The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-05
SURVEY OF
INDUSTRIES
IS NEEDED
--RosT. W. HEMPHuL
Outlines Its Purpose
To Real Estate
Board
CITY'S GROWTH
MARVEL TO u. S.
Says Many Think De-
trOit Will Develop
Basic Materials

Centralized factory sites In De.
troit arc at premium and the de-
mand for such property IL increas
ing tremendously. said Robert w.
Hemphill. Jr, industrial commits
sioner OF the Detroit Edison com
psny. in speaking before members
OF the Detroit Real Eststc3oard at
the ORGANIZATIONS fret monthly
meeting In the Detroit Athletic club.
Mr.. Hempnill said IN part.
The growth OF Industrial Detroit
IA one OF tho maryels OF this fast
growing country Few or VS. real
ire what that growth means and
none OF us can foresee the end OF
this expansion. The wonderful
growth of Chicago in the eighties
has been surpassed and new
worlds record has been established
FOR municipal growth. Detroit. one
OF the most conservative cities OF
the country 20 years ago, has be
come Dynamic Detroit" You men
OF the real estate board who former
ly had long lists OF Industrial prop
critics for sale or rent are now con.
frontsd with greatly diminished
lists and a decidedly Increased de
mand. Unoccupied factory sites Ia
Detroits central area are few and
ihty have been greatly diminished
within the past year.
The expansion OF Detroit's indus
trial area r. a mostly healthy one,
induced BY natural and solvent
growth. The railroad companies
perceived some time ago that this
would come about and have con
drcted their operations in expand
ing lines accordingly.
Unlike many other great indus.
trisN cities. Dctroit's expansion will
In no way be detrimental but rath
or the opposite. Take. for example,
the development OF Pittsburgh.
That city II hemmed In on one side
BY river and on the other side by
great bluffs Twenty-Five thousand
dollars per acre Is being paid for
the few uroccupicd areas During
recent years many big firms have
been reFCSd 70 relocate our ~ me
city.
Detroit occupies an anomalous
position IN this respect. This city
IL surrounded only by the lines
marking the political boundaries.
when the burst comes 10 rapidly
developing city such as Detroit
there Isl danger OF II happening AZ
inconvenient places. Such body
as the real estate board has much
power 10 guide the expansion so
that far-sighted development
will obtain.
AT the present time nothing -
more needed bv the business in
terests OF Detroit than an inventory
or industrial survey OF the entire
district Such survey should
show how many factories we now
have in the many different lines OF
trade. what they make. amount OF
output. selling area. raw ,materiai.
where purchased quantity used.
price and labor conditions I'M
derstan' AT the directors ot the
Detroit - Commences are now
consider. such q survey
made dur.i . months.
Many judE great propo-
sition OF industl growth think
that the NEXT development In De
troit VIII be along the lines OF basic
materials. That means that The
great beds Of salt that underlie this
whole area will be further devel.
oped. that a great glass industry
will use tho silica sand south OF
Trenton; possibly. the mari lying
IN the beds OF the lakes OF Oakland
county will be made into cement.
that the ores from the northern
peninsula OF Michigan that pass
thru the Detroit river in an almost
endless stream during most OF the
year will be stopped and made into
iron and steel. Much along these
lines is being done now but the
future OF Detroit In this respect IL
Just being realized.
In the development OF suburban
properties there are four essential
kinds OF municipal enterprise that
should be extended from the city
proper. These are water. sewers.
garbasc disposal. transportation Ia
oiIities and recreation parks and
boulevsrds. Much work In this
connection II now being carried on
by the city government and plans
are being evolved whereby a great
portion OF the newly annexed terri
tory will be adequately served with
sewer and water during the present
year Detroit's growth Il healthy.
The biggest development Ia vet 70
come"