Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-07-29
CHAIR PLANT ASSURED
Business Will Be Moved from
keene to Williams Factory
Partnership Formed by Don w. Felch
and Frank w. Pier-New Firm Bought
900 Feet Frontage and Building.

SUI 7 eet frontage ana Bullulnqs
Bratteboros new industry, for which the
boart OF trade has been doing such good
WORK, became an assured fact this week
when Don w. Fetch of Keene entered
into partnership with Frank w. Pier of
Jacksonville, son of Judge +. b. Pier of
this town, to manufacture chairs in
factory on Williams street in Brattleboro
Mr. Felch has been doing a steadily
growing chair business in Keene under
the name of the ID. X. Felch Chair COM
pany, and it was necessary for him to
secure larger quarters and greater man
ufacturing facilities in order to keep
pace with the growth of the business.
Mr. Pier has been DESTROYS of entering
into the chair manufacturing business
some time. 1t was through the efforts of
the. new industries committee of the
board of trade that the two men were
brought together and the company form
ed
The new company has bought the old
Williams carriage shop on Williams
street, also the old foundry building and
the land and buildings now occupied by
A. A. Barker as a woodward. with extra
land which they bought with the buiu-
ings they have a site approximately 300
feet long on Williams street and extend
ing from the street back to milestone
brook. This will give them ample yard
room and buildings for a large increase
in the business, and it will be possible to
construct additional buildings if the bust
ness grows beyond present needs.
The factory will be in running order by
November if the present plans are car
ried out The mill machinery from the
Keene plant will be moved to Brattleboro
as soon as possible, and negotiations are
under way for additional machinery to
meet the needs of the new firm. a
modern double-compartment dry kiln
will be installed with suitable boiler for
heating and drying purposes modern
blower system and elevator will be put
in also as soon as possible. The dry
kiln will be located in the ell of the car
riage shop, where lumber from the yard
can be put in easily, and the progress of
the lumber from the yard to the finished
chair, ready to be shipped, will be con-
tinuous through the factory; that is,
lumber which goes into the kiln from
the yard will be cut up and passed
through various stages of construction
on the first floor of the main building and
will then be carried by elevator to the
second story, where it will continue until
it is passed out at a door above the kiln
as finished product The motive power
in the factory will be electricity furnish
ed by individual motors for the most
part. The third and fourth stories will
be used for storage.
Mr.. Fetch and his superintendent are
practical chair makers Of much expert
ence and they are well qualified to Cuu-
duct the business in a modern way. Mr.
Pier has grown up in the lumber bust
ness and he has conducted the mill in
Jacksonville several years with decided
success. His experience in crude lumber
and in getting out chair stock makes him
an ideal partner for the Keene man. and
the local men who have looked
into the business consider these two
as strong combination and feel that
the business cannot help being successful
here. Mr. Fetch will bring some of his
operatives with him and others will be
secured here. At the start from 20 to
30 hands will be employed. but it is hoped
that within a year or two this number
may be increased largely. The men are
all skilled workmen, and they will make
an important addition to the town.
The full credit for securing the new
industry for the town is due to the
new industries committee of the board
of trade. Since the question OF moving
the factory here was first consider
ed the committee has been untiring
in its efforts to make a satisfactory al
rangement. BrattlebOro business men
were interested in the proposition, and If
it had been decided to form a stock
company the capital stock would have
been subscribed quickly here. The fOrma-
ton of the new firm made this unneces-
sary, but the business men stand ready
to give the firm any assistance and back
ing which they can. President Dennson
COwes and the members of the new in
dustries committee have been travelling
back and forth between this town and
Keene several times n week for several
months. The satisfactory outcome of
their efforts is an Indication of the value
of such an organization as the board Of
trade in town like Brattleboro.