While this southeast Kansas town’s population peaked more than 100 years ago, the opening of the region’s largest ever economic development project means its best days are ahead, Lt. Gov. David Toland said Thursday. Toland spoke to a crowd of more than 100 state and federal lawmakers, economic development officials and construction company representatives who gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the Bartlett soybean crushing plant just south of Cherryvale. The town’s population peaked at 4,700 in 1920 and is now 2,200. Toland, a Democrat and Iola native who also serves as commerce secretary, said the project reminds him of southeast Kansas’ “glory days.” “When heavy industry was pouring into this region and our towns were booming,” Toland said of the early 20th century, “it looked a lot like this, and we’re doing it again.” The $375 million plant, which began accepting shipments of soybeans in February, can house 49 million bushels of the crop and will help create food, animal feed and fuel, officials said. Now that it’s operational, Bartlett executives said, it will employ about 60 full-time workers.
Source: Kansas Reflector
