St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-01-08
LOCAL MANUFACTURING.

In view of all we have had to say On
the subject recently, the GLOBE is graft
fled to observe that the business men of
this city are at last awakened to the
necessity for enlarglng our manufactur-
ing interests, and that they are going at
it in business-iike way which signifies
success. We GO not propose in this con-
neetion to review the ground we have
Travelled over so often in our endeavor
to bring this matter TO the attention of
the st. Paul public, but our aim is rather
to discuss some OF the obstacles that
present themselves, in the hope that we
NAV be of service in assisting to remove
them.
The one great obstacle.in the way of
establishing asuccessful manufacturing
industry in this city is the item Of fuel;
and in comparison with this one, all
other obstacles are as insignificant as
mole hills. As long as we have to de-
pend on the Pennsylvania mines for our
fuel supply, there is no hope that the
situation will be relieved. The coal
barons are in position to keep the prices
up indefinitely; and then there is the
cost of transportation. which cannot be
reduced materially below the present
cost. We may as well recognize in the
beginning that if we have to depend on
the Pennsylvania coal mines for our
fuel supply, It will be useless to talk
about making manufacturing city of
st. Paul Then arises the inquiry, What
are we going to do about it? Shall we
sit down with folded hands and bow to
the situation as we find it, or shall we
90 to work and change the situation to
our benefit? Let US see what can be
done.
If we could only discover a rich coal
field near our own doors, the problem
would be solved. Or if we could strike
vein Of natural gas within 200 or 500
miles of st. Paul. we would be out of
the woods. But as neither of these
events is likely to occur, we will have
to plague our wits little more in order
10 find a substitute for our present fuel
supply.
While we are talking about manu-
featuring, what is to prevent US from
manufacturing our own fuel? We have
within easy reach all the materials of
which coal is made. Why not, then, sub
Stitute the artificial processes for the
natural i'll making it. There is now
enough sawdust rotting in the MiSsis-
sippi river 20 provide st. Paul with fuel
for manufacturing purposes for the
next five years. Has the spirit of Old
fOgyism takes such firm hold upon us
that we cannot avail ourselves of what
is to be had? There is peat enough in
Minnesota to run all the factories that
we will want in the next fifty years.
What were we thinking about that we
don't attempt to utilize some of the
blessings that nature has bestowed upon
US? If the people down at New Or
leans have energy enough to meet the
eXigencies of their sultry climate by
manufacturing ice by artificial proc
esseS, there is no reason why we should
not resort to the same device in provid-
ing ourselves with fuel supply. There
fore, when the proposed manufacturing
union is organized, we suggest to them
the proprety of first discussing and
adopting. some plan to secure cheap
fuel.
There is another point we think
worthy of consideration in this connec-
ton. 1t is mistaken idea to suppose
that all of our manufacturing plants
must be of colossal proportions. What
we want is a great number of small
manufacturing industries. The big cot
ton mills of New England represent an
immense deal of wealth to that section,
yet the true wealth of New England,
and that to which it mainly owes its
prosperity, is the large number of small
manufacturing concerns to be found in