Evening journal., 1914-05-12
Talking MACHINE
. CO. SELECTS CITY
. As future HOME
Rex Corporation Will En-
ploy 800 Workers in
Big Plant Here
take over The LIGGETT
and myers PROPERTY

AS a result OF the activities of the !
Industrial Bureau of the Chamber OF !
Commerce Wilmington has gained an |
important new industry. Following a !
conference between General Secre- |
tarv Neil B. Sinclair of the Chamber
Of Commerce and officials of the Rex
Talking Machine Corporation OF Phll-
adelphia in that city yesterday deh-
mite announcement is made thai the
talking machine people will move us
plant to Wilmington. The corpora
tion has acquired for its manufactur-
ing uses the large plant on Nandever
avenue formerly occupied by the Lig-
pett and Myers Tobacco Company, ana
Is now equipping IL with machines
used in the manufacture of its prod
net From every indication the new
Industry will be ready for active oper-
ations i'm a very short time and VIII
be in nositiOn to give employment TO
three hundred persons, forty per cent
Of whom will be female employees.
NEGOTIATIONS have been pending be
tween the talking machine corpora
ton and officials Of the Chamber OF
Commerce together with interested
local business men for some time but
n was not de smei advisable TO make
anv announcement about the new in
dustrv until K had Oeen definitely
decided that the industry would GER
tainlv move to this city. Local busi-
ness men were active in securing the
former tobacco plant for the new in
dustry.
The manufacturing plant OF the
Rex Talking Machine Corporation Is
now located at Frankford, Pa, and
the company has laboratories and eX-
detrimental station at No. 1909 Wal
mt street. and executive offices and
a sales department at No. 1882 Arch
street. Philadelphia. In addition to
their plant for the present the COM
pany will maintain only factory Of
fices i'm Wilmington, but may later
move their executive offices here.
The Frankfort factory Is at present
employing about 300 workers, and
fully that many viii be employet
here. The company proposes TO brinl
as much OF their skilled labor witt
them as can be accommodated viii
houses in Wilmington, and who are
not obliged by family ties or other
wise TO remain in Frankford. How
ever. IL is anticipated that there vii
ers in the new factory. The average
wage paid is SIG a week.
The corporation is now making an'
placing on the market about 200
talking machines a week. With tn
facilities they will have in the forme
Liggett and Myers plant the com
pany's capacity will be increased Z
10000 or 10000 machines a week
The new company will not make an,
changes in the plant as at presen
equipped. because it is particularly
suited to their needs, with the excep
ton of the installation of some spe
rial machinery used in the manufac
ture of talking machines.
The talking machines made by tn
Rex concern are similar to vel
known kinds with the exception c
the sound outlet. On the Rex me
chine there are no doors throug
which the sound travels nor Is ther
an exterior horn. The sound is trans
mitted by a patented arrangemer
that is adopted to give full effect
loud and soft tones.
The Rex Talking Machine Corpor;
tiOn is incorporated under the Law
of Virginia with a capital stock
$1,200,000, Of which there is $600,0t
preferred and 100000 common stoc
1t is not known what proportion
the stock is paid in but the conceI
has very good commercial rating
1t is definitely announced that Il
Rex corporation did not seek an
money inducement to persuade the
10 locate their factory here, nor wi
they ask Wilmington people to su
scribe to their stock. The office
of the corporation are: Philip Vol
stetter, president; II. w. Stoll, trea
urer, and A. c. Simpson, secretary.