Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 75, Number 44, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 22 May 1952 — Page 5

‘ - -• ’ \ j '/ -j THURSDAY. MAY 22. 1952

BLUE BELL, INC ONE OF LARGEST PRODUCERS OF WORK CLOTHING. BEGAN OPERATING IN'OB

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For the next several weeks, the Development Club of Nappanee has arranged a series of articles to acquaint the people of this community with Blue Bell, the world’s largest producer of work clothes. This company last year opened a branch sewing unit at 503 South Main street, in the building adjoining the Nappanee Dairy. Since it -is hard to judge the business acumen of an industry by its newest branch, the Development club brings to you facts in connection with the industry that has selected Nappanee as the site for one of their 23 branch factories, located in 7 states, with employees numbering more than 5,000. ,t It all began in a little plant in JelUco. Tenn., in ;1908 with only 12 sewing machines, operating as Uie Jellico Clothing Manufacturing Company. They made overalls and sold their goods direct to the retail trade. The busi-

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R. W. BAKER

ness prospered and grew and by 1816 they operated 35 machines, but it really began to forge ahead when Mr. R. W. Baker, at present Honorary Chairman of the Board, gained controlling interest in the enterprise. 5 In 1918 a large new modern plant was - built in v Middlesboro, Ky. and the company \ name was changed to the Big Ben Mfg, Cos. In 1926 Mr. B:kcr and his associates bought out the Blue Bell Overall Company at Greensboro, N. C., and the general offices were moved thera. Big Ben, in buying

My Sale r men Went Wild With Joy When I Agreed to REPEATT this Sensational Kills < : :'<4&.V y >y°/* ! <: < i ■ :vX ; /5 iflnH .. . \ .. . M -||||£_, ... <&s/ l|||||Bffl ~:;: j r Mflfl Blue Kelly Green ★ Wine Isig Handsome! Modern! ‘' l Comfort! Breath Taking Beauty \ . FOl ONLY A FEW DOLLARS DOWN, YOU CAN START ENJOYING THE WONDERFUL LUXURY OF THIS FAMOUS KROEHLER W SOFA AND CHAIR. REVERSIBLE SPRING-FILLED CUSHIONS. COIL SPRING SEATS AND BACKS. STURDY HARDWOOD FRAME V ' FLETCHER FURNITURE •

out Blue Bell Overhall Company became the largest single house making overalls exclusively for the wholesale trade. In 1930 the corporation name was changed from Big Ben to Blue Bell Overall Company. But of aIT the highlights in the company’s history, none outshines

J. C. FOX

the famous merger of 1936 when J. C. Fox. present Chairman of the Board, entered the Blue Bell picture. | At the time the Daily News Record” described the resulting organization as one which practically corresponds to the U. S. Steel Company of work clothes business.” Mr. Fox had started in the overall business with his father, in Atcheson, Kans. In 1936 he resigned as work clothes buyer for the J. C. Penny Com-

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NAPPANEE ADVANCE-NEWS, NAPPANEE, IND.

pany, bought a very substantial interest in the Blue Bell and immediately proceeded to purchase all outstanding stock of the Globe Superior Corp., with main office and plant at Abingdon, 111. and branch’ plants at Canton, 111., Commerce, Ala., and Columbia City, Ind, When Blue Bell bought out Globe Superior Corp., both companies were approximately the same size—the two largest in the world and the resulting combination made a company several times larger than its nearest competitor. The new name for the company thus formed became Blue Bell-Globe Mfg. Cos. Then came the war years. Work clothes became war clothes. Millions and millions of garments went to the armed forces, enough garments that each person in all branches of service qould have 'been supplied with two Blue Bell made garments. New production methods were developed by Blue Bell during work and study in connection with the tremendous Army and Navy orders for war clothes, rush, and the improvements which Blue Bell developed while making millions of military garments are reflected in the longer wear and easy-action comfort of Post War “Blue Bell.” In 1943 the company name for easy identification throughout the trade, was changed to Blue Bell, j Inc., and/they began to advertise nationally. Today Blue Bell ads j appear in Look, Country Gentleman, Progressive Farmer and many other popular magazines.

, Also another epoch in the over-1 all industry created a stir in 1943 when Blue Bell absorbed Casey j Joqes, Inc., a 31 year old com-; pany with plants in Maryland, and Virginia. To further increase I output a large new plant was opened at Lenoir, N. C. The 5 plants of the Mid-south ! Mfg. Cos., all located in Mississippi were acquired by Blue Bell dur-! ing 1947. Also another new plant was opened at Oneota, Ala., followed by one at Arab, Ala., the following year. i In 1951 two additional-plants were opened, one. at Nappanee and one at North Webester, operating as branches from the Columbia City plant. Not all of the plants acquired in the purchases of the various competitive companies were kept, due to their not being strategically located for effecient operation. The operation of the company today includes 23 plants with 6 sales offices. Locations of these plants and sales offices are marked on

the map accompanying this article. * Sales offices located at following places: Greensboro. N. C. Dallas. Texas. New York. N. Y. Dos Angeles, Calif. Chicago, 111. Nashville, Tenn. Plants located at the following places: 2 plants at Greensboro, N. C. Denoir. N. C. Mt. Jackson, Va. Shenandoah, Va. Elkton, Va. * Madison, Va. Luray. Va. Commerce, Ga. j Comer. Ga. Abingdon, 111. Columbia City. Ind. North Webster, Ind. i Nappanee, Ind. i Arab, Ala. . Oneonta, Ala. 1 Tupelo. Miss, y Belmont, Miss, j Boonville, Miss. ! Fulton, Miss. Baldwyn, Miss. ! Ripley, Miss. Natchez, Miss. In next week’s paper a few, items of interest concerning pro-! , ducts manufactured will be featured. BlfetY COPPES IS ADVANCED TO AVAITION ’ MACHINEST MATE 3RD CLASS . *1 Forty 7 fcur men serving aboard the seaplane tender U9S Currituck at the Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, Va., have been advanced in rate. Advanced to avaition machinist’s mate, third class, was Billy R. Coppes. USN, son of Mr. and' Mrs. Daniel A. Coppes of 705 W.j ! Walnut St., Nappanee, Ind. The Currituck acts as" an ad-: vanced base for anti-submarine | and long range patrol planes. She recently returned to Norfolk after a tour of duty in the Carribbean, where her crew vis-t i ited ports in Cuba, Puerto Rico j ; and Haiti. i Glacier Tricks , j The prairie tourist, marveling at New England’s scenery, finally j { asked a New Hampshire farmer where all the rocks came from. The native replied, “The great j : glacier brought them here.” “Well,’’ demanded the stranger, r j “where’s the glacier now?” : “It went back for more rocks,” I the farmer drawled. ' ; j Handy Item - - j A large towel rack on the in- j side of your i bedroom or-bedroom ; closet door is handy for holding ; the bedspread when the bed is j I being used, or for keeping a folded j ! extra blanket within easy reach ' for extra cold nights. i

ANNUAL HUNTER CASUALTY LIST FOR 1951 Many people look upon a gun as a deadly weapon but if used right it is far less dangerous to humans than the automobile of today. Ootf course there is the use of both firearms and automobiles by irresponsible people and far more cars used than guns. The State Conservation Department has compiled a report _©f accidents to 'hunters for the year 1951 and some interesting figures are shown. Chasing the elusive rabbit proved to be-the greatest danger to the hunters but careless handling of firearms came a close second. Rabbit hunters made up 41 per cent and careless handling of firearms 33 per cent of all accidents reported. Shotguns caused 75 per cent of all accidents reported and 25 per cent of all; accidents occurred when a hunter: slipped and fell, or at least pulled 1 the trigger of his gun while in the j act of slipping. Another thing worth mentioning | is that of all accidents reported! 50 per cent were caused by hunters under 21 years of age and yet those over 21 years of age make up the great numbers of huntfers. j One-third of all fatal accidents! were caused by others and two-; thirds of all non-fatal accidents ; were from the same source. At- j tention is called to the fact that' there was only one fatal accident during the deer hunting season and it is belived the compulsory wearing of something red by all hunters and use of shotguns only in the hunt was the cause of preventing accidents, as some trig-ger-happy hunters shoot at anything that moves and identifies the target later. There were 12,402 deer hunting licenses issued but no' one would even make a guess as to the number of hunters taking to the fields throughout, the year to enjoy a day of shooting and return home safely. In 1951' 7 fatal and 21 non- j fatal accidents were reported ’as against 12 fatal and 15 non-fatal in 1950. BETTER HOMES CLUB TO HAVE BANQUET WEDNESDAY, MAY 28TH The Better Homes club will ■have a Mother and Daughter banquet at the Church of the, Brethren Wednesday, (May 28th, ’ at 6:30 p. m. There will be a guest speaker. 1

ANNOUNCING THE ISSUE OF 250 DEBENTURES OF SIOO EACH, BEARING 6% PER ANNUM MATURING FIVE YEARS FROM DATE OF ISSUE Offered for sale only by Prospectus avail* able at the office of the company. , i ; SEE V. M. HESTER c AMERICAN FINANCE CO , Inc. 206 North Main St. Nappanee ;

KAY'S BEAUTY SHOP ,! FOR YOUR SPRING PERMANENT * s. _ ‘ Budget Cold Wave - - $7.50 . ( ■ j Lanalin enriched cold wave ~ SIO.OO Deluxe cold wave ...... 12.50 Custom cold wave 15.00 Children's Cold Wave - $5.00 ' > ’ —~'l, * ' Thermo cap conditioning scalp treatment SI.OO extra Persulan scalp treatment, guaranteed three weekly treatments will eliminate severe dandruff and itching or dry scalp .... 50*£ SEE COMPLETE LINE OF REVELON Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday Evenings 402 E. MARKET STREET PHONE 31

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