The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1896-11-19
SAUK CENTRES PRIDE
Promptly Responds to to the Quickened Demands
of Returning Prosperity.
Working Force Largely Increased to fill Orders.
What it is Doing and will Do.

There is probably but few people in this
vicinity who understand, or appreciate, the
enormous amount OF business yearly done in
the building of the Keller Manufacturing
COMPANY. We hear the sound of its whistle
and see the smoke rising from its chimney's
month by month, without giving thought
to the army of busy workers inside.
Farmers have driven there loads of pro-
duce by its doors everyday for years, with
out having a conception of its magnitude
only knowing that s'Kellcr makes bob sleds
and harrows person to become fully i'm
pressed with the Importance OF having this
institution in our midst, must go through 1t,
as If was our pleasure to do on last Tuesday,
escorted by the genial R. ]. O'Connell, the
foreman, who understands the intrlcacles OF
the business as Thoroughly as Professor OF
mathematics understands the multiplication
table. Mr.. OConnell is the authority Tor
the statement that never in the factory'S his
tory has it had such an amount OF orders TN
the same length of time, as since Mcklnley's
election. and the prospect for the future IS
more bright than it has been Tor years.
Orders are coming in so fast that 1t Is I'M
,,ossible TO attend to their mail, although
thew have three clerks in the office Tor that
purpose. In the past two weeks they have
increased their working force by three times
as many as they employed previous to Nov.
3rd., they are now turning out 100 bobsleds
! each day, besides nearly the same amount OF
harrows, they have score of men working
on cutters, and as money more on light sleds'
but with this enormous output they are sew
eralweeks behind there orders. Mr.. Keller
has lust returned from the east with renewed
enthusiasm, and intends to push every branch
of the business for the next four years TO us
utmost capacity. In passing through this
hive ofindustry one cannot but be impressed
with the manner in which he finds the works
SO perfectly systematized. Each department
filed with men and machinery, runs with
the same clock work percision, that one gu
oantic machine would have. The factory IS
one large building. three stories high, each
floor divided into compartments. The hrst
aoor is devoted to the manufacturer OF bob
sIeds and harrows. The second floor is
where the cutters are made, and the third
floor is the finishing rooms, where
cutters are upholstered and receive the last
touch of varnish In the upholstering room,
upon shelves are piled bolt upon bolt OF the
finest broadclothe, crush plush. moquet and
tapestry, enough to stock good sized store.
The machine shop is undoubtedly the best
EQUIPPED, for doing all kinds of iron works. OF
anv in Minnesota, and has but few, IT any
superlors, in the United States. Their large
toundry is running its full capacity, turning
out sleigh shoes, and aside from this, they
use the entire output of the St. Cloud foun-
drv. and vet cannot get shoes fast enough.
In what they call their hardware room is
tons of bolts and clasps, which are used In
their sled manufacture. Two car loads OF
iron of the same kind stood on the track not
vet unloaded, and also standing on the track
was 10000 feet of the finest sled lumber,
which will last but short time.
Their ware room, which is also their ship
ping room, is 5oxI5o feet is almost empty,
everything having been Sold
The success of this factory is due largely
to the perfect character of the goods turned
ont The writer examined cutters in the
white that are models of perfection. Hardly
q Joint is descernable each one looks as if it
might have been cut out OF solid piece OF
wood A mammoth dry kiln from which
every piece comes thoroughly dried, i'm
proved machinery, run by skilled hands, has
enabled them to establise reputation
through thel northwest ior honest work
that has kept the wheels turning through all
the hard times. In addition to the present
business Mr.. Keller is contemplating the