The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-03-06
AN INDUSTRIAL
EXPERT TALKS
OF FACTORIES
). LEROY ToPE, OF CLEVELAND,
ADDRESSES DIRECTORS OF THE
PENSACOLA COMMERCIAL AS
ISOLATION.

j. Leroy Tope, of Cleveland, an In
'dustrial expert representing more than
sixty manufacturer plants seeking
sites, addressed the directors of the
Pensacola Commercial Association and
a number Of members of committees Of
that organization yesterday afternoon
on how to get factories for this city.
He particularly commended the work
of the association and the methods of
Secretary Leland j. Henderson, claim
ing he was able to get more actual in
formation of the kind needed by manu-
facturers from the association here
than from any similar body in any
other city.
He advised the organization Of an
industrial encouragement association
similar to those recently formed in
Harrisburg. Pa, Winona, Miss, and
Grand Rapids, Mich. The plan pur-
sued Is that one hundred business men,
more or less, agree to underwrite
fund of 100000, more or less, to en-
courage manufacturers. No money is
paid in and it is.in no way an organ
ization to give any bonus to manu-
facturers or anything OF that sort, as
explained by Mr.. Tope, who says he
wouldn't represent a concern seeking
any bonus.
1t is, rather, an organization to show
the good will and loyalty of the city.
Sometimes" Mr.. Tope said, "a man
ufaeturer needs money in a hurry to
carry him along a few days. Perhaps
the banks are not right in position
to supply 1t. Then the manufacturer
would go to the association and ask
for $4,000 or $4,000, offering first
mortgage or other acceptable security
for the loan.
1.-THE finance committee Of the asso-
cation meets and considers the propo-
sition. If they consider it safe and SO
recommend it, then the money is
raised among the subscribers. 1t is
safe to say the fund would never be
called on for more than $4,000 and no
money would really need to be put UP.
"It merely assures the manufacturer
that he may look to you in case one of
those situations which occasionally
turn up in the busy factory brings him
face TO face with demand for money"
IN HORSESHOE.
He has a large map with him and on
the map, embracing Tennessee, a part
of Kentucky. a. part of Florida, Missis-
sippi, Missouri, Louisiana, Alabama, a
part of Texas, Georgia. part of Kan
sas AMI parts Of one or two other
states is large golden horseshoe.
That represents on the map the
manufacturing section of the
country and he predicts that within
ten years the center of manufacturing
will have shifted from Wheeling, w.
Va, southwark to a point on the Mis-
sissippi in Tennessee.
Within the horseshoe and the nearest
port to the canal is Pensacola.
The speaker says that there are more
than 267 900 large and small manufac- |
turers in the United States now and
that $4,000 OF them are either .prepar- |
ing to move now or will be preparing |
to move within the next five years.
He is seeking sites for a number of |
them and says that there is not one i
asking any bonus or other in1ucement |
except natural advantages and point !
from which their product may be most |
easily and economically distributed.
\ shoe manufacturer in the South. |
he said, by way of illustration, may |
get his raw material, manufacture his |
boots or shoes, q cents per pair |
cheaper and pay ten per cent better |
wages than the boot and shoe manu-
facturer in the East who has to pay |
heavy freight on his raw material, etc. |
He says pretty parks, bayous and |
such attractions DO not help bring fac |
tories and that one good factory en- |
ploying 400 hands would be worth more l
% Pensacola now than a million dol |
airs spent for publicity, as far as at /
racting other manufacturers is con- /
ROOM TO GROW.
In the Mississippi valley, Mr.. Tope /
aid, live about so per cent of the to-
al population of this country, or far 1
more than live in New York and with I
n a comparatively short distance of it.
n other words, the Mississippi VALLEY,
With an area four times as great as
he manufacturing section of the east,
consumes more of the manufactured /
lroduct than the section in which the
are located and, besides,
g. per cent of the raw ma
erial used by the manufactures.
Consequently, those living where the