Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-07-28
nARDSOCC REFUSES.
WILL NOT ACCEPT OFFER or w.
600 BONUS MADE BY CITIZENS
(; 81 Ee!,'i. COMMITTEE.
Slight Possibility That Even Though
ottumwa Has Not Been Able to-
Meet Conditions Required She May
Yet Secure Big Factory.
Erected.

x AL olST VI 91,uUU ndue yesterday al
Sternoon by a special committee of cit
liens as bonus to Martin Hardsocs
ito secure the establishment of the Lit
tie Wonder Air Hammer drill factory
in this city was refused by him. Mr.
:Hardsocg demanded that the amount
of the bonus be $4,000 but while he
positively refused the offer Of the
smaller amount he stated that he
would not take any definite action in
the matter of locating elsewhere al
the present time.
The citizens committee met late
yesterday afternoon in the parlors of
the Wapello club. The reports show.
ed that there had been but total of
, 200 raised. the greater portion OF
this being from the men visited by the
merchants committee.
The reports indicated that it was
practically impossible to raise the full
sum of 5000 but it was thought that
further amount sufficient to bring
the total sum up to $4,000 could be
secured. A committee consisting of
Emmett A. Work, Capt. s. H. Harper
and ]. 3. Mowrey were appointed to
make the offer of the latter amount
to Mr.. Hardsocg.
y Refused Offer.
This committee met with Mr.. Hard
socg, presented the matter to him and
made the offer of $4,000. He positive
ly refused the money but gave some
ground for the hope that the factory
would not be located elsewhere when
he stated that he would take no defin-
lite action on the matter of a location
elsewhere at the present time.
The committee appointed to solicit
money to make up the bonus have
found the work one of extreme difficult
ties. The merchants and business men
have given for the erection of the new
hospital building and to many other
charitable enterprises until it is re-
ported to be almost impossible to Sc
cure subscriptions in any amount for
any purpose. The committees have
worked hard and faithfully and 1t was
with the greatest regret that the mat
ter of securing the full amount of the
bonus demanded was given up and ad-
mitted to be impossible at the pres
ent time.
A Good Proposition.
hC piopOoAIlOll lLcuO NY MI. I1oIu-
socg for the erection of this factory
IS considered one of the best ever made
to the city. The committee which in
vestigated the matter reported that
the prospects for a business of
mammoth proportions were very
bright and it was desired that OF
tumwa should have the benefit of the
factory especially as Mr.. Hardsocg
was already an Ottumwa man and had
large and varied business interests
lere. The citizens committee while it
las practically given up hope of seq
airing the bonus asked have som&
lopes that Mr. Hardsocg may yetsiDe
upon to remain II, the city
md establish his factopy here
The committee fees that to a man
# Mr.. Hardsocss means and on
involving such unlimited
possibilities in its development the
,onus of $4,000 asked is comparative
y trivial matter and they believe that
It was asked more as an expression of
and of confidence from
the public than for the mere value of
the money.
The efforts made by the committee
and the general appreciation which has
been expressed on all sides of the
benefit that Mr.. Hardsocg and his en-
terprises have been for Ottumwa have
showed him without doubt that he is
and that his value and
aid in building up the material inter-
ests of the city have been fully under
stood and recognized. 1t is the sim
cere hope of all who have the best in
terests of the city at heart that Mr..
Hardsocg may be prevailed upon to re-
main in the city and establish his fac
tory here although the conditions laid
upon the city have not been wholly
met.