The Russellville Democrat., 1891-04-16
Russellville's Opportunity.

One oi the institutions of Russell viIIe in which her citizens have felt a pardonable pride is the Melrose Cotton Mill. It's establishment marked an area in the advancement and prosperity of the town. The benefits and advantages derived from its establishment in our midst were fully demonstrated. For time the mill fourishsd and prospsred, bene fitting alike the management the town and the people. But, like all th,rgs terrestrial, it was subject to revsrses, and reverses came. First, accomplishing interst on q large in debtsdness incurred in the establish ment of the plant, consumed the profits and sapped it's strength. Then the fire fend with remorssless sway, destroyed machinery and pro ducts, paralyzing the institution. This proved crisis Tn the affairs Of tho company and the result is too well known. A sale under mortgage last January transferred the owner, : ship to parties living in Massachu setts, these parties recently sold to MT. c. J. Gould of Cincinnati, who is the present owner.
 MT. Gould has received tempt ing offers to locate this machinery at various points, notably at Tren- ton, Tenn. And he may yet decide to take the machinery from Russell vile. Before deciding to do so, how ever, he has made proposition, through his agent, to the effect that if Russellville raise $5000 and con Ntrfbute it as bonus, he will not on ly operate the Melrose machinery here but add to it his Cincinnati plant, which would more than double the capacity of the mill. More than this. He proposes to enter into con tract to operate the combined plant for period of not less than 10 years. The proposition is so fair. so reason able and easy of acceptance, that we cannot believe our people will be % blind to their own interests as to nealect to accept It. The enterprise would give employment to tt least l50 operatives and .vould turn out 30,000 pounds of Roods per week. It would add over $IO0, ,000 to the taxable property of the town and county. It would slye an impetus to the growth Of the town well nigh incalculable. The result would be longer terms for our public school, better market, an increase in value of real estate, and above all the biggest advertise ment that could possibly be given the town, and pave the way for oth- er manufactures. There are hun dreds of reasons why our people should siege this golden opportunity, end not one why they should treat 1t with indifference. The fact that many of our best citizens lost their investment Tn the Melrose company, as regretable as that fact may be, is no excuse for a failure to act with business sagacity now and "hedge" on the loses hitherto incurred.
 The sum asked for by Mir. Gould is barely sufficient to defray tho ex pense of removing the Cincinnati machinery to this place. He has a right to ask this much and a bus fness community can certainly find little pretsxt for refusing to grant - reason able demand. The grant ing of 1t would satisfy Mir. Gould as to the interest this people feel in his enterprise, and would bs an assur ance Of the continued co cooperation of our people.
 We urge our citizens to give this matter the consideration its impor- tance demands. Let not the propo- sition pass, for truly it IS Russell. viIIe's opportunity.