The Plymouth Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1878-1901, 1901-07-18
What is the Matter With PIym.
outh?

: Thirty-five years ago, when Plym-
outh had fifteen hundred less inhabi-
tantS than it has now, it was the
trading center for scope of rapidly
developing agricultural territory fer
fifteen miles or more in every direc-
ton and it enjoyed a jobbing or
wholesale trade that extended to the
smaller towns and country stores for
even greater distance. 1t was the
market for all that territory, buying
practically all the grain and other
Eproduce raised and selling practically
all the supplies consumed therein.
Plymouth was thriving, prosper
Gus, promising town those days and
everybody was busy: nearly everybody
was making money. The bandbox
factory on the river bank just east OF
Michigan street, the stave factory or
the Fl. Wayne railroad opposite the
depot, the railway repair shops that
were afterwards removed to Fit.
WAYNE. the lumber mills and some
minOi. industries were located here,
paying wages and contributing to the
general thrift, but such enterprises
were less thought of than the trade
with the farmers and the factories, as
they were lost, were. less missed than
they would be now. There was more
| hope of railroads than of factories in
building up the town; rather, it was
thought that if railroads could be
secured in addition to the two already
operating, the factories would follow
as matter~of course, and that with
out such roads it would be useless to
hope for more factories.
Our trade began to diminish, al
most imperceptibly at first, andArgos,
Bourbon, Bremen, Lakeville, Walker
ton and other towns formed a Gordon
about us at a distance of eight to
fourteen miles and they not only cut
off the business that formerly came
from without that circle but they
drew many OF our customers from
within it. When the new railways
were built they missed us few miles
and gave the customers of our jobbers
the benefit of such transportation as
let them into the larger markets, so
they were lost. The farmers could
buy all ordinary goods at the village
and croSsroad stores near their homes
as cheaply as they could here and SO
our trading area was greatly restrict
ed. The radius of our trading area,
instead of being twelve or fourteen
miles, is now three or four and the
area itself is now hardly more than
one-eighth of what it was. Approx
imately seven-eighths of our former
agricultural customers are lost to us,
never to be regained.
At the same time new stores have
been established, Old stocks have been
increased and our facilities have been
enlarged while the custom has been
falling off. The census reports show
that the rural population in the last
thirty years has been increased very
c1;.~l,+l,- =, Marshall county DC com,
pared with that in the city and towns.
The only customers taking the places
of those that are lost are those at
tracted to Plymouth to work. If
these are inadeo uate to supply the
loss, then Plymouth is on the down
grade.
Our agricultural trade can never be
increased except by the slow growth
of population in our proper territory,
or by the construction of improved
roads and electric lines centering in
this city We have little to hope for
in new steam railways, for we have
competitive lines now reaching all
points with their connections and we
are as well off in that particular as
any of our rivals. We have but one
opening for growth and that's through
an increase in our home industries.
If we need anything, it is more
wage-earners. If weewant them they
are to be had and there never was a
time when so many worthy enter
priseS were within reach as now, for
the extension of industry is amazing
and the trend away from large cities
is remarkable. In the past few weeks
we have mentioned in these columns
few of the opportunities that have
been open, and there are plenty of
others. The town of New Castle has
within two months secured factories
that guarantee to employ more work
men than there are inhabitants in
the town today, and other instances
of what little push will do might be
mentioned. Energy, tremendously
and intelligently directed, will accom-
plish wonders.
But it is not necessary to go out
seeking new factories for we have in