The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1951-10-04

unqualified success from beginning
to end, with close to 5000 people
making the tour of the plant
Headed by Thomas w. Pangborn,
president of the corporation, and his
brother, John C. Pangborn, first
vice-president and treasurer, the en-
tire organization went out of their
way to make sure that the huge
throng was well taken care of. All
through the day different groups
were leisurely escorted through
every section of the huge plant, SO
that they could not only see the
plant in operation but also ask
and get the answers to-any ques-
tons they wished to ask.
Despite the thousands who visit
ed the plant, many of them trans
ported by city buses provided
J through the courtesy of the corpora
ton, there was no confusion at any
time and comments could be heard
on all sides, not only on the fine way
the tour was handled, but also on
/ the splendid treatment the visitors
were accorded.
As the groups ended their tour of
THE plant everyone was presented
with a special Open House issue of
the Pangborn Magazine, which is
edited by A Lesley Gardner, the
corporations advertising manager,
and also a very attractive coin holder,
after which they were escorted to
/ the beautiful Pangborn Park, where
light refreshments were served
Listening, as a newspaper man does,
heard nothing but the highest
praise, mixed with Wonderment, at
the magnitude of the Pangborn
plant, many of whom, of course
were seeing it in operation for the
first time.
You have already read many OF
the details of the plants operation
but l would like to mention a few
things that impressed me as I went
through the various departments.
To begin with, l wonder how many
of you who made the tour realize
that the plant covers IA acres OF
! ground; that approximately 250,0OC
square feet are under roof; and that
all Il of the buildings are fireproof
AS I strolled through the stock de
partment I was amazed to find that
over 10000 items were stocked at
all times, many of them, of course
being necessary for requirements by
users of the Pangborn Blast Clean
ing ands Dust CONTROL units, and it
was even more remarkable to find
that the plant handles over 10000
different items during the year.
| While, like everybody else who
made the tour, I was very much in
terested in every phase of the man
ufacturing of these huge Blast Clean
ing and Dust Control machines, that
are not only nationally but interna-
tionally known and used, I was par
ticularly struck with one fairly small
machine that frankly had be fasci-
mated.
In all newspaper plants there are
machines for cutting paper. The
paper is placed in position on the
cutter and then a button is pressed
and a large knife comes down and
cuts the paper as required. But
never did l dream that there was a
cutting machine that would not only
| cut through steel Ia inches deep,
just as if it was a sheet of paper, but
would also cut it to less than 32nd
of an inch precision I was so fasci-
mated by watching huge sheet of
steel being hoisted by crane onto
a cutting machine and then being
fed to the knife, which cuts Clearly
through it in split second, that the
guide who was with me had a hard
time getting me away from it.
Following the Open House, Mr..
Thomas and his brother, John, to-
gether with the other members of
the Board of Directors, vice-pres-
ident, P. ]. Potter; ~vice-president,
Victor F. Slime; and vice-president,
Lloyd L. Stouffer, were hosts to a
group of editors of nationally known
trade magazines and the editors of
the local press, at a dinner at the
Fountain Head Country Club.
Brief, informal talks were given
by Thomas Pangborn, William Pres
ton Lane, former Governor of the
State of Maryland and chairman of
the Board of the Herald Mail Pub
fishing Company, and some of the
visiting editors.
! And thus ended day that will be
long remembered by the thousands