New Britain herald., 1924-12-11
MERCHANTS READY
 TO FIGHT CLAIMS
Deny They Signed Notes for
 Screen Advertising Scheme
FIRE AT BIRGE PLANT
Explosion Blows Out Part of Wall Tn Picking Department But No One Is Injured-PurChase of Warner Property Favored,

One Is njured-Purchase of Warner Property Favored.
 Efforts 10 clear up the tangle. re- sUltlng from an alleged transfer Of advertising contracts into notes by q New York film advertising con ccrn 10 the detriment Of seven local merchants began yesterday with the starting of an investigation by 4. Y, King, representing Better Business
 and the Los Angeles Chamber of I Commerce. Mr. King was identi-
 fled with the movement in Rhode
 Island q short time ago, when d
 similar film deal of alleged ques-
 tionable nature was cleaned out
 Tho merchants who entered the
 project were interviewed and Judge
 s. Russell Mink was engaged by
 ono merchant to attend to the legal
 details, The other merchants favor
 the plan of hiring counsel and
 Judge Mink will probably handle the entire matter.
 The affair started early in the fall when representatives of the adver- . Using concern interviewed the
 mercAants in regard to the placing of their advertisements on the screen Of a local theater. The contracts were to run for two months and if longer servise was desired, a new
 contract could be made. With this
 assurance in mind, seven business houses signed the contracts which
 were payable at $30 a month. At the , expiration of the two months period some of the advertisers decided to . withdraw and so notified the adver- Using agency Much 10 their sur
 prise they received notices that their
 "notes' of one year duration, had :, been sold 10 q finance corporation f and that concern desired the initial
 payment Suits were threatened if
 the money was not forthcoming. How the merchants could have |, possibly signed notes is a matter for conjecture as all state emphatically Q that nothing but two months con- . tract vas signed and a copy of the n contract reveals no note on its face, e All of the merchants have shown a fight and intend to see the matter
 through to finish. Two of the
 local banks, who signed up are no d involved in the controversy as th' is officials were notified by the adver
 Using concern that their contract
 had not been sold to the finance cor
 poration but were being held by tn of original concern. Why contracts wor st mentioned in the information to tn Tt banks and notes were specified fl IS letters 10 the merchants cannot b. 1 learned.
 a Explosion WreCks Wall, n An explosion blew out one end 0
 the small brick building in whcl r, the picking room at the factory 0 ,e the \. l.. Birge X Sons Co. is locat l- ed at 5:45 last night and was fol of lowed by fire which is believed tc 2t have been started from friction II
 the flying cotton and which threat ic oned the large plant of the com ie pany. The prompt arrival of th' % fremen prevented the flames iron < spreading assisted by the promp t. work of the concerns own fire fight
 ing force.
 In order 10 prevent the flame
 from going 10 the tour-storY factor.
 building, the tiremen entered tn c picking room from the interior o le the factory. As they did so, a ter ly rife explosion took place which bley 7e several fremen out of the entranc rs 10 the room and blew out the en 70 tire end of tho small brick build in ing. It is believed that water roure CT onto the hlazc caused sufficien C. steam 10 generate to cause the e1 li plosion.
 Luckily no one was injured an ly the actual loss by fire vas smal W l. will he necessary 70 rebuild th he end of the small brick building
 operations ou which were starte he today.
 ot The plant oe tho \. [. Birge cd Sons Co. manufactures knit good Ut ard underwear and IS one of th 10 oldest industries in tho city, en If- p'oying several hundred hand al The fire occurred just as Nroparf
 tions were being made 10 close tt
 r,ant for the day at o'clock. TT Real Estate Case Settled .te The suit of Cunningham X Winir .iN ger. real estate agents in FlainviI c. against A. r Williams. until recen ITS 'y q resident of ForeSvirlo hut no m, of Hnrtford, has been pending in 1T nc court of common pleas since la of April The plaintiffs, through Judi Al Joseph NL Donovan, alleging that T lre defendant hired thcm to sell pro
 erty in Plain1iIe. agreeing 10 0'