Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1894-11-14
Pump Factory.


facturer of pumps has been in the county,
examining the resources OF Alpena for
supplying the raw material for making
pumps and wooden water pipes. The
gentleman has been engaged largely in
the same business In Minnesota, but ow-
ing to the timber suitable for pumps be-
coming exhausted in that locality, he Is
obliged to find place where there Is an
abundance of the desired timber, which
Is tamarack.
The tour of the gentleman about the
county satisfied him that Alpena has a
large supply OF the needed timber, and he
is DESTROYS Of moving his plant to Alpena.
Not only has Alpena the tamarack, COW
ering thousands of acres, but he found 1t
was most advantageously situated for the
purpose of shipping his products to any
portion of the country. Here was both
water and railroad facilities for shipping
his manufactured articles In summer and
winter. He found Alpena admirably sit
uated for his business, and decided to To-
cate here II arrangements could be made.
Michael O'Brien took hold of the business
with his usual vigor, and that means q
good deal when he sees an opportunity
| to get q new industry established In AL
pena. The terms of the pump manufac-
| turer were ascertained and found reason
able. All he wanted from the people OF
| Alpena was free site for his factory,
and after looking the city over he decided
the best place suitable for his business
was on the block of land situated between
Fair avenue and Tuttle streets and Tenth
and Eleventh streets, near the entrance
OF the fair grounds. The city pound is
situated on the same block, and he de-
sired all the land in the block except the
pound. The land is vacant OF buildings
and is mostly owned by the city and Ag-
ricultural society. The Detroit, Bay
City d Alpena railroad runs along the
Tenth street side, and the river Is neal
by. Mr.. O'Brien at once took action to-
wards getting the site, and Thursday
evening the common council was inform
ed OF the proposed addition to the in.
dustries, and was asked to donate the
part OF the block owned by the city, but
not to include the public pound. The
Council agreed, and will donate the land,
provided the factory is erected soon, and
the manufacturer guarantees to employ al
least 2I men for the next ten years. A
meetfjg Of the Agricultural Society was
callef yesterday and donated the society's
land in the same block on the same con
ditions as required by the city.
AS soon as the pump manufacturer has
secured all the site he will telegraph t.
have the necessary machinery shipped t.
Alpena, and expects to have the building
erected and the works in operation by TIT
early part Of next year. He will erect {
two story building with sides and roof o
iron.
The tamarack for pumps Is to be from
four and q half inches i'm diameter TO on,
foot, and sixteen feet Is the shortes
lengths. The price paid in Minnesota
was two cents per running foot. The
pumps are made by boring out the hear
of the timber, and tamarack is said
to make the best OF pumps. The new
firm will also make water pipes, the same
as is now used by the Alpena City Water
Co., which are made from pine.
The new pump and water pipe industry
will be OF great benefit to the people o
Alpena, and especially to farmers wht
own a vast amount Of the timber. A
present the timber Is of very little com
mercial value, being used only for flr'
wood and pond net stakes, but the new
factory will make the timber very valu
able, the same as the spool factory die
for the birch, and the paper pulp factor,
did for the spruce and balsam timber. L
will cause good deal Of money to be cir
culated among the people, besides Civ
ing direct employment to at least q
hands.