Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-04-01
AIDING OREGON.


Portland Journal; On a news
mage of this paper is told the story
Of how the Multnomah Mohaid mills
of Portland is soon to start its looms.
Shortly after April the wheels will
begin to whir and within thirty days
thereafter a finished product of high
grade mohair cloths will appear in
the market. Half a million dollars
worth of output will be manufactur-
ed annually, for the present, and
from a first-class plant in which
more than 100000, mostly Port
land capital, is invested. In the con-
struction OF the plant the finest ma
chinery known to the business has
been applied, some of it having been
brought from Bradford, England,
which is at present the chief center
in the mohair industry. The estab-
lishment is one of FIVE of the kind
in the United States, and is the only
one west of the Mississippi river.
One hundred and fifty operatives
will be employed, of whom 20 ex-
perts are brought from the east and
the others local people who will be-
come skilled In their work through
instruction from the experts.
The incident signalizes the line OF
activity in which a great deal more
should be heard in the future Ore
gon. Similar mills for utilizing the
woods of Oregon sheep will ultimate
ly become more numerous. Water
powers are to be the ultimate driy-
ing force of manufacturing industry,
and Oregon has a greater wealth of
water powers than almost any state
in the union.
In the case Of mohair, the oregon
raw material is notable for its ex-
The climate and foods are
peculiarly favorable to goat produc-
ton. and to the growth of a mohair
fibre that the manufacturing world
wants. In this respect the state is
very similar to Bradford, which has
for years maintained a commanding
position in the industry. In Polk, .
Benton and several other western .
Oregon counties goat raising has be-
come a very important and profit
able industry. The appearance in |
the field of the Multnomah Mohair
mills will utilize the finer grades of .
mohair, will save to the grower the
great expense of shipping ii un-
secured to eastern mills, Will keep
the transportation CDSL III OAG5OAAs
will eliminate the fees of middlemen
and will afford employment to a long
list of operatives. 1t should, and
doubtless will, give a better price to
he grower, will save the cost of
hauling the finished product from
eastern mills back to Oregon, and
will keep bodily in this state the
100000 a year that will be the
present output of the establishment.
i is a field which, by its extension
o other raw materials, can be made
If immense factorship in the en-
argement and enrichment of the
tate. 1t is a character of activity
hat has so far been OF but minor
lttractiveness to Portland capital,
md ii may be hoped that in the pres
mt venture there will be that sue
.ess that will lead 10 the investment
If more and more local money in ,
manufacturing endeayOr. The Port
and men who are leading this move
nent are, by their enterprise, build
ng nightly for the commonwealth.
The whole character Of the south
las been changed by that process in
which the manufacturing plants, to
ave transportation cost, went 10 the
-aw material. II has become the
-iyaI Of New England in manufac-
uring cottons, because il was in the
outh that the cottons grew. In
yools, mohair and many other raw
PRODUCTS Oregon is an original and
lnrivaled producer, and IL is destiny
or 1t TO ultimately fashion its own
aw materials into the finished pro-
.uct.