The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-08-14
HAWKEYE PEARL
BUTTON FACTORY
Formal Acceptance BY Commercial
Club Made by Secretary Ken
driek this Morn
ing.
A GROWING INDUSTRY
Has Already Been Forced to Increase
Plant and 200 Men VIII BE EN-.
Pioysd az Soon as
Possible.

The Hawkeye Pearl Button Com
pany. which is expected to be the
greatest asset II The city during ire
present year, was formally accented
by the Commercial club yesterday
afternoon.
The large button factory is situat-
ed at Third and Ridge and is a model
IN every way. The new enterprise is
credit to the city in more ways than
one and the Commercial Club and
secretary W. r. c. Kendrick deserve
much credit for bringing this COM
pany to the city. A little history OF
the concern, at least something con.
corning the extent Of it is interesting.
Employs zoo Men.
The new company will employ as
many as 200 men as fast as they can
be secured, which means that about
sixty new families will be added to
Keokuk- These men will not horde
their money, but will spend 1t among
the Keokuk merchants. And they
will not be here for day, but pos
sibly for a life time This factory
will likely double In few years and
the force Of men will double The
merchant who pays dollar month
to the Commercial club is certain to
be repaid.
At the present time there Is consid.
cradle activity at the scene of the
new factory. The comp>4ny L. busy
installing machinery and will begin
operations in about two weeks. They
have already on hand about $4,000
worth OF shells and the company has
found already that the original plant
lis inadequate for the business they
expect to do and will Immediately
enlarge the room for this large supply
OF shells.
Annual Expenditure.
1t Is estimated that the company
will pay out in wages and salaries
about 100000 annually, not less than
that amount anyway. All this money
will be spent In Keokuk and will go
4 to enrich local merchants. The adj
vantages to the city are numerous.
The manager OF the plant has an
nounced that as soon as they get a
sufficient accumulation Of cut shells
they will erect a shell crusher and
/ manufacture crushed shell for chick
en- feed. This will require the EN-.
ployment of more men and the ex.
1 penditure OF additional capital. AZ
the time advances and business OF
the local factory increases 1t is ex
pected that new features will be
added and that the local plant will be
come one of the largest along the
Mississippi.
A Valuable Industry.
The industry Is one OF the mos,
valuable secured by the Commercial
club for some time, but 1t has left
the club in bad way financially
This is good start and with renew
ed activity 1t would be possible tc
bring many more equally beneficial
industries to the city. What is need.
ed at the present time Is boosting
from the merchants. It Is concerted
action on their part that Is needed, a
larger and more influential CONNER.
cial club with many more members.
1t Is up to the merchants to encour-
age such an organization and as the
cost is only 81 per month 1t is within
the reach of all. In many cities which
have q commercial club, every law
yer, every doctor and every mer-
chant is member and that is what
is needed right here in this city.