Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-12-18
A NEW DEPARTURE.
Santa Fe Road Establishes an Indus
trial Department.
DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL BUSINESS
ENTERPRISES TO BE FOSTERDD.


ENTERPRISES TO BE FosTERDD.
Jas. A. Davis Appointed Commissioners
With Headquarters at Chicago.
The management of the Santa Fe Route.
| approaching the vast Importance OF devel'
oping local business enterprises IN the ter
ritOry traversed by its lines, has created
an industrial department, in charge OF an
experienced and competent commissioner,
whose sole concern 1t will be to assist In
such devOrment by acting as means OF
| communication between wOuld-be invest.
Ors seeking profitable employment of CAPT.
| tai on The one hand and the innumerable
opportunities for such investments In the
western territory upon the other. The
| bird vice.presdent OF the Santa Fe h.
accordingly addressed a communication on
this subjects to the general freight agents
of the entire system, copy OF which COM
municatiOn We give below. The sigai6.
canoe of this benificent policy to cOmmu.
mites richer in opportunity than In capt.
tai will at once be apparent, aid 1t will
doubtless meet with hearty corporation
everywhere:
CHICAGO. Nov. 20, 1885.
Mr.. F. z, Gage. G. +. A.. Topeka, Kas.
Mr.. l.. j. Polk, G. f. A., Galveston, Tex,
Mr.. f. Chambers, G. F. A.. Los Angeles.
Calf
GENTLEMEN I'm 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 To-
Gated on our line of road, we have estab-
lished an Industrial department.
Mr.. Jas. A. Davis has been placed in
charge of this department with the title Of
Industrial Commissioner, with headquar-
tiers at Chicago.
This department will, so far as it seems
compatible with prOpriety take a paternal
interest in the development OF the towns
and territory served by our company, and
1t will respond promptly to all calls for
co operation in the establishment of fac
tories. location of mills and the develop.
ment of anv and all resources that may be
discovered
1t Will endeavOr, where necessary, to
place produce in touch with markets, and
in general way 1t 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, 1t will
not in any way favor bOOms, but will pro-
coed on tine theory that solid. continuous
tvtb ;c hatfa hon n TIC
efforts Will be in that direction.
1t will not take any financial interest In
proposed industries, as IL will have no
money to invest nor cash to contribute.
The industrial department will lOt
sist in the location of creameries where
there are no cows, nor rolling mills in a
country without either iron ore, fuel or
coke, nor in any way will it knowingly
lend its support to a proposition that
seems wrong either geographically, com.
mercialy or financially.
Manufactures that consume native raw
materials will be encouraged. For OK.
ample, in the corn belt there does not az.
pear to be any reason why hOminy mills,
glucose, syrup, sugar and starch factor.
les, 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 on this sub.
ject, because it 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. at any time, to
hear from Boards of Trade, Commercial
Clubs. Farmers Alliance or any organ
lied bodies. as well as firms and indlyidu-
ais, 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 condition.
Circular announcing Mr.. Davis Oppoint-
ment will be issued to- day, and think 1t
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 ce-Presldent.