The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-08-30
After Few Remarks by Commercial
Club Officers and the Manager
Of the Fac.
tory.
MAYOR STARTED THINGS
Several Hundred People were on Hand
to Witness the openIns--Em.
pIoyees Had Their Pic.
ture Taken.

With twist of tae lever. Mayor on
formally started the Hawkeye button
factory mahcinery going In the pres
ence OF several hundred visitors and
employees. This all happened at exact
orlck and President Irwin of the Com
morning and the act was loudly cheer
ed. Previous to this, Secretary Ken
orlcks and President Irwin of the Com
mercial club had made short talks
while the manager OF the plant and
the mayor had also spoken to those
present. Both the employees of the
nrm and the Comm rcial club posed
for pictures during the morning and
d pubic inspection # the plant con.
cluded the exercises.
'Ihe meeting was called to order
shortly after half past nine o'clock by
secretary Hendricks OF the CONNER.
cal club. He made short talk in
which, he lamented the fact that Keo.
kuk was not larger on account Of the
factories we had allowed to slip away
after they were here and some which
VIC had failed to get, and said that
thefe was no reason why tais city
should not have population of TWEEN
ty-nve or thirty thousand people at
the present time. He went on to say
mat this is a day of felicitation: that
the town needs manufactures and
cannot grow or exist without them and
mat for this reason the Commercial
club secured the Hawk-Eye plant. The
speaker went on to say how the club
mad worked to get tae factory and how
1t was one of the best of its kind IN
existence, saying that 1t was bound to
grow. Wells M. Irwin was then intro
ducod.
Mr. Irwin started his talk by saving
tnat there are two mysteries which
nave perplexed the people for some
Tune; one can be explained while the
other can't. The insolvable one is:
Who was the man who struck Billv
Patterson" While the easy one is:
Whose got the button?" .Keokuk has
the button and the button factory
SAID the speaker and he hopes that It
VIII be the foundation of other insti.
buttons. He went on to say that the
location of tle new factory is the best
on the river and that the quality OF
shells used is superior to all others
he went on to say that the club did
us utmost to secure the factory and If
1t had not been for the mayor and the
city council their path would have
oeen much harder one but they being
wise men realized the Unreasonable
value OF such an enterprise with the
result that it stands and is running
today If I am not mistaken" the
speaker said. Prior to the Mckinley
Dill, rs of the buttons used were made
by convict labor in Austria. Now 7.8
or the buttons used here are made in
this country by American labor.
The fact that the manager, F. c.
Vetter wished to come here five or sir
years ago was brought out by Mr.. rr.
win. He said further that the man.
ager has given the association better
building than he had promised and en-
Dioyed more men. In conclusion he
said that the new management has
he vim, the capital and tae knowledge
If business.
Following this talk, master of cerc.
monies Kendrick, said that he believed
+ the people of this town supported
he factory the town would increase In
population about twenty thousand in
/ short time. He then introduced
Mayor Off.
The Mayor said that he was much
surprised when he was notified that he
vas to start the plant but that 1t al
ways gave him great pleasure to do
anything of the kind. He said that the
public should feel proud that the fac
DRY had been secured. In conclusion
lie extended a welcome and assurance |
II support to the new industry.
F. G. Vetter. manager Of the plant
hen took the floor. In commencing
lis talk he said that he was not much |
IT success as public speaker but
hat he was success as a worker of |
he public. His talk proved very inter
sting. The substance of 1t is express
ID In the following paragraph.
If the factory decides to change It's
ocation or move away the building
everts back to the Commercial club.
Ie admitted that differences were
'ound to arise but that their policy
'as to give every one fair deal and
hat the management you'd feel oblie.
d IL all grievances were made known
D them, The speaker went on by say.
ne that the factory had been donated
OF for then. but for the working PEG.
lie, He pleaded with the people not
, blame the council or the CONNER.
Ial club, as they made mistakes Just
ks everyone else and that II the fae.