Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-04-13
TOWANDA GETS
A SILK MILL

The group Of Hartman silk mills,
which are gradually growing in i'm.
portance and rank with the busiest in.
dustIies of the State. have received q
valuable addition in a new mill to be
built at Towanda. Besides the Dan.
Vile Mills belonging to Mr.. Hartman
there is one each at Berwick and Shick
shinny.
The mill at Towanda will be a most
important addition to the group.
Negotiations were concluded Saturday
for the location in Towands of the new
mill, which will manufacture all kinds
of thrown silk. The company will be
known as the Towanda Silk Mill, and
is composed of the following gentle.
men, all actively identified with the
silk industry: F. Q. Hartman of Dan,
Vile; W. Hayden Evans and E. F.
Fuller of Scranton, W. J. Hartman OF
Shickshinny and Moses O'Malley OF
Scranton.
The company will be incorporated
with capital of $4,000 and with
these officers: William J. Hartman,
president and managing director
Moses O'Malley, vice president W. H.
Evans, treasurer; E. P. Fuller. secre-
tary. Mr.. Hartman and Mr.. Fuller
will reside in Towanda, and Mr.. Hart
man has already leased the Belts resi-
denoe property on Second street.
After a thorough investigation of
available sites the plot at the head OF
Chestnut street, owned by John ".
Mix, Esq, was selected and purchas9 I'D
by the company. The work of erect.
ing the factory building on this site
was commenced yesterday and every
effort will be made to have the mill in
operation within so days.
The building will be of brick, 45x2OC
feet. one story high. with hardwood
floor. This will be filled to It's cap.
acity with machines, aud will accom-
modate 1875 operatives. Besides this
main building there will be boiler
house and an Office building, the lat
ter to include a fireproof vault fol
storing the silk. These buildings will
be Of "slow burning or fireproof con
struction.
The mill at Danville, started nine
years ago, through Mr.. Hartman
good management and industry has nev
er been idle working day. 1t should
be understood that the Towanda mil
is not in the nature Of an experiment
or new" mill, but is established tc
care for the constantly increasing busi.
ness of the Hartman mills.
What it means to Towanda may bt
gathered from the single item of wages
when it is understood that approx
mately s25, 900 will be paid out to EN-
ployes annually. The Importance 81
this mill can be more fully compre
hended when it is known that it,
weekly product will be nearly 200(
pounds, or the consumption of about &
ton Of raw silk every six days. This
product has value of $40, 900, and i:
sold in New York city direct to the
manufacturers of ribbon, silk cloths
silk twist. etc.
The mill will be an ideal place il
which to work. Perfect cleanliness i:
an essential in throwing mill, and
as Mr.. Hartman remarked, 1.-The younG
folks who are employed there can come
in their Sunday clothes. " Mr.. Hart
man az manager, and Mr.. Fuller a:
secretary come from other mills of thu
group and have long experience in the
business. Some few skilled operatives
will be brought here from other plants
to train new employees. but the bulk
OF the help will be recruited from
| Towanda borough and vicinity. Grea
care is used in the selection of em
ployes and no one is engaged without
a thorough investigation. The est
ablishment of this mill will give fsmi
lies desiring to move into Towanda
employment for their young members
at clean work and good wages.
The mill will be located West oil
North Fourth street and about 30 fee
South Of the head Of Chestnut street
on the bank OF Mix run. The counoi
will be asked to open new stree
from North Fourth directly West anc
parallel with Chettnut straet, 10 bt
called Elm street. The mill will stanC
on the South side of this new street
The mill will be erected under the
personal supervision of W. j. Hartman
and will be done by the day. no con
tracts being let to outsiders.