Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-12-17
MANUFACTURES.
Lancaster Excelsior Works.

AN4ANctSSO4 GACS1S1OI w OIhSs
If we search the annals of both mod
ern and ancient history, we shall find
that no city ever assumed permanent
position OF Importance that was not
founded on the worlds great industries,
and even those that were, as soon as
accumulated wealth enabled them to
subsist without it, became so sloth-
full and etfeminate that they soon lost
their prestige, and crumbled to decay,
even the mighty and wonderful Rome,
the once mistress of the world, proved
no exception to the well established rule.
but fell victim 10 her apparent ability
to exist above requirements of industrial
life. and this too, even though her
poets, musicians, and artists and liter
airy men wereIn hey day of their glory.
Natural circumstances placed upon man
the ban of labor, the persuit of which
keeps the tissues of body and brain in
that activity favorable to those VITO
chemical interchanges that eliminate the
highest degree of life force, and when
the ply steal necessity for activity ceases
and the will and its intelligence neglect
their duty, mental, sentimentality super
vene that are Obstructive to human dew
elopment. In selecting site for a
manufacturing city however, more than
the quality of the human material must
be considered, but also the geographical
situation and the general factors of its
environments. In all of these, Lancas-
ter is prominently qualified to assume
leading position as great industrial
point. An abundance of building ma
teritl lies at our doors, reducing the
cost OF erecting factories to minimum.
An abundance of cheap coal lies in
ineXhaustible quantities within a few
hours travel of the city, as does also the
great northern forests. She lies IN the.
very heart of the richest agricultural,
mining and grazing country in the
world. All that is required to make her
a manufacturing point second to none,
in Southwestern Wisconsin, is for our
citizens to bend to the oars, and with
long pull, strong pull, and pull
all together it can be done. Encourage
legitimate industry and furnish aid while
at the same time be careful to investi-
gate and weed out those, Improbable
''snap concerns looking for bonus.
But where an article is found that can
be profitably manufactured, encouraged
to the extent if necessary to donate the
land necessary for site, and also to.
subscribe for stock. One that has
exerted marked influence upon the
material prosperity of the city, and one
that has done much to advertise the
good name of Lancaster far and wide,
is the above factory. whose goods find
their way to the markets of the great
northwest. They manufacture only the
very best, selecting the best seasoned
bass and poplar, from which their goods.
are made, making two grades; fine and
coarse. The machinery is the best
made. The plant covers four acres of
ground, the main building is 50x70 feet
in dimensions, four stories high and
machines, which are kept busy shaw
ing away from morn until night. The
baling press has a daily capacity of ten.
tons. The power to run this plant is
furnished by 100 horse power engine
and 125 horsepower boiler. The
water for the boiler is supplied by a
never failing spring of pure and spark
ling water on the grounds. Besides the
main building the firm has built and
occupy as warehouses the following
buildings: One 40x64, one .60x20 and
one 40x50. They give constant employ
ment to fifteen hands. The amount of
capital invested is $4,000 Mr. Il. A.
Twichell, the manager, was born in
1912. in the state of New Hampshire,
and his early life was spent there where
he acquired his early education at
the public schools of his native place.
At the age of eighteen he left home and
took up his residence at Boston, where
he entered the employ of the Boston
Chair Co with which firm he learned
his trade, that of chair-making, and
with whom he remained until the break
ing out of the war. when he enlisted in
the I'd Regiment of Mass, V. l. as musl-
clan and served four years. Upon his
discharge, he went to Gardner, Mass.
where he entered the firm OF l.. ID.
Sawin & Co. manufacturer of chairs,
as partner and with whom he was
associated for sixteen years. Upon
retiring from this partnership he was
engaged as manager for the large man.
ufacturing establishment of E. W. Vail,
Folding Chair Manufacturing Co., at
Wooster, Mass, this position he sue
oessfully filled for period of four years,
leaving their employ only to assume
charge of the House of Correction at
Detroit, Michigan, which position he
filled for four years, coming west at the
end OF that time, and locating at Fort
Atkinson, where he had charge of the
chair department of the Northwestern
Manufacturing Co. Of that city, with
which firm he remained for one and a
half years. coming from that point to
our beautiful city and embarking 10
his present business, in 1888. Per-
sonally Mr.. TwichelI is regarded and
esteemed by our citizens as one of
its foremost citizens. The success of
the business is due largely 10 his
thorough knowledge Of the business,
and his excellent managerial abilities
that the works have grown and spread
to such an extent, He is member Of
the /. O. 0. F. and also a member of
I,odge 6 of A. o. u. w. of Detroit.