Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 226, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 September 1916 — NEW FACTORY TO OPEN HERE SOON [ARTICLE]

NEW FACTORY TO OPEN HERE SOON

Columbia Furniture Co., of Chicago, to Come Here—Reduction Plant Also to Open. It appears that afier years of patient waiting Rensselaer ia to be the home of a factory. Rensselaer has had her ups and downs on the factory game for a great many years, much to her chagrin and sorrow in some cases. No pne will ever forget the match factory that Rensselaer attempted to put in operation here a few years ago, and with the outcome of this venture Rensselaer soured on factories and it remained for two Rensselaer citizens and a Remington doctor to again put Rensselaer in the factory limelight. J. W. Loy, of Piqua, Ohio, and brother, Dr. E. N. Loy, of Rensselaer, and Dr. Emil Besser, -of Remington, arc the men who have taken hold of a new concern in this city. G. W. Loy, however, will take no active interest in it from now on. In The Republican of April 25 last, there was an article relative to the starting of a reductio. plant in Rensselaer. Since that time the three gentlemen mentioned above have been active in getting such a plant ready for operatic n. Drs. Loy and Besser and J. W. Loy paid off the mechanics lieu against the factory buildihg, amounting to about $1,500. The building lad a'so suffered much damage from tramps, who had nu de it their rendezvous, and a great deal of work has been required to put the buildings in shape for occupancy. The smaller of the two buildings was to be used for the reduction plant. The larger building was to be closed up until some satisfactory conc< m could be found to occupy it. In this the promoters were successful. Drs. Loy and Besser have secured a furniture factory from Chicago for the larger building. The concern in question has outgrown its Chicago quarters and Drs. Loy and Besser induced- them to come to this city. The furniture company manufactures upholstered furniture, such as chairs and couches, and as soon as the neces-

saty machinery is installed it is their kiention to do all their work here. A visit to the factory disclosed the fact that about one-third of the ground floor of the larger building had been covered with a wood floor, and the balance, we are informed, will be covered as soon as possible. The work on the floors that has already been completed will permit the work to start at once. Already a carload of furniture in the knocked down stage has been received and the workmen will start to work next Monday morning. Machinery has also been installed for the making of couches and chairs to be produced from the raw lumber, and Dr. Loy states that the company # now has advance orders enough to keep the plant running for the next three or four months to. come, and that additional orders are coming in all the time. In the operation of this plant at the start about twenty-five skilled men are to be employed, who will move here from Chicago with their families. It is the intention, however, to use as much local labor as is possible and the company desires young men for apprenticeship. This is one of the most commendable features of the new concern—the employing of home talent wherever possible. The company will use electric power and the expense of extending the line out to the plant will be borne by tliem. It is also necessary to install a heating system and with other machinery to put in, it may be readily seen that a good sum of money must be invested in putting the plant in working operation. The building, as stated before, is in a very badly run down condition, due to the depredations committed by tramps and loafers and this will also incur considerable expense. Every window pane in the buildings have been broken out, and this alone calls for a considerable amount. The company wishes it known that the manufacture of these chairs and couches is not an experiment, but that the firm which will make them has been in business for several years arttl are thoroughly competent and a reliable concern. In the face of such obstacles aa promoters Loy and Besser have been forced to overcome, they are entitled to a great deal of credit for going along single-handed without any outside help and doing something the entire community was unable to accomplish some years ago, and the best wishes of everyone in the city and county should be extended to them for their success in this new venture. The work on the reduction plant, which was the first thing undertaken bv Messrs. Loy and Besser, has been ht a standstill for some time owing to their inability to get the machinery required for operating such a plant. The work for the reduction plant is now going on, however. This plant, as stated before, will occupy the smaller building and will bo independent of the furniture factory. A reduction plant is a method whereby all animal carcasses ureusod for tankage and fertilizer. .*"s® are many plants of this kind m the country, the -closest one to Rensselaer being at Lowell. The plan, is to gather the carcasses of take them to the plant in tightly sealed tanks and there to put them through a process that ihakes the tankage stock feed and fertilizer. The animals which die will be gathered up without expense to the owner, who in most cases would sooner give them away than to bury them. - ’ Here’s to Rensselaer’s new factory, may it live and prosper.