Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-28
MAY MOVE PLANT
Rock Island Shoe Company
Makes Proposition to
Sterling.
SHALL TAKE $4,000 IN STOCK
Effort Should Be Made to Hold Fac
tory Herc-Organ Works
to Come.

{. >. Peaslee, general supcrintend-
cnt of the Rock Island Shoe company,
is in Sterling, where he has gone to
submit Il proposition before the bus
mess men of that city for the location
there of the company's plant. Ac-
cording to Sterling papers he asks
that the people of that city take $50
600 stock in the concern, half of
which is to bear interest and the re-
mainder To be common stock.
Healso represents that the company
wishes to build a factory two stories
in height, 80 by 800 feet in ground
area, and costing about $4,000. The
company is now capitalized at S75,-
900 and employs rs persons, about
half of whom are women. The Bust
ness Mems association of Sterling
held special meeting for confer
ence in regard to the matter and COM
mittces were appointed To further ne
gotiations.
Plenty of Good Sites Available.
1t is to be hoped that Rock Island
viii not allow the shoe company to go
without a vigorous effort to learn the
reason why. 1t has been generally
known for some time that the pres
ent quarters were too limited and
that the growing business of the con-
Germ would sooner or later ncccssi-
tate change, of some sort. There
are plenty of desirable sites here.
however. if the company wishes to
build, and no place in the west offers
better general advantages than Rock
Island. The interests of the city de-
mand that an effort be made To meet
the needs of the company, if they are
reasonable
On the other hand. it will be remem-
bered that many Rock Island bust
ness men took stock in the enterprise
when ii first came here, VINO have new
CT received anything from the invest
ment, and this fact should serve the
proprietors of the company as NOR
al argument, at least, against leaving
the city simply because prosperity de-
mands enlargement of the business.
May Make Organs Here.
Rock Island is announced by one of
the officers of the concern as the
choice of the several locations that
have been under consideration for
months by the Lancashire Marshall
Pipe Organ company, of Moline, an
institution with an extensive rcputa-
ton, and only needing little
strengthening financially to become
one of the leaders in its line in the
northwest.
Since the company sold its land and
factory year ago to the Deere &,
Mansur company the stockholders
have been in search of Il new location.
Propositions were received from "a
number of cities, including Rock ISL
and, Davenport and Milwaukee. The
latter was underst TODD to have practi-
cally cinched the factory at one time,
and probably would have done so but
for the opposition of the officers to
moving such a great distance from
the original home of the business.
Changes I'm Concern.
No bonus has been asked-all that
is wanted * desirable site to be pur-
chased at reasonable cost. The Of
ficcr of the organ company who gives
out the information states that the
details of the removal to Rock Island
have not been worked out rs vet. but
that they will be as soon as possible
The stock held in the company by
Mrs. y. B. Lancashire and \. :.
Wright has been disposed OF to Mo
line parties, Messrs. Marshall, Harris
ana Mctzgar remaining as members
of the firm. The new company pro-
poses with additional capital and in
ducements to enlarge the capacity of
the plant and 10 engage i'm the manu-
facturc of organs on a large scale.