The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-05-24
30 Carloads Of Sheet Metal Used by
Fargo Factories Annuallyin Making
Culverts, Cornices and Other Articles

corrugators. benders, punches, cutter;
and full line of heavy machines
These are all propelled by electricity
The yard is equipped with every con.
venience for handling heavy articles
II is situated on a side track OF the
Great Northern railroad. Derricks and
other devices are located on the load.
ing platform and assure quick and
easy work. These things make II ad-
vantageous to the corporation as wei
as to the purchasers OF the product,
as time is a valuable asset, especially
in the case of rush orders.
The factory proper is s0xs0 feet. II
is built entirely Of brick. The floors
are concrete, giving a good foundation
for the heavy machines used in the
business. The Office is in a separate
brick building a few feet north of the
factory on Fourth street.
The factory employs thirty-five skill
ed mechanics who are paid a large an
nual salary The development of the
! institution is made evident when it is
known that when the factory started
only five men were employed and the
work was limited to culverts.
Covers Large Territory.
| The North Dakota Metal Culvert Co.,
sends its products to a very large ter
ritory comprising North and South
Dakota and Minnesota. In addition to
the factory here there is a branch
factory located at Sioux Falls, s. D.,
which supplies the southern part of
South Dakota. This territory is regu-
larly covered by four statesmen and
100 resident agents in North Dakota
and Minnesota grl.s
The Fargo corniee and Ornament Co.
Another Of the large establishments
using vast quantities of sheet metal in
the manufacture of various products
is the Fargo Cornice and Ornament Co.
From ten to eleven cars Of sheet metal
and eight cars OF roofing are used
annually in this business.
This factory employs on an average
Of thirty men to whom are paid ap-
proximately $50 a day in salaries.
These men are all skilled workmen and
artisans, many Of whom have located
permanently in Fargo and own their
own homes.
Like several Of the other nanufac-
turing institutions of the city this
factory started in a small way. The
Fargo Cornice and Ornament Co., is
however notable in this respect 1t
was originated in 1885 by George Rusk,
now president OF the corporation, on
capital of $36. It is one of the
leading institutions and is demonstrat-
ing what can be done in Fargo by
men Of the necessary amount of push.
During the great fire Of 1893 the plant
was burned. Despite this disaster it
was rebuilt and 1t entered on an area
| of prosperity that has made It one
Of the leading manufacturing concerns
| of the city. 1t is now incorporated
with a capital of $4,000.
Scope of Work Large.
The number of manufactured articles
turned out by this concern is quite
large All kinds of cornices, steel cell
ings and sidings, metal shingles, roof
ing, fire proof window sash and GAL
vanized stock tanks are among the
leaders. However, the thing to which
the factory pays special attention is
steel ceilings and sidings. On an aver
age OF one complete set for one room
| Is turned out daily.
In the manufacture of ceilings. sid
ings and cornices, all the designing
is made by the experts of the factory.
The dies for pressing the patterns in
the metal are made in the establish
ment In this way anything of
special nature can be turned out in a
short time and gratifying results have
been secured. " sss.....
So far this year the factory has turn
ed out two car loads of galvanized
stock tanks, the corporation having a
/ contract with one of the big jobbing
houses OF the city for this product.
The many articles of this factory
find their way into all parts of North
Dakota, northern South Dakota, west
ern Minnesota and eastern Montana.
One big shipment of sidings were sent
to Tacoma, Wash. which was un-
doubtedly the record distance Of manu-
factured articles made in Fargo The
firm from time to time issues a large
catalogue OF about seventy-five pages
showing thee various things that can
be supplied by the factory. These
catalogues cover the entire territory
of the concern and are a great ad-
IVertlsemenC Tor Fargo
A Most Complete Factory,
The corporation owns fine large
two story building at 1902 and 1904
Front street. This structure is owned
by the organization and is especially
arranged for the work ii was intended
to shelter. A number Of heavy ma.
chimes do the work in rapid ant
perfect manner. They include -four
presses for embosing sheet metal, cut.
ters, benders and host of tools nee.
cessary in the work. The machine,
are all operated by electric power. A
special press for certain kinds OF worl
is now being installed which viii
greatly increase the capacity of tn,
plant.
Like the greater part Of the othe
factories of Fargo everything is ar
ranged for the expeditions turning on
OF work compatible with efficiency. I
assures goods delivered and installed