The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-25
WOULD BUILD HERE
Chicago Man Figures on a
Large Canning Factory.
LOCAL MEN INTERESTED
Meeting Called for Tomorrow
at City Building

Mr.. B. H Mahanna, a representative OF
the Hastings Industrial company. con
tractors and builders Of canning factories
OF Chicago, ILL.,. IS in the city making ar
rangements for the forming Of a company
for the erection of $1,000 canning fac
tory at this place. Mr. Mahanna has
been in consultation with number Of
Wichita business men and has received
much encouragement from them. Yester-
day he called on a number Of the mem
bers Of the Commercial club and they are
all enthusiastic about the matter.
Mr. Mahanna came here from Column
I bus, where a canning factory is now be-
/ ing erected and was attracted to this
point by what he considers a splendid
/ opening for a canning factory. The plan
/ is to have a company formed under a CO
! operative plan. Farmers and business
men can belong to the company and take
stock. The system IS q toll system,
( certain amount is taken from the profits
/ Of each can OF goods, to be the interest
on the amount of money invested.
/ A $1,000 plant would mean a capacity OF
I 10000 cans per day. This means that It
/ would give employment to many people
during the canning season, and not only
that. but it would mean that the farm
/ ers and fruit growers would have mar
ket here which would take their products
during the season. at market prices
1 The cooperative system has been used
in many places successfully and has
not proven a failure by any feans That
there is a demand for canning factory
in Wichita is not disputed 1t is some
thing which Wichita needs and will have
along with her other industries. The
object Of the Hastings people in starting
a canning factory Is this: They are in
the business to erect canning factories
where there are good openings. They
erect the buildings and put In the ma
chinery. 1t is to sell the machinery that
this is done and the prices are the same
as competition would make After every
thing is completed, the property is turn
ed over to the company, which IS formed
locally. One-half of the stock subscribed
is paid down as soon as the property Is
taken in charge by the local company
The other half Of the capital is payable
after three months has elapsed and that
settles the matter as far as the local
company is concerned. The Hastings
people place a competent man here to
take charge Of the factory during the
first season and after that time 1t is
turned over to local manager. To
show what the demands here are for
canning factory man in the wholesale
grocery business stated yesterday that
Wichita wholesale houses could easily use
during the year more canned goods than
the Wichita house could get out The
market is here for the product and in the
meantime the market Is in sight for the
grower Of fruits and vegetables suitable
for canning purposes.
This means that the farmer can sell his
tomatoes green corn, peas. berries. beans,
etc, to the canning factory without any
question as to whether he could make the
sale or not If he brought them to the city
Mr.. Mahanna was seen at the Carey
hotel yesterday by a reporter for the
Eagle and regarding the matter the Chi
go man said: Il came here from Colum-
bus. where we are putting IN a canning
plant. The plan which we have is a CO.
operative one, and 1t is controlled en-
tirely by the formers and business men Of
the locality where the plant is located.
We have been placing these plants all
over the country and every one which
we have placed in, there has been a
growing business and an unqualified sue
cess and each one has made money for
the company organized.
II have talked with a number Of people (
in this city about a canning factory and
they want one here. Now we are pre-
pared to put up building and place the
machinery ready for work We have our
specifications and We submit them for the
approval Of the people Of every city
where we go. Now the local company
has entire charge OF the business and We
place a. man in thu plant for the first
season. After that the local men run the
business. and we have one place 20 find
where there IS any dissatisfaction regard 4
ing the working Of our plants. There are 4
many advantages from a canning fac /
tory. YOU know that as Wen as / do Il
is our busine@s to build factories and to /
form the cooperative companies and (
every place where we have put plant, Z
the capital has been enlarged and We
have put in more machinery for them be- !
fore TWO seasons 90 by. Your wholesale /
men want a canning factory here. They 4
are compelled to pay out much money
every year for canned goods. one man
told me this morning that the wholesale .
houses In this city could handle all the 4
output Of a canning factory In this CITY. .
ard YOU see that is furnishing market I
for the Wichita plant and the prices
would be just the same as any place else. (
want 70 meet the people ~ this city a. .
soon a. possible 70 take some steps tow
ard this market II they don't want a .
canning factory, why We don't want 20 .
put In one here.
A meeting of citizens and farmers is (
called tor tomorrow afternoon at O'Clock i
10 talk over the canning fscf1ry situs- f.
ton. The business men e. the ctty seem i
10 be IN favor OF the project ana me At 4
tendance at the meeting wiz be large. F
CIR Nahauua will be ar The meetlnE and +
VIII tel ~ the advantages ~ canning .
factory and how the cooperative pisn Is /
oreratsd The meeting WIFI he held Ell the
c'ty building and every enc interested s
invited.
II the plan goes through The building -
the factory wiu begin within short tine
L Is the Intentions of the company Il
bring their men here from Columbus ana .
Put them on the factory. and oT doing
his q would ne completed IL time fer
the canning season.
WICHITA FOR WOODWARD