Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-05-15
HOPKINS G. ALLEN co.
OF MASSACHUSETTS
Norwich Concern Is to Become $4,000
600 corporation-Boston Financial
Interests Have Consummated the
DeaI-WorI< Will Be on Big War
Order for the British Government.

Announcement has just been made
of an important change in the Hop
kins & Allen Arms company, by which
it is to become the Hopkins & Allen
Arms Co of Massachusetts, with
capitalization of 100000 and will be
engaged in work to fill a large war
order for the British government.
The details of the change were an
nounced in the Boston News Bureau
as follows:
Based on a large contract from the
British government for Lee-Enfield
rifles, and the probable receipt of fur
Their orders now under negotiation,
steps have been taken looking toward
the expansion of the old-time New
England industry. The Hopkins & AL
len Arms Co., Of Norwich, Conn, in
corporated in Connecticut in 1858, will
be succeeded by a Massachusetts cor
poration of the same name. The new
corporation has acquired by purchase
for cash or by exchange of securities
all of the stock of the old company
capitalization of the Massachusetts,
company will be 100000 (par 5000
consisting of $1,250 900 per cent pre-
ferred and $2,75ta000 common The pre-
ferred stock carries an unusual pro-
vision, which gives the holder on July
1, 1915. the alternative of convert
ing into common stock par for par, or
receiving $110 a share cash. The list
of officials includes interests connect
ed with three prominent machine tool
companies which have already been
producing gun making machinery and
the jigs, fixtures and cutting tools used
in gun making. John A. McGregor,
president of the Union Twist Drill Co.,
and director of L. S, Starrett Co, will
be president of the new organization;
treasurer and director. George S.
Watts, at present treasurer of the
Hopkins & Allen Arms Co.; directors.
J. A. Eden, Jr.. vice president of
Baush Machine Tool c., ]. H. Drury,
treasurer and director of Union Twist
Drill Co, and Augustus P. Iloring,
president of the Baush Machine Tool
Co.
It is estimated by President McGre-
gor that the profits of the contract
the British government should be equal
to 100 per cent. on the total authorized
issue of stock of the Hopkins G Al
len Arms Co. Mr.. McGregor further
says: THE plant at Norwich, Conn,
which is being taken over by the Hop
kins & Allen Arms Co. Of Massachu-
sets, is t comparatively new plant
and we'll adapted to the manufacture
of military rifles.
1.-THE plant has full and complete
equipment of gun-making machinery,
including the stock making machines,
black walnut stocks. I believe we can,
by working at high pressure, produce
a large quantity of rifles on our con-
tract with the British government.
Other rifle contracts are being nego-
tiated and the demand for rifles seems
to be so large that this company
should be able to earn, should it seem
desirable to take additional contracts,
profit of upwards of 100000.
1--WE have available in our existing
organizations several thousand train
ed mechanics and are probably in a
rapidly and successfully than any or
ganization in the United States'
It is understood that a public Of
fering Of the prefessed stock is being
made by the company through prom
inent Boston bankers.
New Officers Were Here.
Mr.. McGregor, Mr.. Even and Mr..
George D. Haskell, the last named rep
resenting the Boston banking firm of
Augustus P, Loring, were all here on
Friday, looking over the local plant
and visiting other places with a view
to finding locations where they will
also have factories as the expansion
of the business will mean the employ
ment of about 5000 men.
It is known that one Of the places
they will take will be the new build
ing on Chestnut street erected by Cor
don Bros, a fine brick three story
structure, which is at present unoc-
cupied.
They also visited the old Norwich
and Worcester car shops on North
Main street, last occupied by the Re-
lance Worsted Co. but it is not IN
derstood that anything definite was
done about this location. 1t Is I'M
derstood that if this building were Sc
cured it would still be inadequate fol
the expansion Of the business and
what other sites would have to be Sc
cured in addition. which would prefer
ably be as near the center as possible
as it would be desirable to avoid any
long haulage between the different fac
tories.
Mr.. Haskell said that the present
Hopkins & Allen factory is adapted tc
the use of the new rifles in a large
degree, but he could not say how long
before they would be manufacturing
the new rifles nor would he say wheth-
er single or double barrel or Other
types Of rifles would be manufactured
He returned to Boston in the after
Nom