People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-12-10
A NEW DEPARTURE.
Santa Fe Road Establishes an Indus
trial Department.
DEVEL0PMENTOP LOYAL BUSINESS
ENTERPRISES TO BE FOSTERED.
James A. Davis Appointed Commissioner,
with Headquarters in Chicago.

James A. Davis Appointed Commissioner,
with headquarters in Chicago.
The management OF the Santae Fe
Route, approaching the vast i'm
pOrtaDce Of developing local business
enterprises in the territory traversed
by its lines, has created an industrial
department, in charge of an expert
enced and competent Commissioner,
whose sole concern it will be to assist
in such development by acting as a
means of communication between
wOuld-be investors seeking profitable
employment of capital on the one
hand and the innumerable oppOrtuni-
ties for such investment in Western
territory upon the other. The Third
Vice-President of the Santa Fe has
accordingly addressed a communi-
cation on this subject to the General
Freight Agents of the entire System,
Il copy Of which communication we
give below. The significance of this
benefcent policy to communities
richer 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; MIR. L.
J. Polk, g. F A., Galveston, Tex; Mr.. f,
Chambers, G, +. A., Los Angeles Cal
Gentleman: 10 pursuance with the
policy we have already talked about,
Of assisting 10 every way we con-
sistently cad in locating new enter
.prises and at the same time fostering
industries already located on our line
of road, we have established an In
dustrial Department.
Mr.. Jas. A. Davis has been placed
In charge of this department with
the title of Industrial Commissioner,
with headquarters at Chicago.
The department. will, so far as it
seems compatible with proprlety, take
paternali interest in the development
of the towns and territory served by
our company, and it will respond
promptly to all calls for cooperation
10 the establishment of factories,
location Of mills and the development
of any and all resources that may be
discovered,
1t will endeaver, 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,
will not in any way favor bOOms, but,
will proceed On the theory that a solid,
continuous growth is better than a
loom, 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 OfcreamerieS
where there are no cows, nor rolling
millSin country without either iron,
ore fuel or cOrke, nor in any way will
it knowingly lend its support to a
proposition that seems wrong, either
geographically, commercially or
financially.
Manufactures that consume native
raw materials will be encouraged.
For example, in the corn belt there
does not appear to be any reason why
hOminy mills, glucose, syrup, sugar
aud starch factories, if properly
managed, should not thrive,
These factories should al begin in
a small way. The capital invested
should not all be put into working
plants. 1t takes money to operate a
factory after it is built, and the
primary essential is good management.
Nothing succeeds with poor manag-
ement.
Iwrite you quite at length on this
subject. hecauSe 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 seyre,
aud we want them TO know that we
appreciate that anything we do towards
building upand enriching the towns
and country we traverse builds up
and euriches this company.
Mr.. Davis will be glad at any time,
TO hear from Boards of Trade, Com
mercial Clubs, Farmers Alliances or
any organized bodies, as we'll as firms
and individuals, and will make it bis
hnsiness to visit and advise with any
community wishing to establish
manufactures or in any way desiring
to improve their condition.
Circular announcing Mr.. Davis ap-
pointmeut will be issued today, and |
think it would be well for you to advise
all your subordinate officers as towhat
we desire to accomplish, in order
that we may get the greatest results
from the Industrial department.
Yours truly,
CSigned) PAUL MORTON,
Third Vice-President.