In the first five years of operation, the volume of livestock handling increased by 130%. The stockyards and meat packing plants were Oklahoma City's first major industrial installations and represented the heaviest concentration of labor in the capitol city. The entire operation generated 2,400 new jobs in the city with a population of only 60,000. Together they represented an investment of approximately $3.5 million. The following year, Schwartzchild & Sulzberger (now Wilson) opened a similar plant. Morris and Company (now Armour) opened a large meat packing plant adjoining the stockyards at the same time.
The Oklahoma National Stockyards Company began operating as a public livestock market in October 1910. This began one of the most important building booms in Oklahoma City history. A second packing house followed suit and the beginnings of "Packingtown": became a reality. A tract of land west and across the river south from the downtown area was obtained and the company began selling lots to raise money, matching the gifts pledged by individuals. Led by Anton Classen and Charles Colcord, an Industrial District Company was formed.
It all started when Oklahoma City businessmen met with the representative of the Nelson Morris Company of Chicago in May 1909 to propose building a packing house, if a $300,000.00 cash bonus and property concessions could be obtained.
0 kommentar(er)
