Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 December 1908 — THINK VERY WELL OF THE PROPOSITION [ARTICLE]

THINK VERY WELL OF THE PROPOSITION

Committee Returns from Chicago With Favorable Impression of the Metal Furniture Factory. Warren Robinson, president of the Oommericial Club, and A. Leopold, a member of the committee of Investigation on the factory proposition, returned from Chicago Wednesday evening. C. G. Spitler, the other member of the committee, did not return with the two first named, remaining over until Thursday. ’ They visited the metal furniture factory in company with Mr. Price and Mr. Deam and made a very thorough examination of the factory. They found the concern accupylng a three story and basement building and at present employing from 75 to 100 men, and having a weekly pay roll aggregating $2,000 They are now In very crowded quarters, their business having grown to such proportions that they must either move to larger quarters or do a smaller business. This concern Is no experiment They have occupied their present quarters for about ten years. They manufacture metal furniture, such as school desk braces, fancy stands, brackets, etc., and last year supplied the seats for the hall in which the national democratic convention was held at Denver, Cola The committee found a busy hive of workmen, a mammoth quantity of material, both in the rough and partly completed. They found the business to be owned by two middle aged men who have built the business up from an infant industry to Its present proportions. They hold some ten or a dozen patents protecting features of their business. They were willing to talk business and are willing to enter into a continent contract to come here provided the money required to erect their buildings is raised by the lot sale, and If It can’t be raised the contract is void. They will come here with the approval of the Commercial Club and look the town over. Their

business will require five acres of land and according to the enlarged plans of a large business they will want to erect a building with 50,000 feet of floor space. This would probably cost from $40,000 to $60,000. The plan would require Rensselaer to put up $30,000 of this amount, and the title to the building and the ground would vest in the Commercial Club until the manufacturing concern had paid out in labor in Rensselaer $500,000. They are ready to begin moving* preparations as soon as the conditions they require are complied with. Mr.-Robinson and Mr. Loepold were alike pleased with the project and regard it as the best thing ever offered to Rensselaer. Mr. Leopold has for years been one of the leading movers in proclaiming a greater Rensselaer and has on other occasions been sent to Chicago to investigate factory . propositions. He regards this much i better than anything he ever saw. Mr. Robinson will probably call a ■ meeting of the directors of the Club Friday and the committee will report to them the result of their Investigations. If the committee deems advisable a day will be set for the manufacturers to visit Rensselaer, and a meeting of the Club called to vote on the proposition of entering into a contingent contract. Friday is the day when the committee on subdivision option expects to close the proposals, and It Is probable that they will determine soon upon a purchase and the lot sale will then be in as soon as the land can be surveyed and the advertising started. Mr. Price, of the Industrial Association, takes personal charge of the sale.