Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-03-16
TO HELP SMALL
INDUSTRIES HERE
Plan to Build Up Our Man
pfaCtureS.
Would Enlist the Sup.
port of Large Num-
Der of Citizens.

A group of Americus business men
were discussing the outlook for the
citys growth yesterday and plans that
might be worked looking to a greater
development Of it's Industries. The
opinion seemed to DC general that it
was necessary to inaugurate some
public In9yement. enlisring the finan-
cial support cf a number of citizens,
and that instead of waiting for some
great mill or other industry on an
extensive scale to be established, re-
quiring the raising of several hundred
thousands of dollars, the movement
should have for its purpose the stars
ing of small industries and the crea-
ton of fund for that purposes.
There is no more live topic at this
time in Americus, and none that is Of
greater and more pressing Importance.
The ways and means were considera-
bly, discussed and finally a plan was
proposed by Mr.. Thomas L. Bell that
seemed to meet with more general
acceptance than any other and thu
was voted as having about it the ap-
pearance of a thoroughly practicable
project:
I think it is useless for us to wait
until Americus can raise 100000 OF
SO to get a large cotton MILL" said
Mr.. Bell. What l believe we should
do is to follow the example of other
cities and secure a number of small
industries. To that end we should have
an industrial fund, raised by our citi-
zens, to be invested in stock in en-
terprises of this character that have
about them the ear marks of a prob
able success. We could, 1 should
think, secure fifty to one hundred citf-
zens, progressive men eager to take
part in the building up of the city
as members of such corporation.
Each citizen would pay into the treas
ury $40 month and receive for it a
share of stock. This would give us,
on basis of 100 members, $1,000 a
month income, to be applied in assist
ing in the establishment of small in
dustries. Take the broom factory pro-
position, for instance, 1t has been
shown that broom corn can be salts
factorily raised around here. Now
brooms and whisks are articles Of
steady consumption. Every house,
keeper in Americus and in every other
town and house in the country. is a
user of brooms to some extent. There
is a demand all around us for arti-
cIes that could be made from a cron
raised right here at home. My idea
is that an association organized alone
the lines referred to would take stock
IN broom mandatory, investine
some of it's money in that way. Sup-
pose it put $4,000 or $4,000 in such
an industry. That would take but
two or three months of it's income
Its stockholders would have the stock
OF the broom factory in the treasury
as part of their assets. They would
be represented in the MANAGEMENT of
the concern. So it would be with
other small industries. AS these in
dustries became successful the stock
could be sold and the proceeds an
piled to assisting in the establishment
of other small Industries.
Il believe this plan is thoroughly
practicable. 1t does not call for anv
great investment on the part of any
citizen. 1t begins industries on q
modest scale. In the course of two or
three years such an organization could
probably assist in the establishment
of dozen industries or even more
here. Many small factories could be
started with such an organization
helping to the extent of $1,000 to S.
OOO Something must be done to
build the city up as manufacturing
point. We have talked a big cotton
mill for twenty years and THE big
cotton mill is not here yet. Now let
us talk along some other line and let
us act. There are two or three men
in town who can subscribe thousands
to an industry, but there are scores
who could come in on an industrial
organization at S. to SO a month
along the line I have suggested Help
promising industries, that should be
its motto, and it might work wonders
in a few years"