Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1929-07-25
ICITYHSPONSORING
INTENSIVE SURVEY
Engineering Firm VIII
Furnish Local Data and Aid in
Locating New Industries in This
Section of the Country.

For some time various individuals
and civic organizations of the city
have been anxious for a connection
to be made whereby complete in
dustrial survey of Boone and adjoin-
ing territory should be made with a
view to attracting business and
manufacturing plants. These hopes
materialized last Friday evening
when a representative of the Craig
P. Gilbert Company, engineering
firm of Washington, D. c., met with
the city officials and closed a deal
calling for a complete tabulation of
the possibilities Boone holds out to
northern industry seeking southern
connection.
Engineer B. G. Curtis has arrived
in the city and is now actively en-
gagged in his work. Mr.. Curtis terms
the proposition as "a chain store
type of chamber of commerce." and
his explanation indicates he nos it
aptly termed. In substance the town
governing body contributes toward
the cost of the actual engineering
required In the case of Boone, the
receipts will not equal the actual
disbursements required to place the
city before the industrial world.
The Gilbert company is conducting
a mammoth national advertising CAM
paig and when it's work is completed
here, Boone will share alike with the
Il La re fn
derived from the publicity. Before
Mr.. Curtis leaves he will have the
data showing the location of Boone,
streams, general topography of the
surrounding territory, hiwhways, bus
lines, truck lines, population analysis,
climatic data, elevation and length OF
growing seasons, as well as a survey
of the natural resources, including
crops, timber and mining possibill-
ties. This information will be sup
plemented by an analysis of labor
connitions existing throughout a
radius of so miles, prevailing wage
scales, Industrial housing facilities,
number vacant houses and rentals
charged. Present industrial develop
ment will be listed, together with the
number of employees and a complete
survey of the possibilities for the de-
velopment of electrical power. The
survey will include fuel costs, water
supply, taxes, industrial sites, build
ing costs, postal receipts, fire pro-
lection, business houses, building and
loans. educational facilities, church
es, hotels, civic organizations, trans
portation freight rates and in fact
will answer any question which
might be propounded by an investor
seeking new location.
The Gilbert firm prepares this in
formation in book form and when
information is desired, they have
at their finger tips a complete picture
Of the city. They establish the con-
tact between the manufacturer and
Boone, for instance, and after money
has actually been invested, are paid
a commission of from one and one
half to three per cent for their serv-
ices, according to the amount of the
investment. In other words there is
absolutely no money for them in the
survey unless by reason of its hav
ing been made they are able to in
terest outside capital. They are Of
fering no stocks of any kind and
their revenue comes directly from
whatever industry they may interest
in our city. Mr.. Curtis is making
no rash promises, but his firm has
been unusually successful. Through
its efforts the large rayon plant was
established at Asheville, with the
largest single roof in the world and
connections are constantly being es-
tablished to the benefit of the small
er towns as well.
The Craig P. Gilbert Company has
the unqualified endorsement of some
of the country's greatest institu
tions, the Manufacturers Record, for
instance, heartily endorses their
method of development, and The
Democrat opins that the action of the
city government in cooperating with
them is step which will ultimately
bring about period of industrial
development and real progress in
the mountain region of the north
west.