The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-05-12
COMMERCIAL CLUB
WILL AID HOOS|ER
Members Are Unanimously in
Favor of Vacating North
Fourteenth Street.
TO USE THEIR INFLUENCE
COMMITTEE is APPOINTED TO
VISIT THE BOARD OF WORKS.
MANAGER CARR PRESENTS
HoOSlER'S PLANS.

Al meeting OF the Commercial
Club last evening, which was largely
attended the proposition of the Amer
lean Seeding Machine Company to
have a portion of North Fourteenth
street closed, so that the Hoosier Drill
| branch can be enlarged, was discuss
| ed and it was the unanimous senti-
ment of the members that the con-
Germ should be afforded every oppor-
tunity for expanding. The meeting
was opened by an address made by
| Manager Carr of the American Seed
| ing Machine Company which was as
| follows:
Statement Of Mr.. Carr.
Gentlemen:
Our company has six manufacture
ing plants, one of which is the Hoo
sier, of this city. We are both short
! of manufacturing facilities, and hav
en't the proper kind to manufacture
in the most economical manner. We
have been unable to supply the de
mand for our goods the past Spring,
and particularly at our Hoosier plant.
| have lost the sale of quite a large
volume on account of our inability to
make them in time to meet the
trade requirements.
| Also it is our intention to have
fewer and better plants which will
enable us to manufacture more
economically, and save in admins
trative and overhead expenses.
For the foregoing reasons, it is our
intention to as early as possible ex-
pend $150.00000 which has been ap-
propriated by our directors. for in
creased manufacturing facilities, and
about s1OO,000.00 of which we are de-
sirous of spending in addition to our
| Hoosier plant.
To do this, we are compelled to ask
that the City vacate Fourteenth street
from Z street north to the railroad;
otherwise, we will be unable to make
the improvements.
Plan Big Building.
If the street is vacated as desired,
it is our intention at an early date to
start on the work and complete 1t as
early as possible. We intend to con-
tinue our present buildings on Il
street east 232 feet by so feet wide,
three stories high, with basement. We
expect to double the size of our pres
ent Foundry and Forge Shops, and
make such other changes and addi-
tions, which, together with new ma
chinery and equipment will approxi-
mately double our present manufac-
turing facilities. and which will make
the Hoosier plant one of the largest
and best arranged Grain Drill plants
in the world. In fact, we do not know
of any that will be as large or as well
arranged.
This will mean considerable to
Richmond. We now employ on an av-
erage, about $50 persons. with an an
nual payroll of between $175.000.00
and s2OO,00OOo. With these increas-
ed facilities we will employ not less
than $50 additional persons. and in
side of two or three years from 200
to 800 more than we now employ, and
with a corresponding increase in the
annual payroll of from $75,0000.00
to $150,00O.O0.
Will Spend 100000.
An expenditure of s100,000.00 or
more in new buildings will also mean
that the plant will remain here for all
time to come, no difference what the
vestment will be too large to ever
think of abandoning.
On the other hand what we are ask
ing it not difficult to grant, or thing
that will work any particular hard
ship. Fourteenth street north OF e
street is an unimportant thorough
fare We own the abutting property
on both sides of that portion of the
street which we desire vacated. Fif-
teenth and Sixteenth streets on the
East, and Thirteenth and Twelfth
streets on the west are all open for
traffic.
1t is impossible for us to make the
improvement unless this street is va
Gated, therefore we trust our request
may be granted by the city, and any
help your organization may be able to
render us will be appreciated.
Should the proposition be received
unfavorably, we will have to do the
best we can with our present facili-
ties; make our additions to other
plants and reduce the work at our
Hoosier plant to such proportions as
will enable us to take care of same in
comfortable way. In other words,
we will have to give up for the pures-
ent, and all time to come, any further
extensions to this plant.
Committee Favors Hoosier.
Following the address made by Mr..
Carr. Howard Dill read a report of the
special committee which was appoint
ed by the Commercial Club for the
purpose of investigating the advisa-
biIity of the city granting the favor
asked by the American Seeding Ma
chine Company. This report in full Is
as follows:
Richmond, Ind, May IL, 1906
To the Directors and Members OF the
Commercial Club:
The committee appointed at meet
i Continued on Page Three.)