The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-03-17
LOOKS LIKE A GOOD THING.
WHY NOT BRING SILVER COM
PANY TO SUMTER?
superintendent OF Enterprise which
Manufactured Silver Platedware
at Hartsville Anxious to Reopen
the Plant.
From News and Courier.

News and Courier concerning a pro
| position some time ago to bring to
Charleston a silverware manufacture
ing company has developed the infor-
nation that the opportunity to secure
such company for this city is still
open, or was three or four days ago.
The enterprise is not a large one, but
1t would afford employment to some
thing like thirty people, a number of
them skilled workmen drawing good
pay, and on it's surface it would seem
to afford an excellent opportunity for
profitable Investment.
The plant, which it is proposed to
bring to Charleston, Is that which was
established a couple of years ago, in
March 1907, at Hartsville, Mr.. J. L.
Coker being the president, Mr.. w. F.
Smith vice president and Mr.. c. w.
Coker the secretary and treasurer.
The capital stock was $4,000, and
the company was known as the East
ern Carolina Silver Company, manu-
facturers of silverware.
1t took some time to purchase and
| install the machinery for the plant, to
make patterns and dies. and to pre-
pare in other ways for doing business,
but the company put some goods on
the market in the latter part of 1907,
| and these goods gave great satisfac-
ton. They were handled in this city
by the Allan Jewelry Company, and
Mr.. James Allan stated yesterday that
they were all right in every respect.
The Messrs. Coker had secured
thoroughly competent man, Of long
experience in a successful New Eng
land silver plating factory, and he
thoroughly understood the operating
of the plant. Despite the panic, which
came along just about that time, the
business is said to have increased
| gradually, but steadily, and it would
probably have been in operation at
Hartsville still had the company not
experienced unexpected difficulty in
keeping skilled labor. the workmen
coming, most of them, from New
England. and not taking very kindly
to life in a small town. Hartsville is
one Of the most progressive places Of
it's size in the South. but it naturally
does not offer great deal in the way
Of diversion. IF the labor situation
had been satisfactory" say the off,
GERS of the company, 1--WE would be
| running the business now, and we are
| of the opinion that we could have
made success of the enterprise with
the proper supply of skilled labor"
When, because of the impossibility
Of keeping skilled laborers. it was de-
cided to close down the plant, Mr.. E.
A. Perry. the superintendent, secured
an option on the plant, by this time
thoroughly equipped. Mr.. Perry, VINO
was thoroughly convinced that such
| an enterprise could be made highly
| successful in this part of the coun-
| try was very anxious to organize a
company in Charleston and transfer
the plant here, where he was satisfied
that he could make it go. Mr.. Perry
visited Charleston for that purpose.
but while he Bears a very high repu-
| tation, when it comes to actual man
ufacturing it does not appear that
Mr. Perry has very intimate acquain-
tance with the ways in which business
| is transacted and companies such as
this are organized. If he had, it is
improbable that this story would ap-
pear in The News and Courier today
free of charge and without his knOwl-
edge, and the paper would probably
be getting instead so much per inch
for the advertisement Of his company.
At any rate, although a Charleston
business man visited Hartsville, inves-
tigated the proposition and reported
favorably upon it. the matter for
some reason or other fell through,
| England. But he is still profoundly
impressed that there is a fine field in
the South for such a factory, and in a
letter to Mr.. James Alan few days
ago he stated that he was ready to
return to Charleston and take charge
of the manufacturing end of the en-
terprse, bringing with him nearly
half the capital needed to move the
plf~.t here from Hartsville, provided
company could be organized here
in Charleston to take over the pro-
ject.
| This article Is written simply be-