History of Springfield, Illinois, its attractions as a home and advantages for business, manufacturing, etc. Pub. under the auspices of the Springfield board of trade, by J. C. Power.

ITS ADVANTAGES FOR MANUFACTURING. 99
GENERAL REVIEW OR CONCLUDING REMARKS.
Springfield has long been noted for its when they could have built one to suit
comfortable, handsome and even palatial them better for less money. The interresidences. There is probably a larger est on the money invested in that buildproportion of the business men in this ing will amount to all of $150,000 from
city who own the houses in which they the date of purchase, before the purchatransact business, and the residences they sers can have any use of it. $70,000 for
occupy, than in any other town of equal the land donated to the State, on which
size in the west. This has doubtless con- the new State House is being erected, and
tributed largely to the stability of its the city is now under bonds to purchase
business men. Enormous rents for busi- not to exceed four acres more, to enlarge
ness houses and dwellings has been the the new State House grounds, which will
ruin of many a man or firm who would cost $100,000 more. Put all those tootherwise have been prosperous. gether and it will be found that SpringWhen trade is good, these expenses field has expended nearer one million of
can be met, but in times of general de- dollars than three-quarters, because it is
pression, almost everything else finds its the State Capital.
level before rents give way, and when re- The people of a city destitute of enlief comes it is often too late. This very terprise, are not likely to expend a milsecurity in Springfield has exerted its in- lion dollars on a single object. The
fluence in causing business to move slow- truth is, Springfield has manifested an
ly. If it is dull they can take the world enterprising spirit, on this question, that
easy, for the discharge of a few clerks or would have put her far ahead of any who
workmen reduces the expenses to a mere- are now her rivals, if it had been directly nominal figure. A man once estab- ed to building up manufacturing induslished in business, usually remains for tries. But it is not too late to do that
life. It will be seen, by running over the yet and then have both. The idea has
business notices, that there is a large prevailed, for a long time, that a State
proportion of men here who have been Capital could not be a commercial or
continuously in business from thirty to manufacturing town. Indianapolis has
forty years, and many more such could be has proved the fallacy of that theory.
named. Springfield now has advantages superior
The fact that business moves steadily to those of Indiarapolis; and we believe
and without parade, is no evidence of a she will yet give stronger evidence that
lack of enterprise. Springfield has ex- a town may be a seat of government and
pended more than threequarters of a rise to a commanding position in commillion dollars, because of its being the merce and manufactures, and, like the
State Capital; beginning with the $50,- city of Indianapolis, accomplish it with000 to secure the first location of it out being located upon a navigable river,
here; $350,000 for the Leland Hotel- either.
for which there would have been no de- There are other evidences of an entermand on any other giounds, and $200,000 prising spirit in Springfield, of which
for the old Capitol, for a Court House, hut little has been said. She is the only