Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-08
LOS ANGELES AS A
MANUFACTURING CITY

Editor Herald: Naturally and proper
ly the larger ambition and effort OF the
people of this city is for the present to
promote the growth of commerce py
creating the necessary facilities Tor
what is likely to be its future needs
The time is near when there will be re-
quired enlarged Industrial development
to supply the demands of that COM
merce, for they are destined to be very
great. which is apparent when we con-
slider the vast territory inland to be sup
piled from this city and the geographi-
cal position and other advantages
which this city possesses for extending
its trade TO foreign countries in the
western hemisphere, in Oceanica ana
on the other side of the globe.
These supplies are not to be agricul-
tural in largest part, but from the pro-
ducts of local manufacturing indus
tries. The demand for them in domes-
tic and foreign trade will very soon be
pressing 1t is highly important that
this prospect should be impressed upon
the minds of the people, that they may
plan and perfect enterprises that VIII
meet the requirements of the imme-
diate future.
In saying this it is not intended to
insinuate that there is sluggishness III
industrial enterprises, for really there
is no small degree of activity in that
field. There is already much manufac-
turing in this city, but it seems to me
that there are three branches or KINDS
of manufacturing that have been ne
elected, and which promise rich results
if they are undertaken with the spirit
which generally characterizes our peo-
ple. They are the manufacture of
woolen and cotton goods, the tanning
of hides and the manufacture of the
latter into boots and shoes and other
| fabrics.
Southern California produces con-
siderable wool, and adjacent Arizona
and not distant New Mexico can supply
what will be required for very large
woolen manufacturing plants. Some
cotton is already produced in the Inn
perial valley and whether it shall grow
to large or considerable dimensions will
make no very material difference, for
manufacturers here can procure the
raw material at less cost than any man
ufacturers elsewhere in the nation eX-
cept in the cotton producing sections.
There will be no want for hides for
tanning, as in Southern California
large number of beeves are daily
slaughtered. probably running into the
hundreds 1t is folly to send the hides
away to be tanned and then brought
back at great cost in the form of
leather or leather products. 1t must be
apparent to those who have taken the
trouble to investigate that few IL any
sections are more favorably situated
than this city in ability to acquire the
raw materials for the Industries named.
Wages and the cost of living are not
appreciably higher here than elsewhere.
A further and certain prospect is that
there will be ample markets for all
the fabrics such industries can make.
They are staple commodities in all the
vast range of territories easily and
cheaply accessible from Los Angeles.
An additional and great advantage
should be taken into consideration, and
it is that within the next eighteen
months in all probability the simplest
and cheapest power will be furnished
for all manufacturing otherwise prac-
ticable here 1t would be wise to make
preparations to employ that power as
soon as it is delivered.
LIONEL A. SHELDON.