The Carlos Sentinel, Carlos, Indiana.
Vol. 1-No. 1, September 22, 1927.
A View Of Carlos In Ten Years
The following story was written by Mr. Karl J. Thomas, well known throughout this section of the country as one of the best sales managers who has had charge of sales for merchants and business men throughout the state of Indiana. Mr. Thomas accompanied the organizer of the Carlos Sentinel to our city this week and while waiting in a car outside the Farmers Bank drew a fantastic if not interesting picture of the Carlos of the future.
While the story is somewhat far fetched we could not resist printing it in this first issue of our newspaper and we trust that all of our readers will bear in mind that the author, Mr Thomas, has drawn on his imagination to a liberal extent in his verbal picturization of the Carlos of ten years, 1937, from the date of the issuance of the first home newspaper for our city:
A Dream By A Dreamer
This being a layman's view of the future possibilities of our little rural community with business men, and residents of both the town and countryside cooperating in an endeavor to bring industry of the right kind into our midst.
In our early endeavor to place Carlos on the map as a thriving and industrious little city we found that it required continuous effort on the part of the leaders to keep the interest of our community alive to the various opportunities which presented themselves.
Our first procedure was to procure title to several sites along the right of way of the New York Central railroad where switching facilities were available, and yet close to and adjacent to the principal thorofare of the town.
At a mass meeting of the entire populace for miles about we obtained consent of the farmers for the storage and holding of their eggs and poultry until such a time as market conditions warranted a movement to the cities where high prices prevailed.
To hold and store these commodities above mentioned, we communicated with the manufacturers of ice making and refrigeration machinery and requester their efforts in getting in touch with a client interested in a location for just such a plant as we desired. In a few weeks we had several visitors who came to look at the free sites we had available and to investigate our ability to supply sufficient patronage to warrant their establishing their business in Carlos. At the end of the sixth week a contract was closed for site No. 1 and construction on the buildings commenced, with a number of our home folks buying stock in the industry. You know the rest.
Our next endeavor was to obtain a canning plant to take care of a greatly increased crop of garden vegetables. Finally site No. 2 was a scene of great activity, where the construction of several buildings were progressing rapidly--so that this new industry could take care of the on coming crop of peas, golden wax beans and sweet corn. In this plant was to be an innovation--a special process was to be used in the canning and preserving of roasting ears of sweet corn on the cob--a process that assured the consumer corn on the cob the year round with the natural taste and flavor retained.
With these two industries established the rest became easy--a goodly number of new families had moved into our city--new homes had been erected--new homesites laid out in several additions to the original town plat--and a general air of activity permeated the atmosphere. Our original merchants began to take advantage of the new patronage, remodeling and rearranging their stores to take care of enlarged stocks and enlarged patronage, new stores, garages and shops began to spring up on Main street.
Not yet satisfied, our leaders were in the field for industry that would still increase our populace and quite naturally with increased population came increased property values.
A commercial traveler solved the problem. Stepping into our bank to cash his weekly pay draft he commented upon the growth and the business acumen of our citizens and suggested that like the great packing houses of the nation, (who were accused of even canning the squeal of the pigs they killed) we should use to a good advantage the feathers that came from the chickens, geese and ducks that were dressed and stored at the immense poultry house.
A thought well spoken. At another mass meeting our people, who were now waxing wealthy from the sale of land for building sites and the products of their lands at greatly enhanced prices, immediately subscribed in full, the necessary stock for the erection and equipping of a bedding factory where not only the feathers and down from the poultry house are used but where today are made the finest of cotton and down comforts are manufactured and shipped the wide world over.
Those of you who have lived amongst us these last ten years know the story--of all the flurry of a progressing city--of all the drawbacks that we have encountered and surmounted.
You look at Carlos today and you are proud of this city of beautiful homes with well shaded and well kept lawns, its contented people who have earned their just reward of municipal government that is honest in its operation of its municipal water works, electric, fire and sewerage departments.
You look at the thriving industry that provides the employment for so many of our young men and women. The creamery has been enlarged to care for the increased dairy herds of this section of the country. Our famous ROSEBUD brand butter is now known in practically all of the cities of the U.S.A. This plant is now employing some forty men and women and are operating a large cold storage plant in connection.
The storage facilities of the Carlos Storage & Packing Co. are taxed to the limit as hundreds of cars of eggs are stored during the summer for winter markets. The storage of apples and pears is also quite an adjunct to this plant's business.
The Poultry Plant has grown by leaps and bounds until now they are occupying more than an acre of ground with their buildings. Have forty or more regular employees and a great many extra are used during the fall when turkeys and geese are being dressed by the thousands.
Scarcely a day passes that from one to five cars of mattresses and bedding does not leave the Carlos Perfection Bedding Co.'s plant. The success of this industry is best described by a survey of the hundred or more women, girls and men who leave the modern well lighted plant at the end of each day.
In season the canning factory is in operation 24 hours a day to care for the ever increasing crops of garden vegetables and sweet corn. Several hundred people are brought in from other cities and towns nearby to help harvest and can the products. Many of these additional people make their homes in tents erected under the shelter of the pecan grove just west of the canning plant.
Our city is supporting winning baseball and football teams--a musical organization known as the Carlos Concert Band, a product of our high school and is known throughout the entire state. In fact we have gained a big point. We are a contented people, we have work, we have our play--we have our homes--we have our families--we are happy.
A "Wild Dream" you'll say. Yes, but some dreams are made to come true. Can this one? Let's see what the good people who live in and about Carlos will do about making it come true. The end.
Also in this 1st edition: New Store For Carlos-- Wayne Whitehead is preparing to construct a new and modern business building just west of the Odd Fellows building. It is to be constructed of hollow tile with a composition roof which will assure practically a fire proof structure.
This building when completed will be occupied by Whitehead & Son with a full and complete line of hardware, implements and house furnishings, and congenial merchants, in a new store.
We are sure that with this form of building, with new and modern fixtures, their future prosperity is more than assured.
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