Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1904-11-01
SECURING INDUSTRIES


! The Example OF Traverse City.
There is a good deal of talk iDdulged
in as to what other towns haye done
and are doing in the way of securing
factories. To put ourselves In the
way of knowing whereof we speak we
have communicated with other places
as the following will show:
GENTLEMEN:-During the past ave
years Traverse City has not given a
bonus to any factory established here,
but has aided several enterprises by
popular subscription, for instance, the
establishment of the Traverse,
Leelanau and Manistique railroad
asked for some assistance to procure
the right of way. This right Of way
was procured at cost of 81, 500, which
was betrayed by individual subscrip-
tion of enterprising citizens.
| About the Same.time :propOSiti0n
was made to us to establish beet
sugar factory in this city. Before
taking any active steps we raised by
subscription five or six hundred dol.
lars to defray the expense Of a
campaign among the farmers to induce
them to raise beets during the coming
year. The result of this was some
thing like two hundred acres were
devoted to beet sugar raising, but
owing to the familiarity Of the
farmers with potato raising, there
were very few who took kindly to beet
raising, and This small! investment
demonstrated that the establishment
of beet sugar factory In this locality
at this time is not warranted by
present conditions.
The Michigan Starch Factory,
which is now an extensive institution,
and the only corn starch producer in
this section of the country, was
established here about four years ago.
1t now employees eighty hands when
in operation, and it's shipments In and
out aggregate one hundred anC forty
two cars a mouth. The factory
during this last year has not been
running steadily, owing to numerous
improvements in progress, but is now
prepared to resume operations aud
run night and day continuously, on
the higher grades Of stock. This
enterprise cost Traverse City nothing.
1t was located here originally as a
potato starch eenterprise, owing to
this being a good potato center. The
high prices of potatoes, however,
made it an Improbable investment,
and the plant was re-eauipped for the
manufacture of corn starch and has a
capacity of 5000 bushels of corn daily.
We have candy factory established
here within the past FIVE years which
employees about fifty people, and this
cost Traverse City nothing. 1t was
established here because this is
desirable distributing point.
The Musselman Grocer Company,
has a branch establishment here for
the same reasons, and Traverse City
was not asked to contribute anything
The Oval Wood Dish Factory was
established here twelve years ago,
and Traverse City gave the company
$40, 900 which was raised by bonding
for park purposes. This was one OF
the best investments Traverse City
ever made. The Oval Wood Dish
Company, employees steadily, the year
around between two hundred and
fifty and three hundred and seventy
five people, and there is material ia
sight, owned by the company, to keep
their plant running twenty years
longer.
The Wells Higman Company, manu-.
facturers of fruit baskets, was
established here about the same time,
and Traverse City raised about sl0, 0OO
by individual subscription. This
concern employees two hundred and
seventy five people eight or nine
months in the year, and Is good
institution.
] The Pere Marquette railroad cost
this city about $1,000 which was
raised by bonding.
Traverse City by individual sub
scription raised SAC, 900 for the Grand
Rapids and Indiana railroad.
During the past five years nc
money has been voted by the city fol
any enterprise. The giving bonuses
has rather been discouraged.
The figures given show that Ira
} verse City has given in one way
another $50, 100, to secure the indus
trial improvement OF the town
: Traverse City has the reputation OF
an energetic and hustlinR town, both
attractive and business like, yet the
figures seem to indicate that it has
paid the price for it's progress as must
any town.