The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-28
SAVANNAH WAGON FACTORIES.
OVER 100000 INVESTED AND $780,
600 PAID IN WAGES ANNUALLY.

a High Grade-The Opportunity for
Factories on n Large scale.
Carriage and wagon manufacturing is
one of Savannah's successful industries
The total capital invested in the business
exceeds 10000. The industry gives en-
ployment TO over seventy people, fifty Of
whom are skilled mechanics.
over 800 people are supported by the
industry, if those dependent on
the workmen for living
are included. The pay roll of the
nine establishments averages 5000 a
month. or $4,000 a year. All Of the con-
Germs are successful and earn more than
hank rates of interest on their invest
ments; all turn out high grade of work,
neat. substantial and superior to the usual
factory work.
Mr. T. a. Ward, a successful young me-
chanic and business man, who succeeded
TO the business Of D. O'Connor was asked
If he could compete in prices with the av-
erage vehicle sold by dealers.
4 cannot alone compete, but 1 can give
a greater value for the money than the
dealer gives. 1 will illustrate this in
few words: Say dealer buys
a delivery wagon for $50 or 500 from the
factory at wholesale prices; he pays the
freight and adds profit on a purely com
mercial transaction and sells the vehicle
on its appearance for something like Sl25
or $50. This vehicle is made in large
factory by cheap labor; any lumber is used,
good, bad or Indifferent; it is painted and
vanished and all defects are covered up;
the iron throughout the running gear is
not hand forged, but is cheap cast iron,
pure and simple, bought in large quaint
ties. The dealer MAJ say that it is lami-
mated iron, which is just as good as
wrought iron, but let 1t break and nothing
short of making a new piece will answer,
as cast iron cannot be welded. Now, l
can mako a wagon for just the same
money that a dealer offers to sell at In
appearance it will be Just as handsome If
not handsomer; it win last two or three
times as long as a factory-made one; it
Will reduce the common wear and, tear and
repair bills to minimum after the first
year, as l guarantee my work for the
first year, the same as dealer does. Now,
as regards the material, I use only hand
forged iron or steel throughout; use the
best lumber and the best material through
out, and the work is done
carefully and well by expert
mechanics, so that the whole thing
in a nut shell is: Does the buyer prefer to
give the dealer a profit ranging from $35
10 $50 for an inferior vehicle, or will he
do better by giving me the same amount
and getting full value for his money? l
leave it to any business man, to answer
this purely business problem from a bus
mess point. His answer can only be in
favor Of a Savannah built vehicle.
To this should be added that it is en-
trely In the power % the Savannah pub
lie to increase carriage building many
times its present capacity by simply con,
sultlng its own interest only. l do receive
a fair share of Savannahs patronage,
and do not by any means complain, but
] myself and a number of others engaged
IN the manufacture of vehicles could do
much more than we are doing and while
the trade now employs 20 or 70 hands, 200
to 300 could be just as well employed and
hundreds of thousands of dollars sent off
in payment of factory vehicles could be
kept at home. / employ from twelve to
twenty hands My pay roll aggregates
$500 year. The site, buildings, materi-
ais, etc, representing the money employed
IN the business is between $1,000 and $751;
O00
All the other manufacturers of vehicles
express about the same views as Mr.
Ward All admit that they can compete
and give greater value for the money,
and 1t is quite evident that by patron
izing this home industry, the individual
VIII not alone receive a greater value but
he will help build up the city.
Mr.. 2. Barrett says: 81 have an extern
sive and frst-class plant with a large
stock of material of the best quality. 1
employ steadily fourteen hands, twelve Of
whom are skilled mechanics, as good as
can be found anywhere in the United
states. My pay roll ranges between $1,000
and 5000 year. l have considerable cap
ital invested in the business and would
not sell out for $4,000 as it pays me more
than bank rates of interest. l am a man.
utacturer of every description of vehicles,
ana great number of my make of vehic-
les can be seen any day on the streets.
90 also repairing and any work incidental
TO the business. 1 can compete with fac
Tory work, and can make good terms but
do not propose to sell on 50 to $40 per
month instruments. While my profit is
lar, l cannot run the chances that the
dealer does who charges all the way from
oO TO 100 per cent. profit.
Mr.. J. F. Canty has succeeded to the
wei established trade of his late father.
lie makes a specially of heavy work such
as trucks, drays, coal carts, besides gen
eral work He says: 1.-THE quality of south
ern oak, ash or hickory is the best in the
world it is hard to work, it is true, but it
VIII last twice as long as the softer but
Nioi0 eponSy northern or western WOOL
can show trucks and drays built by my
rather ten and fifteen years ago that are
as strong as ever and have hardly had any
repairs during that time. 1 can put up
any truck or coal cart for the same money
mat IS usually paid north, and my work
Is nand made throughout and of the best
southern oak, ash or hickory.
MI j. Welsh also builds new vehicles OF
any description, whenever he has the or
oers and as cheap as anybody does.
Mr.. W. w. Gnann makes a speciality of
carts and wagons. He says he does sell
a. the same price as those sold by dealers,
Out they are superior and will last twice
ds long. Il could compete in the cheap
GRADES where nothing but cast iron is
used, he said, land could even make
something at the usual wholesale prices,
Out do not care to ruin my reputation
as such a trade is very unsatisfactory
Mr.. p O'Connor has been so long and
80 well known for the excellence of his
work that his connection with it hardly
needs any comment.
MI w. f. c. Feus is a new conner. His
specialty besides general work, is the
"a IL. halsr drli