Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-15
FACTORY LOCATION
CHANGES FORECAST
Westward Tendency of Popu-
Iation Expected to Cause
Site Removals.
BY J. C. ROYLE.

Many changes in factory location
undoubtedly will follow the complete
compilation of census reports. Figures
already available show that the centes
of population has moved decidedly
westward from Whitehall, Ind. the
1920 center 1t is probable that it will
be located near or across the Indiana
Illinois line.
The location of this center is of
considerable interest to industrialists
and manufacturers. The closer they
can produce their goods to the center
of population the less they must sac
rifice in transportation costs.
The Middle West therefore, Is pre-
pairing for a period of industrial activ-
ity. This is shown by the marked In
crease in the volume of electric power
now available. The building of new GEN.
trail power plants is only in its begin
ming. Then, too, the natural gas lines.
which will eventually furnish fuel to
scores of plants in the Midwest. have
already reached Illinois and construc
ton to Chicago. Milwaukee, Detroit,
Indiana points and Ohio centers will be
only matter of a few months, accord
ing to some authorities.
New Facilities Planned.
The railroads are preparing addi-
tional terminal facilities for handling
the increased volume OF goods for this
section, and real estate men are plot
ting out industrial housing sections in
a score of cities.
The preliminary reports would seem
to indicate period OF expansion for
the Middle West, but the manufacturers
in other sections are not ready to give
in so easily. They are studying the
census charts to determine what sec
tons are responsible for the shift in
the center of population. Census au-
thorities declare the population increase
in California Is chiefly responsible.
They point out that the center of
population is based on the balance Of
a potentially weightless United States
and the population when close to the
center does not exercise as much
weight in the movement as when IL Is
far distant. That is why the gains in
California have been instrumental in
bringing the center westward. This
has always been shown since 1890,
when the center was % miles east of
Baltimore.
AS a result of studies of these facts, it
seems likely that the manufacturers on
the Eastern coast viii either turn more
attention to water transportation or es-
tablish branches in the far-distant Sec
tions, close to markets. This would
entail greater use of the Panama Canal,
WHICH tlUW lliltS ito SICdtCot uoC III
intercoastal shipping In the transpor-
tation of oil from California. This
should give an impetus TO the port &C
tivities of a score of Eastern cities and
make the Gulf ports of even greater
| Importance.
| Midwest Centers.
| The Midwest manufacturing ceuters
are counting heavily on the use OF in
land waterways SUCH as the Great
Lakes and the Illinois. the Mississippi,
the Missouri, the Ohio. the Red and
the Warrior Rivers. These waterways.
when their channels are deepened, will
give access to a vast inland territory as
we'll as carry goods to Gulf ports and
to the Atlantic for intercoastal and
tranSoceanic shipment.
| The policy of establishing branch
factories on the Pacific Coast, which
has been noticeable in the automobile
and tire trade for a long time, is
spreading fast into other lines, as re-
cent acquisitions of the United States
Steel Co. in that section bear witness.
New England ard other sections be-
coming more removed from the center
of population are laying plans to cut
| costs in other directions to enable them
| to meet competition from firms with
| less haulage costs.
Copyright. ,:930).