Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-25
year. 1t is needed to provide for the in
crease in business

wear. 1t is needed to provide for the In
crease in business
Getting All the Exchanges Interested.
81 know Q number of men in the Cham
Der of Commerce who are willing to invest
money in the Office building 1 have sug-
gested. 1t will certainly be erected, and it
should be backed by all the trade exchanges.
This is one of the features that will be
brought out by some of the speakers at the
banquet.
'The time is past when Pittsburg is de-
pendent on anv one industry. If the Car
negie interests should suddenly be wiped
out, it wouldn't affect the city very much.
There are other men who would take the
cites and introduce new industries in the
buildings What we need is diversity OF
industries. Textile goods could be made
here cheaper than in Eastern cities
Our manufacturers turn out nicely
finished bars Of steel, and they
are sent away to be worked up in other
places. If we have skill enough to prepare
the raw material, whv shouldn't the articles
into which it enters be made in the city to
avoid the cost of transportation? Right here
/ claim that Pittsburg is able to DEFY all
competition in numerous lines of manu-
facture that make other cities famous. For
example, Oliver & Roberts make all the
buckles, etc, on the harness, yet the
wagons are not made here. Towns in In
diana and Michigan claim to be the great
wagon building centers of the country.
They don't even make the hubs or spokes
in the wheels. These come from other
places, as the iron and steel from Pittsburg,
and these fellows are only joiners. In the
same way the steel used in clocks
and watches is produced here, but
we don't make clocks or watches;
that is left for somebody else Look at the
great quantities of galvanized iron Pitts
burg turns out, but none of it is made up in
the city. Jones & Laughlin make the
shafting for the cotton mills of the South,
and they have gained a reputation in this
line of business We make plenty of ma
chinery that is sent out of town to run in
dustries that should belong to US
Art Entering Into Manufactures
81 notice, by the way, considerable artistic
taste being developed in the iron business.
Our machinery was always substantial, but
rough. Now, a very fine finish is being OBJ
tanned. 1t is surprising how many chem
lists and mechanical engineers the iron firms
employ here. These men are educated and
they elevate the taste ut the employees
teach them artistic ideas and introduce
economic plans that make it hard
for outsiders to compete with u.s.
Why only recently 65 chemists Joined the
Engineering Society, and / will wager that
we have more experts in analytical chem
istry than any other city in the United
States. 1t is true some small establish
ments are coming in all the time, but not as
fast as they should with the natural advan-
tages we are able to offer. At present We
are making % per cent of all the raw iron
and steel in the country
''But Pittsburg is different from every
other city in the country. Its business is
not visible TO strangers, and they can't
understand what we have to brag about.
Why our market house doesn't begin to
represent the marketing. Look at the de-
velopment in the Monongahela Valley. 1t
is ahead of the country around, and the
farmers can't begin to supply these
new towns We send up to them by
boats corn, meats, potatoes and other
articles OF food. James Parton said: There
are only three cities In America that have
different from the prevailing
commercial cities; they are New Orleans,
and Montreal.
A City Full of Interest.
"When you 60 to Pittsburg take trunk
with you, and be prepared to stay for three
weeks That is very true. So much is to
be seen here. The conformation of the
land is such that only the heaviest
business can be handled in the narrow tri-
angie downtown. Show me another city
where SC many little business centers can be |
found. Take Allentown, the Southside. |
Oakland, East Liberty, Sharps- |
burg, Allegheny, etc. Each has its own |
stores, doctors, blacksmith shops and what |
is required to make a separate town.
Al
rreat city, and that is what mean when 1
,ny our business is not visible. In Chicago |
rou start with the suburbs, and you come |
up to the business center gradually.
''In the East are the mountains, which |
ire barrier. Our trade is with the pro-
lucing community in the West We are |
nearest to them, and our position can't be
beaten. Our merchants should cultivate |
hese people, find out what they |
want and then supply them. Our
business men don't send out enough |
travellers to advertise their wares and the |
,itv. Some of the firms, however, are wide |
awake, and they have a number of men on
he road Chicago is away ahead of us in |
his particular. When 1 was down in |
Mississippi and Louisiana, was surprised |
@ find Chicago drummers in little cross
Dad towns. 1t pays, however, and I would
ike to see our business men realize this
act.
Effect of the Ship Canal.
81 must not forget the canal to Erie
The DISPATCH is about the only paper in
that realizes its Importance. 1t |
S certain TO be built, and 1 am pleased with
he interest our local representatives. and
along the line take in the pro-
ect. Suppose that canal should be ready
o open tomorrow. What would pre-
-ent Pittsburg from becoming a second
in the -four business? The
arge quantities of grain taken across the
axes to Buffalo and shipped East could be
brought to Pittsburg We wouldn't be in
position to handle it at once, for elevators
vould have to be built 1t could be taken
Up the river to Braddock, McKees-
'ort and other places, where the mills
ould be built. The grain men would
ee that this would be good
'oint to grind it up. The -four could then
,e distributed in the South and East For
hat matter the local trade is not to be
neezed at. At least from 1000, 900 to
900, 900 people in Ohio, West Virginia and
Western Pennsylvania could be supplied
think of our possibilities of growth if that
anal was only built, and what a number OF
Industries could be started here Now
hese are some of the ideas that 1 expect TO
ee brought out by the speakers at the ban
uet. This city must be developed