The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-03-30
SOME OUTSIDE EVIDENCE
Is Given to Marion on Value
OF Industry.
Prominent Lima Business Man Tells
His 8 sociates What he Thinks
of the Overland Company.


people have peen gwen Of the value
of the Overland automobile works
to a city, has come from Marion
men. Sometimes change of pas
ture is a good thing and in this in
stance 1t has been furnished by one
OF the prominent business men of
Lima, Ohio. a city which has sud-
denly become famous for the enter
prise of its business interests. This
testimony was not secured with q
view to helping Marion get the fac
tory. In fact, just the opposite is
true. IL was given to try TO stir up
Lima 10 prevent Marion from land
ing the plum.
The following is taken from the
columns OF the Lima Daily News OF
Saturdays issue Mr.. Baxter, the
author, Is widely known as one OF
the hustling business men of that
city and his evidence is worth face
value. The statement Of Mr.. Bax-
ter follows:
ITO the Members OF the The Lima
CllrD, Lama, OnlO.
Gentlemen:
MY understanding of the purposes
intents and desires or this organiza-
ton, leads me TO believe that the
Commercial and Industrial, as well
as the Social position Of the city of
Lima, are to be, and should be, en-
couraged to the fullest Of our abil-
tiles.
''With this understanding in mind,
on lny own initiative and at my own
expense. have within the past As
hours, visited the manufacturing
plant OF The Overland Automobile
company, located at Indianapolis,
Ind, having learned that there was
a possibility of their removal from
that city.
1.-The conditions there are about
as follows:
1.-The company has capital Of
approximately $225,OOO and is with
out debt to their banks.
Location of main plant is very un-
satisfactory, requiring three addi-
tional plants in different parts OF
the rity where parts are made ana
hauled from one place to another.
Plant being surrounded by open
field and mud roads. Last year for
want OF room, large tent was used
for some of their work.
20 automobiles per day, or differ
ent types, are being made and by
April list, they hope to be turning
out 25 cars per day.
"Thave sold no cars since Janu-
a'y lst, 1909, and are now working
entirely on orders previous TO that
date. On the 18th OF this month
the 1000 mark on these orders was
passed. The total 1909 output, l die
not learn.
"ll00 men are at this time on
their pay roll, receiving wages ag
gregaung nearly $4,000 per week.
''ln the vbarious plants, the com,
pany is using about 100000 square
feet OF floor space.
'All of their automobile testing
has to be done on the streets OF In,
dlanapolls.
Mr.. Brown, vice president OF the
company, told me that had they hac
the capacity, they could have made
and sold 10000 machines this year
They will need 600 900 to 1000,
900 square feet of floor space for A..
mammoth new, one plant factory
together with 40 acres OF land OF
whA1h to build their own testing
track
"ShelbyVille, Ind, a town o,
about 1000 population, offered then
81 acres of land ana SIPS ,0UO casl
bonus, cannot see, however, now
with but two railroads, they coulC
hope for success.
NMarion, Ohio, offered them NOR
land with some old buildings and
cash bonus, the amount do no
know but ann told they are still
wprking on the proposition.
''Railroad facilities seem to be tn
greatest consideration when the
question of removal is mentioned
and on this point | was closely
questioned so much annoyance
in getting cars for their product
makes them skeptical on this point
This concern, like nearly all 9th
ers, has passed through its financia
troubles. hut appears 10 me TO b.
today one OF the busiest manufactur
dng plants i have ever been in. n
officers are young men, and are tn
most engaged office force with whoT
/ ever tried 10 talk business.
"This company has no proposition
to offer Lima OF any one else, bu
conditions as I saw them and as
was told, warrants my belief tina
they could be secured for Lima, !
our citizens will take hold and shoN
some Of the old time spirit in goinl