The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-04-12

Former Fulton County Boy, Writes Of One OF
lndianas Busy Towns
Muncle. Ind April 2. ]

kindness of some one, | am re.
ceiving the Fulton County News,
and | very much appreciate 1t.
In its columns | see many names
of people and places | was once
acquainted with; and the happen
ings in, and descriptions of, the
different parts of the country IN
winch they live; and it has just
occurred to me that, perhaps,
your readers would be interested
in knowing something of this
part of the country.
The city of Muncie is situated
in Delaware county, Indiana, on
White river, a small stream that
fl Jws southwest into the the Wa
bash near old Viucennes. We are
81 miles east Of indianapolis, 120
miles northwest of Cincinnatl,
and 60 miles south of Fort Wayne.
We have population of 30, 1000.
Sixteen years ago this city was
just a country town of 5000, but,
at that time gas was struck and
manufacturers rushed here, and
to other towns IN the gas belt, on
account of cheap fuel, which
caused our city to grow to its
present size; but the supply of
gas has been exhausted, and man
utacturers have gone back to coal
But little inconvenience was
felt in the failure OF gas, as 1T was
followed by an abundant flow OF
oil, and to-day we are in the cen
tire of the best oil field in the
State, with headquarters here
for OIL well supplies, boiler shops,
tank shops and drlllers' tools.
Besides this, we have a mum ber
of large manufacturing plants.
There are fourlron and steel mills.
One of these, the American Sheet
Steel Mill, paid out to their en-
ployes on Saturday, April /,
$4,000 for two weeks work. We
have the Palmer iron mill, that
came here from Chicago: the Kit
selman wire mills, nail and fence
factory combined; then, we have
the Whltely Malleable Castings
Company, large concern that
came here from Springfield, Ohio.
We have an iron bedstead tacto-
ry employing 175 men; and among
the other large industries, are 3
glass factories--one of which has
an output per day of 300, 900 Ma
son fruit jars. This is the largest
fruit jar factory IN the United
States, and they buy the output
of two other small factories to fill
their orders. These jars are ship
ped to all parts of the world
Among the other smaller con-
Germs are 3 planning mills, large
wheel works, lawn mower facto-
ry, pulp mill, straw board, bend
ing works, knitting mill, ? wash
ing machine factories, lawn swing
and baby jumpers, garment fac
tory, casket factory, 2 silver plat
ing works, , saw mills, . 2Aouring
mills, ? ice plants, , foundries,
canning factory.
OF railroads, we have siX-The
"Blg-4, " Main line Eastand West;
Lake Erle & Western, east and
west; Lake Erie & Western, north
and south; Chicago and Eastern
Indiana; Chicago, Cincinnati &
Louisville; and Midland, south
west to Brazil. Then we have 3
electric lines-ohe from Dayton,
Ohio; one from Fort Wayne; and
the Union Traction from Indian
apolis. Yet with all these things,
they don't throw money at the
birds. The most independent
cuss Of the whole gang is the
farmer With a few good oil pro
ducers on his farm. You will see
HIM IN town almost any day, and
all he will talk about is OIL.
Not wishing to weary you or
your readers further | will close.
d. GRACEY.
THE Plight NAME Is neWITT