The suburban citizen., 1900-12-22
A PROSPEROUS BUSINESS.
Flower Pots Being Turned Out by
the Million.
Facts About an establishment OF
Which Little Is known-From
Small Beginning a Huge
Industry Has De-
Veloped.

The people of the District Of Column
bia are rapidly waking up to an appre-
citation of the fact that the greatest
present need is a number of small
manufacturing plants that will furnish
employment for the surplus labor Of
the city and thus keep at home the
money that would otherwise be spent
in Baltimore or some other nearby
city that is not only looking for but
offering inducements to establishments
that employ labor. A factory that
gives employment to a half dozen or
more men is a help to the grocer, the
butcher, the baker, the clothier, the
| tailor and a dozen other merchants
who can do business with the man who
has employment whereas il he is out
OF employment he is necessarily out of
money and therefore OF not much use
to the man with goods to sell. For the
past fifteen years there has been a nom
sensical cry in Washington against all
kinds Of factories because Of what some
misguided folks are pleased to term
the Smoke nuisance" but as their sons
grow into manhood and idleness with
no show Of employment they see the
error Of their way and gladly welcome
anything that has a show OF furnish
ing employment to the ones whose
idleness has become a severe tax upon
their earnings. In an out Of the way
place at 2Sth and M streets, Northeast,
there has existed for a number Of
years small manufacturing plant
called a pottery that furnishes steady
employment the year around to a num-
Der Of men and boys, thus fulfilling our
idea Of what there should be in every
section Of the District.
The pottery of which we speak was
established in 1888 at the foot Of 4th
street, Southeast, by Mr.. VIM. II. Err
nest BY turning out an honest pro-
duct he soon outgrew the location and
in 1892 he purchased nearly square
of ground at 2Sth and M streets and
erected thereon suitable buildings for
the prosecution Of the business, in
Ncluding a large modern kiln that is
mot surpassed in excellence of con-
struction in the entire United States.
From that date to the present time he
has turned out and sold millions and
millions of pots Of every size from the
very smallest to the largest. A faint
idea of the extent of the plant can be
gained from the simple fact that for
the past three years he has never had
less than a million pots in stock. All
sizes are carried for florists use from
the tiny two-inch size to the big fell
lows twenty inches in diameter. All
orders are filled promptly as there is
no necessity to wait until certain size
is burnt All orders received in the
morning are filled generally before two
o'clock. Experienced packers put the
goods up in such excellent shape that
their delivery in good condition any
where in the world is practically guar
anteed On numerous occasions Mr..
Ernest has been warmly congratulated
on the way he packs goods for ship
ment.
In addition to his extensive pottery
business Mr.. Ernest handles the cele-
brated New Brighton stoneware that
has national reputation for uniform
ity, reliability and general excellence
OF construction.
The list Of stOneware comprises jugs
OF all sizes, jars, milk pans, pitchers.
bean pots, churns, filters, stew pans,
etc, and since an endless Quantity is
carried in stock at all times orders for
any size and in any quantity can be
| filled on a moments notice.
The storage capacity Of the present
plant has for some time past been so
overtaxed that Mr. Ernest expects to
begin the erection Of large additional
building for storage purposes in the
spring.
The present buildings cover about a
quarter OF an acre but II the business
increases as rapidly in the next
few years as it has in the past
| It will not be long before the plant
will occupy the entire square, II a
hundred enterprises of similar size
dotted the hillsides OF the District OF
Columbia it would be better for all our
people.