The Belding banner-news., 1919-09-24
SAYS BELONG
IS A GOOD
HUNDRED CITY,
ALFRED FISHER VISITS CITY
AND THEN WRITES 1T UP
IN HIS MAGAZINE

Alfred Fisher is editor of the Mich
igan Manufacturer and Fanncial Rec
ord of Detroit. He recently visited
Belding and when he left he carried
some very favorable impressions of
the city away with him as is evidenced
by the following article which appear
ed IN his magazine this month.
"Belding, a good humored town."
Any time the little city of Belding
on the Pere Marquette railroad, just
near enough to Grand Rapids TO be
neighbcrly wants a motto for itself
that will represent the impression
which it makes on the stranger who
calls on business or friendliness mer-
ely, that line should suffice to satisfy
the most critical Of its inhabitants.
For Belding, with few industries
that are representative of the best in
American manufacture is a good hu-
mored town. 1t doesn't take itself
tco seriously, dosen't want to get rich
quickly, is satisfied to have a pleast
ant time as it goes along, and is more
interested in substantial progress and
the happiness of its people than in
getting record as "boom town."
Belongs industries deal with tex
tlies, woodworking and ironworking.
There is nc need for anyone every be-
ing out of work in the town for there
are jobs that every member of the
FAMILY who wants to work can do.
There are also good schools, SO that
there should be no inducement for
anyone leaving school too early to
engage in industry.
Perhaps the best known of Belongs
industries are it's silk mills. Since be-
fore the days of the Civil war. Beldino
named for the family that established
that industry and made their city's
name as household word wherever
thread and silks are used, the hospi-
table looking buildings have been the
scenes of great activity where season
after season the looms spun out their
products.
Not even in war days was there
any cessation. Then, while the ar
mics were mobilizing against the
Kaiser, the mills turned out dental
floss and similar products for the use
of army officers whose duty it was to
keep the doughboys fit to eat Uncle
Sans mess. But more about the silk
mills later.
Belding is very proud of its foundry
the Belding Foundry Company, con-
Quoted by two young men of no little
resourcefulness and initiative from
Big Rapids-Alvin and Arthur B.
Johnson. The foundry has been To-
Gated in Belding only a comparatively
short time; yet it is already trebling
its capacity. 1t makes castings for
large number cf industries all over
the lower part of the state. and has
the reputation of turning out a top
notch product.
The location Of the foundry is par
ticularly fortunate. 1t is located
right on the Pere Marquette railroad
and in the midst of a practically in
exhaustible supply Of very fine
moulding sand. There are two hills
of this sand and at the rear of the
buildings is piece of swampy ground
which is being reclaimed by the COM
pany's dumping its waste products
therein. The foundry prodoces gray
iron castings only, and has an outpuat
now of about four tons of small cast
ings daily. It's capacity Is somewhat
in excess to this, and within a short
time after these lines are printed the
new addition which will treble the
plants capacity will be going full
tilt.
The Belding Basket Company is an
unique institution. 1t is one of only
"a plants in the United States making
its particular kind of baskets, which
are staple varities. Sales approx
mating $4,000 year keep the en-
terprise going at its normal rate of
production, and of this about 60 per
cent is marketed in Michigan. The
basket industry in fortunate in being
close to its source Of raw material.
All the lumber needed is obtainable,
in nearby buying centers. The COM
pany is 20 years old. Ed. f. Chapple
is the president and general manager.
Ice boxes are another of Belongs
products. The Belding-Hall Com
pany makes a home refrigerator
which finds it's way into kitchens all
over the world. 1t is another of the
city's long established manufacturing
institutions. One unit of this COM
pany is manufacturing bodies for the
bort Motor Car Company. This was
undertaken during the war and has
worked out so successfully that it has
been continued. The capacity of this
plant has reached 125 bodies a day.
Another of the towns industries
which had been closed down since the
signing of the armistice is just about
TO reopen. 1t is the Belding unit of
the Grand Rapids Brass Company.
The concern used a building ideally
(Cnpt;puad an paoa fourl