Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1913-03-05
A MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY
Sparta Monumental Work Becomes a
Factory as Well as Selling House

The manufacturing indust ries of
Sparta have received another addition
since the first of the year in the Sparta
Monumental Works, which has Lecome
a maker Of monument work as well as
seller of the same.
This institution has been one of the
oldest business concerns ia the city,
but has been owned by the present
proprietor, c. A Melgard, only about
three years. When Mr. Melgard. who
has been in this line of business all his
life, bought this plant il vas not ia the
most furnishing condition, its former
owner. MIR Welker, having died and
the business having suffered thereby
From the time Mr.. Melgsrd took pos
session IT began to grew, and has so
far increased that with the beginning
of this year the way became clear to
convert il into a manufacturing in
oustry idstead of remaining simply a
selling house as it had been heretofore.
In the past, as is the case with most
monument works, it has been the prac-
tice of this establishment to bug their
monuments all finished in the quarries
where the stones are quarried, except
the lettering. which was done at the
local plant Under this plan the busi-
ness of this establishment has grown
immensely in the past three years, and
their business now covers a large por-
ton of the state of Wisconsin as well
as parts of Minnesota and iowa. I'm.
der this system a large amount of
money has each year been sent out of
the city TO the quarries for finishing
the monuments that Mr. Melgsfd has
figured might just as well be expended
here and to bring this about he has
recently put in machinery To do most
of this work here.
Hereafter the stock will be bought
from the quarries in the rough, and
will be made into monuments right here
in Sparta. To do this has necessitated
the expenditure of a considerable sum
of money in the way Of machinery
which has just been installed He has
just recently replaced an air compressor
that has been in use, and which fur
nished air for two pneumatic tools,
with large new machine of the most
modern type, that will furnish air to
operate twelve tools, thus making ready
for the employment of twelve cutters.
He has also installed new polishing
machine for polishing marble and gran
tie, and has just got it in operation.
On Monday of this week the fret car
load of granite in the rough arrived at
the shop. though a car load of marble
arrived some days before. The stock
Is now being made up into beautiful
and artistic monuments with which TO
I'LL the large number of orders the firm
has on for spring delivery. To pro-
cure the machinery for this work was
not the greatest of Mr. Melgard's trou-
bles, as 60 do work of this kind re-
quires the help of skilled workmen and
the organization of a force Of men to
handle it, but he thinks he has this
solved, and visit TO the plant we be-
lieve will convince any one that he has.
In addition to the plant here, there
are large number of statesmen neces-
sary, and to this branch of the bust.
ness Nj. Melgard noW proposes TO de-
vote q large portion of his time. and
will be on the road much of the time
organizing sales force and assisting
them in their work. To make it pos
sible for him TO be absent from the
plant he has installe5 J. M, Axtell, who
has been with the firm for the past two
years as general salesman. as superin-
tendent of the local plant, and MIR.
Axtell will be found at the office of the
company on East Oak street, TO attend
to all local business and will take plea
sure IN showing any who wish to call
through the plant and explaining it to
them.
In the manufacturing end Of the
business +. l.. Deike, for many wears
resident of this city has been in
stalled as foreman, and the work there
will be under his supervision insuring
perfection in that line as Mr.. Deike's
ability is widely known and generally
recognized MIR. Deike has at present
three skilled cutters under his supervi-
sion and more will be procured as soon
as suitable men can be found. In ad
dition to this there is one man EN-
ployed on the polishing machine all the
time and G. W. Brown is kept busy
looking after details and seeing TO the
shipment of work going out, as ship
meuts are going out nearly every day.
The place certainly has busy an.
pearanee. The plant has been equipped
as far as possible with all the latest
and most modern appliances for work.
ing OF stone, and more improvements
and additions to the plant are on the
way, and before the close of the wear
Mr.. Melgard hopes to have one of the
most complete and up to-date monu-
ment plants in the state.
This is an institution that while it
does not employ as many men as some
large factories, gives to considerable
force steady employment and they are
all skilled workmen. We welcome this
enterprise to the city and shall enjoy
the hum Of he pneumatic hamgsers az
an increased sound Of prosperity, and
hope that every citizen VINO has the
welfare Of Sparta at heart will give to
Melgard every encouragement and sup
port that 10 possible in bis new under
TAKING. -gDarta Herald