New-York tribune., 1909-02-07
"A BAD BEGINNING, SOMETIMES, ETC

=
Mr. Kelley at first thought he could make an
auspicious entry into this new field by joining
forces with one Of the existing concerns-for there
are several making vacuum bortles-and ne 5'a'eo
that he even went so far to secure an oP'lo
on 80 per cent Of the certificates OF STOCK III ~.
selling end of one OF them, but mat upon AuI'
Investigation he determined that neither the eoou9
nor the manner and extent 10 which they
sought 10 be marketed were satisfactory AS no
has expressed 1t, THAT companys manas
seemed to be more interested in selling s'ocN 'i
selling bottles"
T.atpr his friend. Mt Pelham (of whom. person
ally more is told further in this arucIe)' us
covered g person who was supposed 10 ha's So
patent one that needed only the proper business
organization behind it TO prove winner anu
Mr. Kelley, coming to terms with us o"Hei'
formed company taking in the first named gen
tlenan and the party alluded to, as his associates
only to find, upon attempting to Manufacture Inc
goods that the patent not what It was repre-
sented TO be: and So for the second time, he was
ba liked in his efforts to enter this field which held
such fascination for him
Then, fortunately, perhaps. for the future OF
an industry whch-it be contemporaries
so much for mankind. Messrs. Kelley and Pei
ham introduced to Oscar A BoehTn' VINO IS
said TO be the real father OF the vacuum bottIe
!dea and together, the three formed the H & G
Bottle Company. which name, as before said, has
from motives OF expedency been quite recently
changed TO its present title Mr. Boehm entirely
rem
and. introducing his own machinery proceeded
wifi, the manufacture Of the present very satls-
factory Janus vacuum bottle-Janus, after the t"o-
faced Latin god. One face of this Janus Is
tUrned TO the torrid and the other to the Il8'o
zone as shown in the companys picturesque
trademark In passing, 1t may be said that i
was his absolute and answering falth IN MI.
Boehn that led Mr.. Kelley to accept the FISK Oh
giving such a broad and liberal guarantee as lnal
which accompanies the sale OF every Janus bottle
t. - a5~fca raE1
many is a native Of Germany. although he has
long been citizen OF the United States. He began
his business career IN that excellent school lot 1e
glassmaker, German glass works, at the tehdeI
age Of nine years, and through natural aptitude
for mechanics and applied science, through a de-
oi5ed artistic bent and through painstakng atten-
ton TO detail combined with considerable inventive
genius he has worked his way to the front RANK
of his calling-and. it may be added, has earheu
for himself the reputation Of being one OF inc
hest "CL-ray-'' appliance makers in the world. and
incidentally. from the medical faculty which, II
IS said believes he can accomplish the inpoSsloie
In glass the soubriQuet The wizard his wen
known y-ray works, NJ No III East S7th street
1,-are taken over by the Janus concern when he
entered the latter. II was to Mr. BoehT1s arusuc
designing and workmanship that the company was
Indebted for the exquisite-and much ADMIRED
decorative effects In glass Of its exhibit at the
-a,an+ automobile show at the Grand Central Pal
ace Gt Is said that. close TO nature Is MS
work IN glass his wife trims her bonnets with
flowers Of that dencately beautiful materially
Thomas ". Pelham the companys secretary
and treasurer although in the order Of things MS
name and Official title come last IS by no means
the least impressive figure this interesting group
Of promoters Of manufacture and trade. So many
and important are his activities. in the two great
cities Of the East he is generally described as or
Boston and New York That. to-day by 10 means
rare combination, a good lawyer and first class
man Of affairs he is also the president Of the Gil
1ette Sales Company; and II is largely through the
exercise Of his great executive abilities that the
volume Of that concerns safety razor business has
assumed such gigantic proportions, and has spread
ont n the confines Of civilization. With Mr.. Pei
ham to look after its patents, and to attend 10 It's
legal matters generally, it is safe to assume that
the Janus company's patents will be amply pro-
tected every country, and that Its business VII!
have thrown around and about it all possible safe