The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-07
CARRIAGE POLES FOR PRUSSIA.


ss,rtue that Is TO be developed here.
HOUSTON has several factories that are
shining their products to all points OF the
United States and even to many ioreisn
countries. The average resident Oh tne
city does not realizs the extent OF tho
city,s manufacturing businoss. and would
be surprised to know the variety OF prod
tets that are shipped from this point
A lumber manufacturing and exporting
Arm OF this city is today filling an order
from the Prussian government ior zVVp
gun carriage poles That order means
great deal mere than is conveyed by It's
bare announcement. In the first place II
is a splendid tribute to the superiority Of
Texas lumber. Furthermore, 1t is good
thing for Houston and Houston manlfac-
trrer. 1t shows that this city Is In po-
sition to get the very best class of trade.
and that its business men are OF the wide
awake and pushing kind
wher Texas lumber is recognized by a
foreign government as specially suited for
use In its gun works we have every reason
to feel proud of that fact. These gun car
/ rage poles are made from hickory and
must be without the slightest naw or de-
feet. The order for them was received by
C. r. Cummings & Co,
When questioned Mr.. Cummings about
the order he didn't seem to think it was
anything worthy of special note. why"
said he, 1--WE have had several orders in
recen. years from the Prussian govern
ment and the Krupp gun works for gun
carriage poles Heretofore we have se-
cured the material in Indiana, but this last
order is being filled from Texas hickory.
at isn't such snap in the way Of an
order, either. The Prussian government
pays we'll for whatever II buys. but
every bit OF the wood must come to speci-
foations. The very slightest flaw, sign
OF a defect no larger than fly speck, VIII
cause a pole to be rejected. You will see,
therefore that all this necessitates very
careful selection OF material. We pick
our timber with the greatest care and
submit the poles when finished to the clos
est scrutiny possible, and even then we
often have half OF the order rejected as
not meeting fully with the governments
requirements.
1--WE make a specially OF this export
business, however and are always ready
to fill such orders. We are shipping i'm
mense quantities OF Texas lumber to for
eign countries. and find the demand con-
stantly increasing"
1 One line Of this firms business which is
probably known to comparatively few OF
Houston's citizens is the manufacturing
and shipping of cedar in little slips for use
I in the making o. lead pencils. They sup
/ ply four foreign factories with these slips
( or zlats. The cedar trees of Texas furnish
the supply. They are brought to Houston
and turned into small strips of lumber.
not over quarter OF an inch in thickness
and about seven inches long. Each slat
( furnishes the covering for four lead PEN
/ ellis. aud Cummings & Co. ship fully 10000
/ gross OF these cedar stats every montn.
I You see, therefore, that a little thing
| like a lead pencil gives good market
for Texas timber and furnishes business
| for firm OF Texas manufacturers. When
! you consider the thousand ard one little
things there are to manufacture 1t must
strike ore as strange indeed that we fail
to DO more of this class pt work. Other
I cities are making these little things; why
not Houston try to manufacture a few
| Tho successes We have made point the
way to the creation OF many other manu-
featuring industries. Instructive object
lessons Of the possibilities of manufacture
ing in Houston can be seen on all sides
~
| Every man is affected somewhat by his
surroundings. Mr. Cummings, as a lum-
| herman. doesn't talk of any other kind
OF manufacturing. When you talk facto-
| ries to him he doesn't think of cotton
mills, packing houses or oil refineries.
His mind instantly reverts to the posi-
bilities of lumber manufacturing. and the
many uses to which the timber of Texas
I can be put.
! In his opinion a furniture factory is
| one of the city's greatest needs. and he
believes that II would prove paying i'm
vestment In fact. Mr.. Cummings thinks
that there should be several factories
in this city for the making Of furniture.
The best way to get this class of fac
tories" said Mr.. Cummings, lis to have
one large three or four-story building
erected and equipped with motive mower.
and then let the owner or owners Of this
building furnish the floor space and the
power for several small factories This
Is the plan adopted by the furniture CEN
tiers OF the North and East and IL has
proven very successful.
BY this method man with a modest
amount OF money to invest Is enabled to
put in operation a small plant for manu-
featuring some one line OF furniture. There
can be ten or twenty such plants under
one roof and they can all be- made suc-
cesstul' None OF them will conflict ana
IN many ways they vlll be better than one
large factory in which an immense amount
OF money must necessarily be invested.
should there be dozen or more dit
ierent articles in the furniture line mann
featured here, all under one roof. Housto,
would soon become the furniture center of
the State TQtt,-o.z -,