South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-02-23
City Reaches Maturity After Long and
Steady Progress and Stands Upon
Threshold of Era of Prosperity
and Expansion.

/ ers TO the Studebaker automobile
factories here is dealt with on an
other page Of this paper. Another
matter quite as important. perhaps
even more so, is the definite an
nouncement that in the near future
South Bend will be on the Michigan
Erie canal.
Citizens of South Bend are becom-
ing quite used TO the big figures
used in describing the boom which
South Bend is soon TO experience.
and the announcement seems to lose
importance by that fact. Neverthe-
less the coming Of the canal will
make South Bend an inland sea-
port and will bring many workers TO
the city. but this is the least i'm
portant feature of the matter.
Increased traffic through South
Bend must inevitably result from
the canal, and when large sums of
money, In the form of freight. are
passing through some Of II is bound
TO stay here. Dock workers will be
paid. supplies will be purchased in
South Bend. and local shippers will
be able TO obtain better rates on
freight bound for hundreds of cities.
which. with the canal assured. can
be reached by water practically as
easily as they are now reached by
rail.
Center Of Web OF Commerce.
Chicago, with a population Of two
and a half million, and numerous
other cities with populations which
total as much more, will be within
reach by water freight rates. South
Bend will be practically the center
OF the great web OF commerce which
will grow out of the canal project.
And South Bend. as that center, will
get the greater benefit.
But as equally important to the
community are the numerous small
er concerns, manufacturing house
hold articles, giving employment TO
thousands. II is always the city
that has the largest number OF di-
versified industries within its Dor
ders that prospers. South Bend
has more than 100 manufacturing
concerns located in it's midst, all of
them contributing to the life of the
community. and all OF them doing
their share in making South Bend
the industrial center il is.
It is conservatively estimated that
there are at least 10000 men and
women included in South Bends
Industrial population. These 5000
industrial employees earn their
money here. and they spend it here.
South Bend is far enough away
from Chicago 10 maintain its in
dividuality. This city can in no
sense be called a suburb OF the IL
linois metropolis.
l. n Business Center.
On the other hand South Bend is
a business center for a large area.
Purchasers from far and near
throughout the northern part Of the
state look upon this city as their
trading center South Bend stores
and business houses will compare
favorably with those Of cities much
larger in size. The Michigan st.
department stores are equal to those
found anywhere outside, possibly.
New York and Chicago. and there
are many persons who would rather
do their trading on Michigan ST.
than they would on State or Ran
dolph SITS. Chicago This city is the
trading center for the large rural
community Of which il is the cen
ter. and on '1nterurban' days the
streets of the city in the down town
district are crowded with purchas-
ers from early morning until the
stores close at night.
south Bend is also a city OF
homes. 4 large percentage of the
inhabitants live in their own
homes. which are we'll furnished.
comfortable abodes Flat dwellers
are greatly I'm the minority. South
Bend as vet not having become SO
crowded for space that its citizens
are forced 10 crowd themselves int
aDartments The city's residential
district is replete with handsome
dwellings. some of them palatial in
proportions. Practically all OF them
are surrounded by spacious lawns.
and these. with the numerous and
we'll kept shade trees make this city
"a beauty spot during the spring.
summer and autumn months.
The city proper covers an area Of
1874 square miles. leaving ample
room within the present corporate
limits for much of the proposed eX-
pansion program 20 be carried out
without need for the extension OF
the CITY limits Ii is estimated that
there are ~ least 5000 vacant lots
within the present corporate limits
OF the city. and these vacant lots
will provide much space upon which
20 erect the many needed homes for
the addition 10 the citys popula-
tion which Is TO begin within the
next few months by reason OF the
doubling In the number OF industrial
workers in the city during the next
two or three years
Has Educational Advantages
Another one Of the foundations