Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1908-02-28
CHANCES GOOD FOR
AUTOMOBILE PLANT
CHICAGO CONCERN STILL HAS
EYE ON WATERFOWL.
Taking Matters UP With Secretary
of Advancement Association
Looks Rosy For Locating of
Factory HGre-RepreSentdtive
Expected Here Within Ten Days.

1t will be remembered that The
Leader published an article couple
of weeks ago mentioning the pro-
liability of securing an automobile
factory IN Waterfowl, also of visit
at that time of L. G.. Hanafourde to
our city On tour of investigation
in the interest of the Chicago concern
which is Geslrous of removing to
! smaller city, where there are good
railway accommodations At that
time, Mr.. Hanafourde spoke tavorably
of Watertown
1t is evident that the proposed plan
of the concern to leave Chicago will
materialize and also that Watsrtown
is not forgotten. In an effort to
ascertain these facts The Leader has
gone TO the trouble of writing TO Mr..
| Hanafourde. Under date of the 23rd
he replied, stating in part as follows:
81 am writing the secretary of the
Walertown Advancement association
asking for further details on the sub
ject of locating an automobile factory.
From the present outlook everything
points to my locating this factory In
your city. The plans are maturing
so rapidly that | hope to be able to
visit Watertown within ten days for
the purpose of comforting with the
owners of the factory building and
site we discussed when [ was in your
city last. As far as | can see, the
factory is almost al assured fact. On
my next visit to Watertown, l expect
to take the trip from Chicago in one
uf the automobiles made by this COM
pany.
The factory building and site re-
ferred to is the Woodland & Stone
building on the west slde, which is
now vacant and which would make an
ideal plant with little remodeling.
The building is 100X1UJ feet, two and
three stories. When here recently,
Mr.. Hanafourde stated that in the
event of securing the place, it would
addition.
1t has been given out that in case
the industry comes here, a force of
from $50 to 200 men would be employ
ed, ninety per cent of which would be
local help, providing they could be
secured. The other ten per cent to
be skilled Iaborers. 1t is claimed
that salaries would range all the way
from $40. 90 to 5000. 90 per month.
The concern which is now manu-
featuring in Chicago, wish to manu-
facture both pleasure and commercial
automobiles, making speciality of the
latter There is a great demand in
the country at the present time for
the commercial autos. In fact it is
said it is impossible for the few con-
Germs which are manufacturing them
to keep up with the demands.
1t is understood from Mr. Hama
fourde that the company which is
contemplating coming here will ask
nothing unreasonable from the Ad-
vancement association and business
men of the cIty-Only such concessions
as are customary in encouraging in
dustrles. What the outcome will b.
of course 10 only probiematical, but
the chances certainly look encouraging
and it is to be hoped that when Mr..
Hanafourde visits the city again that
all encouragement within the bounds
of reason will be extended him.
Last year, Watertown secured an
industry which is already making its
benefits felt. If possible, let all put
our shoulders to the wheel and add
another for l908-and more if possible.