The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-11
Terre Haute Especially Is Rapidly
Adding to Its Colony of
Industries.
INDIANAPOLIS IS SLOTHFUL
INTERVIEWS WITH BUSINESS MEN
ON THE SUBJECT.
They Agree that Special Inducements
Must BE Made to Outside
Manufa cturers.

know off, said w. T.. stevenson, IL
way Indianapolis business men and capt.
talists sleep contentedly on while their
hustling brothers of Terre Haute and other
places Of considerably less size than this
city are securing the relocation of factories,
not singly or by twos and threes, but by
the half dozen or dozen, even. The prac-
tical assurance OF failure Of natural gas has
caused factory owners in the gas belt 10
cast about elsewhere for sites for their
plants. and I see no reason why the people
OF Indianapolis should not make an effort
to induce at least a few Of these men TO
bring their industries here. An organiza-
ton Of local business men with sufficient
funds back of 1t to bring factories here
could Increase the population and financial
condition of this city to a remarkable de-
gree.
Factories are just what we want. The
people employed in them eat and they buy
clothes and countless other things, and that
puts money into circulation and benefits
the community generally. Just look at the
wealthy people in this city that could, If
they would, give large tracts of ground for
factory sites. Where has one of them ever
shown public spirit enough to donate a fac
0oNAA 49, v 0OAAO
here of their own volition have never re-
ceived n encouragement. Our people
seem to think that they ought to be glad to
get a foothold here.
Il know of a lamp chimney manufacturer
in a gas belt town. who employs ffty-six
people and is doing a constantly increasing
business. He sees that gas is giving out
and would like to move to a place where he
could buy coal cheaper than he can in his
present location. but he does not feel like
abandoning his present plant and expanding
the large sum necessary to build a new
one. in addition to purchasing another site.
There are lots of instances like this, in
which only a little encouragement, q little
assistance is needed to secure a factory
that would be of positive advantage to our
city.
cannot have too many of these in
dustries. Don't let anybody get that idea
into his head. Indianapolis will never grow
too large Of its own motion. We are too
apt to think that because we are admirably
located as to shipping facilities and the like
we Will always be a magnet to attract out
side trade and outside industries. L do not
indorse that way OF thinking at all. L be-
lieve that 1T is a mistake for us to rest on
our oars. We ought to put forth an effort
something like that which is being exerted
now in Terre Haute. Why, l understand
that they are confronted in that city with
the necessity of providing homes for 1900
working people that have been or will soon
be brought there by the new factories NOV
ing to Terre Haute."
LAND HELD TOO HIGH.
Mr. Sfavancop sold <hot e. IT.
ness men are reluctant to extend aid to a
factory because it seems to be small and
unlikely to develop. To show that this is
not always a safe criterion he cited the bell
factory which is owned by a woman who
formerly resided in ST. Louis. The factory
was started near st. Louis, but when the
owner was married to a citizen Of Indian
apolis she decided to move her factory
here. Since the enterprise was moved RI
Indianapolis 1t has increased threefold.
Mr.. Stevenson says that one of the prin-
cipal reasons for the failure to bring fac
tories to this city is that owners of suitable
sites for such enterprises hold their ground
at such high prices that it cannot be pur-
chased for this purpose advantageously.
Men who own ground adapted to the uses
of factories ought not to take the selfish
$1,000 bC Sdiu. 1Hcy OuEHl
to be public-spirited and do everything in
their power to encourage the upbuilding of
their city. 1 have no doubt that with a
concerted. well-directed effort the popula-
ton of Indianapolis could be increased by
a hundred thousand in a very few years"
ANY movement that can be put on foot
that will make it possible for indianapolis
to add to her already large list Of factories
would unquestionably be a movement in the
right direction" said the manager of the
real estate and insurance department OF a
local trust company. 1.-The advantages that
our city has over others in it's excellent
shipping facilities. it's proximity to the
great coal fields of Indiana and in oppor-
%tunities for obtaining labor are we'll known
to everybody. and it seems that what is
necessary is for some concerted action to
be put forth to take up with manufacturers
the question of advantage in locating their
plants in this city. The wisdom Of such a
policy has been demonstrated in the rapid
growth Of a number OF small towns of In
diana to manufacturing cities of no small
Importance. This has been brought about
with profit to the merchants and citizens
generally.
BUILDING UP A VILLAGE.
Unfortunately. in such a movement, the
burden nearly always falls upon a few and
If this could be avoided IL would be desir-
able, but any work that can be done along
the line Of inducing manufacturer to come
to Indianapolis will, in my judgment, pro-
duce splendid results"
This man cited the growth of the town oe
Shirley as an illustration CT the results
that can be obtained from the use of a lit
tie energy and perseverance. Two years
ago Shirley was a little town situated at
the crossing of the c., w. & NJ. and the
2. & Z. railroads. he said. land was
owned by j. A. Barnard. general manager
of the p. & e, and myself. We turned the
place over to another man to see what he
could do with it. Through his energy in To-
eating factories the place has grown from a
population of 80 to 800 and by the 1st Of
january next 1t will nave 1900 inhabitants,
ON account of factories that are now being
built. The amount of money and the other
| inducements offered to those manufacture
ers TO get them to move TO Shirley were
comparatively small. but it goes to show
| what energy and perseverance can accom-
plish in this direction"
The same man related in an interesting
manner the story of the location of the An
| derson carriage mandatory in the city Of