Crawfordsville Wire & Nail - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

The Crawfordsville Wire Nail & Fence Company started business along with the new centry sending its two traveling salesmen, ER Bell and UN Scott out on the road to begin the battle for business. The company will do a jobbing business for a time until the factory is started. The machines for the manufacture of wire nails have been ordered from Erie, PA and as soon as they, with the boiler and engine arrive the work will begin. The factory will be located in the brick building on Oak Street, formerly occupied by the Dovetail Company. The company this morning received orders for two car loads of wire nails and wire fence as a nice little starter on its first days business. The prospects for the company are exceedingly bright and those in charge are enghused at the outlook. The new plant will be a big addition to Crawfordsville manufacturing and business interests.

About 50 men will be employed at the start, the force being made up from home mechanics and those who were at one time with the old barbed wire company, but who since it was gobbled up by the trust have been working in large plants controlled by the trust. They are anxious to return to Crawfordsville and as many as can be accomodated with receive employment. Th enew factory has the sincerest wishes of all for its success. - kbz

A fence is being built around the Crawfordsville Wire & Nail mill, to protect it from all loungers, and principally to prevent anyone attempting to wreck the plant. N o one will be admitted to the factor after the 10' fence is up, unless an order is issued from the office.

The erecting of the fence, and the precautionary methods being used, and in keeping with every other metal factgory in the US. The factory here may prove of great importantce, should the US have to use barbed wire entanglements, now being used on the European frontier. The local factory may also be used for making metal things needed by the government.

Mr. Clifford Voris wanted the matter understood, that nothing had been attempted, nor even thought probably, but some one, believing that the factory here was a big government asset, might try to wreck some of the machiner, or the factory itself. The fence is only a precaution - typed by kbz