Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1918-01-03
GREAT STRIDES
MADE IN YEAR
City Has Enjoyed A Continued
Growth During the Year
Just Come To A Close.
SECURES NEW INDUSTRIES
Municipal improvements Bonded For
and Were Started ID lring Year
Will BE Finished in Spring.

The year 1917 has been one of fruit
fulness for the city of Alma, which
has come 10 the front more rapidly
than ever, demonstrating clearly that
IL takes front rank among cities of
Central Michigan, which it has forged
ahead of in industries, in population,
AN BUSINESS and in municipal improve
Snents made or provided for.
In industrial lines, Alma has con-
tnued to hold its place among the
new wonder cities of the state. It's
older industries have grown and
grown rapidly. In addition to this
Alma has secured new industries,
which have excellent future prospects
ard should aid the growth of the city
greatly in the coming years.
Chief among the industries. which
have enjoyed notable growth during
the past year, must he placed Alma's
greatest industry, which has placed
this city upon the world map, The
Republic Motor Truck Company, Inc
This concern during the year added
several thousand square feet Of floor
space to its immense plant here, so
il might keep pace with the growing
demands for Republic trucks. Some
hundreds of laborers have been added
to it's force of men during the year.
Another industry which has enjoyed
a great growth during the year has
been the Alma branch of Libby,
McNeill & Libby. With the opening
of the year the state offices were
moved 10 Alma, and this was followed
by the erection of three new buildings
about 100 feet square, which about
doubled the capacity of the plant. 1t
has excellent prospects for future
growth also, says report.
The fore part of the year saw the
completion of the plant Of the Western
lCarburetor company here, which came
from Iowa. This plant is now in ac
tive operation and enjoying a good
business which promises TO continue
and grow better.
During the course of the year Alma
landed two new industries of which
il may we'll be proud. One of these
is the costly new plant of the Central
Michigan Light q Power company.
Needing larger plant than it had at
Mt. Pleasant, it sized up the situation
here, and was easily induced to bring
its new plant to this city. The plant
is now about completed at cost Of
nearly 100000, and has been so
constructed as to provide for future
increases in growth.
The second new industry is the
Ex-Cel-O products company which,
vas connected with by the board Of
trade about sixty days ago. The first
unit Of the plant is now under the
process of construction and will be
80 by 100 feet. 1t is expected that this
concern will soon be doing business
here and its plant will be increased in
size.
Just what increase in population
has been during the past year is hard
to estimate with any degree of accur-
acy, but certain it is that Alma has
enjoyed a healthy growth in this re-
spect During the course OF the year
several hundred new homes have been
constructed in Alma, yet the crowded
conditions which have prevailed here
in the past few years do not seem to
have let up in the least, showing that
the growth in population has at least
kept pace with the home building
which the city has enjoyed. 1t is
probable that Alma has acquired sew
eral hundred new families during the
course of the year.
The city of Alma has under7 aken
some great improvements during the
year some Of which are still far from
completed and will go over into the
new year before being finished. High
among. these things stands the bond
ing for S126,000 for sewers, water
mains and paving. The bonds We're
quickly sold and work was started on
the improvements, very little Of
which was completed before winter
set in, however. Most Of the paving
was finished, but the watermains and
sewer work had scarcely been started
before it became too cold 10 continue
this work.
Another thing which marked the
growth of the city during the past
year was the boundary extension.
which brought "a great amount OF
rev territory into the city and put
more square miles within its city
limits than any other smaller cities of
this section of the state can boast.
There is every indication that the
prosperity which has been felt in Alma
during the past year will continue in
1918. and that Alma will continue the
rapid pace which she has been making
in the past. and that 1913 will see
Alma forging to the front even more
tn nill.. thnr - r...ocodi... ,.nnn.