Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/708

 620 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY and financial, to overcome before they attained the success of which they can boast today. The Red Wing Union Stoneware Company has an invested capital of $500,000, employs about 250 people, and makes an annual shipment of something like 45,000 tons. It is a consoli- dation of the Red Wing Stoneware and the Minnesota Stoneware companies, and operates the plants erected by those two com- panies before consolidation, on West Main street, situated near the Mississippi river and on the lines of the C. M. & St. Paul and the Great Western. The officers of the company are: President, E. S. Hoyt; vice president, O. M. Hall; secretary, A. A. Page; treasurer, T. R. Bjorngaard. The Red Wing Stoneware Company had its real beginning on February 8, 1877, when a meeting of citizens was held in the city council rooms to consider 1 the subject of the organization of a company for the manufacture of stoneware in the city of Red Wing. A decision favorable to such an enterprise having been reached, a committee consisting of B. B. Herbert, F. AY. Hoyt and E. AY. Brooks was appointed to prepare articles of incorporation; and C. ('. Webster and B. B. Herbert were ap- pointed a committee to solicit subscriptions to stock. On Febru- ary !>. articles of incorporation were signed, fixing the capital stock of the new company at $10,000, divided into share of $50 each. A meeting of subscribers to the capital stock was called on February 10, and Peter Daniels. E. AY. Brooks, C. C. Webster, F. AY. Hoyt, Charles Brink, B. B. Herbert and D. C. Hill were chosen the firsl board of directors. <>n February 21 the board met and perfected an organization by the election of the follow- ing officers: President. P. Daniels; treasurer, ('. ('. AYebster; se( retary, l>. B. Herbert. On September ">1 Air. AYebster re- signed his office as treasurer and A. -I. .Meachani was elected in Ins place. The first six months after the organization of the company was devoted to experimenting upon the manufacture of stoneware with a small kiln and works purchased from D. Hallem. Early in August, of the same year, the board com- menced grading for the foundation of the present works of the company, and on January 1, 1878. the buildings, kilns and ma- chinery were ready for the manufacture of stoneware on an extensive scale. The Minnesota Stoneware Company, organized in 1883. erected buildings in the immediate neighborhood of the older concern, and at the time of the consolidation was enjoying a prosperous business. The product of the stoneware works consists of all varieties of ware, from tiny brown jugs to milk pans and great butter jars and water refrigerators. The clay, which is brought from