1895

"Beloit Iron Works"

Paper Machines:

Thilmany Pulp and Paper Co.

82"   Tissue

Wisconsin

Park rails Paper Company

96"   Fourdrinier

Wisconsin

Grand Rapids Paper Company

86"   Fourdrinier

Wisconsin

Grand Rapids Paper Company

102" Fourdrinier

Wisconsin

Comments:

John Hoberg picked up his plant at Kaukauna and

moved it to Green Bay.

September 11 the Park Falls Paper and Pulp

Company was organized.

Bert Larson came to the Iron Works (1895-1955)

where he began as draftsman later becoming develop-

ment engineer serving a total of 49 years before he

retired.

July 23 the Beloit Iron Works disposed of prop

erty described as the portion of Lots 6-7-8 Tenney's

Addition lying west of Race Street and Lots 42-57

Hackett's Addition to 0. T. Thompson. Total land

area of the Iron Works approximated five and a half

acres.

The Iron Works occupied at this time a Boiler

House, Engine House, Blacksmith Shop, Machine

Shop, Erecting Floor, Foundry, Pattern Storage,

Main Office and Lumber Shed.

The first major expansion to the Island Property

occurred at this time.

September 26, 1896

NEWS ITEM

BELOIT IRON WORKS

ONE OF THE GRAND INDUSTRIES OF THE CITY.

An Enterprise Created and Developed by Beloit Pluck and Skill.

HISTORY OF THE WORKS

It is our pleasure to present today a picture of the magnificent new

shops of the Beloit Iron Works, an institution in which Beloit has great

pride because it not only is one of the best factories in the country, but

because it is a Beloit industry, built with Beloit brains and Beloit energy

by Beloit boys, or men who were Beloit boys.

The new plant of the Beloit Iron Works is eminently a model machine

shop and foundry, built on the latest approved and popular plans as

to furnishing light, heat and ventilation for the workmen and expediting

work by the use of every appliance known to the trade. With its electric

traveling cranes and improved machinery, this great shop stands second

to none in the world in its facilities to make paper mill machinery which

is the specialty of the Beloit Iron Works.

The new shops in which the company is getting settled are of brick

and glass. One building is 65 by 400 feet in size, and there are various

annexes and additions for the accommodation, of the boilers, engines, electric

appliances and innumerable things necessary to a great iron working

shop. The foundry is 75 x 85 feet in size.

The buildings are located on a romantic and ideal spot for a factory.

The place is know as the Island in the river east of the water power dis

trict, and a short distance north of the central city bridge. Here on the

southern portion of the Island, amid the shady trees, with the refreshing

water of Rock River and the "tail race" flowing peacefully on either side,

is situated this model shop, away from the traffic of the city, on its own

premises and beyond the danger of fire from other structures, yet within

the very heart and accessible to all the conveniences of a thriving town.

So much for the plant itself.

But a factory is of consequence to a place because of the business it

furnishes and here is wherein the Iron Works is a truly great institution for

Beloit and important in the industrial affairs of the country, for it furnishes

employment to many men and generally keeps them at work all the year

round, thus steadily contributing to the support of the mercantile interests

and the entire business life of the city.

The Beloit Iron Works has. long been a busy place and its output has

reached the handsome sum of $200,000 per annum, but with the development

of the business has come increased competition until the old crowded shops

ceased to be adequate for the requirements of the business. So for a long

time the new shop was in the mind's eye of the proprietors, which vision has

crystallized into these splendid works where for the ordinary run of business:

About 150 men will find steady and lucrative employment and whose product

will go to all parts of the Union, yes, even beyond the realm. The Beloit

Iron Works is unquestionably the leading manufactory of paper mill machinery-

exclusively in the world and the scores of successfully operating, machines

that have been constructed at these shops attest this claim. Very many of

the machines have been made by the Beloit Iron Works, and if is a compliment

to observe that in the large mills more than one of their machines is in

operation, showing that the Beloit machine is in demand where it is best

known.

A BIG THING.

A paper mill is a big affair. Very few realize the magnitude of a

paper mill outfit or what it costs to make a machine, which is only one part

of a mill, yet the important part.

We presume many machines: running in the, 'country have cost. from

$25,000 to $30,000 apiece. Of course, there are grades and sizes and

consequently there is a wide range of price. Of late years the demand has

led to the need of larger machinery for their production and so a new shop

was required to accommodate larger machinery. It has been an evolution

all along the line of the industry.

ITS EARLY HISTORY

The Beloit Iron Works dates its origin in the 0. E. Merrill and

Company plant, a machine shop of small, but promising proportions, which

was instituted about 1857, and made among other things, paper mill machinery.

In 1872 the company reorganized as the Merrill & Houston Works.

In 1883 this company went into the hands of a receiver and R. J, Burdge,

Assignee, operated the plant for two years, when the plant passed into

the hands of the Beloit Iron Works of which Fred Messer was President

and Manager; Alonzo Aldrich, Secretary; W. H. Grinnell, Treasurer;

N. J. Ross, Superintendent; and all old trusted employees of the old

company. The capital stock of the new company was $10,000 in money,

a practical experience on the part of the owners and a great amount of

hope and pluck. The possessions of the new company were the large

wooden factory building with its machinery on Third Street, which were

all the worse for wear, and in those days, so dark in a business way,

that only a few men could see on the dark horizon a speck of the light

of returning prosperity. But these energetic and practical young men

did see light. But they felt their way cautiously and for a while after the

new flag had been raised over the enterprise, the entire shop force

numbered seven men. This was not long the case, however, and the out

put grew steadily and the pay rolls increased accordingly.

In 1889 the new company sent out their greetings, announcing that

they were employing 100 men, had added a lot of new machinery and en

larged their plant. Thus the ray of hope they saw in the beginning had"

become a sunburst of bright possibilities.

A CLOUD.

Then came a sudden and fearful blow; to the organization, Mr,

Messer's death. He was a tower of strength to the company and more

than all that he was a friend of his partners. They had grown up together;

as workmen and his associations with them was as a brother. His death

was a sore bereavement to his companions. But they soon re-organized,

electing Mr. Aldrich President, Mr. Ross Superintendent, R. J. Burdge

Secretary and W. H, Grinnell Treasurer, which is the organization we

find today..

The success of the company has been remarkable, if not phenomenal

They have not as yet increased their capital stock, though we

are happy to learn that they have greatly increased their surplus. And

the company has earned every cent they have got; they are a remarkable

organization, a pulling-together concern, each man has his place and

keeps it, has a duty to perform and performs it, each seeking to benefit

the company.

THE NEW SHOP.

As before stated the new shop is thoroughly up to date.. The

buildings are of brick with a generous number of windows, securing the

best possible light. The main shop is 400 x 60 feet in size one high

story. Here in the north are situated the iron working tools of the works,

occupying about half the great room. The balance of the shop is used for

setting up the big machines, and at the southern extremity j.6 a door that

admits a car on the railroad track so the car can be loaded indoors and the

use of the electric crane applied. Over at the east is the foundry, 70 x 85

feet in size, where there is an electric crane, and the engines and boilers

are also situated at the east of the main building. The pattern and wood

working shops are at present across the race,

A handsome and convenient office building has been built at the north

of the big shops.

It will be of interest to know that the power for running the works is

all electric motors, over a dozen being in use. This dispenses with long

lines of main shafting, for the motors run sections of counter shafting as

required. This is the first big shop in Beloit to run almost exclusively by

electricity. The motors were supplied by the Northern Electric Mfg.  Com-

pany of Madison. The shops are heated by the hot air system and every

attention has been given to sanitary arrangement for the comfort and con-

venience of the men.