The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-01
HOUSTON SELLS AXE HANDLES.
Five Thousand Dozen the City
for a Facto

surely imagine that this part pf ~.
try is badly In need of deSsionms, "
And II does need deyelopuenf.-.~
featuring development. An axe y
factory may not be OF much assIsss+
the developing line. but IL will heir =
little factory added TO the city Al
State means progression.
~
A young man came into Housto,|
other day with plan to start nj
handle factory here. He has exam,n.1
situation thoroughly and is ga,isa.s
such an industry located at this !,
would prove paying iavestneut
The young man has spent ali ri, .
ing years land they began very ,.sr,1
wood and machinery work. He can
nose the case of stick OF wood a. M
and as accurately. as the most esnsrs
stefan can determine the condition
mans body.
He says the hickory aud pecan VI
Texas will supply the very best NAL
for axe handles. and he hopes MIMI
months to be turning t5is tiinber
these useful articles.
The first work this young man ud
reaching Houston was TO find o,o]
actly what encouragement such mi
tory would receive from the local shl
salers. He informs me that thw-1
agreed to buy every handle they soldy|
him, provided the wood and workmn]
were not inferior to those now ON the
ket They assured him that they =
be perfectly willing to pay him III
what the Indiana and Alabama ma
now cost them laid down here. He ss]
that II necessary he can unaersslI
outside factories by 10 to Is cents on|
dozen. and still have fair marfi1
profit.
His canvass disclosed the fact that III
ton jobbers are selling 5000 dozen bsu|
year. In addition to this there d
enormous demand from the railroads n
OF which have their buying headoua,|
here.
To start an axe handle factory In III
ton only s2500 will be needed. This
seem small amount to put into any \
OF a manufacturing plant. but tbe N
who makes this assertion has cared
studied the matter and says he can 4
1t with this amount and make succeed
1t, too OF the $500, about $500 Will
used for equipment, and $1,000 for cur1
expenses.
With such factory he claims that|
can produce seventy-fve dozen handel
ten hours, performing every opersn|
from carrying the stock into the backd
TO carrying the Grated handles out 81
front.
This gentleman has submitted to
Houston Business League detailed si|
ment of the business he would attsd
and has given the exact figures as ID \
cost of manufacture. He shows concufH
that If he can sell only half or the I'D
mum output of this small plant there
he clear profit of $4,000 a year III
business. Such profit on a s2500 inst
ment is about all one could reasona|
ask. don't you think?
With proper management. however ~
is no doubt that such factory would n
be selling every handle 1t could place.
the market. 1t could be easily enl71
as the demand increased. and. fur6hcsm1
It could Manufacture other lines Of har>|
and hoe handles. broom handles
Hammer and Ratchet handles coult(
made from material that would OH
wise be wasted in cutting blanks fof \
larger handles.
While handle factory may sett
small matter and hardly worth all &
space ] have given to its discussed
should be borne in mind that any inda]
that Will utilize material taken from MI
forests aud keep at home money thf|
now being sent out of the State, is va
OF the greatest encouragement 4
There are large forests of hickoryn n
pecan within 100 miles OF Houston, II
handle factory located here would. III
employment for several men in the Il
Der belt, besides the distribution OF VI
siderable sum of money annually for q
Der. 1t would also mean work for ss
skilled laborers at Houston.
1t would be the addition OF a snai'1
very necessary link to the chain tSsl
dustries that must be welded for thisE
Furthermore, it should be reu1eulf
that each little success makes the n
triumph easier and more fruitful. ~