The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1894-10-10

n cOluSWudI AetSGy IOuuu VI d uuIuUGT VI
Ravenna's manufacturing establishments,
reveals very gratifying condition as to their
present and future business and outlook.
AT the John F. Byers Co.'S works there was
a hustling of operatives and machinery, in
filling urgent orders. Mr.. Collins, Secretary
of the Company, informed US that the last
thirty days had been the best in their busi-
ness, and that the outlook was very assuring
for its continuance. Among their recent
shipments were four hoists for the Lake
Shore Road, last week, and one to Mining
Company in Central Mexico this week. The
correspondence of this firm is never burden
ed with complaint as to the working of their
hoist, but is invariably an acknowledgment
of its perfect and satisfactory performance
in every particulars fact in which Raven
ma people may well take pride, inasmuch as
it is purely the product of Ravenna brains
and capital, owing nothing whatever to cpl
demic booms and bonuses, which have
wrought such wonders-on paper.
At The NJ. B. Mishler Tile Works it is the
invariable s'old, old story" from Supt Shrop,
as to the condition of affairs at this busy
place. Dull times y is something unknown
in its business vocabulary. They have pre-
pared a sufficient batch of material to turn
out about $1,000 marbles this week, partly as
an experimental test of Ravenna clay.
The Columbia Novelty Works started up
with additional force, Monday morning, af-
ter month s partial shutdown. Mr.. Fox, the
proprietor, informs US that he has number
OF orders to fill, and that the future outlook
is good for increased and permanent opera
ton. The product for the present will be
largely in the line of Winter Holiday Goods,
mostly coasters.
The Ravenna Boiler Works are having
their full complement of orders, and the
din OF the hammer is unceasing in this busy
place. Among their recent orders is one
from the Enterprise Manufacturing Co., of
Columbiana, for four boilers in equipment
of steam road rollers, upon which they are
now at work.
At the Buckeye Chair Works we noted very
material increase in the number of employees
Five experienced carvers, from Bedford, have
recently been added to the force, and in every
department many new faces are seen. Work is
furnished upward of fifty families in town, in
the line of braiding chair bottoms. The propri-
etors of this establishment have achieved re-
markable success in the face of the universal
hard times and business stagnation. Since they
began the manufacture of chairs in Ravenna ten
months ago they have operated continuously
and uninterruptedly 10 hours each day, and
while almost every chair factory in the Union
has either shut down entirely or run on short
hours and limited number of days per week, the
Buckeye has not only blown its whistle every
morning but has been increasing its force and
output from time to time until it has doubled
them both. Messrs. Chamberlin and Flick have
shown themselves to be first class business men.
1t Will be remembered when they we're negotiat-
ing with the Board of improvements they would
not pledge themselves to the performance of
anything beyond what their business would
warrantin the course of its natural development.
The consequence is that their progress has been
solid and permanent. It is the aim of these
gentlemen to give character and merit to Ra-
VIENNA made chairs that shall entitle them to the
hrst place in competitive excellence. How well
they have succeeded is gratifyingly indicated in
the large and continually increasing demand for
the goods. Heretofore they have not had suffi-
cient factory capacity to warrant the soliciting
of orders outside of limited territory, but they
are now getting ready to handle trade that
shall cover the of accessibility, and it is
probable that third building, the size of the
finishing department recently built, will be
added to the plant. They are getting out
beautiful line of new designs in suite chairs, in
cherry, birch and mahogany, for which a large
trade awaits them.
similar story of business activity awaited us
at the Sad Iron Works. In response to our in
quiry Mr.. Williams said their trade was the best
by far that they had experienced since coming
to RaVenna. Here, too, the force of employees
has been and is being increased. At present the
pay roll contains ninety names, and it will be
but few weeks the 100 mark is reached.
Two orders were received from London on Mon
day, and the prospects of large foreign trade
are very encouraging.
" By the way, Mr.. Williams, what is the sig
nIticance or origin of the word sad in its con-
necuon with the compound sad-iron'?'
Well, sir, suppose that 1 have had that
question asked me thousand times both orally
and by letter, and don't imagine that one per-
son In a thousand could answer the question or
mas any approximately correct idea of what the
answer should be. The word sad used in that
sense is from the Anglo-Saxon settan or soettan.
meaning set, settled, and was applied to heavy. |
heated stones which were placed upon cloths to
smooth them by pressing. The name was after
ward applied to heated irons used for the same
purpose. Thus Sad Stones became Sad -Irons.''