New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-01
NO INDUSTRIAL DECLINE
New York Premier Manufacture
ing Centre of This Country.
PRODUCTION COST Is Low
Copper Refining Plant with
Output of More Than
100000 Planned.
By the Industrial Bureau 81 the Merchants'
Association.

Association.
Every once IN while somebody says
New York city is not an economical loca-
ton for large manufacturing plants. that
conditions here may be suitable for the
light loft industries. but for the heavy
manufacturer, no, no, he cannot live In
New York; his taxes are too high; land
values are out Of sight; the municipal Of
fcials Cypress him he cannot get his
freight in or out his labor is too costly
and so on lad inhnitissimum."
The world is fun Of pcssimists. and they
are not so bad after all they make the
rest OF us appreciate our opportunities
and give US a chance 20 enjoy life without
the necessity Of hunting for the disagree
able features. These pesslmistic fellows
find a fayorte theme in the so-called in
dustrial decadence" Of New York City, in
the alleged unfavorable conditions OF
manufacturing. but witness their discom-
future I'm face Of the facts which follow.
When a manufacturing establishment
decides to increase its output fvefold,
when IL decides TO tear down its present
buildings and put up new ones and when
IL owns valuable waterfront which is mar
ketable AT Il high price that concern con-
siders carefully the question whether II
will remain I'm its present location or
move 10 some other. Now, our pessmistlc
friends would doubtless at once aver that.
IL this concern was a New York concern
and found itself In this situation, there
could be but one answer ITO Jersey Tor
us" or to some other place near lands
end. where land can be- purchased for
song. where government regulations are
unknown, and where, In addition. the
manufacturer would find himself sur
rounded by a great and aching void.
But all these prophecies are as worm
wood and the pessimists are COMPOUNDED
over I'm the wilds Of Queens there Is a
place-look II up on the map-called
Laurel Hill Laurel Hill is not place
OF beauty. The unduIating hills In the
ueighborhood are covered with cemeteries,
rocks and ugly houses, and through the
midst OF il all flows the far-famed New
town Creek, covered at all times during
the day and night with busy water craft.
But Laurel Hill is one OF the most i'm
portant manufacturing districts In greater
New York. and Newtown Creek Is one OF
the foremost commercial arteries In or
q bout New York City.
Perhaps the foremost Industry NJ
Laurel Hill is the Nichols Copper Com
pany. TO this factory each year come by
boats and by rail thousands of tons OF
copper. some OF 1t in the raw state-thc
cre-and much OF il already in bars,
ready for refining. The copper is refined
here and put into n variety OF forms and
shapes ready for the market. The raw
material comes I'm from the Lake superior
region from Mexico and even from more
distant South America. The finished prod
uct goes TO manufacturers In all parts OF
the world The annual value Of this prod
uct is over SEQ 1000 OOO and there are be-
tween ]. 700 and $500 men engaged in
the raw copper into the refined
product which has made this factory
famous the world over
In this factory, located within greater
New York, there is three times as much
conner refined as In any other factory In
the United States.
But the world moves on and this plant
has been found TO be too small for the
vast demand. a tremendous expansion