Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1903-06-12
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banks SHOWS that there Is on dePos
it il Hopkinsville many thousands
of idle capital. Much Of this none,
ultimately seeks Investment else
where, while outside capital in turr
finds investment in our own city
For many years Hopkinsville
stood in urgent need OF system OF
water works. Our rich men were
afraid to take hold of it, until final
ly outside capital sought out what
has proven TO be gold mine for the
owners. Other enterprises have
been started and still others need
to be. We all agree that our one
great need is manufactures. Hop
kinsville IS no longer a country
town. 1t is city with 10000 or
10000 people living in and out of
the city limits. No city can fur
nish employment for it's working
classes without mills and factories.
We have three railroads, abundant
natural advantages, a genial eli
mate, plenty Of idle capital. Then
why not turn Hopkinsville into a
manufacturing town? Simply be-
cause our own capitalists have not
faith in their own town.
A few years ago small soap
factory was started in May6eld by
local capitalists. 1t succeeded from
the start. A ready market was
found for every pound of soap made.
The factory has been twice en-
larged and is making money right
along. Why should Hopkinsville
not have one or more soap factories?
Greensboro has factory for
manufacturing vehicles, many of
which are sold in our own town.
Why should not HopkInsville take
Forbes wagon factory, elevate it
from a department to great sepa-
rate plant for making and shipping
Mogul wagons and other vehicles
all over the United States? If
Owenstoro can sell vehicles in
Hopkinsville, why cannot Hopkins
vile sell them 10 greensboro? Be-
cause our local capitalists hoard
their money or prefer to invest it in
three per cent. bonds, rather than
JOIN their forces and build up a big
wagon factory like greensboro is
doing, Forbes g. Bro. are willing
to lead-as they always lead in
every progressive enterprise-and
Join with other capitalists whose
money is lying idle and increase
their small and successful wagon
plant as above suggested.
A few years ago the Acme Mills
Company put up 4O0-barrel mill.
Croakers SAID there were already
mills enough and besides the capac-
ity was far too large. A little 200
barrel mill might run most of the
year, but there was no room for a
big one. The mill was started In
four years its plant had to be en-
larged, its capital Increased from
$50, 900 to S85, 900 and its stock was
re-issued at premium of 20 per /
cent and the plant is now putting
up an 800-barrel addition and COW
ering a two-acre lot with elevators.
The plant that was too large at 400
barrels, will soon be making 1900
barrels OF flour day and shipping
it all over the South, with orders
always ahead, and stockholders
realizing per cent. semi-annual
Why should not Hopkinsville.
surrounded by one of the finest
wheat sections on earth, be a min
iature Minneapolis, with mills
enough to grind every bushel of
wheat raised within a hundred
miles, keeping our railroads busy
hauling out the finished product
instead of the raw material?
All OF these questions can be an
swered at once. Simply because
our capitalists will not invest their
capital in mills and factories, but
go on in the old way of lending
money while the rest of the world is
promoting enterprises.
Hopkinsvllle is the ouly city of
its size in Kentucky without a
street railway system. The city is
two miles in diameter and should
have street cars by all means. Pa
ducah has park four miles from
town and her depot is two miles
out, and the street railway compa-
ny is coming money running daV