The Newtown bee., 1908-03-20
The NeWtoWn See.
A PROSPEROUS INDUSTRY
SOME FACTS REGARDING THE AMERICAN SHEAR & KNIFE co. ING, OF HOTCHKISSVILLE.
Newtown, Friday, March 70, l00s.


 ING, OF HoTCHKlSSVlLLE.
 The editor of The Bee en njoyed an in teryiew, Friday, with II. s. Dormitzer, the popular president and general man. ager of the American Shear < Knife Uo., Inc. The knife shop is at present working 40 hours week, which IS much better than the average shop Tn it's line is doing. Some of the shops have been closed down entirely. More than a year ago MT Dormitzer predict ed the present dull times, in an inter- view with the editor, and at that time stated that although business was brisk, he would refuse no orders, but would book them and hold them for the dull times he believed were ahead. MT Dormitzer is an expert in this line. He graduated from Columbia college August 3, 1885. In 1898 he became treasurer of the Wiebush & Helzer Co.,, importers of hardware and cut lery, and was also made president of the Challenge Cutlery Corporation of Bridgeport. In December, 1902, he bought controlling interest in the American Shear & Knife Co.,, Inc, and has enlarged the shops and bus mess. The present officers of the American Shear Co. are:
 President, and treasurer, H. s. Dor mitzer.
 Secretary. Henry Eyre.
 Assistant Secretary, J. H. Keating of New Orleans, La.
 COMPANY A MONEY MAKER.
 The charter under which the company does business is an interesting docu- ment. MT Domritzer says it is the broadest charter he ever examined and one of the company's most valu- able assets. The company has been a dividend payer almost from its start and made the Cowle es family small fortune. Looking back over the his- tory of the concern we find that in 1 1863 12 per cent dividend was de- clared, in 1864, '65, '67 and '6S 12 per cent dividends, in 1869, 1Oa per cent, in 1870 101 per cent, in 1871, 1Oa per cent, in 1885 10 per cent, in 1887, 1888, |! 1889, 1890 and 1891, 15 per cent. In 1891 also, an extra dividend of SIS. 900 was declared. In 1892 dividend of 50 per cent. In 1893 two dividends of 50 per cent each were declared. In 1895, 1896, 1897 and 1898, i5 per cent divi- dends were declared and in 1898 anoth- CT of 50 per cent was handed out.i In 1899 the dividends of SIS, 900 and S45O0 were declared and in 1900 two dividends of 25 per cent. In 1901 two dividends of 25 per cent were declared. In 1902 the company was re-organized under capital stock of 100000. It will be noted that while the capital stock of the American Shear Co. was SIS, ,000. it had invested over $2OO,0O0 in machin- ,,,, ,,,J +bo
 BUSINESS WIDELY DISTRIBUTED.
 The present output of the American Shear & Knife Go. is widely distributed over the United States. its principal business being in the following cities: Bangor, Me. New York City; Cleve- land, O.; Pittsburgh, Pa; Nashville, Tenn; Louisville, Ky; St Paul, Minn.; Kansas City, Mo-. New Or leans, Miss. Jacksonville, Fla. ; Rich mond, Va. Savannah, Ga; Mobile. Ala. Little Rock, Ark. Chicago, Ill.,. /; Los Angeles, Cal. i; Fl Paso, Tex; Du- luth, Minn. Topeka and Salina, Kan. |; and Houston, Tex.
 A PUBLIC SPIRITED CITIZEN.
 Mir Dormitzer, the manager, has showed himself to be public spirited citizen since coming to Woodbury and has taken a real interest in the growth and prosperity of the town. MT Dor mitzer has travelled extensively, having had charge of the foreign buying for Weibush & Helger of New York, when he was connected with that firm. He has also visited every principal city in the United States and is thoroughly conversant with every branch of the shear and cutlery business. The early history of the American Shear Co. IS mighty interesting. We copy from the ] records of the company some facts regarding the notice of incorporation and articles of association of the com pany. It will be noted that they had the power under its charter to transact almost any kind of business and such an instrument would be hardly passed by the legislature in these later days. The notice of incorporation and some selections from the articles of association and list of the early sub scribers follow.
 NOTICE.
 Wheras the nndersipned with certain