SHOE NEWS 1900-1910

August 14, 1904

Shoe trade authorities report that the proportion of button shoes manufactured for the coming season will be larger than ever before and will constitute fully 10% of the total output while last season it was only 2%.  Nearly all the large shoe factories are increasing the output of button shoes.

1904

H. W. Heinrich, vice president of the M. D. Wells Shoe Co., was called on for a few remarks and he stated that Watertown is an ideal spot for factory purposes.  He said his factory started here five years ago with about 37 employees and that now 178 find employment, and that in the near future the capacity would be doubled; that he never in all his experience found a more contended lot of workers . . . that whereas he did not get all he asked from the people in the way of financial encouragement, he was well satisfied with his treatment.

1908

New Home for Wells Shoe Co.  Last week Friday evening the Watertown Realty Co. let the contract for the remodeling of the Woodard-Stone plant in North Water Street, which when completed will be occupied by the Wells Shoe Co. and the working force thereof will be-greatly increased.  The cost of remodeling will be about $5000.  August Hoefs will do the mason work; H. Willenbockel the carpenter work and W. G. Pritzlaff the tinning.  The plumbing and heating contract will be let on Saturday.  This new enterprise has been brought about by the officers of the Advancement Association, and they deserve the thanks and appreciation of the public in general.  When the present plant of the Wells Co. is vacated, which has proven too small for its business, the Advancement Association says it will have no trouble in securing a manufacturing concern to occupy it.