The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-12-05
THE HUM OF INDUSTRY.
The Rock Island Pl0w Works Par.
TALLY in OperatiOn--.TO be Boom.
ing i'm Full Blast in a Week.
How things Look Around
the Works.

ing LOT the purpose OF seeing now the res
vived institution looked in operation once
more. In the Office he found B. D. Blu
ford, Harry Abel, j. H. Yore and others
OF the old B. D. Buford s. Co. staff, all
very busily engaged in arranging the de-
tails for the full opening of the great
works in week or SO. The scribe took a
ramble through the shops now in opera
ton and found busy scene. Iu the iron
department Alderman John Lafreaz was
found looking as familiar as ever in his
position of foreman, and Robert J. Coyne,
the time keeper and receiving clerk sat
up TO his desk 10 the little Office of from
the iron room as natural as though he had
only left for day At present there are
fifty men employed in the iron depart
ment, but when it is running in full blast
there is employment for one hundred and
eighty men. The big trip hammer was in
operation and number of FORCES blazed
forth bright lights and altogether the
scene was an animated one. There is
considerable iron stock on hand and this
allows this department full sway now,
and of course more stock will follow
soon.
In the wood department the smiling
face of ex-Alderman NJ S. O'Neil, is to
be seen. He resumes the duties of his
position as foreman with all the aptitude
acquired by years of honest endeavor
therein. He has fifteen men at present
but will have sixty to seventyfve when
the works get fully underway.
The grinding and polishing department
under rhe control of the foreman, Andrew
Holmquist, is not running very extensive
" as yet. Thirty men are employed
therein when the works will run full
force.
The foundry department is not runnin {
| 1etp anu IL - Aot uoH utlhlttiS huoNH
who will be the foreman of it, Mr. Law
ler who formerly had charge of it, is no
now in the city. Fifty men are usually
employed here.
The painting department is not In op
Grafton but soon will be. George Alter
who for so many years was foreman il
this department, having left the city
Charles Schlegei has been appointed Il
assume the duties of foreman Thirty
painters and stripers are employed in TIN
department
| Oliver Graham, the old time engineer
is at his post again, as is also William
Reddig, and William Graham as fireman
They all take as naturally to their posi-
tions as duck does to water.
1t is understood that Mr. Gilpin Moor
is to be the general superintendent of tn,
works, and that he will soon assume tn
duties of that position. He will be val
uable man to the new company with hi
experience and inventive genius.
| When fully started it is the purpose 0
the new company to run the works a
night, or, rather, in the evening as vel
as in the day time, and full force o
men-about 400-will be employed.
fact they are going to boom things as the
never have been doomed before, AM
plows and cultivators will be turned on
by tae hundreds, and the fame and pres
tige of the Rock Island pillow works vii
again become great IN the land
While great credit is due to all the gen
tlemen composing the new company fo
reviving the pillow works, to none is ther
more credit due than to Mr. P L. Mitchell
the president. He is growing old, an
being wealthy. there is no immediat
necessity for him to embark in any ne'
enterprise for the sake of procuring gaiI
but desire to see the city prosper and
afford employment for hundreds of id
mechanics prompted Mr.. Mitchell to eute
the new company and invest capital, an
he became actively engaged in the man
agement of the works That is the kin
of business man Mr.. Mitchell is, an
Just such enterprising men build up an
improve cities and add to their import
ance
| Everything about the works is in per
feet order. The machinery and engine
which had stood idle for so long tim
started off in perfect order at once, an
were humming away last evening and to
day as natural rs they did be
fore their vacation The big whistle toot
as loud as ever, and IN fact everything
moves in perfect order, and the hearts O
hundreds of people in Rock Island ar
made glad by the fact that the plo7
works are again on a solid footing and il
| operation.
In speaking Of the renewal of opera
tons at the works, Mr. P. l. Mitchell
president of the new company said: M
only motive in associating myself wit
the enterprise is to benefit the city. Wit
those works shut down any great lengt
of time business would be stagnated al
to a deplorable extent. If the gentleme
forming the company had not taken Il
matter in charge, and had the works bee
sold two months hence, the credito
would not receive ten cents on the do
lar" To corroborate this statement, NJ
; Mitchell recited the case of the Milan co
ton mill, which cost about 100000 b,
when sold to satisfy the demands
the various creditors, only realize
in the neighborhood of $4,000. Conti
uing the speaker said: lit has taken he
culean efforts to place the concern aga