Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-08-06
PUBLIC OPINION
THE WTLLIAMsPORT IDEA.
EDITOR EVENING NEWS:

EDITOR EVENING NEWS:
In last Saturdays EVENING
NEWS, under the above heading,
there appeared an editorial com
menting on the fact that another
shoe factory was about to locate IN
Williamsport, Pa, and praising the
Board of Trade of that city for Its
success in landing additional ndus-
tries. During the past eight or ten
years Williamsport has had one OF
the most energetic Boards OF Trade
to be found In this country, com
posed of bankers, merchants, manu-
facturers and private citizens, each
of whom pays in annually the sum
of IS. In addition to this, certain
members-real estate dealers, pub
lie service corporations and others
who are likely to benefit financially
from an Increased population-con-
tribute a stated amount each year to
help defray the expenses of the or
ganization and boost the city. A
manager Is employed to look after
the affairs of the board. with offices
in the city hall. which are furnished
rent free by the city.
You say: After all, 1t is really
not so wonderful that the place
growsaand that manufacturers locate
there when it is realized the method
pursued. It's not every city that
car invest money in everything that
comes along"
The business men of Williamsport
are no more generous than those
to be found in other sections. and
the man who goes these with the ex-
p%ectation of plucking gold dollars
from ~gooseberry bushes will be
doomed to disappointment, The
simple fact is, they have the fore
sight to employ the same common
sense methods in the conduct of the
affairs of their Board of Trade that
they do in their own private bust
ness, with the result that their eff
forts are rewarded with success. 1t
is not always necessary to purchase
stock in order to secure the loca-
ton Of an industry. The John N.
Stearns silk mill, Sweets Steel Co.,
and the -Susquehanna Dye Works,
giving employment to over 1000
people, refused to sell a dollars
worth of stock, simply requiring the
citizens to provide manufacturing
sites, which the Board Is willing to
do in all cases, and exonerate their
respective establishments from the
payment of taxes for a term of
years as a condition of their reno
val to W~illiamsport. The board,
however, maintains a guaranty fund
of something like $500 900, which
Is used to assist worthy local indus
tries or those from a distance that
may locate in the city n which de-
sire additional funds for enlarge
ment,S new equipment, etc. Al
though this Is one of the boards big
,,gest advertfsig cards, there is real
ly not a dollar tied up in the fund,
the plan being simply this: Certain
responsible members of the organ
fzation have obligated themselves In
amounts ranging from $40, 900 down
to 5000; Mr.. James, who locates a
factory In WiIliamsport. finds that
he needs $4,000, and applies to the
Board of Trade for a loan; his ap-
plication is considered by the proper
officers, and, if deemed a safe in
vestment. the money is advanced to
him by oe Or more of the local
banks, its repayment being guar
anteed by all the subscribers to the
fund, l.. e., in case of Jones failure
to meet his obligation, each is re-
CURED to pay his pro rata share of
the loss, whatever 1t may be.
Since its reorganization a decade
ago, the Williamsport Board has
spent many thousands of dollars in
advertising the advantages of seThe
leal City for Home or Business,
anad Its literature, mostly high-class
color and half-tone work, has been
distributed promiscuously in every
state of the union.
Another strong feature that an
peals to the stranger is the absolute
cleanliness of the city. In Perth
Amboy many sections of the munich
panty, as well as a large portion of
the stores, are permitted to remain
fn such a hlthy condition that they
are positively a disgrace t O the com
munity. There can be no doubt that
clVlc pride commands aspect. and
1t seems to me hat were the proper
authorities to demand sanitary law
and compel a strict observance OF
the same, every citizen would be
benefited in the end,
But while Williamsport enjoys the
distinction of lying almost contigu.
GUS to both the anthracite and bit,l.
minous coal fields, and proudly pro.
claims the fact that six railroads on,
ter the city, 1t can in no name,
compare with Perth Amboy as a do
sirable location for manufacturer
purposes. since 1t Is situated zoo
miles from nayigable waters and 70,
THAT reason lacks the admirable ma
rltlne advantages possessed BY thi,
city. What the Pennsylvania tow
has gained In the way of new indus
tries during the past few wears
therefore has been due more to pusb
Perseverance and keeping everIast
ingly at 1t than to its superior trans
formation facilities, and there rs n,
reason why this city should no
make even greater strides In this 4,
rection than WiIliamsport has made
II it's Board OF Trade were to o,
about 1t In the same systematic De
~iberate and business-like mannar
In conclusion, allow me TO s,,y
gest that the Williamsport mode q
going after new business could h.
! ~prohtably initiated by our ow,
Board OF Trade, and that II NTH
3 mean much for tho nlfvtS e,+.x-