Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-04-24
BRITT CLAY PRODUCTS
Hancock County Town is Center
Of Brick and Tile Making
Industry
MUCH TILE MANUFACTURED
Town Has Largest Plant in That Sec
ton Of state-Dredses Also Manu-.
factured-eritt Center of Ditchins
Operations in Northern lowa-Many
Contractors There.
Special to 1'imes-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Britt, April 24.--The sidewalk gaugs
are again at work, putting in cement
walks in this town. Last year great
many walks were put in, and this year
will see even more. When the work is
finished there will be practically no
wood walks in Britt. The town coun-
ell is working hard to put down walks
SO that any part of town may be easily
and conveniently reached by all Be-
sides the great improvement of ce-
ment walks, the council changed the
lighting. system, and now we have u
light at every other block crossing,
and at every block on Main street, art
lights being used for the latter and in
candeso ents for the former. The wa.
ter works have also been considerably
extended to reach the remote parts of
the town, and more extensions will
follow this season.
The greatest Improvement aside
every corner is the erection of two
large buildings at the plant of the In
terstate Drainage and Investment
Company These buildings are put on
solid concrete foundations five feet in
the ground and above the ground are
made of cement blocks of their own
manufacture. The largest building
measures 5Ox132, and will be the larg-
est building in the county The other
building is 3SX9S, Of similar construc-
ton. The first mentioned building
will be used for the machinery, and
the second for the dry house for tile
and brick. This company manufac-
lures more tile than any town in this
locality aside from Mason City, and is
giving excellent satisfaction. This
company started out on small scale
about six years ago, and are constant
ly adding to their many buildings and
kilns. Aside from manufacturing tile
and brick, they manufacture and OPP
crate a number of the largest dredges
in the country. These dredges are of
the so-called self-propelled or creeping
style, and are the most successful of
anything ever introduced in Iowa.
One of their largest machines is now
at work on the canal being dug from
Hutchins to Corwith, and is one Of the
sights of interest in this county. Mr..
r. o. Rood, president of the company,
in this county shrdlu hrdlu rdluuuuuu
of the day and has been in the business
for many years, having operated ex-
tensively in former years, in Illinois.
Mr.. Jas. 2. Verral, the secretary, is
very capable young man and deserves
much credit for the success the COM
pany is enjoying. This company owns
several blocks Of ground in Britt, and
they have something up their sleeve
that they will not divulge. It is the
general impression however, that ex-
tensive improvements are contemplated
of men is constantly employed.
Britt is the ditching center of north
ern Iowa. No less than ten different
firms make their headquarters here and
operate from this point, making their
machines here at the large shops Of
N. P. Nelson, who makes a speciality Of
heavy work and who has a modern,
up-to-date plant for turning out ditch
ing outfits. The many horses owned
by these concerns are fed here over
winter and the many machines re-
paired during the time when the
ground is frozen too much for success.
full operation of the machines.