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DUBUQUE’S NEW BUTTON FACTORY 1901

CHALMERS

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 1/19/2017 at 17:03:11

The Dubuque Daily Telegraph, October 5, 1901

DUBUQUE’S NEW FACTORY
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HARVEY CHALMERS CO. OF NEW YORK
TO ESTABLISH BUTTON FACTORY
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THEY WANT ONLY A SMALL BONUS
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Will Employ 150 Men All Year
and Will Erect a Factory On
River Front.
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A deal was closed last night where Dubuque is practically assured of the addition of another new factory. According to the terms of the agreement drawn up by the Dubuque’s Business Men’s League, Dubuque Retailors Association and the Harvey Chalmers Co., of Amsterdam, New York, the latter promises to erect a building, install a pearl button plant and employ at least 150 men 300 days a year, providing the citizens of Dubuque’s raise a bonus of $2,500.00.

The Harvey Chalmers Co. is a reliable firm of Amsterdam, N. Y., where they now run a large factory employing 300 men. They do not wish to leave Amsterdam, as might be supposed. They merely wish to establish a branch factory on the banks of the Mississippi in the heart of the clam shell industry. In their Amsterdam plant the company do the finishing work on the buttons. The blank discs are furnished from outside sources. At present the company finish 8,000 gross of discs daily. Of this number 2,000 gross are furnished by two of their own factories located at, Guttenberg and Keithsburg, Ill. The rest of the blank discs must be brought from outside persons, this being the case, the company is desirous of establishing a large plant in Dubuque which will be a feeder for the finishing plant in Amsterdam.

The members of the Dubuque Retailors’ Association think that the offer made by the Harvey Chalmers Co. is one that should not be overlooked. By the terms of the agreement the company promises to deposit the $2,500 bonus they receive from Dubuque as a guarantee that they will employ at least 150 men all year round and that they will erect a building on the Booth property near the Star Brewery. The employment of 150 men means an annual payroll of not less than $60,000. Mr. Chalmers, who is at present in the city, says that in case his offer is accepted he will install 300 saws instead of 200, at was as first intended. This would swell the payroll considerably. Mr. Chalmers recognizes the fact that there is a prejudice existing in the minds of many persons concerning pearl button factories. He says this is due to the fact that incapable and inexperienced persons undertook to run them and failed.

The article continues pertaining to the contracts.


 

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