Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-12-29
MANSS TALKS TO
BUSINESS MEN
COMMISSIONER OF
THE BURLINGTON MEETS
WITH LOCAL CITIZENS
Discusses Industrial Outlook for the
Middle West and Especially for OF
tu:nwa-compllments City on Her
Faotories-can Secure Others.

From Fridays Daily.
There are plenty of factories to be
secured. II you want them all you
have to do is to go after them said
w. HI. Manss, industrial commissioner
Of the Burlington system last evening
to a gathering composed of about
thirty prominent manufacturers and
business men of this city,
The meeting was held in the office of
j. H. Mitchell on East Main street. 1t
was the closing event OF the day which
Mr.. Manss spent in Ottumwa yesterday
becoming acquainted with local fac
tories and manufacturers. Yesterday
morning he visited the various factor
les in the city and in the afternoon he
was shown through the Morrell pack
ing house and called on number Of
the local wholesalers.
Last evening at the meeting held in
the offices of Mr.. Mitchell he was ask
ed to give his opinion of the situation
in Ottnmwa as he found 1t and to make
suggestions. One of the most radical
suggestions that he made and one
which seemed to be received with con-
siderable favor was that the CONNER
cial association employ secretary
who shall give all of his time to work
along the lines of the Industrial devel-
opment end progress Of the city.
MIR. Manss' Remarks.
Mr.. Manss said in part: "We as a
road bclieve in the cooperation of the
railroad and the community through
which 1t runs We believe that this
cooperation is necessary to develop
the territory on which the road feeds
Not only do we want to carry out this
cooperation plan in placing factories
on the line of our road, but in devel
oping the raw material, increasing the
mineral production and improving the
agricultural conditions. 1t is to our In
terest as a road to increase the in
dustries, population and prosperity OF
our territory.
"Rsalizing that this cooperation
could best be secured through specia
department, the Burlington established
an office known as the industrial com
mission and was placed in charge.
have seen this department grow from
its swaddling clothes up to manhood as
a useful and live department of the
railroad business" Mr.. Manss ther
outlined briefly what had been done
in the way of industrial development
through the cooperation of communi
ties along the line of the road anC
4 this department.
Mississippi Valley Has Bright Future
I'VE believe" he continued, Gin thu
future of the Mississippi valley. as thu
coming Industrial center of the United
States. It's geographical location, it
jclimatic condition, the purpose and en-
ergy Of it's people, all of the economic
conditions tend to make 1T the creates
site for industrial development"
4 In speaking of conditions in Ottum
4 wa as he had found them in his visi
Ito the various factories and other in
1 Idustries yesterday he said Il hav
a never been in any manufacturing CON
munity where there is SO large nun
ber, proportionately to the number Q
4 factories, of geniuses and the inver
tive types. Each factory Is represent
ed by genius Yon plan your owl
4 machines and you make them. You ar
Il not only successful inventors, but SUE
cessful executioners of inventions an
q have the keen financial and CONNER
cial instinct to make invention a flnar
cial success
What Do ottumwans Want?
"What do you want? That is th
question have learned two thing:
; The frstS $ that the man in Ottumw
who helps himself is helped, but frs
of all he must help himself. do nc
! believe in bonuses. Even If the man,
factnrer In question only asks an il
demnity for the cost Of moving b!