Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-08-18
TOLEDO IS GIVEN
S6,0OO,0OO GLASS.
PLANT OVER OTTAWA
OHIO CITY WINS FACTORY WHICH
SOUGHT LOCATION HERE-LET-
TER TO PRESIDENT HARVEY
EXPLAINS CHANGE IN PLANS.

Toledo, Ohio, instead of Ottawa, will
be chosen as a site for the s6,O0O,000
Libbey-Owens Sheet Glass Factory,
which it was believed for time
would be erected just west of the city
across from the Golf Club grounds.
A joint committee of Rock Island
railroad men and officers of the COM
pany visited Ottawa several weeks
ago, and looked over the site, after
which persistent reports spread around
the city, to the effect that the factory
would be built here.
Toledo was chosen as a factory site
in preference to ottawa because it
was near the home of NJ. J. Owens, the
yice-presdent and executive manager
of the factory, and the other hackers
Of the concern wished him to give the
factory his personal supervision. Of
licers of the company declare that eX-
cept for this. Ottawa would have been
chosen for the factory Should it have |
come here, local men had made ar
rangements to build eighty-fve homes
to house the company officials and
employees.
The plant will employ 500 men.
First news of the company's deter |
mination to abandon their partial
plans for building here were received |
in letter by l.. NJ Harvey, the presi-
dent of the Chamber of Commerce |
from one of the officials. UDon the
keels of their letter newspapers from I
Toledo, Ohio, were received here which
gave column stories on the front page,
to the erection of the s6,000,O0O fac
tory there.
Chamber of Commerce officials were
greatly disappointed that the factory
did not locate here They have worked
to bring the plant here,
and believed that they were to be re-
warded when word reached here of
their decision to go to Toledo. Rock
Island officials, Vice President John
son, and division freight agent Har,
ry Duvall, had aided the local men
in attempting to bring the
factory to ottawa. They had shaved
the price of freight and switching in
every way possible.
The letter received by Mr.. Harvey
reads:
Mr. Louis Harvey.
Chamber of Commerce.
Ottawa, Illinois.
Dear Mr. Harvey:
The matter of our location is prac-
tically decided and while we have
not purchased a site | feel that our
minds are pretty we'll made up on
the point that Ottawa will not be the
location of our factory
| am very sorry on your account
that the decision was not for Ottawa.
You were so very interested and work
ed so theoretically in behalf of Otta-
wa, and in helping us get the informa-
tion we wanted, that | do not know
how to adequately express my appre-
citation of all you have done.
Ottawa is fortunate in having such
a man as you as a citizen and at the
head of her Chamber of Commerce,
and in addition. you have gathered
around you a live, progressive group
of business men who all seem inspir-
ed with the same desire to advance
the city, that you have
You have undoubtedly been put to
some personal expense in this connec-
ton, and | hope YOU will send us
of this amount so that
we NAV reimburse you,
1t VIII always be pleasure for me
to stop off and see you whenever I
am in that neighborhood, and | hope
when YOU are in this part of the coun-
try you will call on me-
Please give my kindest regards to
Mrs. Harvey and also to her family.
Very truly yours,
J. II. McNERNEY
Mr.. Harvey today made an appeal
for all the Ottawa Business Men to
get back of the Chamber of Com
merce, and aid in a drive to bring
more industries to Ottawa.