Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-04
WILL NOT START UP.
Ottumwa Man Thinks Oil Plant
Will Remain Idle.
OTTUMWA NOT FAyORABLY LOCATED.

w. F. Cole Voices an Opinion That
Possibly the Pride of Guy G. Major
in This City May Result in Resum-
ing Business Here.
Rumors bob up from time to time,
to the effect that the linseed oil plant
in this city is to be opened up for bus
| mess, but while there is bare posi-
bi!lty that it may, it is figured out by
local parties who are interested in the
concern, that it will not. One of these
latter is w. f. Cole, who resides near
the corner of Finley avenue and Will
lard street in South Otumwa, and
who was connected with the Linseed
Oil Cos. mill in this city during the
days it was in operation.
The trouble with Otumwa in the
minds of those who are at the head OF
the great linseed oil corporation &C.
cording to Mr.. Cole, is that Ottumwa
SO far as linseed oil manufacture
| concerned, is not center, and also
that it is not a favorble point for the
distribution of the finished product
/ SSAS
is that it costs too much to ship the
| raw material-fiaX seed-from the
flax growing districts to Ottumwa, the
seed costs more laid down here, than
it does at Sioux City, Des Moines
and Kansas City where the American
Linseed company has plants in opera,
ton.
May Use His Influence.
Mr.. Cole thinks that perhaps the
personal pride which Guy G. Major,
!. who is president of the
American Linseed Co. has in the city
4 of Ottumwa, may some time
have the effect of his having the OF
tumwa plant started up and run as in
days of old, but this, Mr.. Cole thinks
should not be looked forward to, for
the reason that Mr.. Major is bust
ness man of the first class, who will
make no move for sentiment which
might possibly be the cause of large
expenditure with inadequate returns.
A Little History.
The Ottumwa linseed oil mill was To-
Gated at the corner of Cass and West
Mill streets. After running a goodly
number of years, presumably at pro
fit, it was closed for the first time in
1870, when the property passed into
til. hands of the National Oil Co. II
was reopened for business in 1885,
and it was operated for two years al
loss of something in the neighbor
hood of $1,000 or $4,000, and the last
! grinding was done in 1897. The ma
chinery was then taken up and re
moved at the instance of the trust
! but for time the buildings were oc
: curied as distributing point for the
finished product manufactured by tn,
!. company.
Reorganization of Trust.
The reorganization of the Linseet
Oil company was effected December 3
1898, when the name was changed
from the National to the American
, 1t was reorganized under the laws O
New Jersey, with B. F. Miller, O
Cleveland, as president, Guy G. Major
of Toledo, as first vice-president, GIG
works of Chicago and Cleveland, az
second vice-president, and w. d
Douglas, of Douglas & Co., Minneap
oils, as treasurer. The new concern
, absorbed fourteen plants outside of the
were elected principally from the new
companies which were taken in, leav
ing the old-timers out of the question
!, President Miller's health failed a yea
and half ago, when Guy G. Major,
gentleman most favorable known il
}, Ottumwa, was elected to fill the va
cancy.
A "Wide Open" Charter.
. In an article in the Chicago Int
i Ocean of recent date the charter o
j the new company was reviewed. 1t i
said to be the most wide open tina
= could DE granted under the laws O
New Jersey. The Inter-Ocean said
Whatever the board sees fit to %
{. may do without the knowledge or as
i. sent of the stockholders. 1t ma
S grow flax seed or other agriculture
products, trade in flax seed, buy in cal
). ital stock at terms which it may dies
d ignate, mortgage the property of tn
v company, and absolutely sell it, pei
). sonal and real, without the vote of tn
J. stockholders. And further, no stool
u holder may examine the books withou
s. the permission of the board. 1t wi
be seen that legally the management
and business may be conducted in tn
nature of blind pool. Everything
>. left, therefore, to the integrity of tn
management. 1t rests with the boar
to say whether or not the books {
y the company shall be examined.
1T is reported that the American o
n Co. cleared million and half of do
Y lars last year on seed speculation b
v buying in immense quantities at aslo
as $1.16 per bushel and selling as hig
= as $1.S9.
r. Needs More Railroads.
is Mr.. Cole thinks that unless the cit
II of Ottumwa is entered by the low
a. Central or Chicago & Northwestel
n road from the north there will be lit
re likelihood OF the linseed oil bushes
T. being revived here. The trade can
le supplied to a satisfactory advantas
AZ from Cedar Rapids, Kansas City al
ln nes Moines, and he thinks that the
u points are more accessible for shi
perS of Seed He thinks further tn