Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-31
INDUSTRIAL COMMITTEE DOES GOOD WORK
DESPITE THE HANDICAP THE WAR CAUSES

When the Chamber of Commerce
was organized, everyone in close touch
with the country's industrial problems
appreciated that during the period of
the war the problem OF getting new
factories would be an exceedingly diff
ficult one
The industrial committee of the
Chamber Of Commerce was well aware
that it would have to work along un-
usual lines if its work was to be sue
cessfbul, The members were con-
fronted with the all-important fact
that to bring industries into Rock
/ Island at a time when skilled ne
/ ehanics were scarce would in all prob
ability work a hardship on the fac
tories that were already here and that
whatever industrial development was
made would have TO be along lines
which would not make more critical the
problem of supplying laborers for the
factories that were already here.
Having this thought in mind, the
committees first activity was that OF
taking care of the factories already
located in the city. 1t was brought to
the attention of the committee that
fthe Bear Manufacturing company, who
I was then operating on Fourth avenue
near Fifteenth street. was about to
remove from the city because of its
inability to find available floor space
ample to permit of certain enlarge
ments which the company eontem-
plated. The committee went 10 work
on the problem and in the course OF
two months work succeeded in re-
locating this very desirable concern,
getting them installed in the building
OF the Peoples Power company, cor
ner First avenue and Seventeenth
street The committee pointed out al
the time that the keeping Of factory
that was about to leave The city was
equal 10 getting a new one, and at the
same time preserved the city's reputa-
ton as one that stood behind its in
idustrial concerns. The Bear Manu-
featuring company bids fair to be
come large employers of labor through
the manufacture OF line Of special
ties which are produced for automo-
biles 1t is now manufacturing Ford
starters, Ford primers, safety crank
releases, running board supports, yui
4canizers, cast generators. radius ROD
lsupports, oil savers, draft shields
anti-skid chains, and has now under
development the production Of high
speed gas engine
Phelps Motor Company.
The next step OF the committee wa.
: that of bringing the Phelps Motor
company from Wilton, Iowa, This con
/ Germ has been for several years pro
iducing Z high speed gas engine Of ex
= ceptional merit and has drawn 10 i
, THE attention of gas engine expert:
from all over the country. T. Mar
iron. chairman Of the industrial com
mittee. who was contemplating at tina
! time The manufacture Of farnf light
! ling plants, learned that the Pheip!
: Motor company was contemplating
moving to larger city having bette
; transportation and manufacturing ia
icifities. The entire committee. con
: sisting of Messrs. j. T. Marion, b. Y
| Coulston. c. Z Shields and NJ. S
: Heagv. went to work upon the proiec
land inside Of 80 days had closed witt
-lR. W. Phelps, president Of the com
= pany. TO move to Rock Island. In tn
I meantime, the Marion Manufacturing
: company had been organized and ha'
| taken over the National Neck Yok
{ icnmpany's plant containing 1000
: square feet of floor space, one-half o
| which was placed at the disposal 0
| this concern.
1 The Phelps Motor company, jus
: prior to its removal from Wilton, llai
r taken an order for 10000 gas engines
G delivery of which was to cover per
: iod Of five years. In addition to this
Q Il mas taken on a large contract 70
furnishing engines for farm pumpin
2 purposes. It is also arranging I
g place upon the market its high spec
: gas engine as "a general utility prop
= Iosition for farmers.
e Announcement also comes from MI
r Phelps that he has in process of man
: ufacture traction engine which h
believes will exceed in popularity tn
S -four horse power four-cylinder spec
= engine which he is producing.
Y This concern while at Wilton en-
: ployed in the neighborhood Of twent
e men. 1t now has over sixty on it
o pay roll and is now adding mechanic
n as fast as its production can be il
e creased. Mr.. Phelps estimates tbs
5 with the business that is already
c sight the Phelps Motor company vi
< be employing 200 men in another /
0 months.
f The committee points out that th
: employees of this concern were seeui
led by the Chamber of Commerce er
i tirely from outside the city and hous
!: ed through aid of the chambers em
: ployment and housing committee, an
did not in any way draw labor froi