Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-12-10
"A NEW DEPARTURE
Santa Fe Road Establishes an
Industrial Department.
DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL BUSI'
NESS ENTERPRISE TO BE
FOSrERED.
James A. Davis Appointed Commits
slOneF. with Headquarters
in Chicago.

The management Oh the SANTA re
Route, approaching the vast importance
of developing local business enterprises
in the territory tTaversed by its lines,
has created an industrial department, in
charge Of an experienced aud competent
Commissioner. whose sole concern twill
be to assist IN such development by act
ing as means of communication be-
tween would.be investors seeking prof.
table employment of capital on one
hand and tie innumerable opportuni-
ties for such Investment in Western ter
ritory upon the other. The third vice.
President OF the Santa Fe has accord
ingly addressed communication on this
subject to the general freight agents of
the entire system, copy o. which COM
municatiOn we give below. The signif-
canoe of this benefcent policy to com
munities richie. in opportunity than in
capital will at once be apparent, and it
will doubtless meet with hearty cooper
alton everywhere:
CHICAGO, Nov. 20, 1896.
Mr.. +. c. Gay, G. F. A., Topeka, Kan.
Mr. L. j. Polk, G. +. A., Galveston, Tex.
Mr.. E. Chambers, G. F. A., Los Angeles, Cal
GENTLEOIEN,-In pursuance with the
policy we have already talked about, of
assisting in every way we consistently
can in locating new enterprises and at
the same time fostering industries already
located on our line of road, we have es-
tablished an Industrial Department.
Mr.. Jas. A. Davis has been placed in
charge of this department with the title
of Industrial Commissioner, with head
quarters at Chicago.
This department will, 80 far as it seems
compatible with propriety, take pa
ternal interest in the development Of the
towns and territory served by our COM
pany, and it will respond promptly to all
calls for cooperation in the establish,
ment of factories, location of mills and
the development of any and all resources
that may be discovered.
It will endeavor, where necessary, to
place produce in touch with markets,
and in a general way it will undertake to
bring about improved conditions all over
our system.
1t will not attempt to boom any one
town as against another; in fact, it will
not in any way favor bOoms, but will
proceed on the theory that solid, con
tinuous growth is better than boom,
and its efforts will be in that direction.
1t will not take any financial interest
in proposed industries, as it will have no
money to invest nor cash to contribute.
The Industrial Department will not
assist in the location of creameries where
there are no COWS, no rolling mills in a
country without either iron ore, fuel or
coke, nor in any way will it knowingly
lend its support to proposition that
seems wrong, either geographically, com.
mercially or financially.
Manufactures that consume native raw
materials will be encouraged. For ex-
maple, in the corn belt there does not
appear to be any reason. why hominy
mills, glucose, syrup. sugar and starch
factories, if properly managed, should
not thrive.
These factories should all begin in a
small way. The capital invested should
not all be put into working plants. 1t
takes money to operate factory after it
is built, and the primary essential is good
management. Nothing succeeds with
poor management.
| write you quite at length OH this sub
ject, because il seems very important to
me that everybody along our line ought
to know how we feel about this matter
We want to be in touch with the people
we serve, and we want them to know that
we appreciate that anything we do
towards building up and enriching the
towns and country we traverse builds up
and enriches this Company.
Mr.. Davis will be glad, &C any time, to
hear from Boards of Trade, Commercial
Clubs, Farmers Alliances or any organ
lied bodies, as we'll as firms and indi-
viduals, and will make it his business to
visit and advise with any community
wishing to establish manufactures or in
any way desiring to improve their con-
dition.
Circular announcing Mr.. DAVIS APP
pointment will be issued today, and
think it would be well for you to advise
all your subordinate officers as to what
we desire to accomplish, IN order that
we may get the greatest results from the
Industrial Department.
Yours truly.
(Signed) PAUL MORTON,
Third Vice. President.