The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1912-01-06

issue, contained a very interesting
write-up of Brunswick, under the cap
ton, "Brunswick's Big Idea" The ar
ticle was written by a member of the
staff of the Index and is as follows:
The good year 1911 should be
marked in red on the Brunswick
for the city made in that
period the greatest industrial
strides in all it's history.
1t has not been the custom for sea-
ports to be manufacturing towns, and
Brunswick has been no exception to
the rule. Primarily there comes tine
business of the port, and the expan-
sion incident to this is usually along
commercial lines. Broadly speaking,
manufacturing has taken back seat
IN Brunswick until recent years. 1t
is true that there were number of
industrial enterprises, some of them
among the best known of their char
acter in the South, but this feature
was not emphasized or especially en-
couraged.
A year or so ago, however, the
idea became wedged in the local
brain that factories were rot only
we'll worth the having, but were abb
solutely necessary for the continued
development of a city along broad
lines. This sentiment assumed con-
crete shape and form in a way of
which l will attempt to tell. And as
result $250,OO0 plant and $751;
600 factory form exhibits A and B of
the practical working of the plan.
DR.. E. G. Bruce is a druggist of
Brunswick. Sometimes druggists spend
all their time cooped up behind four
walls and are only interested in com
munity affairs in very limited sort
of way. Sometimes they are among
the Iivest wires in their town. DR..
Bruce is Of the latter type. He was
at thte head of the retail merchants
association when what will be known
in local history as the Big Idea be-
gan to assume form and substance in
Brunswick, The leading spirits of
the city aWoke to a realization of the
fact that factories were very nevss-
sary to the prosperity and growth of
the city. AS practical men they saw
that it would take money to locate
manufacturing plants here. So, fac
ing the situation just as it was. they
said they would go down in their poe
kntS opd sdior mn th1 noin FNbi- 1x;r A
of spirit will accomplish things any
where and so it is not surprising rnat
Brunswick got very quick results.
The Brunswick Advancement Asso-
citation was formed, with DR.. Bruce
as president, the object of the asso-
citation being to locate industries in
this city by furnishing the site of
other inducements, the exact charac-
tier of assistance to be determnleI
by circumstances.
AS a result of this liberal policy, a
$250,000 turpentine distilling plant
has been built by Ohio capitalists,
on a site furnished by the asso-
citation, and on another site, similarly
provided a $4,000 crate and basket
factory has been established by Mich
igan capital.
One of the plants was secured for
Brunswick before the details of the
plan for providing the stipulated as
slstance had been fully determined. i.
The promoters met in the parlors Of
the Oglethorpe hotel with the lead
ing business men of the town. 1t was
right up to the citizens as to what
they should do, and they met the sit
uation squarely, pledging the pur-
chase of suitable site for the COM
pany. The pledge was accepted, and
when the visitors temporarily with
drew from the parlors the home peo-
pie had to perfect, then and there,
their plan for raising the money. Then
it was that the Brunswick Advance
ment association really got into ac-
ton, for not only was the site neces-
sary for this particular enterprise
provided, but ground for numbers of
other manufacturing plants was ac-
quired.
The experience Of the I@uns 2 ,;k
Advancement Association has been
rather remarkable, as members of
other organizations of this character
will readily agree. Not only has it
provided ample grounds for two large
plants, but the remainder of its land
has enhanced so rapidly in value
that it now exceeds considerably the
value of the entire tract before the
were made. And in ad.
dition to this the association has
money in the bank-something like
$4,000, l believe. 1t has As acres of
land suitable for manufacturing plants
with railroad, steamship and street
car facilities and is prepared to ex-
tend the glad right hand to all indus
trial newcomers.
Now, record like this is really a
record of accomplishment, and the
Brunswick men who made this 1850.
citation possible had every right 10
enjoy Christmas with a good com