The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-04-16

After considerable quiet but energetic
work, the committee on industries OF
the Young Mems Business League, was
able to submit q very encouraging re-.
port at the regular meeting OF that
body held last night, through Il. A.
Gillis, chairman. To make q long
story short, the League has obtained
from the Grocer Iron Company sixty
days option for the purchase of the
Roanoke Rolling mill property, and
through D. III. Leatz. is in communities
tion with Gideon N. Caleb, president of
the Chicago Horse Shoe Company, with
the purpose In view of placing in Roa-
noke machinery for the manufacture of
high grade horse shoes.
- The manufacture of horse shoes by
machinery has been, and still is, one Of
the most notable industries OF recent
years. Great as has been the volume
of business 1t has been almost exclu-
sively confined to four or FIVE largo
plants whose enormous EARNINGS have
become common knowledge. The in
dustry Is new and always has been pro-
tected by numerous patents, but more
efectually still by certain trade secrets
o: manufacture which are known only
to the inside few. Hence no amount OF
capital or general knowledge of the
business or ability to evade successfully
existing patents, would suffice to estab-
ltsh competing plants. The Chicago
Horse Shoe Company, whose machinery
would be used here, is In possession OF
all necessary patents and appliances for
the manufacture OF horse shoes and has
had large experience in the business,
and the company operating in Roanoke
would be on an equsl footing with any
other company and would possess In ad.
dition some advantages over them all.
The number OF hand made shoes is
constantly diminishing, while the num-
Der OF machine made shoes used 10 con-
ssantly on the increase. The time is
moi far distant when the making of
shoes by hand will become lost art.
The smiths will become merely filters,
as indeed, growing proportion of them
really are. Thus the demand ia In.
creased. not only by the natural In
crease OF the number of animals REQ uir.
Ing to be shod. but by the gradual
disuse of the old handmade shoe, now
practically thing of the past.
An interesting fact in connection with
this matter Is that the Chicago Horse
Shoe Company has been supplied with
iron from Roanoke, which Is made into
horse shoes at their Chicago plant, and
shipped to Southern terrisory almos at
our own doors. The grade Of iron sup
piled by Roanoke was of such a sups-
rior character that negotiations were
opened with Mr.. Lentz, which brought
about the present situation. Samples
OF the shoes made on the machinery of
the Chicago Horse Shoe Company have
been tested here and are highly spoken
OF by those best qualified to Judge.
There are only nine horse shoe fac
tories Ia the United States, and the
benefits to be derived from the estsb.
liahmens Of such IN industry in Roa-
noke are too patent to be here outlined.
Id will thus be seen that such q staple
article as horse shoes, commanding, as
1t does, msrkes with q constansly In.
creasing demand at highly profitable
prices, ts virtually left to be supplied BY
few companies, and 1t brings sharply
into relief the immense field ready for
any new concern that may be able to
secure the necessary machinery, and
that can command conservative admin
istrEtion and initiated artisans, familiar
with all modern processes, which would
be the csse in the event of q successful
conclusion of the plans under consider
alton.
Mr.. Caleb Is expected to arrive in the
city in few days to confer with the
Young Mems Business League concern
ing the matter.