Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-08
CHEAP FOR
FACTORIES
Los ANGELES SHOULD EXCEL
WITH MANUFACTURERS
EDITOR MERTz REcITEs FIGURES
TO CITY CLUB
Says Greatest Development Hereafter
VIII Be Along Manufacturing
Lines-caIifornians Are
Best Producers

Editor Lewis 1t. Mertz of Mertz' Maya
zine, addressed the City club yesterday on
Los Angeles Possibilities as Manu-
featuring Point"
What the speaker said dealt largely
with the future.
Facts and figures were used which to
the speakers mind proves that in Los
Angeles and the contiguous territory one
of the worlds great centers of manu-
featuring is certain to be developed.
Last year the figures on Los Angeles
manufacturing were, as quoted, as fol-
lows:
Number of establishments 1887.
Number of employees 20,7S0
Capital invested $35,000000.
Output during 1906, $50,0O0,OO0.
Said Mr.. Mertz:
Consideration of these figures leads to
two conclusions:
First, that Los Angeles has shown that
the world was entirely mistaken in think
ing that this city could never become of
Importance in the manufacturing world,
and, second, that this portion of the state
is only on the threshold of her future
manufacturing greatness.
Not Horticulture Alone
1--WE must no longer think of California
as an agricultural and mining state; it is
erroneous in the face of these figures to
consider Southern California merely as
the greatest horticultural center in the
country
Among civilized people the prime
factor in determining wealth is the de-
velopment of the manufacturing inter-
ests. The comparative wealth of a sec
tion is in close relation to its natural ad-
vantages for manufacturing and to the
so1,o hi o,,fc 20 Tor fto
markets of the world with it's specialities
''This is the reason that it is so i'm
portant that the manufacturing industries
of the state be developed to their fullest
extent To have achieved what 1t has in
mining, in numbering, In agriculture, In
is vastly to California's
credit and it is natural that these things
should have had first attention. But to
be satisfied with continued development
along these lines would be taking small
advantage of the opportunities offered.
Develop Manufacturing
''From now on the greatest development
Of this state, and more particularly of
Southern California, must be in the dl
rection of manufacturing enterprises.
"All are familiar with the figures about |
Los Angeles, her wonderful growth and
the broad lines that have been laid for a |
fractions the great wealth-producing |
power Of a world center of manufacturing |
are being rapidly added.
Now the figures which follow seem to |
show that Los Angeles can manufacture |
In many lines cheaper than any other
city in the world, which is the same as
saying that our splendid city will be the
of the worlds greatest manufacturing
centers.
"Yee, gentlemen, this city has barely
entered on that stage of her development
which is to do infinitely more toward es-
tablishing her Importance in the world
than anything she has yet done.
Compare with Connecticut
Connecticut is one of the Unions
greatest manufacturing states. Her fac
tories produce multitude of small goods
In which the highest improved automatic
is used. Yet California has
every advantage of manufacturing that
has, and many more.
when California's manufacturing is
developed to the same extent as that of
we will be producing eleven |
and one-quarter billion dollars worth |
each year or nearly forty times our pres |
snt output. And California will do it. |
When she does, where will Los Angeles |
rank among the cities of the state? For |
Los Angeles, more than any other Cali |
fornia city, is in position to take full
advantage of our splendid God-given ad-
vantages.
Unfortunately the figures which I use
are taken from the last census, now
several years old 1t is a fact that the |
advance in manufacturing in California, |
and more particularly In Los Angeles, has
been much more rapid than in other
states and cities.
1.-The last census shows that the aver
age gross output per operative in the
of the United States is $500 per