Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-04-26
POLK'S NEW INDUSTRY
Chair Factory at West Salem VIII
Employ Many Men.

1t is expected that by tomorrow
morning West Salems new factory, the
Combination Chair company, will be
in full operation, says the Sunday
Statesman.
In handsomely equipped offices in
the United States National Bank
building the concern makes its head
quarters in Salem and has it's factory
located across the river in Polk Coun-
ty.
To the Salemite who has not crossed
the river for some time the factory
will come as a pleasant surprise. 1t is
located on high ground, Immediately
adjacent to the railroad track and con-
sists of several buildings, all new and
just completed.
Machinery Is Modern.
The engine room and boiler room
are commodius structures. Large boil
ers and plenty of space for fuel in one
end of the building and in the other a
60-horsepower engine and dynamo
capable of generating S5 kilowats. The
engine runs like a watch and cannot
be heard ten feet away from the fac
tory.
The concern is now negotiating
with people who have in view the
| lighting of West Salem. In the plant
there may be generated sufficient pow
er to amply light the little town across
the river. This concern will whole
sale the "juice" and the plant will be
operated from o'clock until mid
night furnishing light to West Salem
| In this connection the company will
also furnish it's own electric lights
will install a gigantic arc light on the
topmost point of the factory SO thai
it may be seen for miles, and will have
its own pumping plant to furnish wa
ter to the factory. There is also q
possibility that they may establish q
little water system to supply the needs
of West Salem people
| Near the rear of the engine room is
dry kiln, connected by a tramway to
the machinery department, This min
iature railroad carries the lumber
from the dry kiln to the machine room
and from there to the finishing room
The dry kiln is situated so lumber may
be dumped Immediately from the
track within few feet of the kiln.
In the main machinery room a mass
of machines are in place and ready
for operation. Included in these are
two Trevor automatic lathes with q
capacity of 1000 for every ten hours
| Inn. 81, I,nf mill
cut five canes at a time out of the
lumber after the log has passed
through another large saw. Then there
are numerous other machines for theii
respective purposes, each operated by
an individual motor, eleven motors
being in use.
VIII Work Double Shifts.
1t is expected that for two months
double shift will be put on as there
are already sufficient orders on the
books of the company to keep the com
pany in operation for that length Of
time without adding a single order
Members of the company state the!
have pretty good assurance that by
the time the first batch of orders il
turned out there will be double tha
amount ready to be handled.
The last share of stock in the con
Germ was sold last week and the com
pany is amply financed to back bis
proposition. People in West Salem are
pleased at the prospects the factory
opens to the town in connection will
the railroad. Plans are being made t.
send switch track into the company
grounds, which is good indication o.
the amount of business the compan!
expects to handle. Already severa
cars of lumber have been received b!
the concern and others are ordered.