The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-04-19
But Has BranChGd Out Into
Other Line Of Goods
Such As Automobile Goats
Hunting Goats
And A General Line Of Cloth.
ing Is Produced

For the past several years, Mt. Yer
non has been producing more or less
of manufactured goods to an extent
practically unrealized by the gener-
al public. When the old bent wood
works moved from the large Banning
building on West Vine street several
years ago, the place was soon occu-
pied by factory which was then and
has ever since been known and spok-
en- of as "the overall factory" This,
although proper to a certain extent
is wrong in another as the manufac-
ture of overalls Is now becoming al
most a secondary item at the fac
tory of the j. S. Mcconnell Company
When the factory first started in
Mt Vernon and the machines were
set up for operation, overalls were
manufactured almost exclusively, but
it was never the intention Of the COM
pany to continue the production Of
these garments to any great extent.
At the time Of the fire, which des-
troyed everything in the factory, one
third of the machines were making
pants separate altogether from the
overalls.
At the beginning the company ex-
perienced a great deal Of trouble to
obtain girls to work at the factory be-
cause the majority Of them were of
the opinion that 1t would be regu-
lar drudge from morning until night
without any compensation to amount
to anything. This trouble was felt
for several months, although few
faithful ones stayed by their places
and as a result, they were agreeably
surprised to know that their work
was being appreciated and they were
receiving advances in pay beyond
their expectations. At present there
are few at work who began when
the factory started and they are now
drawing anywhere from seven and
one-half to nine dollars at the end of
each week, which is, 1t is safe to say,
more than many girls in the state
working at the same industry are re-
ceiving. This good news finally has
reached the ears of others who have
taken advantage Of the opportunity
to secure a good position and at pres
ent, the company could secure any
amount of help that they would desire
in very short time.
The factory force at present is not
as large as it was while in the Ban
ming building as the floor space is not
sufficient to accommodate as large a
number of machines, only about fifty
now being used while about seventy
five were in operation before the fire.
This fact would probably give the i'm
preston that the yearly production of
manufactured goods would be less,
but contrary to this, there has been
more goods produced in the last year
than in any other one year in the his
tory of the factory,
Now to get a good understanding of
things as we would see them, if we
were to take look through the es-
tablishment, we will start with the
office. On going into these rooms,
everything gives the aspect of strict
business and an air of live factory
which has nothing in view except rap
id advancement. On the same floor
with the office is store room for the
manufactured goods which are wait
ing to be shipped to dealers both re-
tail and wholesale all over the coun-
try. Here In large stacks and piles
are found the many things manufac-
tured besides overalls. Fireman's
uniforms, made with every latest con-
venience, automobile coats which are
made of kahki cloth, boys knicker-
bockers, hunting coats with improved
pockets and made of the strongest OF
material, corduroy pants, storm coats,
and overalls. These are in such
abundance that 1t would seem to the
observer that such a great surplus
stock was on hand that some little
trouble would be experienced in dis
posing OF it. This, however, is not a
fact as the company is contracting
almost every day with Chicago mail
order houses for large amounts of
goods and it would be possible to sell