financial pros
perity, well as To the general growth of the
city. They now number nearly one hundred,
and their aggregate capital is over seven million
those Of all the banks Of the city. They take
the place of savings banks, and encourage thrift,
enabling every man who is so disposed to own
his own home, and THE ownership is one of the
most healthful features of manufacturing
business, relieving the factories from all strikes
and difficult labor troubles.
1.-The city has the Holly system of water
works, which cost over 81, O0O. 900; has capacity
of 20, 000, 900 gallons per day. and supplies
water from gallery at reasonable rates 1t has
a horse street-car system with about forty miles
of track and has chartered cable system,
which is to be constructed during the present
year embracing some ten miles of cable and as
much moro Of connecting horse-car lines. There i
are over $50 miles of Illuminating gas mains,
and nearly 8. 600 posts. showing over 100 miles
OF lghced streets. Has ono of the most ef1clent
fire departments the country; six engines,
one chemical engine. ten buildings, $50 miles
fire alarm wire. 150 alarm boxes, 10, 600 feet OF
fire hose, eighty-two fremen, all run at cost Of
$82 600 year. Its private schools equal any In
the Union in number and character, and has a
largely endowed and attended university but
ler.) Its free school system has twentyeight
houses, worth 1857 000 90 600 registered chill
dren. and II 500 average daily attendance, 300
teachers, and costs average of $19. 81 year
per pupil. The last enumeration for school pur-
poses reports but so persons between and
twSnty-one unable to read-a sufficient proof of
the efficiency of the schools Has Ave free pub
lie libraries that contain over 10000 volumes;
new State house, just completed at cost of 3d.
600 900; county Courthouse cost 81, 500, 600;