The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-09-25
WICHITA IN THE FIELD
MANY ADVANTAGES OFFERED
TO MANUFACTURERS.
Some of the Lines OF Industry That
Will Find an Ideal Location for
the Southwest Trade.
BY HERBERT VANDERHOOF.
-. Special Correspondence.


WICHITA, Kan.,s Sept 2O.-While the |
city of Wichita is already considered
something of manufacturing town, its !
location and environments entitle it to
far greater consideration in that respect.
Its vast and rich field for the distribu-
ton of all manufactured products jusu-
fes the claim of her citizens that no
place in the West possesses greater nat
ural advantages. --~Hs g.
Besides the extensive territory tribu-
tary to the city and looking to it for sup
plies, the raw materials produced in it's
Immediate vicinity and easily procurable
offer exceptional advantages. For ex-
ample, all grades of straw paper, straw
board, egg case filters, and straw binding
board are consumed in great quantities
in the Southwest. H.
In the immediate vicinity of Wichita
there is produced annually no less than
| $4,000, 900 bushels of wheat, rye, and oats,
which call for thousands of tons of straw
that should be manufactured into useful
articles of consumption, instead of being
burned upon the ground, as at present.
Close to Raw Materials.
This raw material can be transported
| from the many large fields by wagon, or
by rail If necessary, at light cost, thus
yielding to the manufacturer nice profit.
The transportation charges on the yari-
GUS grades of paper from majority of
the producing points is at present about
| $12 per ton. Small factories located IN
the eastern part of this state have lin
| tied output, because they are: out of the
wheat belt and COMMERCIALLY and cheap
| ly procure the raw material, which is
! produced In such abundance in the i'm.
mediate vicinity Of this city. Further
than this, the ready marketing Of any
product requiring wide distributing
territory calls for transportation facili-
ties, without which the large productions
of an article stagnate. ,2-
Wlchita's location as to the raw ma
! terial, the market, and the distributing
facilities for all articles of use manufac-
tured from straw cannot be surpassed.
In addition to the commodities named
above, many articles for the cultivation
OF the soil and the production of grain
should be manufactured here. Thrash
ers, harvesters, harrows, plows,- culti-
Yators, etc., should be manufactured Gin
the9field," as it were, thus saving to the
consumer heavy expense for transport
ing these articles from factories located
often thousand miles away. True,
much Of the raw material for the manu-
facture of these articles would have to
be shipped in. but it's low grade gives it
/ SO much lower rate than the finished
articles that large saving would never
theless result, which would inure to the
local manufacturer. ""f x
Plenty of Opportunities Open. :.
Some of these articles are now being
successfully produced here, but the guam
tity produced is so much less than the
demand that all sorts of opportunities
remain for others. ~ I'll 5..:
Western people, bred to agricultural
| do folx n m n
featuring, nor do they put their earnings
into such enterprises without much trep.
, idation. They much prefer to purchase
| a neighboring farm. For this reas on
manufacturing enterprises must spring
, from manufacturing communities. Bott
the artisan and the capital necessary tt
conduct the business must be secured
from without.
) The article of laundry soap is anothe
5 that could be manufactured in Wichita
5 with satisfactory results. The two large
: packing houses, together with the man,
r cotton seed Oil mills lying just to thu
= SOUTH produce inexhaustible quantities
$ Of "soap stock" and the thirty odt
a wholesale groceries located within tn
q state would be only too glad to place upol
D the market home product of this char
r 1 acter.
: PerpIexlng Problems Solved.
t If only those engaged in the manufac
q ture of goods consumed SO largely In tn
|, great Southwest could realize the ad
vantages of producing them neares
where they are consumed, many perplex
e Ing problems, such as labor, transporta
n ton charges, and the time consumed /
d handling from manufacturer to consumes
;. would be largely solved. Slowly bu
: surely are these facts being realized, a
), each year shows a marked increase i
5 Western manufactures. Large and con
i, gested manufacturing centers are be
n coming more and more handicapped b
labor troubles and by congested trans
is portation facilities, and are seekin
y other and more favorable locations. Th
3. demands for their goods being creates
n, in the West, the general movement is
l. that direction. The city of Wichita pos
sesses exceptional advantages in thes
l. lines, and Is most admirably adapted t
ID the manufacture of the articles name
p Any one seeking location should inves
d tigate these advantages before reachin
y a decision. Further information can
It secured relative to the city and It's va!
y jobbing territory by corresponding wit
n H. L. Resting, secretary Of the Wichii
n Commercial club.
3 DILL 7IMn I'M TuETEDDITnDA