Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-03-18
VICTOR ", MAIN
RET|RES HERE
Was 80 Years in Clay Indus
try and Superintendent of
National Fireproofing Plant
at Keasbey.


Victor w. Main. of lat Market
street, who has been connected with
the National ttreproofing Company
at its Raritan plant for the past
thirty-one years, has retired, at least
temporarily, the company having
given him a three months leave of
absence, at the end of which he may
resume his position as superintendent
of the plant.
Mr.. Main, who has been in the fire.
proof1ng business as long as or longer
than any other man in the business,
has been forced to take this step
owing to Ill health. During the past
few days Mr.. Main has been COM
pleting his work at the Raritan plant
and now has left his position alto
gether, W. Guy Weaver, ssuperintend-
ent of the Standard plant of the Ma
tional Fireproofing Company, being
temporarily in charge Of the Raritan
plant also.
Mr.. Main has been cngaded In the
fire proofing industry for thirty-nine
years, having started his career along
this line in Elizabeth with the New
York and New Jersey Fireproofing
Company. James c. Rossi was the
superintendent Of that plant. Three
years after Mr.. Main started work at
this place. his special duties having
to do with transportation, Mr.. Rossi
associated himself with Edward. Keas-
hey, OF Perth An1boy. and A. O.. Keas-
bey. of Newark. and formed the Rar-
itan Hollow and Porous Brick Com
pany with their plant at Keasbey. Fl.
M. Keasbey, the president of the Ma
tional Fireproof1ng Company at pres
ent was then business manager of the
plant, Mr.. Rossi was made the super
intendent.
For five years Mr.. Main then had
charge Of the transportation and de-
livery Of the National F'ireproofing
Company's products. At the end of
this period he was made assistant su-
perintendent OF the Raritan plant.
Soon after the Raritan Hollow and
Porous Brick Company started an
other factory. which is now the Stand
ard plant of the National Fireproofing
Company was started in the same To-
cality by John Hornsby, of this city.
It was sold by him to Gustavus Is
aacs. who in turn sold the plant to
Pennfield and Lyle. The latter were
the owners when the National Fire
proofng Company purchased this
plant.
A third factory, which is now the
Perth Amboy plant of the National
Fireproofing Company, was estab-
lished by the tile department Of the
c. Pardee works. This was the first
plant to be bought up by the National
Fireproofing Company the Standard
plant being annexed shortly after.
Although the Raritan plant was the
first one started at that location. it
was the last to be bought up by the
National Fireproofing Company. This
purchase was made in 1902, Mr., Rossi
being made general superintendent Of
the company, while Mr.. Main was
promoted to the position of superin-
tendent of the Raritan plant. For
the past eighteen years Mr.. Main has
had complete charge of the operations
at the Raritan plant. Mr.. Rossi died
about five or six years ago.
Mr.. Main plans to make several
short trips to recuperate during the
coming spring months. although he
will continue to make his home with
his family In Market street. He pro-
poses leaving shortly for few weeks
trip to northern New York State in
the vicinity of Lake George. Other
trips which VIM allow him to rest up
are being planned by him.
Owing to his having been mem-
ber of the Board of Education for
many years, on which body he is
chairman of the building committee,
Mr.. Main has been kept before the
public eye.