The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-04-19

F. Roberts Of c. L. Skerry's interest in
the National Automatic Machine Co. the
transfer of Mr.. Robertss china store to
Mr.. SkeTTy, and the purchase by the Ma
tional Automatic Machine Co of the brick
machine shop on Elm street of William b.
Ninton, possession to be given April "a
The purchase of Mr. Skerry's stock gives
Mr. Roberts a controlling interest in the
Machine CO., and he viii devote his en-
tire time to increasing the business of
the concern, which already has reached
proportions larger than the public has real
lied.
When the business of the National Au-
tomato Machine Co was started in the
Hildreth carriage shop building on Elm
street IN 1913 it was for the purpose of
making automatic machines for sealing and
stamping envelopes Then came a sudden
demand upon all the machine shops in the
country as a result of the outbreak of
the European war, which necessitated
making sub-contracts, and since then the
/ Brattleboro concern has devoted most OF
! its time to this sub-contract work and
/ has made practically no campaign in the
interest of the automatic machine These
machines are recognized, however. as hav-
/ ing peculiar merit and their manufacture
twill be taken up as opportunity comes
AT present the company is engaged in
making tools and gun parts for the great
! Westinghouse concern and the machine
company in Windsor, and it has orders
booked for all the product it can put out
between now and Jan. l.
Day and night shifts are employed, the
total number of hands being 40 This
means a weekly payroll of not far from
81 900. The Wilkins < Hovey and Stell-
man & Son machine shops also are doing
work for the National Automatic Machine
Co. On account of the cramped quarters
/, however, the company is unable to take
on all the business that it might. and for
that reason it was decided to buy the ma.
chine shop the opposite side of the
: street. which is now vacant Some new
machinery has been ordered and further
orders will be placed, and the business
twill be moved gradually so as not to inter
rupt manufacturing operations. Add
itional hands will be employed as fast a:
, there is opportunity. The shop is tive
stories high and is of ample capacity
. Formerly it was occupied by Brink 4
| Washer and later by b. NJ. Switzer.
! Mr. Roberts succeeds Mr.. Skerry al
! president and general manager Of the busi
ness BY good Judgment, constant appli
= cation and attention to details Mr. Rob
y erts has made marked success in hi
business heretofore, and the same result i
likely to attend his future efforts He be
q heves, as do many others, that the end Q
the war will not mean the end of demant
for small arms, but that the demand vii
continue long time. Moreover, the dc
mand for first class tools is constantly il
creasing, so that the business will not
/ dependent upon the manufacture of GU
parts The company employs high elias
of help. and the business seems destined t
D become one of the towns leading indus
II tries.
n Mr.. Roberts has been in business o
It Main street more than 20 years He star
Isl ed in the grocery business in Februar!
s. 1896, in the store which is now Brosnaha
v & Sullivans dry goods store, on the cas-
side of Main street. His father, the lat
Of E. L. Roberts, was associated with hin
le Later for several years he conducted IL
ly old Frost & Proctor grocery store on I'll
O. west side of the street, selling out to r. I
n Amidon. That store for the past fe
to weeks has been occupied by Leonard
n Roess as a cigar store. Mr.. Roberts hi
M conducted his china store, formerly I'll
Morris & Gregg store, since October, 100