Mexico weekly ledger., 1901-12-05

The following letter addressed 70
lT.tH. Marshall. Cashier Of the South
ern Bunk oE MexicA in reference TO q
canning factory, will be Of interest 70
all Of our people at this time:
To r. h. Marshall. Cashier Mexico Southern
Hank
SAVANNAH, Mo-, Nor. a, 1s0l
Dear Sir: / have been the past few
weeks In Iowa in the interest Of the
Illinois Central Railroad, endeaForlng
to get soma canning factories located
on their line. The canning ~factoyies
81 Iowa have combined to prevent ang
new factories being built in the state.
Their factories are principally can
factories. Icanle here to get some In
formation about the business, as the
Iowa factories will not give out any.
There is a very successful factory
here. ] learned from the manager
here that your city wal an exception
ally good point fora canning factory.
HE did not know whether you had
one or NOT. but suggested that / write
lyon. If you have given the matter
any attention you are possibly familiar
with the benefits Of such an industry
to a community. A canning factory
N ployes from 10 to $50 hands while
running. The most of the labor EN-.
ployed is boys and girls who would
otherwise be idle. Amy child old
enough to so to school can earn enough
money at a canning factory TO buy
its books and clothes for a year. A
few years ago all the factories did moi
succeed But improvementsin machin'
lery within the past few years have
been SO great that the goods car now
be put up at nearly one-half the
former cost. While the demand fol
canned goods has constantly increas-
ed and the price is as high as ever.
Canned tomatoes are nov worth Sill
per dozen. The factory here last yeaI
packed them at a cost Of sc. Corn Il
worth soc a dozen. They canned II
here last year at a cost Of 40 to 45c q
dozen. With the present improved
machinery an ordinary sized factory
will pack %, 900 cans a day, or 90, 00l
dozen q season. at present proftE
such a factory would clear "a to n
thousand dollars a year. Among the
items OF improved machinery is can
making. Cans were formerly made
by hand; 300 cans was a good dayii
work for one man. Now 3 men viii
turn out 100, 600 better cans a day.
When made BY hand they cost 3Oc
dozen. Now It costs less than a CEN
a dozen in labor TO make them. For
merry, corn was cut By hand az d cos
OF ten cents a bushel; two bushels al
hour was good work for one boy. Nov
one boy with the machine will cut Il
bushels an hour. Formerly cans werl
filled BY hand. Now q machine vii
I'll 2. 900 a day, Formerly the can
were al capped By men with solder
ing irons. Now a Gaping machln
viii cap from Is to IS thousand a day
And while all this improvement Il
machinery has been made. the deman|
has kept pace with the increased out
put An the armies Of The worl
have become a market for came
goods and all the mining countries
Every mercantile establishment tina
"opens up fills its shelves with came
g0ods about the first thing. II 70
win step into your stores you will b
surprised to learn how many thousand
Of dollars that go annually hundred
and sometimes thousands Of miles frol
your place for canned ~goads-to state
that can grow no better vegetable
than you can and not nearly 50 man
to the acre. You are right Ia Oh
tDmatae belt. Some Of the farmer
here raise 100 bushels to the acre
They get 20c a bnshel; at that at
$40 ar acre for tomatoes. II 70
have no factory and think your PEI
pie would become interested in On
and viii drop me a note while | al
here viii come and see you. There
nothing for the amount Of capital tina
Will help your towa more than d We
managed canning factory. Your
truly I. IL. ENaox.