The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-21
Delaware County's Wealth Has In.
creased $1,000, 900 in Five Years,
And the Population of Muncie. Its Capital
Town. Has Grown from 5000 Ten Years
Ago to More thar 22.0U0 in 1892.
Natural Gas Has Brought to That Town
Almost Sc, 0 900 of Outside Capital,
Which Furnishes Employment for 5000 Work.
men and Disbursesin Wages Nearly $780,
200 Per Month-A Marvellous Record.


star Correspondence Of the Indianapolis Journal.
MUNCIE, Ind, Dec. 20.-Just previous to
the discovery of natural gas here the
assessed value of all taxable property in
Delaware county was Sill. 100000. In 1891
the value of property returned by the as
G SCISSOR for taxation amounted. in round
numbers. to SIS. 000. 600. showing an increase
of $1,000, 900. or an advance of more than
80 per cent. upon real estate and chatteis
throughout the county. In 1880 the popu-
lation of Muncie was 5000; IN 1890 it had
increased to about double that number.
The city directory. now approaching COM
%pletion. will approximately fix the number
of inhabitants at 5000. This increase of
population and property values Is the
%county's inheritance from the gas belt. To
this Muncle owes that metropolitan air
which distinguishes her from other cities
of the district, and in point of size and
commercial Importance has enabled her TO
rank among the leading cities of the State.
The energy which has successfully located
80 many millions here in manufacturing
enterprises is not notably o new element in
Muncie's history. She has always had
many publlc-spirIted citizens. and even
before the discovery of gas was IoremO
in the encouragement of commercial and
industrial concerns. By her liberal SUBJ
sides to railway corporations she had al
ready provided herself with an extensive
system of transportation, which became
Immediately valuable when the develop
ment of her gas wells began, drawing manu-
featuring plants to this vicinity. She has
carefully husbanded her enormous output
of the fluid, and on this account is enabled
now to offer enormous supplies of free fuel
to all industries that may avail themselves
of it's advantages. There are at present in
Delaware county nearly two hundred flow
for all private and manufacturing pnr-
poses within the city. They supply $780,
100000 cubic feet daily. The old Eaton
well. the pioneer of the group, has been in
daily, though moderate. use for SIX years.
aud shows no decrease of pressure.
In view of tho wisdom of Its methods, 1t
Ia proper here briefly to notice the existence
of q business organization TO which the city
8 largely indebted for that prosperity which
is so evident ON every hand. This Is the
Citizens Enterprise Company, composed
/ su bstantially of every citizen OF the town.
/ The company " as organized tor the purpose
of encouraging tho location of commercial
or manufacturing industries, and within
the brief space of sixty days there was sub
soribed, and paid into the fund, $3.50, 00O.
This has been used in the most judicious
manner, and. as there are no saiar,ed OFF,
GERS TO be supported from it. every dollar
that has been thus far used has been ap-
pied to the legitimate end for which it
was subscribed. With this fund, the COM
pany guarantees to duplicate any sub
scription of private capital needed for the
encouragement OF any desired industries,
which practically raises the amount to the
power of half Q million dollars. Many of
the largest manufactures now in operation
here have been beneiciaries of this fund,
| and. as yet, less than % per cent. of it has
| been exhausted. Without bending the
county for q dollar, this well-directed effort
of the citizens has accomplished more than
c0nld have been expected from the formal
levying OF q municipal tax.
1t is difficult to present and quite impos-
sible to comprehend the incessant activity
of money in this city. Where 500 is hoard
ed In bank vaults 500, 600 is employed in
the avenues Of trade. If timid prognosti-
Gators without the belt have foretold the
failure of gas, they are without honor as
prophets here In the heart of the region.
Money moves continually. and is employed
in legitimate not in speculative channels.
The establishment of manufactures. the
building of houses, the improvement or
construction of public buildings, and the
opening of mercantile enterprises constl-
tute some of the avenues through which
flow man y millions of this restless wealth.
MUNCIE'S
Before reviewing the figures, which bet
ter than anything else will enable the
reader to comprehend the magnitude of
Muncie's growth. it should be observed
that previous to October, 1891, the town
contained but eleven thousand inhabitants
and it's manufacturing interests. though
con siderable. were wholly ia the hands of
local capitalists. These concerns, If in.
corporated at all, were not heavily capital
lied, and afforded employment to but q
/ limited number of men. 1t was only after
natural gas had been discovered. revoIu-
tionizing the question of fuel. that foreign
manufacturers began locating industrial
enterprises here. How rapidly this ap-
added to the city's active wealth will or
pear from q survey of the following list of
incorporated concerns which rave estab-
Ilshed themselves hero within the past two
years.
1919 nx--u