Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1920-02-05

sorbing extraordinary expenses Incl
dent to the strike. In order to take
care of the unusual large stock of
groundwork contracted for during
the early part of the year, we borrow
ed s475000. We have been able to
reduce this to 1856 1000, to pay divi-
dend of 5 per cent and cleaned up every
bill of every kind that was due or pay
able by January 1st.
thought the stockholders would be
interested in this brief resume of the
summers activities. What we had to
go through and put up with, should be
a matter of the past and the sooner
/ forgotten, the better it will be, and we
should accept gracefully, though with
great regrets, the loss of over 100000
in wages that would have gone to our
former workmen, as we'll as a CORE
spending loss to this Company and
great Inconvenience to our customers
in failing to keep them supplied with
paper as we had expected when we ac-
copied their orders.
| desire to urge that we make the
best of everything in connection with
this matter and forgive and forget
the past and look forward to more
cheerful future. 1t is my sincere wish
that no feeling of any sort be enter
tanned toward our former employees
and that at no distant date, our policy
of "Open shop and no discrimination"
will be we'll embellished placard that
we can keep on the entrance of our in
dustry for all who desire to labor
therein.
During the past year, we have add
ed very substantial improvements and
completed many that were largely UNI
der construction and we now have,
with an addition which is about to be
erected, enough room in our barracks
to care for practically the entire work
ing force necessary to operate our
mills. We do not expect this situation
will continue, because a very large
number of our old men have returned
to work and especially those who own
their own homes, and we believe that
as soon as the strike is called off,
which we feel confident will be done
in very short time, others of our old
employees will also return to us be-
cause our working conditions and gen
eral Situation is much above the
standard. We look, therefore. with
much encouragement to a good year
in 1920
Our appropriations for new work,
which were authorized in 1918, were
completed in 1919 at an expense of
over 100000 and all paid for. = The
budget for the new work contemplate
ed for the coming year, on account of
changed conditions. has not been fully
made up; but will be done by the Di-
I rectors as soon as we can have q
1 nj To ba
Our annual statement is before you
and in comparison with what we have
done year ago. the value of the stock
of this Company has been enhanced
rather than decreased and we enter
the year with increased facilities, a
large amount of raw materials on
hand and operating conditions equally
as good or better than they have ever
/ been and while the profits are not as
! large, because of the very greatly in
! creased schedule of wages, we are sure
/ that>we are going to have a satisfac-
| tory year.
| We ask each of the stockholders to
help US in our troubles, as it will be
to their benefit if they do so. | will
be very glad to answer any questions
IN reference to matters as | am sure
any one of the active people in connec-
ton with our last years efforts, will
do
| cannot refrain in closing, from ex-
pressing to the stockholders, my deep
appreciation of the service and help
through our remaining, which was af-
forded to US during our recent trou-
BILE. It would be hard for me to say
who perspired most or had the worst
part of the job; the men who did the
talking and negotiations or those who
did the physical work. Our office force
without exception, performed the me-
NAL duties without murmur and did
not hesitate to assist in the farm work
that we always do; unloading brick,
cement. wood and whatever was ne
cessary and their response was such
that we did not have to pay a dollar
of demurrage on lot of cars that
were left in our wards unloaded Many
of our proposed settlement sessions
were held far into the night, both at
Port Edwards, Nekoosa and even
Grand Rapids
/ cannot speak too strongly of the
patience, forbearance and kindly cour-
age that was exhibited during all this
time. None of us expect halo or q
monument, but we would like to have
you appreciate hardships that are at
tendant upon situations of this kind
In all this strife, we were still mind
full of the difficulties and hardshins
that were being undergone by the
other Sic.
| am sure that after this test anil
trial, you can safely be assured that
if loyalty ard hard work will mako
things go for the year 1920, it will be-
lone.
Respectfully submitted.
L. M. ALEXANDER, Pres.