The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-02-15

and those present were dcQualnteu
with the fact that Walla Walla cigars
are just wee bit more palatab1e than
those shipped in from other points.
Gilbert Hurt, proprietor of the Hunt
threshing machine factory in this city,
was the first speaker introduced and
he dwelt upon the more important
phases of the situation, pointing out
certain reasons why greater progress
in this city had not been made along
the lines of manufacturing.
"A man is what he makes himself,
said Mr. Hunt, land a city is just
what her citizens make it. 1t has been
my privilege during the past few
months to meet with Commercial or
Seattle. The members of these clubs
are nice fellows, have a good time and
have lots of hot-air, but when they ger
down to business, they are on the look
out Walla Walla is no better and no
worse than these other cities, and \
will touch upon just few points in
considering the line Of manufacturers.
1--WE cannot in Walla Walla expecs
to be a great manufacturing center
like they have in the east, as we, t.
great extent have to depend upon this
northwest territory to dispose of our
out in large quantities because of ex-
cessive freight rates, though there are
certain lines of machinery that can be
profitably manufactured here.
Twenty years ago the Hunt conn.,
pany started a factory for the manu-
facture of stationary threshing ma
chimes, the only one of it's kind, I be-
leve, west of the Mississippi river. At
that time there We're but one or two
makes of machines used in this west
ern wheat country and our venture was
considered an utter impossibility. They
made fun of us, and one of the manu-
facturers in the east sent his Portland
representative to show us the folly of
the idea Our company is still in ex-
istence; the rival company still exists,
but it is not selling so many threshers
in the northwest as formerly.
81 cannot blame the people of Walla
Walla for not grasping at every new
idea; they have been good, however,
in backing up enterprises. and in many
instances have been badly treated l
remember about 20 years ago an at
tempt was made to start cannery
near where the court house is now To-
Gated; it fell by the wayside.-1lic
first steam laundry met with the same
experience until our present mayor
took charge and made it a bowling
success. 1t was also true of the first
creamery started in Walla Walla, the
present proprietor having been the |
first to make it a success. Really, you
must agree with me that it is the man
behind the gun that makes manu- /;
featuring institution a success.
zone of the greatest obstacles to
manufacturing enterprises here is the I
difficulty of raising money. No man
wishes to launch big enterprise has
money enough to carry it along. In |
sor1e sections of the country, money !
Is obtainable at a lower rate Of interest |
than is the case here. OF course, every !
man has a right to use his money as
he sees fit is his privilege to do
with it as he likes, but with the east i
ern rate of interest in effect here, Deo-
pie would grow bolder; they would be
inclined to branch out to greater ex-
tent. We can't blame the r,4nEfng in
stitutions; in fact, they have been very
liberal with the Hunt company
The main trouble is that we have
scattered our resources too much. We
have been helping other cities instead
Of keeping our money in Walla Walla. |
If the Gilbert Hunt company had the |;
money that has, for instance, been sent |
to Mexico, it would be employing ten !
men where one is now employed. We !
should keep our money at home and !
thus encourage the establishment of |
those local enterprises which we need. |
One thing is an absolute necessity
we must pull together and conserve |
our resources. If Walla Wallans had |!
kept the money in their own hands
that has been placed elsewhere to |
promote electric lines, we could have
constructed 20 miles and then bonded |
that section of the road to make fur
Their extensions, as is done elsewhere"
Club Should Act.
Mr.. Hunt called the attention of the |
club to the damage likely to result to !
the valley from the withdrawal of now /