The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-02-09
ST. Louis Clothing Concern viii To-
cate It's Plant in Modern
Building Across
River.
CONTRACTS ARE SIGNED
Electric Power From the Dam viii be
Utilized to Drive the Ma
chinery for This
Plant.
written by Warren Fl. orr.]

Written by Warren H. Orr.1
HAMILTON, ILL.,, Feb. 9.-Con-
tracts were signed in st. Louis yes
terday by which Marx and Haas
million dollar ST. Louis clothing con-
Germ and makers of the famous Jack
Rabbit brand" clothing-locates
large branch factory in Hamilton,
illinois. The Hamilton plant will
start with between fifty and sixty
operators principally female) and
this number will be increased to 200
as fast as the additional labor is
available. The head electrician of
the st. Louis factory, accompanied
by several other department heads.
arrived in Hamilton today to super
intend the immediate installation of
machinery in the building, and no
time will be lost in getting under
way. Part of the machinery is now
in transit from Chicago by express,
and in less than thirty days, unless
something unforeseen happens, the
Hamilton plant will begin operation.
Electric power from the dam will be
the motive power used.
The new concern will be housed
in the three story factory building
erected by the citizens of Hamilton
three years ago for the Edgar S. Pet
erson Shoe Co., now defunct. This
building is well lighted and admir-
ably suited to the manufacture Of
clothing Mechanics are today MAX
ing changes in plumbing, moving the
elevator, etc., to conform with the
plans Of Marx & Haas, and sick
room and rest and dressing rooms
for the employees will be immediate
ly installed. A steam boiler to fur
nish dry steam for the pressing Of
clothing after its manufacture Is also
being installed today, and it is well
come change to see SO much activity
around the factory building that,
since the failure of the shoe company
about two years ago, has remained
closed and idle.
In landing this factory, Hamilton
was in competition with nearly
thirty other towns and cities of Mis-
souri, and Illinois, one Of which
o.ered a cash bonus of $35,000.O0,
but none of which, except Hamilton.
had a modern and suitable factory,
building ready for immediate occu-
pancy. Cheap electric power and
freight rates and quickly available
supply of female labor, part Of which
is experienced on power machines,
also aided Hamilton. No cash bonus
of any kind was offered by or asked
of Hamilton, but under the terms Of
the agreement signed in st. Louis
yesterday, Marx and Haas are given
possession and title at once to the
factory building, subject only to a
lien Of 100000 in favor of the
Hamilton Business club, which the
latter agrees to release when Marx
and Haas spend $4,000 in wages in
Hamilton. In order to transfer this
property now it was necessary for
the citizens Of Hamilton to raise
about $1,000 by subscriptions during
the past week, but this was done,
the subscriptions being payable in
20 percent installments as Marx and
Haas comply with their $4,000 pay
roll agreement Another canvas for
labor recently made shows an avail
able supply of about $50 women and
girls ready to respond when called
and this labor canvas had even
more to do with the location Of the
factory in Hamilton than did the
canvas for cash.
Marx and Haas are now operating
employing $50 women, and also have
factory in Chicago and one in Gin
cinnati The firm was established in
ST. Louis in 1854 and last year manu-
featured and sold over 100000 worth
of clothing, on the profits from
which they recently paid the L. S.
government an excess profits tax of
$175,000 Their factories are operated
on an efficient basis, and are models
in cleanliness and sanitary condi-
lions. The st. Louis factory is now
working on a government. contract
for $4,000 soldier garments, over
coats, etc, and this fact is perhaps
responsible for the location of the
branch factory in Hamilton, where
quick relief can be secured by shift
ing part of the work here. 1t is not
yet definitely decided whether the
Hamilton plant will work on soldier
uniforms or not, but even If it does
not, it will be relieving machines at
st. Louis, and thus accomplish the
same result. One thing is certain
the Hamilton plans is not located by
Marx and Haas just for the period of
the war. but is a permanent institu-
ton, and one of which not only the
people of Hamilton and surrounding
communities, but also the officials of
Marx and Haas, may well be glad to