Look Back: Rotary handles economic development

Case Manufacturing Co., aka the Shirt Factory, shown above in the 1930s, was located on Juliana Street, just above Third Street. The Oil and as Museum has a great display of the firm. (Photo provided by the Oil and Gas Museum)
NEW SHIRT FACTORY SECURED BY ROTARY
Industries Committee Aided by Mr. Lasky Gets New Industry Chautauqua Assured Next Year
At the weekly meeting of the Rotary club held yesterday at the Chancellor Hotel it was announced by O. S. Hawkins, chairman of the Industries Committee of the club, that negotiations had been closed with a New York shirt manufacturer who expects to move at once to this city, and that the committee assisted by Mr. Lasky had secured a five-year lease on the Palace hotel at the northeast corner of Fourth and Market streets for the new concern. The shirt company will occupy the entire building with the exception of the first floor, and alterations not to exceed $7,000 [to the building] are to be made. The company can employ as many as one hundred and fifty women and several men will also place machines in the homes of women desiring to take up the work. The Rotary club has agreed to pay the company $1,500 after it has employed fifty persons and operated six months and after it has operated a year and is employing one hundred persons to pay it $1,000.
Donovan Boiler Works
It was announced by Mr. Hawkins that Hugh Donovan of the Donovan Boiler Works has now acquired almost twice as much land on South Side as he had originally purchased for his expansion and that he had the foundation in for the new plant and would start on the office this week. With the increase in this plant as well as in several others, it will bring more men to this city and it was pointed out that the women of these families will supply the labor at the new shirt factory.
Chautauqua
In a brief address Supt. H.C. Hefner, of the Redpath Chautauqua, spoke in the interests of the Chautauqua and emphasized the fact that an organization such as the Rotary club could do other things for the community as well as to look after the material things of that community. Rev. G.I. Wilson than presented the Chautauqua proposition to the club stating that about 400 tickets had been pledged and it was necessary to get pledges for 300 more to meet next year’s guarantee of $1,750, while it was also necessary to get 50 persons to sign the contract with the Chautauqua people unless some organization would do so. After some discussion it was unanimously voted that the Rotary club underwrite the Chautauqua and take the entire responsibility for it for next year.
The entertainment feature of yesterday’s meeting consisted of several solos by Charles Adams, who directed the Elk Minstrels, and who is appearing this week at the Camden theater, and a story read by Fred M. King, which displayed great fictional powers on the part of the author. Vice-president Vic Garrettson made a plea to the entertainment committee to arrange programs for each meeting. The next regular meeting of the club will take place next Monday at the Chancellor.
The Parkersburg News
July 22, 1919
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Bob Enoch is president of the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society. If you have comments or questions about Look Back items, please contact him at: roberteenoch@gmail.com, or by mail at WCHPS, PO Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102.