The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-20
GORDON M El'ALCO.::
HOW III PROSPERED
Started on Small Scale, but
Enlarged as Greater Richmond
Enlarged-Looks to the
Whole South for Big
Business-Gets 1t
Very Promptly.
BY FRANK S. wooDsoN,
Industrial Editor.

| Some weeks ago / expressed an
opinion, thoughtlessly perhaps thai
there is no such thing In existence as
ah absolutely fire proof building.
FRANK w. Brown, vice-president and
treasurer of the Gordon Metal Com
pany called me down By telephone.
and said in.effect that IL would dron
down to Fourteenth and Dock Streers
he thought he could show me an alb.
solutely fire proof building. Well, am
always looking for greater Richmond
70 90 something extraordinary and a
little ahead OF other cities and so
thought If friend Brown had sometime
along that line to show 1 would bs
glad indeed to see 1t and tell about n
And l went down to see and to lsarn.
lie showed me the mammoth establish.
ment or the Gordon Metal Companv
that mas grown up In quiet sort OF
way down there on Fourteenth and
Dock Streets. The building fronts an I.
Fourteenth Street. and runs back
eighty-three feet to Fifteenth Street,
II covers $4,000 square feet to the floor
and having two floors it covers in ali
$4,000 feet of storage room. and sll Of
II IS SAID to be fire proof. Surely it
ought TO be, for 1t is built entirely OF
concrete, iron and steel. not a particla
/
The roof is OF one of the famous
brands of tin that the firm has he
come noted for. I went all through
the building. and the only thing thar
could md that was liable to take fra
was Mr.. Browns desk, and that was
covered so largely with orders for the
products of the shop and with PAYERS
pertaining to the business that possibly.
SO thought, 1t might get up a little
niaze, but even such blaze would fall
on the concrete floors and butt up
against the steel and iron walls and
peter out before the said blaze could
do enough. harm to necessitate the
calling out or calling In OF the fire
Idepartment. I guess 1t is indeed a IRE
PROOF building. Anyhow the insurance
people think 1t is. and they are recon-
nending the building of like plants all
over the country, and the giving OF re.
duced insurance rates accordingly.
What They Are Doing.
BY the way. this Gordon Metal Com
pany is engaged in the business that
saves insurance commissions, Just like
they save the same at their home Of
fice. The company deals altogether in
hre proof stuff and the kind of build
ms stun that cuts down the rates OF
insurance.
They sell all manner Of timers sup
piles, including tools and implements
ior oolng the work. roofing tin, roof
ing sheets, galvanized block sheets,
sheel ana bar metal. conductor pipe
eve trouShs. and. in fact, everything
IN an iron and metal way that goes
to make UP a fire proof building II
would probably take a column or may
ne TWO columns, OF space In The Times
Dlspatch to enumerate all Of the goods
tney handle along these lines. Metal
laths, par iron, bar steel. rubber and
TN ROOFING, sheet copper, sheet zinc.
are but few OF the fire proof stuffs
they have on sale every day in tina
year.
All Over the South.
However. it Is not necessary to
enumerate, and an, not called upon
to do so. These Gordon people, keep
their travelling men out on the road
all the time to tell folks what they
are doing and what they have to sell.
Their travellers go all over the South
ern States, and they are making ,big
Richmond's name famous from the
Mexican Gulf to the Potomac River,
and even far beyond. But. perhaps.
their biggest business Is with the
country merchants between these con-
fines. The day has come. and now
Is when the town and the wis
lage and the country merchant can,
through the information he gets from
the big city supply house. tell the
builder Of good houses Just
What he needs in his line, and put him &
self In position to furnish the same.
The Gordon Metal Company has per-
haps done as much as any establish
ment in the land to simplify the build
Ing proposition In the country. Right
hot. ~
mond they can furnish all OF the ma
terial required for the building of
frst-class country home. Through them
the country merchant. even though hs
may live and do business at cross
roads point, can do business with the
contractor. and thus the con-
tractor can get through the country
merchant all of the material he wants.
and get 1t quick and at prices that
will please the country homo builder.
The Way 1T Is Done.
The country merchant. through the
Gordon Company, can supply on quick
notice roofing tins. painted or gal
,anized irons, all kinds OF pipes, ell
hampers, rubber roofing or what not
n fact-~thls Gordon Company stands
,eady to furnish the country or the
,ity contractor with anything that
goes to make home.
And this anything extends from the
irst principles UP to the ornamental
and from that on down. The
METAL weather boarding Is much cheap
II and much safer than the old-time
shingles, the Imitation brick stun. all
n metal, is cheaper than brick. looks &
ust as we'll and cuts down Insurance.
'ates, The metal conductors and tho !,
hingles and the cutters all combine to
make house building In the country
CONTINUED on Third Page) Z. Nj
Sea the Big