The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-28
NOblesville Plays a Prominent Part in
the Great Industrial Revolution.
Since Gas Was Discovered the City Has More
than Doubled Its Population and Business,
and the Future Is Full of Promise.
KOKOMo's ADVANTAGES.

kOkOMO'S
They Are Numerous, and Judicious Use Has
Been Made OF Them by the Citizens.
STAFF Correspondence Of the indianapolis Journal
KoKoMo, Ind. Dec. 27.-The situation OF
Kokomo. on the extreme northwest OF the
Indiana gas belt. made it o point of great
interest to the Chicago Pipeline Company
when the introduction of natural gas into
that city was first contemplated. What
ever may nave been the drift of public
opinion as to the a~dvisability of piping
gas out of the State. the result 10 Kokomo
and Howard county was beneficial In the
extreme. The company not only pays to
farmers heavy royalties on its immense
gas land leases, but it has underlaid the
city with q system of heating and lllum-
mating pipes that Is probably I'M
equaled in the State. 1t was
laid at q cost of $500, 0O0. There is
ns large o territory of Gas-producing land
lying adjacent to Kokomo as can be found
in the belt. Franchises for factory pur-
poses have been obtained upoD it all, vir-
tually, and 1t Is the claim of the city that
it has command of more gas privileges for
the use of present and prospective indus
trial concerns than all the other towus of
the belt combined.
Like every other town in the district.
Kokomo's growth has been rapid and con.
tinuous. Its population in 1887 was about
four thousand. 1t has now twelve thou
sand inhabitants. South kokomo, which
four years ago contained but two houses.
now has a population of four thousand peo-
pie collected about the great iron. glass.
straw-board and cntlery-works that have
established themselves in that suburb. In
side property has advanced An five years
over 400 per cent. aud suburban lands that
were slow and uncertain at $50 per acre are
now in active demand as factory sites or
building lots.
The assessed valuation of Howard county
in 1856 was 8, 500, 600. The total assessment.
as returned last spring. Is Sl3.3l 335. or An
increase of about $50 per cent. Within the
city itself the assessed value of the I'M
provements in five years amount to S4,2l5,-
$40. At the usual rate of assessment, one.
third the actual value, the total amount of
KokomUs improvements attributable TO
the possession of gas is So. GAG. 090, showing
an increase OF property values In the city
of 81, 529. 204 per year.
More than one million dollars have been
expended here for the two thousand dwell
ing-houses which have been erected siEce
the discovery of gas. The city has built
three new school buildings, ut o cost OF
$50, 600 each. and $3.50. 600 have been spent IN
the construction of business blocks alone.
Much of the profit accruing TO the city
from Its gas fields has been used In beauti-
flying ana adjoining the town. A fno forty
acre park mas recently been added 20 the
list of it's public conyeniences. and q first
ciaes driving park has been established.
SOME OF KoKoMo's
The basis upon which this new prosperity
is founded is, of course. the factories
which natural gas has brought to the town.
The total number of these concerns Is fifty.
and the following description includes
only the larger and more important of them:
The Kokomo enameling- works has IN in
vestment of 100000. 1t employs one hum
dred operators. twenty-five of whom are
females. Its payroll approximates $4,000
per month.
The Opslescent glass works employs q
capital of $4,000. 1t manufactures all
varieties OF opslescent ware. There are
employed here fifty men, who draw month
ly salaries a~ggregating $1,000.
The KOkomo knitting Y W forks is one of the
concerns within the belt that employs fe-
male labor exclusively. Its investment is
$4,000. and it furnishes employment for
fifty women, paying them . total OF $500
per month.
b Kokomo wood-pulp Company en-
ploys fifty operatives, discussing q month
Iy payroll of S1,50. Its capital stock is
$780, 900.
The Kokomo Paper Company has invest
ed $50. 00O in buildings. machinery. ETC.. and
has a payroll of 1000 per month.
The American straw-b0ard- works is cap.
itailzed ut $500. 000, employs sixty men, and
pays out monthly for labor 81. SOC.
The Diamond plate glass works. capital
lied in the belt at 81, 600. 900, has a large
branch concern here and another at Ell
wood. In both concerns 10 employs 500
men and disburses monthly q payroll of
5000. Kokomo 10 the headquarters of the
factory, and both plants are managed from
here.
The Riverside machine-works 10 q COM
pany concern. employing u capital of $780,.
O00 and working tweDty-hveSuen.
The Armstrong. Landon d Hunt Com
capital srock is sl2o.OoO and it's payroll
reaches So, Oe0 per month. This is disburssd
among seventy five men.
The s. G. Moore Planing-mill Company
il not incorporated. 1t is a concern of con-
sidera BILE magnitude. employing thirty-five
men and having a monthly payroll of ST.
900.
The Kokomo Furniture Manufacturing
Company employs twenty men at an aggre-
gate monthly salary of 81 .0C0.
The Darnley * Daussn Milling Company
has invested here In fiouring-mIlIs S15. 900.
The Barlow Milling Company employs
$40. O00 in the operation of it's tlourlu g-miIls.
The star machine works has o capital Of
$40, zoo and u monthly payroll of $500.
The Kokomo S~tep-ladder Company is or.
ganized with a capital of S25. 900. 1t works
forty men and pays an aggregate Of $1,000
per month.
The Fisher Range Company. q stove
manufacturing concern. has invested $780,
600, employs forty men and pays ont
monthly for labor 5000.
The kokomo Canning Company employs
$780, 900 in its operations and IN it's seasons
works three hundred persons. mostly
women and girls. Together, they earn
S7.5W per month.
The Branson IL Sumption healinR-works
month. Its capital is S25. 00D.
The Sparks Brothers Brick and Tile Com
pany has g. O0o ca pital. employees fifty men.
and dIsburses e.. 100 per month.
w. B. Morgan. manufacturer of brick.
keeps constantly employ ed thirty men at
81. 600 per month in the aggregate.
j. VI. leecb, brick-msker. uses O capital
of S25, 600. He employs thirty men. and has
q payroll of 8. 0O0.
The Kokomo Electric Company furnishes
light and power. Its In vestmenti 10 $50, 000.
The KokomoE Electric Street-railway Com
pany has an investment of 525. coo. This
company Is s~tringing wires for n system Of
incandescent lights
The Ea gle Paper Company is composed of
Kokono capital. Its principal concern 10
located here, bnt it operates others within
the gas belt. Its total capital is S50,0o0.
CONSERVATIVE COURSE.
Kokomo has never made special efforts to
obtain manufactures. IL has acted upon
the principle that natural gas is a valuable
and highly desirable fuel. and the wisdom
of this course Will be seen when it is known