Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1902-07-12
FORMER PROPOSITION RENEWED
A Bonus of 81 800 Asked in Order to
Secure the Location of Large To-
bacco Warehouse at Water
town.-Monday's Meeting.


Secure the Location of Large To-
bacco Warehouse at Water
town.-Monday's Meeting.
Last Monday afternoon, Mr.. Nathan P.
Strause, of Madison, the accredited re-
preventative of the American Cigar Co.,
Of New York, was in WatertOWn and
met number of the leading business
men of our city in the council rooms OF
the City hall. After an informal or
familiar talk giving somewhat in detail
the particulars of the manner in which
the business he represents is conducted,
as we'll as stating, the benefits that have
already actually accrued to the people OF
all classes in the cities in which the
American Cigar company are located
and are operating, and are likely to ac-
crue to our people should the company
locate a plant here, Mr.. Strause re-
neWed his proposition of year or more
ago to the effect that if the people of
WatertOWn would donate the site here
tOfOre selected, namely the Philip Helm
rich plant on First street, that the
American Cigar Co., would remodel and
enlarge the buildings already on the site,
and would establish large tobacco
stOrehOuse here for the receiving, stOr-
ing and handling of Wisconsin grown
tobacco. AS an option on the property
referred to has been promised for the
net sum of $500, the proposition
simply stated means that if the people
OF WatertoWn will give cash bonus OF
$500, the American Cigar company
will put in and maintain plant of a
sufficient capacity to employ from 200 to
300 persons from the middle to Decem-
Der to the middle of June. OF the
business men present several spoke upon
the subject under consideration and the
tenor of their remarks was generally
favorable. Others questioned Mr..
Strause in regard to the details of Oper-
ating such plant, such as wages paid;
numbers Of people to be employed; how
long they would be employed each year
profit and yield to grower; suitability OF
soil; probability of the business being
permanent; value Of plant and average
stock on hand for taxation; effect of
work upon health of employees; probable
competition with home manufacturers
and many other queries suggested by the
proposition or brought out in the fami-
liar discussion. The meeting was COM
posed of representative men, men whose
business and personal standing give
character and confidence to any enter
prise they take hold of seriously or to
which they lend the influence of their
passive support. We note the following
named: Mayor j. j. Brusenbach, +. +.
Woodland, H. Mulberger, ". Ii. Woodland,
H. CRUDE, W. A. Beurhaus, III. 7. EberIe,
H. Wertheimer, Fred Keck, Jacob Jossi,
Fred Prentiss, Joe Davies, III. j. Strauss,
VIM. PritZlaff, Max Kusel, Vim. BiglOw,
Leonard Schempf, Edward Brandt, G..
Keppler, e. C.. Borchardt, w. +. VOss,
Fred Hoffman.
The meeting was called to order by
Mayor Brusenbach, who explained brief
ly that MIR. Strause was present as the
representative of the American Cigar
company, of New York and would pre-
face proposition to locate a tobacco
warehouse here by little informal talk,
relative to the business carried on by
the company elsewhere in the state, and
would be glad to answer any questions
relative to the matter upon which any
one might desire information. Mr.
Strause said he was most favOrably i'm
pressed with WatertOwn as a desirable
point in which to locate tobacco ware
house. It's splendid railroad facilities,
its abundance of labor, the splendid
farming country surrounding it large
percentage of which is naturally adopt
ed to the growth OF tobacco. The COM
pany already had large plants at Madi-
son and Sparta, the latter established
since his proposition was made to locate
here at WatertOwn. There were more
female help employed than male.
Women were more careful workers. The
girls at Madison made from $4.OO to
$500 per week according to amount of
work each did. Some girls made as
much as $12.OO per week. They were Of
course experts and instances were rare.
The company were very desirOus Of the
good will and active interest of the
people among whom they located their
store houses. He wishes some one or
more of the representative citizens of
WatertOWn would visit Madison and
lind out what was thought of cOmpany's
work there. He said the mercantile
trade of Sparta in certain lines had
tribbled since the factory was In opera
tlon there. The company paid off its
help every week, and these wages went
weekly to swell volume of local trade.
After packing tobacco must lay in store
at least l6 months before shipment.
The plant itself and stock in store would
be subject to taxation, and thus aid in
lessening individually the burden Of
taxation. The company would not
manufacture here. The work ia not
unhealthy. 1t is sometimes dusty and
occasionally annoying but workers soon
o. come used to it and no bad effects ever
resulted to his knowledge. If the bonus
asked for was raised work would be
begun at an early date here. In answer