Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-01-20
AN IDEAL TOWN.
Where thu Workmen Share Profits
With the Millionaires.

Where Tn Workmen snare FRONTS
With the Milionaires.
A successful cooperative commUn-
ity has been in operation for sixteen
years a few miles from st, Louis.
The community is LeClaire. eight
cen miles from the Missouri metropo-
lis. It's population is made UP of the
employees of N. o. Nelson, the multi
millionaire plumbing manufacturer,
and their families.
From the start the employees were
made to share the profits of the bust
ness. For a few years these profits
were paid to the workmen in cash, but
now he has decided to give it to them
in stock, as he is growing old and
wants them to take charge of the fac
tory when he quits the business world.
The profits in stock have already
eaten a $4,000 hole in the capital
stock He takes interest on his capt.
al and thereafter divides the earnings
on basis of each mans wages. lie
lives in LeClaire and shares in the
sorrows and joys of his men, takes
part in their social life and helps them
in their affairs. He buys every man
when he starts to work at the Nelson
factory a home, which can be paid for
on reasonable terms from the work
mans salary.
When Mr.. Nelson erected his four
factories he took especial care to
make them large and airy. A dining
room was provided in each one, and
there were ample shower baths for
the workers.
One of the embellishments of Man
ager Nelson is that his men keep
clean. He has surrounded the town
with parks and wife driveways, beds
Of flowers and runplng vines. These
vines hide the barr4n walls of the fac
tory buildings, white flower beds OF
set the dingy appearance that usually
surrounds such a place. To enter
LeClaire one gainslth impression a.
first that it is som4 botanical garden,
where flowers are kept behind brick
walls, instead of al. industrial conmu-
nifty turning out thousands OF tons OF
lead pipe monthly.
No town governing board has ever
been organized in I,eClaire, nor do the.
citizens take trouble to vote at the
county elections. Mr.. Nelson has
provided various fosms of amusement
at LeClaire, such az ball grounds, ten
mis- courts, skating links, dancing halls
and lecture courses, which keep the
| d,,r;,,r, bO11-c nf
idleness.
They do not court outside entertain
ment, and while the stranger who
fingers within their gates will be treat
ed with due respect, he will not re-
ceive a cordial welcome. No man, gor
that same reason, can work at the
Nelson factories if his previous repu-
tation has not been altogether good
The most recent addition to the
towns advantages is o training school
for the children OF poor people.
Through the schools of the town its
founder trains the child from its youth
up, and places him or her in a way to
become a partner in his great con-
Germ. All young men or women who
have a desire to work their way
through college and who want career
hewn out for them need only apply
to Mr.. Nelson. He will do the rest.
He claims that fer young persons OF
this age to succeed they should be
taught both in mind and body; their
their hands should follow the advan-
cling years, and in going through
school they should be made to learn
some trade or do some certain handi-
work. Mental trailing is far from all
sufficient. claimed Mr. Nelson, so he
gave a number CT schoolhouses az
IeClaire to the nonsectarian church
workers of st. Lo,sis, who will carry
out his ideas of securing and educat-
ing poor students. None others WIZ
be received.