The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-04-21


useful industry that has been proposed
to be established in Roanoke for the
past two years, Is she transformation of
the plant Of the Roanoke Rolling MIL
into factory for the manufacture Of
horse shoso. The proposition since Is
WAS first made public few days ago by
the Young Mems Business League has
been met with favor by the business
people OF the city, and the interest," they
have felt In the matter eliminated last
night in mass meeting in the circuit
court room, which was composed of
about hundred representative business
men who have tho interest Of tho city
at heart. There was no excitement, no
morbid enthusiasm and there was no
tendency exhibited that would be likely
to terminate In boom, but business
meeting OF business men to consider the
matter on hand.
II. A. Gillia explained the object of
the meeting, and introduced Mr. Gideon
N. Caleb, of Chicago, who Is president
OF one OF tho largest horse shoe plants
In the world. Mr.. Caleb expressed his
surprise on finding he was booked TO
address mass meeting, and stated tn t
he had come to the city with his roller
to examine the plant OF the Roanoke
Rolling Mil. lie stated that there
WAS secrecy about horse shoe machin-
cry and difficulty to procure It, MANY
large stockholders had never been in
side OF factory. He related the trouble
apd expense he had been through in
perfecting machines and the difficulty
in purchasing suitable iron from which
to manufacture the shoes
He related 81 length the difficulty he
experienced In attempting 10 work iron
OF various kinds and said "Ms. Lentz at
length furnished us good iron and 1t
answered the purpose we'll. We worked
600 tons OF Roanoke iron and didn't
have ton Of scrap left We tried
various plants for iron and made as
many failuraS but have sent the shoes
made from Roanoke iron all over the
United States, and have yet to receive
the first complaint about them"
Mr.. Caleb oifers to put in the machin
cry, and Roanoke can have the plant
without expanding one dollar In ex-
perimenting. In sixty days time she
can have the same plant that Chicago
has. He spoke Of the plant q. Max
Meadows and at Richmond and their in.
different products, and said ~ can take
the Chicago shoe made from Roanoke
Iron and sweep the Southern trade"
Continuing he said: II would rather
use Roanoke iron and pay Ss4 for it
than to pay other plants SIS for scrap
iron. Mr. Lentz has been struggling to
get this plant here. II i,'s good thing,
push IL along; II 1t isn't, abandon il.
just wipe of the slate the idea that
somebody Is coming down to perpetrste
swindle. II we don't make goods
right II don't cost cent. You gentle-
men have 1t in your power TO mako this
Q grand success, you have the raw ma
terial here. We hAvn't IT in Chicago.
The dey is not far distant when the un 3.
developed IMMORAL resources of Vir-
GINA and the South will be developed
and new wave of prosperity sweep
over the country"
After Mr.. Caleb had concluded Mr..
Gillis read an estimate showing the
large profits TO be derived from such q
plant and Eaid the object of the meeting
was not 10 ask for subscriptions but
only to lay the matter before the bust.
meas people.