The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-03-09
NEW DEAL IS On
A. J, Morris of Kansas City In
spects Whitaker Plant.
HE OFFERS TO BUY
Plant May be Used for Cold
Storage Purposes.

The Whitaker packing plant is being
considered in new light today. Mr.. a
J. Morris of Kansas City, who is at the
head Of the well-kEown firm Of Morris &
Butt, so long recognized as pork packers,
dressed beef shippers and cold storage
men, was seen at the Carey last night by
a reporter for the Eag-e. Mr.. Norris
visited Wichita at the invitation CT
prominent citizen with whom he las lad
d long acquaintance, and together with
his friend made a thorough Investigation
Of the Whitaker plant yesterday with a
view to considering its adaptability as
cold storage plant and ice factory Of very
large proportions. incidentally the PARTY
visited the Union stock yards, and Mr..
Morris was well pleased with them. lie
was favorably impressed with the Whit
taker plant as a packing house, but was
more inclined 10 this point as cold
storage proposition, for which he said the
Whitaker plant was admirably adapted.
MI Morris is interested in extensive cold
storage houses both at Kansas City and
St Louis and has also established in the
packing and lard refining plant, which is
prospecting. His great interest, however,
is in the ice business, which he says IS
increasing every year, with the increased
production of products and the growing
demand for pure ice.
Mr. Morris was so well pleased with this
locality for his ice and cold storage bust
ness that he will spend another day here
and will today make a thorough examina-
ton of the plant, after which he may
make a proposition, which it is hoped will
be such as can be accepted by the parties
interested in the plant. Regarding the
ice and cold storage business, Mr.. Morris
says that Wichita would furnish an ex-
cellent field for the business. His plant
at Kansas City furnishes the Santa Fe
company 10000 tons of ice per year, and
the cold storage plant has taken care Of
over 10000 barrels of apples per year, and
they are figuring on a quarter of million
barrels his year.
Wichita is the natural and recognized
center of an immense producing area" |
said Mr.. Morris last night, land is en-
titled to be the shipping point for all tie
products Of this southern section. It is
as far south of Kansas City as Omaha is |
north and her territory is much better |
than that tributary to Omaha For this |
reason Wichita should have cold stora sc |
pant large enough to take care of the |
products of its territory. Then all of the |
eggs, fruit. etc, that are produced and |
raised in this southern country would be /
shipped direct to Wichita instead Of hav- |
2lants''
Would your taking the Whitaker plant |
for this purpose preclude its use as pack
ing plant?"
Not at all. It would be an advantage
TO it, as both enterprises go well together.
The arrangements which have been talked
of and which 1 am here TO investigate
would simply enable the owners % tie
plant to get it in operation right away,
and be getting something cut of it.
If Mr.. Norris concludes TO put il the
ice and cold storage plant here, he VIII
doubtless secure an immense contract
from the Santa Fe people with whom he
is figuring. to ice all of the trains for its
southern roads, which, in connection with
his contract at Kansas City. would give
|
from Kansas City TO California.
Should he secure the plant and operate
It for his ice and cold storage business,
he will put in an immense ice factory.
and will conduct an exclusive wholesale
business. He said: '"The people of the
have begun to be particular about
the purity of things. Pond ice is no longer
to be desired since the manufacture of the
pure article from distilled water has be
come so prominent throughout the cOun-
try. Most all first-class cities have legis-
lated against impure ice. This has Gre
ated such demand for the manufactured
article hat the business has become uni
versal in even smaller towns than Wich-
tia and pond ice is destined to CO.
Mr.. Morris was formerly in the stock
business and at one time operated packing
houses in several cities. He once bought
stock at Wichita, and will tomorrow buy
a carload Of good hogs if he can secure
them here. which he viii ship to the City
Of Mexico for his packing plant at that
place. He expressed great surprise at the
growth and progress of Wichita. so
many magnificent homes and well-built
business property" he said. gives to the
city that substantial and thrifty appear
ance which the city doubtless merits from
most every standpoint.
Together with his friend, NJ Morris
will make another inspection of the Whit
-aker plant today. and judging from the
of last evening II Is very
likely that some kind OF a deal vii be
arranged between him and the hacking
house people whers by the plant can be put
in operation in the near future. Mr.. Nor
-is makes no buster about his business
affairs. however. and does not desire The
people ~ Wichita 10 have any false hopes
as 10 anything connected with his visit
here.