Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 October 1901 — The Factory Meeting. [ARTICLE]

The Factory Meeting.

The factory meeting of Wednesday night was limited in attendance by reason of its contacts with other events, a number of representative citizens were present and were heartily in favor of the factory movement. Messrs. Leopold and Nowels, wher went to Chicago to investigate the factory restated the result of their investigation and this was supplemented by a thorough statement of the present work of the factory and the proposed work in the event of the location Gs the factory here, by one of the owners of the factory. The factory now employs from 25 to 35 men and has a weekly pay roll of about $325, but their present quarters are too small and their force inadequate for the demand for their product. Their proposition as previously stated is to remove their factory machinery here, to put up a large building, and make the producing possibility of the plant three or four fold its present output. Labor will be paid an average of about sll’per week, and it will furnish an opening for the young men of the town. The bonus asked is $15,000 and two acres of ground, the property and building improvements to remain in the name of the Citizens Commercial Club or its officers for a period of five years and then to be turned over to the factory owners, provided they have fulfilled every part of their contract, as respects the employment of labor, etc., otherwise to remain the permanent property of the Commercial Club. E. L. Hollingsworth, B. Forsythe, John Eger and others expressed themselves as favorably impressed and willing tosubsoiibe to the movement and the following committee was appointed to solicit the bonus, D. Nowels, John Eger, Warren Robinson, B. Forsythe and E. L. Hollingsworth. Another meeting Was culled for last ’[Thursday night, and a full report of which will be given in our next issue.