Norwich bulletin., 1915-05-19

was held in the town hall and made
a meeting for the citizens generally,
the proposition for the formation of
the Hopkins & Allen Arms Co. of
Massachusetts and its location here
was put in a very favorable light and
the temper of the meeting was evil
IDENTIFY very kindly towards the new
Iconcern, whose coming here, it was
explained would be of vast material
advantage to the community.
| Straightforward explanations of the
plan of the new company which is
absorbing the old, were made by those
| who are to be connected with it ques-
| lions which were answered without
equivocation and there were numerous
bursts of applause at various points
as different features of the plan were
explained.
| President Frank J. King opened the
meeting, stating to the 400 men pres
ent that the Hopkins & Allen matter,
which was of vital interest, would be
taken first, and he wished it to be I'M
derstood that this meeting was not
called for the purpose of foisting
stock upon the public. but was to give
the promoters of the new enterprise
an indication of the way the propo-
sition would be received here. They
were seeking the goodwill of the peo-
pie as they had a matter that would
| be of big material advantage to the
| community.
| President King introduced Charles
E. HELLER of Boston, attorney for the
new interests, to describe the plan of
the new company.
Mr.. HELLER told his audience that
he had no need to remind them Of the
great demand for firearms occasioned
| by the war in Europe, so great that
| everyone capable of producing rifles
was being called upon to do so. Nor
| JKyipT ha n n
| ed concern, well fitted to turn out
rifles, and to be the nucleus of a. plant
| to make rifles on a large scale. His
| clients have been most successful in
the manufacture of small tools used
| in the manufacture of rifles. If rifles
are to be made by the hundred thou
sand or millions plenty of tools and
the right tools are indispensable. With
the right tools an indefinite number
Of rifles can be produced.
A Permanent Industry.
The business men behind this en-
as the nucleus and they expect that
I they will build up a permanent in
dustry second to none in the coun-
| try for the manufacture of high grade
firearms They anticipate that it will
be a permanent industry for Norwich.
They are makers of tools of quality
and make none but the best and they.
are quite able to make much of
success of the firearms business as
they have of their tool business.
They want to feel that they are well
come here, as, If the business grows
as it looks as if it would, they will
bring several thousand people here and
establish a stable industry for Nor
witch. They have nothing to conceal.
Mr.. HELLER stated that they had a
British government contract for 100000
rifles and contracts for 100000 and
more offered. The contracts would run
into millions in money and the profit
would be 100 per cent. He mentioned
how Springfield, New Haven, Bridge
port and other places were establish
ing plants similar to the one proposed
here and said this was an opportunity
for Norwich to share in this pros
perity.
He expressed appreciation of the in
terest shown by the attendance at
the meeting and said it would give his
clients new courage. as they asked for
hearty cooperation and offered this OPP
portunity to share in the success of
the company. They hoped to be here
many years and make the right kind
of a start.
His words were vigorously applaud
ed.
On the Financial Side.
George D. Haskell, connected with
the Boston banking house of Angus
tus p. Loring, said he was connected
and he wanted first to state that it
was not correct to say that the COM
pany was not coming to Norwich I'M
less the Norwich people subscribed to
the stock. If the stock issue is sub
scribed for the company will locate
here anyway. He also denied the re-
port that the contract taken by this
prospective company was one that had
been offered to and declined by others
and he emphasized the point that the
- i
Norwich people to subscribe to the
stock.
His brief statements in this line
were the signal for applause.
Establish High Grade Plant.
J. w. Drury, director of the Union
Twist Drill ro., of Athol, Mass, who
is to be a director in the new COM
that his company had for a long time
been familiar with the smaller tools
for the use of the manufacturers of
fire arms and ammunition and that
they made tools of quality, nothing
cheap. The Hopkins & Allen plant is
fine one, well equipped, and it is
their intention to add materially to
it, They see an opportunity here to
make 1t the leading plant in the
United States for the manufacture OF
guns when their war contracts are
finished and they would make the best
articles they know how. There
would be an addition to the plant in
tools and machinery, an enlargement
of the industry. that would mean adj
ditional houses and people for Nor
witch and when their war contracts
were done they did not expect to drop
it. i
No Intention of Moving.
When President King invited any
questions, Frank A. Smith asked if
Norwich people subscribed and the
plant were moved somewhere else,
whether the Norwich stockholders
would still be permanent stockhold-
ers or whether they would be given
opportunity to withdraw; whether
their stock would be bought up.
To this Mr.. Heller answered that
there was no intention to remove any
where else and that the gentlemen
connected with the new corporation
were very honorable gentlemen and he
had never heard of any one wanting
to dispose of stock of corporations
they were interested in. When the
Union Twist Drill company went from
Providence to Athol it had been pros
persons from the start, had declared a
100 per cent. stock dividend and the
only regret in Athol was among those
10 = I'D n a