The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-12-12
Badger Brass Mfg Co. practic-
ally Abandons Local. Plant
fer Making Auto Lamps
LOCAL PLANT FOR SMALL WORK
Auto Making Companies are Notified
that Demand for Lamps Will be
Supplied Through Their
Eastern Branch

The Badger Brass Manufacturing
company has practically abandoned
the Kenosha plant of the company SO
far as the manufacture of the Solar
automobile lamps is concerned. 1t
was formally announced by the offici-
ais of the company Friday that
all arrangements for the transfer of
| this large business to New York had
been completed and the shipment of
the lamps from the New York branch
of the company has already been
started. All parts that wer, made up
in the Kenosha plant have been
shipped to New York and the agents
Of the company have been notified
that in the future the automobile
lamps will be made in the east. The
auto making trade has been notified
| that this step has been made neces-
sary on account of the continuation of
labor troubles in this city. The man
ayers of the company found it abso-
| lutely necessary to transfer this
business in order to take care of the
trade for the opening season, and it is
now thought that the company will be
able to meet all orders.
The officials of the plant feel con-
WINGED that it will be impossible for
the labor unions to interfere with the
work of the New York plant as, it is
claimed that should there be general
| walk out of all men employed there
it would be possible to fill the places
in thirty-six hours. The matter, how
ever, has been taken up with the men
in the New York branch and they
| have expressed entire satisfaction
with the arrangements with the COM
pany and the contracts will be con-
| tinued.
The future of the Kenosha plant is
something of problem, but it is
stated that at the present time the
plant here will be used for the manu-
facture of bicycle lamps and for the
turning out of such parts as can be
made by machinery. Up to a short
time ago large percentage of the
bicycle lamps sold by the company
had been made in New York, but this
| business is to be transferred to Ke-
nosha. 1t was the bicycle lamp that
brought the Badger company promi-
nently before the bicycle and ANTONIO
bile making industry and with the re-
turn of the bicycle to it's former
popularity, it is possible that the Ke-
nosha plant will again build up a
great industry.
| w. L. Yule, one of the officials of
the company, stated Friday morning
that the Kenosha plant was now be-
| ing operated with full force, but
! that the transfer of the auto lamp
business to New York had largely re-
duced the force and that most of the
work turned out at the plant was done
| by machines and by girls. He said
| that the transfer of the other bust
| ness to the eastern branch would
probably be permanent thing as the
| com pany would there be closer to
market and that the lamps could be
made there to better advantage than
in the west
The change IN the plans OF the com
pany in the manufacture of the auto
mobile lamps will mean much to Ke-
nosha, as it will result in the reduc-
ton of the number of men employed
in the plant by large number, pos
sibly two hundred. Most of the men
who will be out of employment are
high class machiuists.
There has been no echo of the re-
cent troubles between the managers
of the plant and the men and no steps
have been taken openly to have the
injunction recently issued by Judge
Belden dissolved. The matter will
come up in Racine next week and if
the men do not take some steps by
that time the injunction will be made
permanent.