The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-28

size and similar surroundings. f. 4. A.
AT NOBLEsvILLE.
The City Has More than Doubled Is Popu-
lation and Business.
STAFF Correspondence Of the Indianapolis Journal.
N~oBLEsyILLE. Ind. Dec. Z.-Nooiesville
10 the place from which Indianapolis gets
Its supply of natural gas. and. all other con-
ditions remaining unchanged. that city
need have no fears of exhausting the sup
ply. The gas lands about this town are ex-
tremely prolific. More than $50 wells are
now in active operation within the immedi
ate vicinity of the town. some of them
within the corporate limits One of tho
companies supplying Indianapolis operates
nearly four hundred wells. The gas for
domestic and manufacturing purposes is
largely controlled by o company of Mobiles
ville's citizens. For manufacturing use
there are twenty wells in operation. and
for lire and lights Throughout the lowe there
are probably as many more.
In the industrial revolution now in prog
ress throughout the belt Noblesviile is TAX
ing an active and prominent part When
q gas-field In Indiana first became a proba-
bility NoblesyIlle was among the hrst OF
the towns TO rec ognIZe It's etupendous i'm.
portance to the industrial world. Homo
companies were lWmtQlaLtly CfkaulZtQ IOE
the development of adjacent lands. fran
chises were secured, and soon the steel was
sinking TO the vein In various directions
about the town. Ii seemed impossible
then, and apparently remains impossible
to this day, to sink upon an reproductive
spot. Every well was q producer, and
the Noblesville field to-day 10 regarded as
the most prolific in the belt. This field
would seem TO extend about the town in q
circle whose radius cannot be less tEan six
miles. The Consumers Trust and the lDdi-
annapolis Gas Company are both drawing q
portion of their supplies at present from
wells located six miles or more from the
town.
The effect of these resources was soon
seen upon the village. As coon Is they be-
came q means of revenue. which was M
nediately, 1t was TO be observed In public
improvements or individual enterprise.
Soon q factory was located; then another
and another. The population which these
industries always foreshadow soon put in
it's appearance. With more factories came
more people. till from q town of $500 in
| habitants. before the development of it's
wells, 1t now has come to number five thou
sand souls. with O regular and steady prog
ress toward oven greater accom-
SIX extensive additions have been bult
to the.town to accommodate this new IN
pouring of inhabitants. and others have
been plated aud are being built upon as
demand warrants. Considered from any
point of view, the growth and advancement
Va .@8 110 ae( "
spire a logical confidence In its future
| progress. Of the increase of population
above noted, T5 per cent. perhaps. is en-
ployed In the factories. or in some degree
connected with them. Taking advantage
of the superior ghool facilities aud excel
lent sanitary provisions. many substantial
farmers have rented or leased. their lands.
moved into the town and built homes. Two
new stone-inished brick houses have re-
GENTLY been completed. one at a cost OF
$4,000 and the other at SIS. coo. One factory.
the carbon plant. just getting ready for op-
Grafton. has fifty families ready 20 locate
here. but as yet there are no houses for
their accommodation.
The effect of the new order of things upon
general business throughout the town and
county has been TO increase il 20 to 20 per
cent. within the city, while farm
lands, reasonably adjacent TO the town.
have advanced S. 10 $40 per acre. All
farm-houses located conveniently to the
developed districts are, OF course. piped for
gas, which adds materially TO their value,
considered merely as farms.
As evidence tending TO snow the increas-
ing volume of business. it may be said that
the foremost banking concern of this place.
. private company, has found its business
growing so rapidly of late that it contem-
plates taking on a national character ut
once.
Among the more important industrIeG
now IN operation here may be noted the
Lay Pail Company. With a capital stock OF
SIS. 000. paying out $3.50 for labor; the No
blesville Hoop aud stavs Company.
operating on an invested capital
of $1,000. with q monthly payroll
Of $500; the American straw board
Company. whose capital is $500, QUO. with .
monthly payroll of 81. 500; the Nobiesville
Milling Company. with 9 capital of sloo.O0Q.
and = monthly payroll OF goo. In acdi.
ton to these are n large foundry aud
maehine-works. o number Of smaller con-
Germs manufacturing wood and paper now
cities. glass. specialties. etc. Noblesvills
has one industrial plant that has the dis
tinction of being the only one of it's kind
in the belt: thar is the carbon factory. lie
manufactures carbon for all the uses OF
electricity. Its product ia valuable and
the demand Is great The company 10 erect
inc gigantic brick and stone-works just
south of the city. where they will put into
operation $4,000 of capital. furnishing
employment to a large Der OF men. In
the nature of it's product this - cons;d-
cred by business men here one OF the most
important industrial concerns IN the belt.
The Noblesville Milling Company Is not
engaged exclusively In milling operations.
The concern manufactures milling ma
chinery. agd the Touring establishment
erected here was bnilt more to display Its
own machinery than for conducting TIC
business of making fiour. This plant 10
probably the most complete of Its kind in
the State. Every detail has been arranged
with the v rev OF showing TO advantage the
workings of the various .parts. and 10 u
practical milling plant. designed TO produce
the best resnlre. it has been pronounced by
experts as near perfect as can be made. lt
is q five-story structure, built entirely OF
| brick and stone.
Ii remains to say of Noblesville that its
railway Communications are all that man.
ufacturers could desire. The Lake Erie 81
Western oDensa large extent OF jobbing
territory and gives direct access 10 tho
large Western cities. while the Chicago ~
Soutbeastern communicates directly with
large consuming markets of an infinite va
ricty Of manufactured products. Z. p. A.