The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-10-01
Whitaker Plant Has Been Trans
ferred to the Bondholders
in ST. Louis.
PLANT TO BE REOPENED
Thought That nachnery Will Be Going by Janu-
airy First-DesCription of the
Immense Plant.

John Whfttaker has transferred TO Will
lam II. Thompson and J. c. Van Blarcon
Of St Louis his equity IN the Wichita
packing plant known as the Frances
Whitaker & Sons packing plant. The
Ira nsfer to these geneltmen is for the
Benefit of the bondl1olders Of the old plant.
WfiHa1n H. Thompson Is president of
The ST Louis Bank Of Commerce MIR.
Van Blarcon is the vice president of the
came institution.
The Whitaker packing plant began op-
era Ions August l. 1889. For five years it
con1uoted a heavy business. 1t reduced
its output greatly from that on until Oc-
toIoer, 1897. There were times when it's
pay roll reached somewhere in the neigh
borhOod OF $500 weekly.
There has never been a year in the his
tory OF the Wichita house when 1t did not
nlaka a profit This statement is a fact
made on absolute authority.
Tho people OF Wichita subscribed $50, 600
10 tle plant When it was running 1T
was a great success.
Il 5 a fact straightforward and moon
troy lrtible, that the best hog market in
the United States is the territory sur
rounding Wichita.
For bong period previous to the pres
ent tine Mr.. Whitaker was not in a po-
Biuon 10 operate the plant to its fullest
capacity. Even then it made money.
Ab.ut four years ago the plant was
bono ID. This was at the time OF the
strIna ency in the money market Mr..
Whit aker now transfers the property to
these pondhDlders.
The gentlemen now in possession of the
property can do one of two things: They
can sell the property outright or they
can operate II, or increase its market
value largely and then sell.
There is no question at all THAI the
plant Is 10 be operated The time of op-
Grafton Is Of course conjectural, the first
OF tha coming year not being perhaps a.
very remote guess.
Mr.. Thompson, who is a very rich man,
The h Sad of the lead business in st. Louis
Is in Europe. The matter is in the hands
of Mr.. Van BlaroOn-
The Whitaker brands are worth a
great deal of money, possibly more than
l
plant at Wichita would continue them IN
teh world. The Whitaker plant in St
Louis was sold five years ago to the
Swifts The Whitaker brands then dis
appeared except for the Wichita house.
The whitaker company kept offices in
st. Louis. 1t is understood that these
were closed last week.
If the Whitaker brands, valuable to a
great degree, are to be kept alive. 1t is
the Wichita house which will do it in the
Future. This fact viii have a potent bear
ing on the future history Of the plant.
The move made this week is simply the
tr0nsfer of the pant from Mr. Whitaker
II Nessrs. Thompson and Van Blarcon,
and it rests with the latter two gentlemen
70 ia re the next step
The hope Of the city, and IT'S firm be-
lief. is that they. being able to operate
and enhance a property by its value by
operation, will soon open it up to its ca
pacity and share in the profits of the re-
1uvenated and prosperous conditions
which are now apparent in every line Of
business in Wichita
1t is freely predicted and sincerely De
loved that whoever operates the plant
will from the profits at once accruing,
take the plant Immediately off the mar
let
These are the facts IN the case The
transfer means progressive movement
at The very least, and in consequence
unu 1 for Wichita
The transfer has been contemplated for
some time.
It mas always been a. matter Of keen re-
get to Wichita. citizens generally, in all
bus ness and commercial channels that
this immense and we'll equipped concern
should stand idle and become non-produc-
tive and all the time at the mercy of de-
cay. loss of prestige and thorn in the
city's pride And Yet no one was TO
n,la-na Tho disastrous conditions % the