USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > Historical and biographical annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania, embracing a concise history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I > Part 63
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The Lenhart store was established by Abraham Herbein about 1850, and in 1858 he sold it to Mr. Lenhart. In 1890 Harry Lenhart became associat- ed with his father, and they have since traded under the name of S. H. Lenhart & Son. Sam- uel Bell has been here as a tinsmith and stove dealer since 1862, having removed from Reading.
INCORPORATION .- In May, 1901, an application was made to the court of Quarter Sessions for the incorporation of the settlement west of the river into a borough, and the decree was made on Dec. 30, 1901, with the name West Leesport, because the place was situated west of the river. Immediately after a municipal organization was effected in March, 1902, local improvements began to be made in the streets and sidewalks and also in the ap- pearance of the dwellings, showing the beneficial influence of an elevated political status.
In 1906, there were in the borough 100 dwell- ings ; 185 taxables; 3 stores; 2 hotels ; a church; a school (4 rooms) ; a wheelwright and a black- smith shop; a knitting-mill; . a physician; and a veterinary surgeon. The taxable property was as- sessed at $138,385; money at interest, $72,055; estimated population, 550.
FIRST TAXABLES .- Names of resident taxables of West Leesport, when first established as a borough in 1902:
George B. Hoyer
Esther Richard
Samuel Haines Tacob Rickenbach
Abraham Kaufman
Kate Seaman
Charles Ketner
Charles Schock
Isaac Keener
L. F. Schock
Reuben Schock
Mrs. Levi Snyder Est.
Mrs. Samuel Spayd, Est.
Emanuel Straus
Reuben Loose George B. Moser
William Spayd Aaron Schrack Mandns Schloppig
William Mengel
Charles E. Mengel
Gideon Stoudt
Mrs. John Riley Est.
Samuel Spayd. Jr.
Mrs. Lovine Ruth
Edward C. Spayd
Levi Reeser
Mrs. Leah Spatz
Isaac Rahn
Elias Spatz Benneville K. Seidel
D. H. Reeser
James Rentchler
Mrs. Angelina Strauser
Morris Rieser
Wilson Strauser
Jacob H. Wangee
William Z. Rahn
Tenants
Frank W. Adam
Franklin Mengel
Howard S. Blatt
Morris Miller
Charles S. Becker
Rufus C. Marks
Harry Balthaser
Wilson Mens
Oscar Clay
Frank P. Nocker
Charles O. Collins
James Naragan
Thomas R. Dunkel
Ephraim Nettinger
Benneville K. Dundore
Charles L. Reeser
Charles R. Deisher
John Z. Reeser
Jacob Dunkelberger
Samuel Roth
Samuel M. Deck
Levi R. Roth
James B. Freeman
Sallie Reeser
Isaac Freeman, Sr.
Sarah Reeser
Silas Gass
Owen Reeser
Milton G. Grater
Alfred H. Strause
James H. Ganker
Jacob H. Hollenbach
William C. Hafer
Alvin Snyder
John J. Keim
Girtie Strause
Charles L. Ketner
Austin Smith
John Shell
Adam W. Kendell
Joseph Spangler Elias Spatz
George Lerch
Charles B. Snyder
Francis B. London
Ellenie Schrack
William L. Loose
Rufus P. Ulrich
Solomon E. Moser
James Unger
Lewis D. Mervine
William P. Unger
FIRST OFFICIALS .- At the February election of 1902, the first borough officials were elected, and the following list comprises the names of the per- sons chosen to fill the several positions :
Chief Burgess. Morris Reeser
Town Council, Gideon Stoudt D. H. Reeser Silas Reeser
Charles Adams
Thomas R. Christ Franklin Dundore
Samuel Bagenstoes Bagenstoes & Loose
Samuel Z. Deck
William Epler Est.
Charles Fisher
Mary Fisher
Edward Gromis
Wallace Blatt
Samuel Roth
Wilson Strauser
Charles D. Snyder
Jacob Bagenstose Mary Bagerstose
John Hans George C. Hartman
Samuel H. Lenhart
Charles Fisher F. P. Dundore
Auditor, Oscar Mengel Assessor, Samuel Spayd School Directors, J. J. Kiem
James G. Bear Samuel Bell William Bell Wallace Blatt Frank Brown Edward Brobst
Reuben Huff Samson Hoyer
Robert H. Freid
George A. Rahn
Aaron L. Graff
Rev. D. E. Schaffer
Israel Strause James Shade
Charles E. Keller
Wash Shell
John G. Kramer
Harry G. Lenhart
Charles Reeser
Francis Kaufman S. H. Lenhart Benjamin Leinbach Mrs. Esther Lengel
William F. Radey
281
BOROUGHS
Justice of the Peace,* B. F. Leinbach Constable, George B. Moser Judge of Election, George A. Rahn Inspectors, C. E. Keller Frank A. Adam
The second chief burgess was elected in 1905 for three years, Samuel H. Lenhart (Republican). Political status of council: four Republicans and three Democrats. The third burgess elected, in 1908, was Gideon Stoudt.
BOROUGH OFFICIALS-1909
Chief Burgess, Gideon Stoudt
Town Council, James B. Rentschler, President Samuel H. Lenhart
John Z. Rieser
M. T. Schlappig Wilson Strauser
George C. Hartman
Dr. C. O. Collins, Secretary
School Board, Samuel Roth, President
D. E. Shaffer, Secretary Charles L. Ketner, Treasurer
Edward Gromis
Jacob Bagenstose
Jacob Rickenbach
Auditors, Owen Reeser John Rickenbach
Wirt R. Rahn
Assessor, Morris Rieser
Collector, Samuel Z. Deck
Justice of the Peace, B. F. Leinbach
Constable, George B. Moser
Board of Health, S. M. Deck, President
Rufus Marks, Secretary
George B. Hoyer Samuel Bell
Dr. F. P. Dundore
INDUSTRY .- Before 1890, there was no manufac- turing establishment at West Leesport; but in that year the subject was discussed in the stores and taverns, and the discussion resulted in a public meet- ing in February, 1891, which was addressed by Mor- ton L. Montgomery, Esq., at the request of S. H. Lenhart, R. Wanner & Son, Isaac H. Rahn, L. F. Schock and others for the purpose of stimulating enterprise. Some time afterward, a company was organized by the citizens named for manufacturing hosiery, and the factory was located in the ware- house of S. H. Lenhart. It was operated several years, then abandoned on account of competition and scarcity of hands. In 1899 the machinery was sold to Samuel L. Miller and Charles Balthaser, who then revived the industry as a knitting-mill and after operating it for a year removed the plant to the Evangelical Church building which they had purchased. Here they have been manufacturing ladies' underwear and misses' hosiery until now. They employ forty hands.
Franklin Baer is engaged as a wheelwright and blacksmith ; and John Narragang as a pump-maker.
The Eagle Knitting Mill (carried on by parties from Hamburg in the manufacture of underwear) is situated on the east side of the river, opposite the borough, and employs from forty to fifty hands. The post-office was established in 1872.
* The other official was Isaac H. Rahn, elected as of the borough in 1904, after having served as of Bern township continuously since 1868. He died March 15, 1907.
WATER AND LIGHT .- Waterworks have not yet been established and the community still adheres to the use of wells and pumps. The streets are not lighted at night.
SECRET SOCIETIES .- A lodge hall has been main- tained on the third floor of the Lenhart store since 1858. Four beneficial organizations hold their meet- ings in it: American Mechanics (No. 141) ; Odd Fellows (No. 141) ; Daughters of Rebekah; and Daughters of Liberty. The first society has $10,000 at interest; and the second, $6,000.
CHURCH .- A brick church was erected on the main street in 1872 by Salem's Evangelical Asso- ciation which was dedicated in 1873. The congre- gation continued to worship in harmony for about twenty years, but then the religious disturbance of the national body reached this congregation also and in the final adjustment this church was retain- ed by the original association. Its membership, however, was too weak to survive and in 1900 the building was sold to Miller & Balthaser, who con- verted it into a factory. The other faction, Bethany United Evangelical, maintained their organization, erected a church in 1896 and have supported it until now ; membership, 35.
The members of the Lutheran and Reformed de- nominations attend religious services at Epler's Church in Bern township or at Belleman's, in Cen- tre, or at Trinity, in Leesport.
SCHOOL .- The school in the borough was erected by the township and became the property of the borough in its establishment. It is a two-story brick building, with four rooms, and a graded system of education. The scholars number about ninety.
WYOMISSING
INCORPORATION .- The borough of Wyomissing was erected on July 22, 1906. It takes its name from the stream which flows near the dividing line be- tween Cumru and Spring townships for several miles. It is situated along the main thoroughfare which extends westwardly from Reading, two miles from the city. The area embraced 510 acres, 92 perches of land (taken from Spring township), when incorporated, and included sixty-one resident taxables and eleven non-residents.
Ten years before its erection, Thomas P. Merritt, an enterprising lumber dealer and capitalist of Reading, purchased several farms exceeding six hundred acres, organized the Reading Suburban Real Estate Company with a number of other per- sons, principally from Reading (among them Albert Thalheimer, David Keiser, David H. Keiser, Mat- thias Mengel and Levi W. Mengel, who were the largest subscribers of stock), laid off the land into a large number of lots with boulevards and side- walks, planted 25,000 shade trees, and called the place "Wyomissing." They advertised the subur- ban place extensively and sold many lots. Some of the purchasers erected dwelling-houses for them- selves immediately and located there with their families, which popularized the place very much.
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282
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
In this way it soon came to be the most attractive W. Heffelfinger (1903-06), Alfred B. Yorgey suburban town in the vicinity of Reading. (since May 1, 1906).
The first real impetus in the development of the place was given by Ferdinand Thun and Henry Janssen in 1896, who selected a site along the railroad for establishing a new enterprise in the manufacture of textile machinery, and erected a large building 45 feet wide and 225 feet long, with an office building adjoining, capable of employing over one hundred hands, and shortly afterward dwelling-houses came to be put up for the accom- modation of some of the employees. The dwelling of Mr. Thun near the main thoroughfare was made particularly attractive which showed his strong faith in the future development of the place as well as of his own industrial enterprise. Since then, the growth of the town has been truly remarkable, both in manufacturing establishments and dwellings of a superior character.
Several years afterward, the subject of establish- ing a borough began to be agitated for the purpose of securing the regulation of the streets and the ad- vantages of municipal government, and public sen- timent in its behalf was developed gradually in spite of much opposition. Several petitions were presented to the court in 1904 and 1905, and the decree was made on July 22, 1906. The boundary lines embrace territory about one mile square, ex- tending from the Lebanon Valley railroad on the north to the Wyomissing road on the south, and from Smith street on the east (now the western boundary line of West Reading) to a public road on the west commonly known as "Mengels' Mill Road."
A reservoir with a capacity of 1,000,000 gallons was constructed on the top of "Iaeger Hill," north of the railroad, elevated about three hundred and fifty feet above the level of the borough, and spring water was forced into this reservoir from a large spring, situated near the Wyomissing road, which was provided as the water supply for the inhabi- tants; but the water having been condemned after- ward by the State authorities, it has been set apart for fire purposes only, and the borough has made arrangements with the Sinking Spring Water Com- pany for its water supply, the water mains having been recently (1908) extended along the public road to the borough.
Since the establishment of the borough, great improvements have been made in the grade and ap- pearance of the streets and in the sidewalks.
A large, superior and very attractive two-story brick school building was erected by the borough in 1907-08, costing $25,000. It occupies a promi- nent position. And an attractive "Town Hall" is now in course of erection along the main thoroughfare.
POST-OFFICE was established May 27, 1899; and the postmasters have been: William Romberger, Aaron S. Hieter, Allen U. Baer (1901-03), George
In April, 1909, the borough contained the follow- ing improvements: Textile Machine Works, Nar- row Fabric Mill, Berkshire Knitting Mills, Lein- bach's Hosiery Mill, Paul K. Leinbach's Planing Mill, Ruth's Coal Yard, Stetler's Apartment House, four green-houses (Farr's, Hoskin's, Shearer's, and Heck Brothers'), two hotels, and two stores.
The Reading Shale Brick Works and the Mon- tello Brick Works are situated outside of the bor- ough limit, along the northern boundary line.
FIRST TAXABLES .- Names of resident taxables of Wyomissing, when first established as a borough in 1906:
Charles Brehner Daniel Noecker
Napoleon Bickelman Mrs. Anna Nyce
John Bitler
Joseph Ohlinger
Nelson J. Boltz
Christopher Prill
Alvin Becker
Samuel B. Palm
James N. Brannan
A. B. Pott
Clarence H. Dittes
Charles Reifsnyder
H. D. Dunkelberger
Calvin Ruth
Adam G. Eyrich
Robert Carl Rahm
Henry Faust
James P. Ruth
Bertram H. Farr
Marx Reimer
H. M. Fry John Rentz
Jacob Graeff
Adam H. Schroeder
Clinton Grimes
John Stroup
Henry Ganter
William E. Sheidy
Robert Ganter
Mrs. Joel Steffy
Ernst L. Hahn
Daniel Spatz
Harry H. Huyett
Howard L. Seidel
George W. Heffelfinger
Mrs. Ida Simmons
Mrs. Aaron Heiter
Caleb Harrison
Edward L. Hart
Henry M. Stetler
Charles Hart Est.
Obadiah F. Sander
Charles A. Henning
Jacob B. Sweitzer
Henry K. Janssen
Harvey P. Kline
William E. Keyte
E. D. Kains
Lender Trickel
Harvey D. Leinbach
Charles M. Tiehel
Ferdinand Thun
Allen Van Steffy Paul L. Walter
Thomas V. Willson
John A. Watson
Evelyn Williams
William A. Walter
A. B. Yorgey James R. Yost
Tenants
Albert Dunkelberger George W. Daniels William Diamond
Felix Degner
Norbert Dornhecker
Edward Eschbach
Robert Eschbach
Josiah Eschbach George W. Endy Paul Eifert
James A. Eyrich Alexander Ender Mrs. Daniel Ermentrout
Thomas H. Becker Monroe Balmer Rudolph Binckey William Bewley Edward Beam
Charles Brannan
Chester Baer Elijah Brossman George Brossman William Buchman Charles M. Culver Elmer Carlson Ammon Dearolf
Jacob R. Sonon
Robert Starke Samuel Shaub
Frank D. Leinbach
Andrew I. Torbert
Richard A. Leinbach
Mrs. George F. Lance Henry Lorah Edwin Lichtenthaler
Charles H. Mathias
Henry A. Miller Charles H. Moyer
John Miner Harvey L. Noecker
Henry Y. Stoner
Adam D. Heffelfinger
R. R. Snyder Charles C. Stetler, Sr.
J. Fred Hartgen
Frank D. Schearer
283
BOROUGHS
Cyrus Ferker Otto Floren Edwin Gougler Allen Gaul Adam Z. Geiss William Grohs William Grim Thomas E. Hornberger William J. Hornberger
S. D. Mullinux
Charles Molly
Robert Molly
Monroe Naftzinger
Gustav Oberlaender Wilson C. Price
Carl Peterson Daniel Pleam Jacob Ruth
Lester R. Heffelfinger
Ernest Hoffman
Richard Reese
Jesse Ritter
Julius Rettberg Albert H. Rentz
Fritz Hoover James Hill
Otto Riese
Frederick Heath
Augustus Rill
Town Council, Ferdinand Thun, President
H. Y. Stoner, Treasurer
Henry A. Stetler
Henry K. Janssen Henry M. Stetler
Albert Kutz
Cleaven Steffy
R. R. Snyder George Endy
Joseph Koontz
John N. Stillinger
Henry A. Miller
Howard Keener
William B. Sheidy Steward Smith
Thomas Watson Charles M. Huber, Secretary
Herman Kotternbach William Loehrig
August Lippke
William Long Isaac Lessley
George Shaub
Norman B. Wamsher
Daniel Lorah
Charles C. Stetler, Jr.
Joseph C. Lance
Charles Sheidy
August Lumbert
Charlie Thus
Robert Lance
Francis Tiehel
Harvey Master
Ezra Triest
William McGuire John McNabb Peter Wanner
William Moyer
Thomas Weichard
Ambrose Madeira
George Wilson
Irenaeus Miller
Robert Woller
William Mohn
Thomas K. Watson
Alvin Moyer
Harry Weik
Howard Moyer
Charles Wieand
Edward Moyer
Melchoir Zwicky
FIRST OFFICIALS .- In the decree of incorporation, the court fixed Aug. 28, 1906, for the election of borough officials, and the following persons were elected :
Chief Burgess, Bertrand H. Farr Town Council, Ferdinand Thun (3 years)
Henry Y. Stoner (3 years)
James H. Brennan (3 years)
George W. Endy (2 years)
Henry M. Stettler (2 years) Henry K. Janssen (1 year) R. R. Snyder (1 year)
Assessor, Henry A. Stetler Auditor, Allen V. Steffy Constable, Jacob K. Graeff
School Directors, H. M. Fry (3 years) A. H. Schroeder (3 years) Max Reimer (2 years) Frank Leinbach (2 years) Robert C. Rahn (1 year) John Stroup (1 year)
Judge of Election, Charles M. Huber Inspectors, Eugene Bowers George Brossman
At this election, the electors voted in favor of making a debt for local improvements (95 having voted for it and 19 against it).
then continued as the president. Charles M. Hu- ber has served as clerk of the council since 1906.
The justices of the peace for the borough were elected in February, 1907, for five years : Charles M. Huber and A. B. Madeira.
Thomas V. Willson officiated as treasurer from 1906 to 1909 ; and Prof. Henry Y. Stoner was elect- ed to succeed him.
The second chief burgess was elected in 1909, Horace G. Riegner, to serve three years.
BOROUGH OFFICIALS-1909 . -
-
Auditors, Allen V. Steffy W. C. Loehrig Paul Moyer
Assessor, Henry A. Stetler
Collector, A. I. Torbert Justices of the Peace, Charles M. Huber
A. B. Madeira
Constable, Jacob R. Graeff
Board of Health, Gustav Oberlaender, President Thomas V. Willson, Secretary Dr. C. E. Lerch
John Stroup Norman Wamsher
Lender Trickel, Health Officer
INDUSTRIES
Textile Machine Works .- The most important in- dustry in Wyomissing is the large plant of the Tex- tile Machine Works, operating a pattern shop, foun- dry, and machine shop, and employing over three hundred hands. In 1892, Ferdinand Thun and Hen- ry K. Janssen, after having been employed in New York City for several years, located at Reading and established a small machine shop in a rented build- ing at Nos. 220 and 222 Cedar street, for the man- ufacture of braiding machines. They started with about a dozen hands, but in a few years increased their business to such an extent that they employed from forty to fifty hands and their quarters in town becoming too small another location with greater facilities was necessary. They selected a site at Wyomissing along the Lebanon Valley railroad and secured a tract of several acres of land where the Van Reed road crosses the railroad and there they erected a large, substantial building, 45 feet wide by 225 feet long, and a two-story office-building ad- joining. which enabled them to employ over one hundred hands.
In the organization of the town council, Ferdi- nand Thun was chosen president, and he filled this When the business was organized in 1892, the position until his re-election to council in 1909, and braid industry in this country was comparatively
Chief Burgess, Horace Riegner
John G. Reigner
George H. Hoffman Elias Y. Johnson Robert F. Kinzer
Allen V. Steffy
Ernst Kolditz
George A. Stely
Harry Smith George Schmidt Frank Shappel
School Board, Robert Carl Rahn, President
Harry Weik Harvey Noecker
William Vanreed
John McNabb John Stroup
Lewis C. Hulshizer Charles M. Huber
Adam Ruth
284
HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
unimportant. Mr. Thun had for four years prior ted States. It makes a specialty of silk shoe and to 1892 been the superintendent of the Sutro Broth- corset laces, using exclusively machines built by the Textile Machine Works. ers Braid Company factory in New York City, and had become thoroughly familiar with the manufac- Across the public road, on Frill avenue, there is situated one of the finest factory buildings in Berks county. It was built for the Berkshire Knitting Mills, being constructed of dark red-faced shale bricks with elaborate terra-cotta ornamentations. It is three stories high, with a basement for yarn storage. The dimensions of the building are 84 feet wide by 180 feet long. In addition to the main building, there is a one-story building 80 feet by 150 feet, used for dyeing, boarding and pressing. ture of high-grade braids and dress trimmings. Mr. Janssen had been in the employ of the Castle Braid Company of Brooklyn, N. Y., as the foreman of their machine shop, and had been the first builder of braiding machinery of the German system in the United States. When the partnership of Thun & Janssen was formed, it was done with the idea of supplying the demands for high-grade machin- ery for manufacturing braids and dress trimmings in this country to a growing business. Previously, These three industries at Wyomissing together employ nearly eight hundred hands and their com- bined pay rolls amount to over $350,000 annually. this class of machines had always been imported from Barmen, Germany, from which place both Mr. Thun and Mr. Janssen came originally.
During the first fifteen years, a great many new factories for braids, dress trimmings, millinery trimmings, laces, etc., were established in the Uni- ' ted States, and all of them, without exception, were supplied with machinery from their plant, known as the Textile Machine Works (Inc.). A thor- ough knowledge of the needs of the business en- abled this company to make important improve- ments in the construction of the machines and to produce a great variety of new patented machines upon which new lines of business were built up. The millinery braid business, for instance, is only twelve years old and today nearly all the hats worn by lad- ies are manufactured on braiding machines, or rather, are made out of braids produced almost exclusively on machines built by this establish- ment. The concern owns over twenty patents cov- ering new machines or elements thereof, and it is the recognized headquarters for braiding ma- chines and auxiliaries used in the manufacture of dress and millinery trimmings.
In 1900, a large addition to the original plant was built, extending the main building to a width of 105 feet, so as to embrace a main erecting floor, and basement used for storage. A foundry was also erected in which an average of five thousand pounds of castings were made daily for the construc- tion of textile machinery. At that time, the manufacture of "full-fashioned" knitting-machines was commenced, an industry also entirely new in the United States. On this machine, the highest grade of hosiery is manufactured. It is the ma- chine invented about sixty years ago in England, and afterward sent to Chemnitz, Germany, and up- on it the entire British and German hosiery trade has been founded. The production of this depart- ment is about equal to that of the braiding ma- chines.
In 1903, a large factory building. 50 feet by 200 feet, four stories high, was erected, of re-inforced concrete construction. This building is partially used by some of the departments of the Textile Ma- of the factory, Ferdinand Thun is treasurer of chine Works, but the other floors are occupied by the Narrow Fabric Company, which is the largest manufacturer of high-grade shoe laces in the Uni-
Another important product of the Textile Ma- chine Works is machinery for insulating electrical wires. The principal machines used for this pur- pose are braiding machines, similar to machines used by trimming industries, but specially adapted for handling wires and covering the same with insu- lating materials. The Textile Machine Works have succeeded in introducing their machines into all the important plants which make insulating wires in the United States and they have won the reputation of making the best grade of machinery of this kind. They also manufacture cabling machinery, rubber covering machines for electrical wires, telephone cord machines, and a great variety of special ma- chinery for insulating copper wires and cables which are used by the electrical industries.
Narrow Fabric Company .- This company was in- corporated under the laws of Pennsylvania in 1900, by Ferdinand Thun, Henry K. Janssen and Harry Feder of New York City, and was started in Read- ing in the building formerly occupied by the Acme Bicycle Works at No. 920 Court street. In 1904 the plant was removed to Wyomissing, in order to secure more room, the plant having outgrown the limited dimensions of the Court street factory.
The main product consists of shoe laces, and only the highest grade is made. A large portion of its product consists of silk laces which are used for low shoes, but a great many skirt braids are made, which can be found on sale in nearly every retail store in the country. The factory is a model plant, inasmuch as the machinery is driven electrically by direct-connected motors. There is not a belt in the building, and everything is scrupulously clean.
The company employs much female help, drawn largely from the surrounding country (West Read- ing, Sinking Spring and Wernersville). Commodi- ous wash-rooms and dining-rooms are provided for the comfort of the employees, the management de- siring to have the equipment of the factory unsur- passed by any of the textile plants in this part of the State. Howard M. Fry is the superintendent the company, and Harry Feder is president.
Berkshire Knitting-Mills .-- This company was in- corporated under the laws of Pennsylvania in 1906,
BOROUGHS
for the purpose of manufacturing the highest class erected for the convenience of the people who were of "full-fashioned" hosiery (ladies' and men's half- employed in the factories established along the creek, hose) and it met with marked success immediately. and the thriving settlement came to be known as In April, 1906, Gustav Oberlaender (of Indian- apolis, Ind.) became a stockholder and director and he has since been serving as secretary, treasurer and general manager.
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