Mexico weekly ledger., 1921-07-21
r. ". WHITE SON. Props. = LIN. WHITE, Editor.
GREEN PLANT
CLOSED FOR
SHORT Time


The following interview from A.
P. Green of the A. P. Green Fire
Brick Co., of this city, will be OF
interest to everyone and especially as
it refutes the publication of state
ment to the effect that his plant was
being closed indefinitely. His inter-
view follows:
Mexico, Mo, July 10, 1921.
To the Editor of the Ledger: >
The very misleading news item
and editorial in last evenings Intel
ligencer, evidently based on street
rumors and no investigation, makes
it necessary for us to break our habit
of ignoring these items of village
gossip. We know intimately the
wild crop OF rumors that have been
going around town for several weeks,
in fact, we hear them practically as
soon as they are heard around the
Square, and they are so ridiculous
that it affords us little sport in
what otherwise might be dull day
They range from the news that the
Brick Plant is broke, in the hands of
receivers, has shut down and wall
never run again, up to the statement
that a mythical group of stockhold-
ers has sprung up over night, dis
charged Mr.. Green, Mr.. Arthur, Mr..
Brown and Mr.. Schuessler, and in
stalled an entirely new set OF otti-
GERS, in fact the last rumor had Mr..
Arthur's household goods packed in
car and we'll beyond Montgomery
City going east, and Mr.. Schuessler
had sold his goods to get money to
get out of town and was taking his
family overland in borrowed auto
mobile. Some wielder Of a wicked
pen with a wi d III; giratoE cou.d
make witt vo aii!~ by colo citing
and publishing these %t2ri.s, and VIC
have often thought OF offering a
prize to the kctei chair generals who
originate these stories for the mos'
original ones.
We have nothing to conceal. OuI
business is open to the world, and il
any one is interested in the progress
of our affairs and will call any of the
officers OF the Brick Plant by phone
we shall be very glad, indeed, to tel
them the exact conditions Of yha
they are asking about. A riliiibcr o
cur friends, however, especially il,
merchants who have felt the rcduc
ton in our Saturday payrool, have
lately asked us what business condi
tions really are and what we expec
of business in the near future. So
am glad to have this opportunity O
telling them. Our business is in
perfectly normal, healthy condition il
every way except that the worl'
wide trade depression which starte'
last October has affected the fir
brick business like it has all othe
business, especially in the volume o
sales.
As Our income has been reduced
we OF course, have had to curtail op
erations and, as good business mer
see that our expenses were KEEP
within our income. Last winter W
ran both plants full until the first G
March, thus giving our men stead
employment through the winte
months and putting large stock
< brick in storage on the yard at
very considerable investment
money. During this time numbe
of our competitors in St. Louis an
North Missouri were shut down fo
periodsof weeks at time. Thi
spring when orders still were ligh
we began by dropping off day c
two week at each plant until tn
early summer, when outside work b.
came plentiful, we partially close
the West Plant By bringing the me
we needed from that plant to IL
East plant and increasing our oper;
tions herey we have kept our fort
intact. For the past two months "
have been running five days p'
week, but have shut our East Plai
down this week in order to NAL
necessary and heavy repairs to o.
boiler plant. Next week we will r
sumo operation, but the followii
week it will be necessary to sh
down another week in order to cor
plete the boiler repairs which ca
not be done in one week. We ha
Z picked this time to close the pla
because it is in the midst of the hs
vest season and nearly all of our m
can get employment in the harvs
field. For the remainder of Augu
we expect to run full and will co
tinue to do so throughout the b
ance of the year unless busint
should fall off to such an extent th
ii would be advisable to shut doS
part Of each month. If It Is NJ
essary to do so, we certainly will
causc We have our business well
hand and know the conditions seve'
weeks in advance.
However, we believe the low po
has been reached, and while we
not look for material betterment d
ing the remainder Of the year,
....ts 4. 4 s ..... a - !. sy<af