The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1904-02-04
Joseph N. Messier Sells His Interest
in the Wells & Messier Plant to
Frank L. Wells.
CHANGE TO BE MADE ON MONDAY
Mr.. Wells Will Continue Business Under
the Firm Name of Frank L. Wells.
Builder of Spring Bed Machinery"

It is announced today that Frank L.
Wells, of the firm of Wells & Messier,
has purchased the interest Of his part
ner, Joseph Messier, and on next Mon
day morning the name of the we'll
known firm will be changed to Crank
L. Wells, Builder of Spring Bed Ma
chinery.''
The change in the firm has been
made imperative on account of the ill
ness of Mr.. Messier and he will retire
entirely from the management and
ownership of the business. The con.
sideration of the deal has not been
made public. There will be no change
in the business or in any Of its depart
ments and the only change will be the
firm name. No change will be made
in the Office force of the plant and Mr..
Wells will continue to manufacture the
high class machinery which has made
the name Of the firm famous wherever
machinery is in demand.
Few manufacturing concerns started
in Kenosha ever gained greater
measure of success than has the firm
of Wells & Messier. Back in 1898 the
two proprietors of the plant we're
working in the factories Of Kenosha.
Both Of them were experts in the ma
chinist and foundry trade and they
finally decided to start machine shop
of their own. A part of the old Rowe
building was leased for term of years
and Joe Messier, Frank Wells and one
helper began on small capital to
build spring bed machinery.
The company made good from the
start and after year or so the word
had gone out that there was no sort of
a machine that Frank Wells couldn't
design and Joe Messier couldn't build.
The number of men in the employ of
the company began to grow and by the
end of FIVE years the firm was rated as
one Of the best machine making firms
in this section Of the country. The
great advance in business made the
small quarters all too small and five
years ago the company leased the main
room of the Lippert foundry and be-
gan to enlarge their plant. Both the
managers Of the company had made
money and good money, but they still
remained at the bench and with COM
petent force of from twenty to thirty
men they built up the business which
has just been purchased by Mr.. Wells.
The men made great record for
themselves in this line of business and
the shop is now considered one of the
most fourishing in this section Of the
country. The machines that have
been built by the company have gained
note in many Of the leading factories
of the West and it is the boast of the
company that no contract was too
large for them to handle. One of the
largest contracts ever taken by the
company was the building of full set
of reed machinery for the w. w. Kim
ball Piano company of Chicago. It is
said that there was no other machine
shop in the United States that could
have duplicated this set of machinery.
In retiring from active business life
Mr.. Messier will take long rest and
seek to recover his health. The re-
tirement of Joe Messier from the man.
ufacturing world in Kenosha will cause
regret in all the industries of the city.
With the manufacturers and with the
men at work in the plants Mr.. Messier
has always been very popular man
and his forced retirement on account
of i'll health is hard blow to the in
dustria1 interests of the city.
| Mr.. Wells, who now takes full con-
troll of the factory, is skilled in every
work known to machine shop and
there is no doubt but that the business
under his direction will keep up the
splendid record that has been made in
the past eleven years.
An Tar1rm TTF A ~ N oar