Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-12-02
A HEARTY WELCOME
REPUBLIC OIL co. AN oTTuMwA
CONCERN.
Officers of ottumwa Commercial
Association Have Seen Success
Crown Their Efforts-concern .
Formally Welcomed.

From Saturdays Daily
With appropriate formalities the Re-
public Oil Co., the first business insti.
tuition to be located in this city by the
newly organized commercial associa-
ton, was welcomed into the business
circles of Ottumwa yesterday after
noon. At 2:3O o'clock there gathered
at the plant of the company, which is
located at the foot of Cass street about
flfty representative men of the city,
including several of the aldermen, the
board OF directors and other officers
OF the Commercial association, and
some of the prominent manufacturers
OF the city, In the presence of the
assemblage Senator S.H. Harper, pres
ident of the commercial association
delivered short address expressing
the welcome of the city and citizens of
Ottumwa to the new firm now estab-
lished here. AT the close of his
speech the senator drew from the
tanks the first gallon of oil.
The Republic Oil Co.. of Cleveland,
Ohio, has for some months been figu-
ring upon entering Ottumwa and To-
eating a plant here. but when the mat
ter was preached in the city council
there was some opposition. not SO
much from the aldermen themselves
as from their. constituents Special
permission was necessary to be gran
ted the company before it could build
its plant. This was unobtainable for
some time because of the objections
OF citizens living and owing property
in the vicinity of the proposed loca-
tons. Several times the proposition
stared straight into the face of defeat,
but each time the efforts of the Off
GERS of the commercial association
succeeded in changing failure to tri-
umph, until finally suitable place
was chosen, at the foot of Cass street,
and the buildings were at once cree
ted
Thus the first enterprise which was
sought by the Ottumwa Commercial
association was secured for the city
and yesterdays event was in the ma
ture of celebration of this fact.
James Brown of Des Moines, superin-
tendent for Iowa of the Republic Oil
Co., represented that concern and re-
sponded to the generous expressions
of welcome as spoken by several local
men. Senator Harper's remarks were
brief but to the point and he expressed
his citation over the fact that although
many obstacles had been met in the
attempt to locate the plant in Ottum-
wa they had all been overcome in
turn IN behalf of the city he well
coined the Republic Oil Co. to Ottum-
wa He gave the bulk of the credit
for securing the concern to j. H. Nit
chell, secretary of the commercial as
ISOLATION who worked for months for
the success of the scheme.
I. ID. Foster, Joseph Dain, ]. H. Nit
chell, Alderman Charles Deeds, w. w.
Cummings and others made short adj
dresses echoing the sentiments of Mr..
Harper, welcoming the Republic Oil
Co. to the city, and congratulating the
Commercial association upon this. its
first enterprise.
James Brown, the superintendent in
Iowa for the company, replied in
short address to the Ottumwa people
anu IuduhSu luGll LOT tnelT nearly
welcome. He stated that although he
had at first encountered much deter
mined opposition to his efforts to To-
cate the oil plant in Ottumwa, he had
finally succeeded in finding place
where the advantages are excellent
and said that he was pleased to at last
be numbered among Ottumwa's bust
ness people
Mayor Thomas Picker, who had ex-
pected to be present, was unavoidly
detained on account OF an accident
which befell his father yesterday af-
ternoon. He arrived at the oil plant
just as the meeting closed, and in
spected the entire plant, and expressed
his pleasure at being able to add his
welcome to that of his fellow citizens.
The Plant =
The plant as completed is indeed
worthy addition to Ottumwas list of
industrial institutions. The buildings
are substantial and roomy and the
plant is thoroughly equipped for bust
ness. Seven tanks of various sizes are
in place, and the capacity is about co.
600 gallons in ALL The business of
the company will be in charge of FL
mer Boughner, of this city, and two,
travelling statesmen will start out on
the road in the interests of the Arm
They are James A Campbell. former.
ly state mine Inspector, and e. u.
Brown.