Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-07-25
BEACON LUMBER
co. is SUCCESS
ONLY MAKERS OF AUTO BODIES
ON COAST
INFANT INDUSTRY HAS RAPID
GROWTH
Firm Under President Grant Has
5ranched Into Thriving Plant,
Though In Existence but
Few Months

The Beacon Lumber company, auto
and carriage builders, enjoys the dis
tinction of being the only concern Oh
the Pacific coast that manufactures
automobile bodies. Until recently 1t
was necessary for all repairs and the
building of new bodies to be done at
the factories where the machines were
built, but with the introduction of the
new plant motorists of Los Angeles
and of Southern California can have
such work done without going outside
of Los Angeles.
This rapidly growing and enterpris-
ing industry has been under way but
a few months, and from its remarkable
growth promises to take place
alongside the other great industries of
Southern California.
The orders for the concern last week
totalled $4,000, and at present the
management is advertising for more
help in the nature of automobile body
makers
The firm has a handsomely appointed
and adequately equipped plant on the
southwest corner of Fourteenth and
Alameda streets on the main line of
the Southern Pacific railway. The
plants property here is 125x2O0 feet.
Factory Built This Year
Inc IOunQdtlOn LOT the lll5L IdClOIy
was started January 18th of the present
year. a structure 30x125 feet being
erected.
The business at once began to grow
and soon il was necessary to build an
other addition 20x100 feet, and as the
mercantile infant began to assert it
self and. orders filed in rapidly third
addition, 40x1S0 feet, was built.
The firm Is essentially one of the
important home industries of Southern
California, and as has been stated is
the only firm of wholesale and retail
automobile body makers on the Pacific
coast.
The fact that ground was broken for
the first factory January 10 last, the
most improved machinery placed and
the business built to its present stand
ard in such a remarkably short space
of time is proof of a successful flu
ture with a greatly increasing bust
ness.
At the present time there are forty
skilled mechanics employed at the
plant and more expert help is needed
The Beacon Lumber company has large
contracts with the Duro Auto Car
company, the Auto-Vehicle company
manufacturers of the Tourist cars; the
standardization company and the
lPope-Hartford agency all of Los
Angeles.
The factory has made the first model
body for the Los Angeles Rotary Motor
Engine company, and the new rotary
gas engine will be used in the new
car.
r. S. Grant Is President
To the business ability and aeumen
of Richard Sidney Grant, president of
the company, must be attributed the
gigantic, successful strides of the new
concern. Mr.. Grant was formerly con-
nected with the important government
al work on the Panama canal, his work
of engineering being especially COM
mended by the department at Wash
ington.
Mr.. Grant is a tireless and active
worker and believes that in a short
time his concern will occupy a prom
inent place in the industrial world of
California.
The fact that owners and drivers Of
automobiles can have the bodies Of
the cars repaired quickly and thor
oughly in Los Angeles without being
Inconvenience by long delay in send
ing back to the factory is a factor
that is bound to bring business to the
makers of automobile bodies.
Repair work of all kinds is promptly
done at the factory under direction Of
Superintendent T. e. Weatherill, a
well-known, designer. who for years
was employed in Detroit factories.
b. c. Mclean is first vicepresident
and treasurer of the company, John
Douglas Walker secretary, and the
other members of the board of direct
ors include H. ]. Mclean and Luther
Gordon Newly.
The first stock in the new company
was sold January l. 1909
President Grant states that he at
tributes the remarkable growth of the
plant to the application of the Los
Angeles way of doing things" with
which he has become imbued since
making his home in the Angel City.
A party of twenty left yesterday
evening for a days surf fishing at
Sierra. Sherman Baker, Daddy"
White, w. w. Hatton. Roy Shaver. M.
A. Newmark, A. B. Smith and M. Nord-
linger are members of the party. Surf
fishing has been excellent in the VII
entity of Sierra, this being largely at
tributed to the passage of the new
SEEMING law.
Probably the largest catch of sea
trout made during the past few years
was taken by some Japanese fishermen
this week at Port Los Angeles. The
Japs fished in the vicinity of their live
halt COOnS and i'm few hours had