The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-06-07
FACTORY SITES
ADVANTAGEOUS
City's Present Industries Har-
! bingers Of Development
for Future.
CHEAP FUEL A FACTOR
Clarksburs, Near Great Consuming
Markets, Has Good Transport
tation Facilities.

tdu0n fdciuue&.
To persons seeking factory locations
Clarksburg offers advantages not equailed
elsewhere in the whole country. II has
the cheapest fuel. and that. Is a chief
factor Fuel is one Of the costly items
charged against factory productions.
Clarksburg is near the great consuming
markets, and as freight is a feature In
the distribution of goods. that is much
in the towns favor. It has a large
variety Of raw materials, and so with
fuel markets. and materials CIarksbury
offers unusual advantages to manufac-
turers and investors.
Existing Industries
The manufacturing interests Of Clarks-
burg at this time comprise twelve glass
factories. employing about 1000 men. en-
gagged in the production Of window glass.
milk bottles. jelly glasses, fruit and snuff
jars, jugs and other specialties: a sheet
and tin plate mill employing about LOO
hands. with a pay roll of about $4,000
month: two large zinc companies. oper-
ating three plants, employing about LOO
men; three large lumber concerns and
planning mills, a carbon company, a pot
terry making sanitary plumbing ware. a
rig. reel. and supply company; a box fac
tory. a casket factory. several foundries
and machine shops, three -four mills,
brick manufacturing concern, and other
industries of lesser importance.
II is in the figures that West Virginia
produces IS per cent of all the window
glass made in the country. The glass
sand mines of the State are among the
largest and finest in the country. II is
known that tons of pulverized West yir-
ginia sand is used by the manufacturers
of toilet articles, one locality supplying
several of the largest makers of talcum
powder with the material which forms
the basis Of that preparation Instead of
being talcum powder. il should be sill
cum powder.
Big Wholesale Business.
Clarksburg has become recognized as
an important distributing point. and has
at present established here nine whole
sale houses doing large business in all
parts of the State
Views Of the town from high points are
most slightly. The main buildings are
unusual for the size OF the city. and in
clude a half million dollar hotel. three
modern office buildings of seven, nine.
and ten stories, two excellent hospitals
four department stores. and a number Of
fine retail houses. There are also many
modern church buildings
There are fifteen public schools in
Clarksburg independent school district,
with a teaching force Of seventy trained
instructors The school population of the
district is over 1900. The buildings are
large and comfortable, and amply
equipped with apparatus, maps, charts.
libraries. and experiment laboratories
Industrial Analysis.
An expert who had made a careful in
vestigstion of conditions in various cities
Of the country compares Clarksburg with
fifty chosen ones. based upon a desired
100 per cent in efficiency for the economic
production and distribution of the CLASH
fed manufactured products His analysis
of Clarkburgs standing Is as follows:
l. Population-25,ooo 600. including adjacent
suburbs. Location to profitable consump-
ton field in many lines very good, 81
per cent.
> Citizenship-Schools are strictly mod
ern. and acknowledged of the highest
CLASS III tIlt represent
nearly all denominations; negro popula-
ton about S per cent: saloons well resu-
lated: home-ownership largely prevail
ing; few houses to rent; 50 per cent
3. Community-North central part of
State. on main line of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad. in Harrison County; sur
rounding country billy. but much more
desirable than most sections of the State;
nine jobbing houses and some twenty
FIVE factories, employing about $500 en-
ployes at better than average wages;
while little farming is done, owing to
valuable leaseholds given to coal. OIL
and gas resources. yet the valleys arc
rich in SOIL and hay, wheat. oats. and
corn grow in rich yields and no better
grazing or fruit land can be found;
abundance of valuable timer: 50 per cent
T. Ffduciary-Three National and four
State banks. and one Savings and Trust
Company with a total capital of 81. $50 900:
deposits of ss,oo0.ooo. and loans OF S.
100000; loans at per cent: 70 per cent
s. Taxes-Duplicate about s15.00o. 90, of
which So, O5l, $50 is realty. and the balance
personal and general utility; rate reaches
a. 40 per NJ; 81 per cent
City Owns Water Works.
& Water-City-owned. analysis good,
supply plenty. fire equipment only fair,
but plans for Improvement to efficient
under way; IS per cent.
Z. Gas and electricity-For power and
lighting. both private-owned and of ex-
cellent efficiency. Electricity rate runs
from OBS to .05 per kilowatt. and gas
rate is extremely low, being especially
favored by the remarkable rate of only
cents. This low rate and that of fuel
has left undeveloped extraordinary water
power: IS per cent.
s. Fuel and heavy power-No more IA
vorable city on record. Coal Is found
In abundance at a rate as low as IS cents;
IS per cent.
s.,Labor-Non-union. wages fair: un-
cent; skilled. Il per cent: trouble-h se. ~
per cent. living cost. 81 per cent; NOR
tally. 81 per cent; 81 per cent.
10. Mandatory Natural resources
limited beyond coal, oil, gas, lumber,
and clay, although rich fruit lands and
truck farming land abounds; 30 per cent
Land valuations for home and factory
sites Is on a fair basis. The Board Of
Trade is prepared TO offer very equitable
terms to manufacturers who may desire
locations.
The city proper covers two square miles.
with fourteen miles OF streets, of which
over one-half Is paved. Sidewalks are
found on the entire mileage of streets.
The city owns its water plant. with
reasonable rates to consumers The gas.
electric and street railway are owned anc
operated by private corporations
The tax duplicate OF the city shows
nearly sl5.oo0,oo9 on about 50 per cent
valuation, and has total bonded debt OF
only $50. 0ce-s270000 at IA per cent and
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