The herald., 1897-01-03
MANUFACTURING INTERESTS.
Cheap Fuel Is Solving a Popular
Problem

The only condition that hitherto has
initiated against the growth of manu-
| featuring industries In Los Angeles has
been the price Of fuel, and this has been
| overcome by the discovery and develop
| ment Of crude oil deposits. The general
| adoption OF crude petroleum for fuel has
resulted in much economy in the opera
ton of factories. electric street railways
| and the steam railroads. The price Of
the petroleum remains at such a figure
that It's steam making value is consid-
| cred In the ratio of about three and one
] half barrels Of oil to the ton of coal. This
| equals the reduction Of the price of coal
to about $3.50 a ton. At this price for
steam making fuel Los Angeles can
compete with the most favored cities of
the east. This fact has seemed so OBJ
vious as to result In the opening of new
manufactures and the enlargement of
| old ones.
| Chief among the manufacturing inter-
ests may be enumerated the wood work.
| ing concerns which annually turn out
! great quantities of manufactured prod
ucts, to be used chiefly in the building of
new houses. Even iron working has at
tanned some Importance, despite the
| great distance the raw material must be
brought. One concern, the rolling mill,
| closed down toward the last of the year,
but It's failure Is accredited to causes
| that might exist in the most favored
| locality, and there are sanguine hopes
Of its early resumption of business. The
| making of structural iron and machinery
has attained proportions most surpris-
| ing. Other branches of the iron indus
try are thriving as we'll as could be wish
ed, notably the making of pipe, tanks
| and boilers.
| The manufacture of shoes has attained
| foothold In this section, and is des-
| tined to grow apace. For shoe manu-
| featuring the fuel and the raw material
are both to be had without going
| abroad to seek. So also with the manu-
facture of soap, two extensive concerns
now doing prosperous business in that
line in Los Angeles. One industry that
| Is without rival near enough to be
| dangerous is the production Of Catalina
facture into articles for house building
| and decoration.
The making of candy and crackers
and the preparat ton of canned, dried and
crystalized fruits is conducted prof1tably
by several firms that employ large num-
bers of helpers. Coffee and spice works
are OF such Importance as to demand at
| tention. The manufacture of ice by va
| rious concerns has attained wonderful
proportions, and the kindred industry of
| producing distilled water Is one that is
| engaged In by various rivals. The brew
- e-ASO NCiAe NCll anu the Drln-
| cipal one has been so enlarged as to make
! 1t compare favorably as to size with
| any similar concern on the coast.
| One prosperous concern is engaged In
the building of church organs and in op-
| position to eastern rivals is placinng on
this coast many fine Instruments made
/ in Los Angeles.
There are factories-not mere shops
but factories-engaged in making cof-
fins. chamois skins. morocco, macaroni
paper and wood boxes, fertilizer, wagons
| and carriages. harness. whips and what
not. The amount of business done by
each OF these concerns annually Is such
as to indicate the gradual growth and
possibility of competition; and the quail
ity of their product must be good. to
successfully compete with eastern pro-
ducers who enjoy so many advantages.
One need not be too sanguine to fore
see In the present signs the indication of
the near future when Los Angeles shall
be as famous for her manufactures as
she Is now for her climate, her wonder
full retail and wholesale emporiums and
her annual accretions Of wealth
The making of extracts and essential
oils is engaged in to a large extent and
is said to be profitable. Among the arti-
cles manufactured in Los Angeles are
brick. cement pipe, flour, glue, gloves,
paints pottery, pumps, trunks and
women's hats.