Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1919-03-26

ready to fill orders.
But we want more motors-100 a
day, if we can get Them" said war
department officials.
That was some contract in a coun-
try where aviation, although having
had its birth, had never progressed
beyond the joke stage. But Mr.. Lee
land was game.
'You put up the plant and l will
guarantee to build that many mo-
tors" was his offer.
How much would such a plant
cost?"
between S7,OOO,OOO and $4,000,
co.," was the prompt answer.
Washington officialdom scratched
its head. 1t needed the motors, but
We can't provide any such sum as
that, Mr.. Leland"
He was equally frank. He couldn't
either.
I'VE will have to take what you
can build, and get the rest somewhere
else" was the conclusion.
Where? was the Detroiter's per
tinent inquiry.
For, while there were a few other
plants preparing to manufacture air
plane engines on considerable scale,
none at that time came anywhere
{ I4CG&I Tic SuSStSlSu capacity.
Washington admitted the force of
the argument-but that admission
did not raise the necessary money.
Mr.. Leland went back to Detroit
and his plant, deferred but not dis
heartened.
A day or so later a Detroit banker
called him on the telephone
Il understand the government
turned your proposal DOWN."
Mr.. Leland confirmed the report.
We'll, you can get the money any
time you want it." was the reassurinp
reply of the banker. "If you want To
put up a plant, go ahead and don't
worry about the financial end of it.
You're good for it."
Another capitalist told the writer
that Mr.. Leland could have secured
/ several times the required amount.
without any solicitation, because, as
ne stated the situation, referring af-
tectlonateIy to Mr.. Leland, "the old
man IS always on the job, and any
thing ne touches is done right"
How fully capital confidence in the
integrity and ability of Mr.. Leland
was justified is shown by the facr
that one year from the time WORK
was begun on the plant that has NO
equal IN this country, and no superior
/ anywhere, the 2000th liberty motor
was completed in the Lincoln factory.
ana production, just getting into its
/ STRIDE, had reached a total of 90 on
glnes IN a single day.
henry NJ. Leland has again made
good; but nobody outside the little
/ group associated with him knew the
I strain II entalled on MS part. He set
the pace for all others, often with 16
or Is hours a day of the hardest sort
OF work, with barely time to eat a
/ hurried bite. d
,! thrived on it, too" said Mr.. Ie-
iand, laughing at the recoIIec.ioT
ne trouble with the most OF us i
tnat we don't work hard enough -
keep healthy and happy"
Which isn't so bad for q man NIB,
recently celebrated his 10th birtL5s',c
VINO looks 70 be good for MANY vesys
( 70 come, and VINO with nothine, Int ~
Two hands. mis- keen intellect ard :
termination TO DO everything n the
Oe7l OF ms ability, advanced froo, -
OBSCURE position as a machinist's ar
prentice 10 worldwide fame as an -
gineer. al eil-
Mr. Leland is a Bastnaster N -;
1-atLFs and thoroughness Thirty ysa-g
ago. deciding to get into business q,
ea,iIll L-' Dir. Leland left the Brown 4
5-lArf Pc manufacturing Co. OF prov.
-eAeer r l. and came 10 Detroit IT.
- pi-ai consisted chiefly Of detern,ir.
shop. -''s mac ile
Il did not take long for other. >,
recognize the superior quality Of the