St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-11-30
FLOODS OF OFFERS
Come From Other Cities to
the st. Paul Plow Works
Company.
Tempting Bids to Take the
Big Plant to Distant
Cities.
Temporary Arrangements at
North st. Paul or st.
Paul Park.
XvIof Tho B;,ino;noI 0yunorS
What the Principal Owners
Say of the New Situa-
ton.

Since the destruction by fire Of the
ST. Paul Plow works two weeks ago
there has been considerable speculation
as to where and when the plant of that
important concern would be rebuilt.
Its management has been taking orders
since the fire right along for new goods.
These new orders must now aggregate
a value of 100000, and temporary
location either at st. Paul Park or North
ST. Paul will probably be decided upon
this week. Negotiations have been UNI
der way with both of those places.
In the meantime, it has been learned,
other cities have been making strenuous
efforts to secure the benefits of such an
extensive enterprise. Its scope and
value seem to be quite as we'll under
stood abroad as at home. The employ
ment of 200 skilled workmen in manu-
featuring that made an output OF S3OO,O0O
to 100000 last year, and gave strong
promise of an output OF S50O,0O0
this year, is tempting to Eastern,
as we'll as to Western investors
in industrial enterprises. The output
of the st. Paul PioW works increased
over 70 per cent during the first ten
months of 1892, as compared with the
same period of 1891, and at no increase
in the amount of the pay roll. The Sc
cret Of this fact lies in the introduction
of the piece work system by the present
management instead of the day work.
that was the system in 1891. The en-
ployeS worked to better advantage, and
made more per capita this year than
they made under the old method. The
concern had overcome all obstacles, and
did well, financially, during 1892. at
the time Of the fire its prospects were
very flattering.
Thus it is that other cities are trying
to buy this enterprise away from st:
Paul. Its vice president and general
manager, Charles Joy (WhO is also pres
ideut of the State bank of this city, is
known to be quite loyal to st. Paul, ana
he has won notable success here in
various enterprises. In order to learn
somewhat concerning the efforts to get
the pow works away from st. Paul,
GLOBE reporter saw MI. JOY yesterday.
He admitted that the reports were true,
and iii response to request showed
A Pile Of Letters
surprising in their number and offers.
The most important were from ElWOOd,
Ill.,, and from as far west as the state OF
Washington. One of these offers 1000
cash bonus, deed to all the land neces-
sary and $500 for each man employed by
the company i'll the new location. An
other offers forty acres of land within
the city limits and any other concessions
within reason. 1t IS from a man who
has known Mr.. Joy from boyhood.. An
other offers larger cash bonus than the
one mentioned above, and still another
offers S115 per employe. The Indiana
town will give both natural gas and
building sites free, together with other
tempting inducements. The only in
ference is that Chicago ana these ether
places have learned by experience the
value of having such manufacturing
plants within their limits and are reach
ing out for more. 1t may as we'll be
stated that the 500 per employe offer
came for a location within the city
limits of Chicago. Particularly good
railway facilities were included in al
most every instance.
Nlr. Joy said that only for certain con-
siderations lie would give but little
thought to such letters. In view of the
fact, however, that neither Mr.. Dawson
nor himself would care to handle such
an extensive enterprise alone, lie had
given some attention to the opportunity
OF forming a new large company either
here or elsewhere. The business of the
plow works has not been limited to the
manufacture of ploWS. 1t also made
cultivatOrs. harrowS, Seedars, b0b-SledS.
and all implements adapted to agrlcult-
ure, especially for the Northwest. 1t
tWas turning out over s., 800 worth daily
previous to the fire.
The treasurer of the ploW works, and
large owner in the same, is Hon. Will
lam Dawson, president of the Bank OF
Minnesota. 10 obtain his views the re-
porter saw him, with the following le-
suit. Mr.. Dawson said:
MIR. Davyson's Views.
81 am getting along in years, and have
been getting out of active business. |
feel the same way now about the ploW
works. The concern had got to point
where it was paying well under the
able management of Mr.. JOY. and it had
splendid prospects for next year and
the years to come. | shall pocket my
loss, which was the fire loss, and shall
not stand in the way Of Mr.. JOY should
he decide to continue the business; but
would be glad to see him remain in st.
Paul. He has shown splendid abilityln
he would before he took hold
of the pillow works. The bus
mess is established. 1t has
gone through the periods of incubation
and growth and has become a marked
success. BY the way Mr.. Joy is taking
orders tor new goods think the bust
ness will be continued right along but
just where | cannot say. The inSur-
ance matters will be settled soon-the
loss was much greater than the insur
ance-and then a definite location will
come in for consideration. st. Paul
men, myself included, have put good
deal of money into the Wood Harvester
works and other enterprises. but il
seems that, as general rule, they had
but a meagre conception of the impor-
lance and value Of the pillow works,
which are known, not only in the North
west, but also in the states OF the East
and South, where its products also sold
readily. As | said before, hope Mr..
| JOY will see his way clear to remain in
st. Paul.