Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 168, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1913 — TWO NEW GARAGES ARE WELL EQUIPPED [ARTICLE]

TWO NEW GARAGES ARE WELL EQUIPPED

8 ! A. E. and N. C. Shafer Have Fine Plant and J. L. Willis Occupies New Kurie Buijd’iig. The two new garages in Rensselaer have'been completed for some time and are now occupied and they are modern in every appointment, having been built after their owners had made several trips to investigation to ascertain the best pinna for garage buildings. Including the Rensselaer Garage this city now has three modern arid well equipped plants and should be able to care for all the needs of the local and transient business. The Shafer building is 50x125 feet in dimensions and is located at the corner of Cullen asd Cornelia streets. It is made of having brick, the front being chipped to resemble stone.- The roof is asbestos and is supported by heavy steel trusses. Plate glass windows In front and on the sides give the building a splendid appearance. A. E. Shafer, who formerly lived in Logansport, came to Rensselaer and engaged in business with his son, N. C. Shafer, after the latter had proven that there was a good field here. The son and father are both good mechanics and they have employed the services of Will Timmons, a well known, expert in auto engineering, and have equipped their plant with the best repair machinery. Located with 'them in the garage is Johik Braddock, who has installed a Haywood Model A vulcanizing plant for all sort of retreading and sectional, tube work and relining of tires with a diameter from 2Va to 6 inches. The plant is the largest and best manufactured and is just what is used in the largest gaTages in the country. The treatment employed is known as the dry cure, no live steam coming in contact with the tires. To prepare himself for running the plant Mr. Braddock took at training course at the factory for two or three iweeks. A 5-horse boiler Is used to generate the steam. The vulcanizing plant and work room are in the rear end of the building and are partitioned off from the balance of the shop. There is still room for some fifty machines. The office is equipped with desk, cash register, safe, etc., and the policy of the Shafers is to have everything the best. N. C. Shafer belongs to the Chicago Motor dub and this fact will give him prestige for a great deal of transient business. The requirements of the business so far have caused the proprietors to hire two more men, one an expert washer and handy man. The Kurrie building is 49x103 feet in dimensions, of brick construction and a lattice-truss roof with 352 square feet of sky lights. The floor is of solid cement with a water-tight cement pit. J. L. Willis, the tenant, has been engaged in the garage business for several years, and is a first-class mechanic. He has not completed the removal or Installation of .all of his machiriiry, having formerly been located ust south of the new building, which is at the corner of Washingon and Cullen streets with entrances on each street. Mr. Willis will have lathes, motors, drill press, emery grinders steam vulcanizing plant and other modern machinery for repair work. He has installed an electric air compresser for tire inflation which can be attached to any light socket and which is the latest method of filling tires. He has also installed a Bowser underground gasoline tank of 1,000 gallons capacity and has pumps at he entrances on 'both streets. This garage is also modern and a eredit to Rensselaer, through -which city there is a great amount of tourist travel.

The marvelous growth of the automobile business during the past two or .three years has made possible three fine garages which employ about twenty men, while almost that many more residing in Rensselaer make their living as repair men and drivers. That the automobile business will continue to grow ,there is every indication; and these garages are built with a view to handling all the business that may come to them for several years to come. Reports of storm damage continue to come in. John Eger had a silo either struck with lightning or tipped pver by the wind on the farm occupied by Adam FleSher. James Tyler, of Hanging Grove township, lost a horse by lightning. Fred Arnott and Rex Warner, who took an auto trip to Buffalo, N. Y, with John M. Knapp, are having a fine time. They have been flaking boat trips and visiting several points of Interest Monday they were in Detroit and postal cards sent home did not say when they would get back.