Evening journal., 1903-11-07
HOPE EoR TIE SMALL TOWNS.

There are evidences that manufac-
turing enterprises which few decades
ago moved towards large centers Of
population, are turning again to the
smaller towns as offering them advan-
tages the great cities cannot give. In
the days of our fathers the Delaware
towns were hives Of industry Each
had a number of manufacturing plants
which yielded handsome profits to To-
cal capitalists and distributed large
sums I'm wages and for materials.
There were bark mills, woolen mills,
husk mills, foundries and carriage and
wagon works. The local blaoksmiths
made most Of the hardware and the
whcelwrights devoted their attention to
building everything that ran on wheels.
one OF the greatest Industries was
tonningl and an old resident Of one Of
these towns tells Of seeing the fences
on both sides Of road covered with
hides for distance OF half a mile
All these industries disappeared
years ago. leaving the towns nothing
but the agricultural interests of the
surrounding country TO mlgntain them.
Manufacturing was carried on in a
larger way. capital was centralized,
and the small shops were forced out
Of business. Then. too the questions
Of access to the markets, cheap trans
portation OF both raw and finished ma
terlals, and the advertisement which
, came from location in a great city,
were all factors.
But there is evidence OF a change.
some Of the conditions are favorable
to the country. transportation facili-
tics have improved, and labor can be
g secured more advantageously in the
II smaller towns. The reason is that
II rents and provisions are cheaper and
a the workingman is content with a com
AZ paratively small wage. Besides this
Is In many instances when the manufac
ID turer moves to the small town he IL
ny getting nearer to the raw materials
NV which his industry demands.
"a Modern conditions arc such that few
er Industries can afford to locate in citie
an like Philadelphia and New York Tn
r. best they can do is to build in tn
re suburbs at point moro or less mac
zee cessible. Land IS so high and take
,e- are so great that many plants hav
cd been compelled to move TO less popu
.at lous communities. Besides it Is n
81 longer deemed necessary, TO the succe'
M OF a business, TO have a factory
"A New York OF Philadelphia The moo
sn ern method is to maintain an om'
in New York In order to be in touC
,rs with the world Of trade, and to hay
~ the factory or factories located in son
,tz rural district.
.ho II this tendency continues there is
"a prosperous future for the small'
"a towns. New Castle so long stagnan
n. Is preparing to awake from her slun
=, ber a great plant is being erecte
-, and already boom in real estate
-. promised. From Milford comes II
report that there is a prospect that a
~ repose Of that peaceful town win
broken by Industry I'm a boiler work
and Newark and other places have ei
terprlses IN building or in prospect.
This may mean much for Delawar
" and possibly In time tho state may
less tophcavy. Wlmingtons progre
Is assured. Her substantial grow
e' and her natural advantages are cl
quent OF her future possibilities; but
'se may happen that Lewes. Milford. d
&c yer. Smyrna. New Castle and Newa
~ win In a decade or two become flou
-" ishing towns containing populatio
'es ranging from ten TO twenty thousai
each.