The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1901-06-13
A WARNING NOTE.
Are We 90 Lose ths pants Factory.

Editors HERALD lin regards to the
pants factory, there is one simple
fact that the people of Oskaloosa
should clearly get into their minds
and that without delay, and that fact
is that If we do not keep the internal
industries we have and add to them
by inducing others to come in it will
not be possible to maintain the
growth of the city, and IL the growth
of the city is not sustained the value
of property must necessarily de-
crease.
The pants factory may not appear
to some to be very big industry but
il it should move out of town, most
certainly itwould effect city property
for the worse and to much more than
the 81, 900 bonus which is now sought
to be raised. If there is any one
thing which more than another gives
staggering blow to city, it is to
have the people of another town
come and take away any one of it's
industries. The report of such
thing will soon spread all over the
state and cannot easily be repsired.
There are many cities now. decaying
or dead throughout the states which
can attribute their downfall to no
other cause than this. Will Oska-
loosa follow in the same course?
Some of its citizens seem to have an
swered, ''we will'.
suppose some excuses have been
offered for not subscribing to the
amount the committee expected to
raise, but there can hardly be any
valid excuse when there is question
of the life or decline of the city.
Most assuredly if we do not supply
some substitute for the income which
used toRbe derived from the coal
mines, but is not now, the city of
Oskaloosa cannot maintain its neces-
sary progress, and il it fails to pro-
gress decline will be inevitable.
Everyone knows that this city has
entirely outgrown the needs of the
surrounding country. Where then
can we expect to secure the trade
which its business men, merchants,
professional men, laborers and all
others absolutely need for their main
tenance? Only in internal indus tries
of oneli kind or another. This fact
we had better think about and cream
about until we get it properly into
our heads, and then we shall see
what it is necessary for US to do that
we may successfully build up this
town. Sooner than let this or any
other factory move out of town am
very willing to double the amount
levied on me by the committee, and
not only that but / will give that
doubled amount every year for the
next five years for the purpose of
buildingsup industrial plants for this
city.
/ ami credibly informed that the
pants factory paid out last year al
most eleven thousand dollars in
wages. Now, is there one citizen in
Oskaloosa who is prepared to say that
we can tafford to lose this industry?
Certainly not. And the officers of the
companyl moreover give very good
reason that this amount can easily be
doubled the coming year. Bearing
these facts in mind it appears to me
that the people of Oskaloosa will be
little less than mad if they should
suffer this industry to move away
rather than to subscribe the paltry
sum of two thousand dollars.
One word more. II the citizens of
Oskaloosa are not entirely dead to
their interests, they will rise up as
one man, and imperatively demand
the immediate building of the street
railroad. If the people of Oskaloosa
do not soon bestir themselves they
will be very apt to see Abba in the
near future the headquarters for an
extensive electric railroad.
M. O'CARRoLL.