The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-28
GET THE SMALL PLANTS
AND THE BIG FACTORIES WILL
TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.
Advice of an Old Manufncturer-Un-
usual Growth of Some of the
Young Industries.

One of the oldest of the manufacturers
in this city, in a conversation day or two
ago. said:
Our Board Of Trade and Commercial
Club are making the same mistake which
like bodies do in other cities, always look
ing for some big manufacturing companies
to locate in their cities and ignoring small
concerns. Our own city is an excellent ex-
ample of the wiser policy Of getting small
concerns and have them grow. Our pres
ent larger industries commenced on small
scale. Take for instance, the b. c. Atkins
saw works, started by E. G. Atkins and
a helper, which are now the largest saw
works, with one exception, ip this country,
employing over four hundred people, sell
ing goods in every State and Territory in
the Union and exporting great many
saws. The Atlas engine works, which en-
ploys between five and six hundred men,
" ere started by two men who were en-
ployed at the Eagle machine works, and
the engines now built at the Atlas works
are in use in all parts OF this country and
in many foreign countries, and stand at
the head Of stationary engine and boiler
manufacturers. The Brown Ketcham
architectural iron works We're founded by
young men who had been at work in ma
chine shops here, and from this little be-
ginning this large plant has developed and
has been awarded contracts and construct
ed some of the finest government buildings
in this country, and when heavy structural
work is to done the company is always
called upon to bid for the work. The Par
ry Manufacturing Company, which now
gives employment to over a thousand men,
but ten years ago begun operations in
little frame building on Garden street, and
now has acres of floor room crowded with
men turning out the various vehicles man
ufactured.
The Indiana cotton mills, a few years
ago, was a small affair and had been
burned out. The two Love brothers came
here, young men, rebuilt it and from year
to year have enlarged until they employ
nearly five hundred people and have the
largest ana most nodern-constructed cot
ton mill and bleachery in this country and
the largest mill west of the AIieghenys.
Only q few years ago the five Dean broth
ers came west, bought a little piece OF
ground of Nicholas McCarty, went in debt
for it, put up a small building, devised a
steam pump which ranks as one of the
best in the country and went about its
manufacture. From this little beginning
they now have one Of the largest steam
pump manufactures in the country, en-
ploying over one hundred and fifty men.
The Nordyl6e-M armon Company, manufac-
turers of fiouring-mill machinery, began
business only a few years ago on a limited
scale and now has at its two plants over
five hundred people employed. Not only
are the mills the company builds found in
every State and Territory Of this country
but, as well, in every foreign country. The
indianapolis hominy mills but few years
ago began the manufacture of cereal prod
uctS on a limited scale. When they turned
out two or three carloads a day 1t was con-
sidered a big business, and now, unless
turning out sixteen to twenty carloads
day, the managers speak of business as
being dull.
1.-THE chair and furniture manufacturers
of which there are five large concerns in
the city, all started on small beginnings,
and in every case, as with the Indianapolis
cabinet works, were put in operation by
young mechanics who left the Spiegel &
Thorn works, which for thirty years were
the leading furniture manufacturers of In
diana. None of these were paid bonuses
business The .poi;!t JfWant TO make is that
it is better TO have ten industries that en-
ploy from ten to twenty men locate here,
and grow up to be large concerns, than to
pay some large manufacturers a bonus to
locate at Indianapolis. The little manufac-
turer at once takes an interest in the city.
He grows up with it and feels that he is
a part OF It, While the large, wealthy man
ufacturer who comes in here feels more in
dependent and less interested in the well
fare of the city. Then, with these little
concerns strikes are very rare, for they
employ a set of men who build little homes,
and they as we'll become interested in the
affairs of the city and are satisfied to go
along from year to year on reasonable pay,
knowing that their employer is interested
in their behalf and that it is for his inter-
est as Well to have their good will. might
go on and name a number Of others who,
from little beginnings, have come to be big
concerns, big taXpaYers and a credit to the
manufacturing interests of our city. Take
the bleWerieS, for instance the AbbatOir
Company, the bicycle companies, the pork
and beef packers, the fruit-cdnning cOmpa-
MES, the Udell wOodenWare works, the En-
caustic tile works, the terra Gotta works,
the harness manufacturing companies, the
Standard wheel works and score of
others,