The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-10-08

No better evidence of the strength and
prosperity of city can be given, than to
find her factories in full blast and her mills
in active operation. Nearing the premises
of the above extensive enterprise, the
smoke from whose chimneys rises sky-ward
and the hum of whose busy machinery is
attuned to prosperity, we were reminded
of the words uttered by one of the worlds
greatest orators, before an audience of
several thousand workingmen in Chicago
during the last presidential campaign
''The smoke rising from our factory
chimneys forms the only clouds upon which
will ever be seen the bow of American
promise.
A visitor to Westminster would hardly
expect to find such large industry as that
operated by the Billingslea Bros.
1t appears from the records of this city
that seventeen years ago Smith, Yingling
& Co. formed partnership here with the
view of manufacturing canned goods, etc.,
and that four years later-about 1886
Drs Charles and James H. Billingslea,
both natives of Carroll county, bought out
this firm, while still retaining its honored
name So history discloses. When the
present partners undertook the businers, it
was soon seen that they were not only sue
cessful professional men, but also adopts
in business matters. DR. Charles Billings
lea having been long considered one of
the most prominent citizens of Carroll
county, who was originally educated for
the Dental profession, and followed the
same for twenty years, and having also
become trustee of the Western Mary
land College, an active Odd Fellow and
member of the Methodist Protestant
Church. He is also a director of the
Westminster Savings Bank. His brother
DR.. James H. Billingslea likewise ranks
as professional gentleman here, his per-
sonal career being reviewed in another
column When it is stated that this firm
of which DIR. Charles Billingslea is active
manager, employs about fifty persons and
has weekly pay roll Of over $500, pay
ing out to farmers in addition large sums
for the fruits, vegetables, etc., which they
can; some idea may be formed of the
scope of this enterprise, as we'll as the
good which they are doing among us.
The premises owned and occupied by
this firm are located near the W. M.
Railroad tracks; brick and frame struc
lures covering more than an acre of land,
and equipped with modern machinery.
The frame building, erected in 1881, was
the nucleus of their prosperous work,
which has steadily developed from ca
pacity of 10000 cases annually at that
time to the enormous output Of 80, 900
cases at the present period quite con-
trast verify.
Too much stress cannot be laid upon the
benefits which such men as the Billingslea
Brothers confer upon the laboring classes
and this community generally, and it is
evident that if all employers were like
them, we would hear less of collisions be-
tween capital and labor. These gentle
men have shown that it is the easiest mat
ter in the world for capital and labor to
90 hand in hand, provided of course, that
the working people receive their just and
proper dues,
Mr.. A. H. YingIing, the superinten-
dent of this factory, has been with the
present management eighteen years, and
has been connected with the business it
self since 1877. He was one of the orig
inators of the old firm of Smith, Yingling
g. co