Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-17
WHY MANUFACTURES?


swift revealment that all her future de-
pended upon railroads. She got them.
One by one, and trunk line after trunk
line, she got them. She is going to get
more. From these trunk lines in every
direction there were thrown out
branches, connecting links, limbs as 1t
were from the main tree, feeders. AS
result, this magnificent farming country
already referred to has been made di-
rectly tributary to Wichita, pouring
into her markets and sending through
every vein and artery of her daily traffic
great streams of agricultural products,
from a peck of turnips to splendid
herd of fatted cattle.
So far SO good. This field has now
been as thoroughly and as perfectly oc-
cupied as it could be occupied by the
money. the energy and the skill of man
in so short a time. 1t is the field of the
producer. with an inexhaustible soil and
a healthy and invigorating climate. But
what shall avail the concentration Of SO
many far reaching and invaluable rail
roads at single focus if we have over
cropped ourselves? Abnormal growth is
not always nor by any means a healthy
growth. Food that is not assimilated
puts upon the physical system load to
carry which is wearisome at the begin
ming and in the end frequently dis
astrous
If, after going out into all this fertile
territory contiguous to us and encom-
market for its immense annual output,
then il would have been infinitely better
in all practical business ways that she
had striven for fewer railroads and a
lesser number of dependent farming
relationships.
But the work is done, and well done.
Let it now be utilized to its fullest ca
pacity. For all this immense variety of
productions let us find consumers. Let
there be a reciprocal exchange of COM
and the left arm of manufac-
ture will be made equally as strong and
as effective as the right arm OF agricul-
ture.
Every complication of nature like
this is cleared away the very moment
our people-with all of their oldtime
will and determination-simply resolve
to make Wichita great manufacturing
center. Having already, as we have
secured railroad connection in
almost every conceivable direction, we
are liz better condition to talk manufac-
turing no, act manufacturing, be sure of
manufacturing, than at any other time in
all our history. These railroads will
make cheap coal in abundance, cheap
timber, cheap lead, cheap iron,
cheap raw materials of all sorts;
and because of their extremely
large number, healthy and active COM
petition. There is no city to-day in the
United States-east or west, north or
las finer manufacturing
facilities than Wichita. Within
hands grasp to the south and southwest
are inexhaustible supplies of white and
hard pine, oak, ash, hickory, linn, cedar,
walnut, maple, poplar, and whatever
other wood can possibly be called for in
every sort of wood work. Lead, for
every known purpose of lead work, exists
in great deposits hard by in our own
state and Missouri. So, also, with iron.
Destined in the near future to be one Of
the largest packing points in the union,
hides by the train load will soon be had
for making all the known grades of
leather. Two railroads penetrate to the
very heart of the Lake Superior copper
region. Silver ore from old Mexico,
New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, Nevada, !
Colorado, and even Arkansas can be
brought here in countless tons
to be smelted or otherwise re-
luced. Scarcely a clay used for any of
the purposes of manufacture but what |
is waiting on every hand for develop |
ment. AS for labor, skilled and unskill- |
ed, frequent examinations made into |
this branch of the question by exper-
fenced manufacturers have induced them !
10 declare that it is here in abundance, |
and to be had at prices perfectly just and |
'air to both employee and employer. |
Then add to all this Wlchitas unrivaled |
,ailroad facilities equaled by but few
centers and surpassed by
lone.
Therefore, with such resources as |
hese to commence with who can doubt /
'or moment what the results would be |
f our people will only rise up unani-
nously and declare that now that we
nave everything else in business way, |
shall come to the hearts
content of all.
And just look for moment what each
additional manufacturing establishment |
will do for Wichita: Say that it en-
1loys ten men only, one-half of whom |
nave families. This means five new
houses, or five occupied houses OF some
sort, 1t means ten more patrons for
bakers, dry goods merchants.
druggists, physicians, grocers, boot and
,hoe dealers, the country produce deal
9rs-in short, for every branch of mer-
,handise imaginable. Multiply these
en- NoIhhleH OS Ten ctheIs. ana again
" ten, and SO on until there are 10, 600 |
sober. stalwart. industrious artisans
II work, and who can calculate to-
lay what wonderful new growth
md development would be the out
,ome of it all? The retail trade-at least
ha very bone and sinue of all CONNER
'ial peoples-would be added to five
hundred fold. There would then no
onger be question as to how best to
utilize the tremendous resources of that
I \.