USA > Wisconsin > Racine County > Racine > Racine, belle city of the lakes, and Racine County, Wisconsin : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. II > Part 14
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"Today the home plant at Racine covers about sixty acres, while more ground is being constantly acquired and new buildings are being erected each year. The administration building was commenced in 1902 and com- pleted in 1904, the cost with its equipment being nearly two hundred thousand dollars."
The officers of the company in the year 1916 are: Frank K. Bull, chair- man of the board ; Warren J. Davis, president and treasurer ; E. J. Gittins, vice president ; M. H. Pettit. vice president ; William F. Sawyer, secretary ; Stephen Bull II, assistant secretary ; C. J. Farney, assistant treasurer ; R. P. Howell, assistant treasurer. The direetors, all elected to serve one year, are: Frank K. Bull, Warren J. Davis, E. J. Gittins. M. H. Pettit, William F. Sawyer,
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Stephen Bull. Frederick Robinson, Francis L. Hine, A. O. Choate, W. E. Black and F. W. Stevens. The company has a vice president in charge of sales and four district sales managers, whose headquarters are at the general offices in Racine. It has eighty branch and sub branch houses, all under the direet management of the home office, sixty-six in the United States, scattered over thirty states, seven in Canada, one in Mexico, four in South America and two in Europe, where the company's products are on exhibition and where it carries a stock of repair parts, extras and supplies for quick delivery. Each year the general representatives in charge of these branch houses meet at the home office for a general conference. This meeting affords excellent op- portunity for discussion of the best ways and means to promote the sales of the Case product, and is of such a nature as to infuse in them new enthusi- asm, which they in turn impart to the traveling salesmen who represent their several territories. It is in this splendid organization of the work in every department that the success of the Case Company lies.
The sales organization ineludes also a large number of salaried traveling salesmen, representing the company in various ways in their respective terri- tories. These salesmen have had large experience in the sale of agricultural machines, with all the mechanical details of which they are thoroughly familiar. As a rule they have been in the company's service many years, and are well and favorably known in their respective communities, being in most instances residents thereof. The fact that the salesmen are employed only on a salary basis tends to greater care on their part in their reports on proposed credits. The sales organization is so systematized as to permit close super- vision and direct control from the main executive offices at Racine.
The company's executive officers have grown up in the business and are thoroughly conversant with all its branches; they have large pecuniary inter- ests in its welfare ; they reside at Racine, and give their entire time to the busi- ness of the company. The company manufactures and sells all-steel grain- threshing machines for threshing wheat, oats, barley, rye, buckwheat, elover, rice, seeds, cte., steam traction engines (from 30 to 110 horse-power), kerosene and gasoline tractors, steam road rollers, rock crushers, road graders, ensilage cutters and automobiles. The Case gas tractor has already assumed the same commanding position among its competitors which has been occupied by the ('ase steam tractor for so many years. At the recent power plowing contest in connection with the exposition at Winnipeg, the Case steam and gas tractors accomplished the remarkable record of winning nine out of a possible ten gold medals against all competitors, the steam tractor scoring the highest number of points in all classes. Its limited line of automobiles has been directly profitable to the company and is a valuable addition to its general lines, enabling the company to utilize its sales organization to best advantage.
The steady increase of the company's business is due in part to the extraor- dinary precautions which have always been taken to keep its product up to the highest standard of quality. The company manufactures all its products in its own plants. Rigid laboratory and other tests of raw materials of course are uniformly made. The trade name Case has been before the farmers of the country in connection with agricultural implements for upwards of seventy years; and the growth of the business shows continued and undiminished
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confidence in this company and in the machines which it sponsors. The main plant of the company at Racine is situated on navigable waters, having the advantage of both rail and lake transportation for the receipt of raw material and the distribution of finished products, both the Chicago & North-Western and the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railways having switching facilities. The main plant occupies about forty acres of ground and has more than forty acres of floor space; it is well equipped and modern in all respects and has an annual capacity of four thousand to four thousand five hundred threshers, two thousand five hundred steam engines, two hundred road rollers. two thousand gas tractors, three hundred corn shredders, five hundred hay balers and one thousand one hundred road-making machines. In addition to the main plant, the company owns a most desirable tract of land comprising one hundred acres, just outside the city of Racine, upon which. during 1912 and 1913, suitable buildings were constructed to increase the capacity of the com- pany's main plant. The branch house properties have an actual and an appraised value of about two million six hundred thousand dollars. During the year 1913, a total of one million nine hundred and twenty-three thousand and twenty dollars was expended toward the erection of the new plant above mentioned and in additions and improvements to the main works and motor works.
To insure and maintain a uniform and high standard of quality of all material that enters into the Case product, the chemical and physical labora- tory was installed some years ago. While at no distant date the suggestion that a department of this kind should have a place in the organization of a modern manufacturing plant was met with ridicule, the important advantages resulting from the purchase of material under well defined specifications, and requiring the material to conform to certain conditions and tests therein specified, are now generally conceded. While the purpose for which this laboratory was installed has been accomplished, that of insuring a uniform and high standard of quality of raw and finished material that enters into the construction of the Case product, the results obtained have been found to show that it promotes economy in the operation of the plant. A very important feature of this department is the making of specifications for raw material and devising systematie tests for same. To make a separate specification for all material required an immense amount of testing and research work, but it has been accomplished. One of these specifications forms a part of every contract made by the purchasing department, and on delivery of the goods. if the tests made in the laboratory show that the delivered product falls short of the requirements set forth in these specifications, they are rejected.
A satisfactory test on some kinds of material can only be obtained by means of a physical test, and in such a case no time is wasted on a chemical analysis. In other cases an analysis is the only thing necessary, and no physical test is required to determine the quality. For instance, in testing leather belting no chemistry is needed, unless it is desired to know the tannage or the kind of filler used. The physical test gives the desired results. According to the specifications, single belting must show a tensile strength of not less than seven hundred pounds per inch of width. In the physical laboratory is to be found machinery for testing the tensile strength, breaking strain, shrinkage,
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chill and fracture of cast iron and steel, this machine having a capacity of twenty-five tons. A smaller machine with a capacity of six hundred pounds is used for determining the tensile strength of wire, leather, twine, paper. cotton duck and cloth. Babbitt, and other bearing metals, are tested on a friction machine, which records the friction, rise of temperature or heating pressure, wear, revolutions, and distance traveled. There ae other machines for determining the hardness of cast iron, brass, steel, etc. The bookkeeping system employed in this department is very systematic, and records dating back for years are a valuable feature. One set of books is used for research work, one for manufacturing formulas, one for recording chemical analyses, one for physical tests, and one exclusively for foundry work.
One important part of the work of the laboratory which requires more than the simple making of chemical analyses or physical tests. is in tracing the cause of failures and breakages, and finding a remedy for the trouble. Thus, if a shaft, gear, casting, or other part of a machine prove deefctive. or breaks from some unknown cause, the article is shipped to the laboratory and subjected to a careful examination and test. If the material be poor. and the workmanship not properly done, the workman makes out a report to this effect, and the defective part is replaced free of charge. If the piece submitted for inspection proves to be of good quality. and the workmanship is properly done, the investigation is carried further, and the head chemist or foreman of the department making the part in question is dispatched to the locality where the trouble occurs, and ordered to make a thorough inves- tigation, in order to determine the source. If an unusual strain has been applied, or unlooked for conditions introduced. the investigator is in position to suggest or make the changes necessary to meet such foreign conditions. This is an expensive method but fully repays the company, as it induces the confidence of its customers and tends to improve future work. A volume might be written on this department alone. The thorough and efficient work done in this modern adjunct of the Case organization explains the efficient working and durability of its product.
The total number of the company's employes runs from three thousand to four thousand. An "Employes' Benefit Association" was organized on January 1, 1909, the membership being purely voluntary and confined to the company's employes at Racine. The Association has made steady gains both financially and in membership and has fulfilled the purposes for which it was organized. About seventy-five per cent. of all the Racine employes are now voluntary members. The object of the association is to provide a fund out of which members may receive a specified income while laid up with sickness or disabled by accident, occuring either on or off duty, and out of which specified sums may be paid to the familes of members upon their death. The board of trustees consists of three trustees elected by the employes and three appointed by the company. The company made certain initial cash contributions: the members contribute annually a percentage of their wages, graduated to some extent according to the age of the members and the time of joining, and the company contributes annually a sum equal to one-tenth of the total annual contributions of the members, and agrees to make good any deficit occasioned by extraordinary losses. At the close of the association's last fiscal year. its
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surplus fund was nineteen thousand five hundred and sixty-nine dollars and seventy cents.
At the main plant and south works hospitals are maintained, where a surgeon and trained nurse are in attendance at all times and where free med- ical and surgical treatment is given to employes. At the same time, by proper machinery safeguards and otherwise, the company is doing all in its power to prevent accidents, and pursues a liberal policy toward employes injured in the service, regardless of questions of legal liability. All payments to em- ployes on account of injuries, as well as the company's contributions to the association, are included in cost of manufacturing.
The company has always given proper attention to the subjects of fire protection and insurance. It maintains at its principal plant, night and day. a paid fire department, including suitable apparatus and men, giving their entire time to the patrolling of the plant; it maintains an elaborate sprinkler system approved by the Senior Mutual insurance companies of New England ; through an annunciator system, reports are made by the watchmen every half hour, from the various stations throughout the plant; the plant is examined every three months with reference to fire risk by inspectors appointed by the Senior Mutual insurance companies-a different man each time; the city's central fire engine house is located about eight hundred feet from the center of the company's principal plant ; and withal the company carries blanket and specifie fire insurance, aggregating upwards of nine million dollars, in the Senior Mutual insurance companies of New England.
The history of this gigantic enterprise would be incomplete were there failure to make reference to its trademark, a great old bald eagle known as "Old Abe." This eagle was captured by Chief Sky, a Chippewa Indian, in 1861, on the Flambeau river in Wisconsin, who traded the young bird to Daniel MeCann of Evil Point for a bushel of corn. McCann carried the eagle to Chippewa Falls, where a regiment was just recruiting for the First Wis- consin Battery. Failing to dispose of his bird, he proceeded to Eau Claire and offered the eagle, now full grown and handsome, to what subsequently became Company C of the Eighth or Eagle Regiment. Captain Perkins, after consid- erable hesitation, accepted the volunteer, and the eagle, which was christened Old Abe, was in thirty-six battles. It is said: "At the sound of the regimental bugle he would draw in his head and bend it gracefully in anticipation of the coming shock. When the squadrons rushed into line he would tremble with excitement. When the erash came he would spring up and spread his pinions, uttering inspiring sereams. The intense excitement of the march and battle, the hurrying and frightened populace, roused all the native fire and inspir- ation of this military bird. His appearance was at all times magnificent and picturesque. He was in his glory during battle. It was then that his eye flashed with uncommon lustre. In 1880, when the soldiers' reunion, on a vast scale, was being held in Milwaukee, Old Abe attended, being carried in the procession. General Grant and Old Abe were the honored guests of this military reunion. When the band played he uttered his battle seream. consisting of five or six wild thrilling notes in quick succession. It was a great day for Old Abe. This was his last public appearance." The J. I. Case Threshing Machine Company selected Old Abe as its trade symbol and the
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bird has thus become known throughout the world, just as have the great machines which are manufactured by the company and which have revolution- ized agricultural methods in every civilized land on the face of the globe.
THE WESTERN PRINTING & LITHOGRAPHING COMPANY.
One of the foremost business enterprises of Racine was organized in 1908 and succeeded to the business of John Geller, who had conducted his interests under the name of the Westside Printing Company. He had established the business about 1906, and it was conducted under the original name until 1910, when it was incorporated under the laws of Wisconsin as the Western Print- ing & Lithographing Company. In 1908 E. H. Wadewitz had bought out the Westside Printing Company and admitted William Bell to a partnership, while six months later R. A. Spencer became a member of the firm and after- ward Mr. Bell sold out. In the spring of 1909 C. H. Van Vliet became a partner in the business. The officers of the Westside Printing Company from 1908 until 1910 were: R. A. Spencer, president; E. H. Wadewitz, secretary and treasurer, with A. H. Wadewitz for a short time as vice president. Fol- lowing the incorporation of the business in 1910 the first officers were R. A. Spencer. president: C. H. Van Vliet, vice president ; and E. H. Wadewitz, secretary, treasurer and general manager.
In 1908 the plant was located in the cellar of Dr. Fazen's building on State street, but was removed to Joseph Leichtweih's building at 550 State street, occupying half of that building in 1909. The following year a removal was made to the Dr. Shoop building at 213-227 State street, where they occu- pied the basement and a part of the first floor. The growth of the business caused them to enlarge their quarters in 1911, when they rented a part of the third floor. In 1912 they took over most of the first floor and all of the third floor and in 1913 removed their offices to the second floor and rented the fourth floor, plaeing the lithographing department there. In 1914 they installed electrotyping and engraving departments and took a part of the fifth floor, renting the remainder of that floor in 1915, so that they are now occupying about ninety per cent. of the floor space of the entire building.
In 1916 they bought a large Chicago publishing company which they moved to Raeine. This business is known as the Whitman Publishing Company. More floor space was required and they then leased the entire building for a long term of years. As indicated by these changes. the business has steadily grown and the company has kept abreast with the time by installing modern machinery, having today the largest and most complete printing plant in Wis- consin. containing every department allied to the printing business, from that of engraving to printing and binding.
On August 1, 1916, an advertising agency was organized. This was brought about by a desire to render complete service to its customers, so that the com- pany could analyze a customer's business, point out the weak spots; suggest intelligent ways and means for stimulating the customer's business; handle their publicity; write their advertisements; place their ads with publica-
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tions ; and design, execute and produce direct by mail, advertising literature, thus relieving a customer of all this detail and concentrating this much desired advertising service with one local concern. The advertising agency is known as the Western Advertising Agency.
The Western Printing & Lithographing Company have the latest style linotype and monotype machines, the most up-to-date, efficient automatic presses and automatic binding machinery. They are equipped to specialize in fine book and catalog printing, furnishing the high grade work demanded by automobile and machinery manufacturers.
Their color process printing and offset work have received praise wherever shown. Their patronage now comes to them from all over Wisconsin and many other states and they compete successfully with printers in Chicago and other metropolitan centers. In 1908 the company employed five people, four of whom are still with them. Their employes are all practical men in the business and today on their pay roll are over one hundred and twenty- five names. Over half of these people are skilled workmen and their output shows the most artistic productions brought out by the printing business. Their building is equipped throughout with a sprinkler system and has fire and moisture proof vaults for valuable .plates and engravings.
Among the larger contracts completed by the company was that for over two hundred and twenty thousand portfolios for S. C. Johnson & Son of Racine, produced during the years of 1913, 1914 and 1915. The covers of these portfolios were made of Japanese wood veneer, it required one hundred and twenty-five thousand pieces, twenty by thirty inches, of wood veneer, all imported from Japan, which comprises the largest amount ever brought into the United States of one size and one color. The design of the portfolio was made in the office of the company and this was the largest job of its kind which the company has ever undertaken. For the last seven years they have been printing the Farmers' Catalog of the J. I. Case Plow Works, which is now running over five hundred thousand catalogs per year. This company has printed ten million almanaes for a Chicago-New York concern, making fourteen car loads of books, one machine being operated for eight months on this par- ticular job, automatically printing and folding the work complete. For five years they have been printing the Studebaker almanacs of one million issues each year. They have also printed the Armour Memorandum books for four years, running as high as over two million copies annually.
This business is located in a city that requires much high grade printing and in nine years the company has succeeded in demonstrating to the public that it can meet every requirement in its line. They also publish many chil- dren's books, historical works, novels and other volumes, which are sold under the name of the Whitman Publishing Company, the salesmen traveling from coast to coast.
In 1909 this company took their first job, which amounted to one thousand dollars, and they felt that they were making very substantial advances in so doing. Up to the present time, single contraets amounting to thirty thousand dollars have been handled successfully. Something of the marvelous growth and development of this enterprise is shown by the following figures which give their business in round numbers through successive years: 1908, $6,000;
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1909, $19,000; 1910, $26,000; 1911, $64,000; 1912, $85,000; 1913, $127,000; 1914, $166,000; 1915, $196,000. This shows a consistent and remarkable busi- ness growth, justifying the statement that theirs is one of the most important industrial enterprises of Racine.
JOSEPH MILLER.
Joseph Miller was long numbered among the substantial and valued citizens that Germany furnished to Racine. The consensus of public opinion established his position as one of the foremost citizens here. He early became imbued with the spirit of American enterprise and progress and a laudable ambition prompted his steady progress in business eireles. His activities became an im- portant force in Racine's upbuilding and his record constituted an example well worthy of emulation, showing what could be accomplished through de- termined and persistent effort intelligently directed.
Mr. Miller was born on the 8th of August, 1832, in Niederzer, Rhenish Prussia, his parents being Reiner and Elizabeth (Gramlich) Miller. He en- joyed the educational opportunities offered by the schools in his native country until he reached the age of fifteen, when he came with his parents to the new world, his father having determined to try his fortune on this side of the Atlantic. Accordingly on the 27th of September, 1847, they bade adieu to home and friends and in the latter part of October landed from the sailing vessel Shakespeare at New York. On the 3d of November they left Buffalo on the steamer Saratoga and on the 11th of the same month reached Milwaukee. They went to Racine, attracted by the fact that some of their friends had previously located here, and throughout their remaining days Mr. and Mrs. Reiner Miller continued their residence in Racine.
Joseph Miller, then a youth of fifteen years, entered upon an apprentice- ship with the firm of McDonald & Roby. shoemakers, in the spring of 1848, mastered the trade, was employed for a time as a journeyman and afterward became foreman of the establishment, so continuing until the fall of 1857, when he purchased the business of his former employers. In the purchase of the original stoek he not only used all his savings but was obliged to draw upon his eredit, which even at that early day was considerable. From the beginning the new enterprise prospered under his management and with the growth of the trade he won a position as the foremost representative of the boot and shoe business in Racine. His business continued to develop along substantial lines until January 5, 1866, when he suffered heavy losses through a disastrous fire that wiped out his possessions within a few hours. He was left with nothing but his knowledge of the business which he had gained from considerable experience both in the manufacturing and distributing lines. He resumed operations on a small scale and in 1870 was joined in a partnership by one of his former clerks, A. G. Peil, that association being maintained until 1872, when Mr. Miller sold his interest in the store to his partner with the purpose of devoting his entire attention to the manufacturing business. He resolved never to sacrifice the quality of his goods and the output of the
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