HARDWOOD RECORD 



35 



RETOKT HUUSK OF CHKMICAL I'LANT AT HACKLEV. 



CHARCOAL AS IT COMKS FROM 'J'HE COUI.ICRS. 



in which tlie eordwood is loaded on steel 

 ears as it is switched into the retorts for 

 reduction into charcoal. The picture along- 

 side shows the cars of charcoal as they arr 

 released from the second set of coolers. It 

 will be noted that the bulk of the wood has 

 been reduced about one-half in its char- 

 coal form. The charcoal produced by this 

 company, being exclusively of liirch ami 

 hard maple, is regarded as the highest class 

 product made anj'where in the United 

 States and is especially esteemed by pro- 

 ducers of high grade iron. 



The picture of the still house presentnl 

 will convey some idea of the i]nniense sizi' 

 of this structure, which is devoted to tlic 

 rectifying of the crude spirits into wcmd 

 alcohol and the production of acetate nf 

 lime. The picture of the coojierage plant 

 shows the modern character of this struc- 

 ture. The little mid-page picture of one of 

 the company" 's camp cooks was photo- 

 graphed at a tent camp utilized by the coin- 

 |iany for summer work. This is entirely 

 under canvas — cook shanty, sleeping bunks 

 and stables — and is admirable for summer 

 use. The large picture on the eighth page 

 of this sketch shows the modern otfice 

 Imilding of the Michigan Trust Comjiany, 



at Grand Kapids, Mich., wliere the general 

 offices of the Hackley-l'helps-Bonnell (,'om- 

 pany are located. A very handsome suite 

 of seven rooms, on the lifth floor of this 



THE COOK AT A SIM.MEU CAMI'. 



Imilding, is occupied by the Hackley-Phelps- 

 Honnell Company, and the interior of the 

 office of Sales Manager Fish, as shown in 

 rhe illnstration, is typical of the entire 



suite. The company maintains a yard at 

 Grand Eapids, Mich., to take care of the 

 hunv-iip orders of tlie iniiMenius large fur- 

 nitmc jilants at Graml Ka]iiils. and here are 

 stori (1 ;ill \'arieti('s iit* fuiuitui'e woods. 



Tt IS pertinent to speak briefly of the 

 people who have bronght the great Ilackley- 

 Phcl|)S-Bonnell (.'ompany's enterprises to 

 such importance in the hardwood industry. 

 The president of the company is William A. 

 Phelps, whose poi'trait appears as a supple- 

 ment in this issue of Ihe Uakdwood Record. 



Mr. Phelps was Ijorn .at Law-rence. Mich., 

 October 10. 1S44. He w-as raised on a farm, 

 .ind attended the village schools until he was 

 fourteen years old, when he entered the gen- 

 eral store of Chadwick Brothers, where he 

 remained Ave years. The tirst year he re- 

 ceived a salary of $36 per annum, and the last 

 two years this sum was advanced to $50 a 

 month and board. He was next employed in 

 the general store of Abbott & Mauley at De- 

 catur. Mich., where he stayed for the succeed- 

 ing two years. At the age of twenty-one he 

 started in the mercantile business on his own 

 account at Lawrence, Mich. Two years later 

 he sold out and located .a general store at 

 Hartford. Mich., under the name of Phelps 

 & Ooortnough. This establishment was burned 

 out the second year and reorganized under 

 the name of Phelps Brothers, which concern 

 had stores at Hartford and Keeler. Mich. 

 He sold out the Hartford store to his brother 



STILL HOUSE OF THE CHEMICAL PLANT. 



COOPERAclK I'LANT AT HACKLEY. 



