136 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Feb. 15. 



that does not interfere seriou«ly with onr good 

 will. 



The first firm whom I will introduce will be 

 the G. B. Lewis Co. Their own statement, as 

 is also true of the others, as to the organization 

 and growth of their business, appears with the 

 portraits. 



O. B. LEWIS CO. 



Mr. Root :— Our husineBB was established in 1874 

 by G. B. Lewis, and was conducted by him until 

 1878, when Chas. E. Paiks, his son-in law, came in 

 as a partner. The firm name was changed to Lewis 

 & Paiks, and continued so until 1880, when Mr. 

 Parks retired and went into the lumbering- business 

 in Northern Wisconsin. From 18KI to 1884 the busi- 

 ness was conducted by Mr. Lewis. In 1884 Mr. 

 I'arks sold his lumbeiinginttiest and ag-ain formed 

 a partnership with Mr. Lewis, under the firm name 

 of G. B. Jiewis & Co., under which the business was 

 conducted until the spring of 1890, when the plant 

 was destroyed by flre. The original factory was 

 very small, and was run by water power. In 1886 it 

 was enlarged, and the water power improved, and 

 the plant then consisted of a factory 50x86, 2 stories: 



THE W. T. FALCONER CO. 

 Mr. Riii,t:—The W. T. Falconer Manfg. Co. was 

 started by Merriam & Fiilconrr in 1880, they being 

 then engaged in the niiiimfjicture of sasli, doors, 



W. T. FALCON KK. 



and blinds. But a small busiiuss w;is done by this 

 firm in the way of bee-kcepeis" sui'plies for two or 

 ihree years; but the possibilities of the business 

 were manifest to W. T. Falconer, of tLc Ann; and 

 acting upon this he purchased Lis partner's interest 

 in the supply business and soldoui his interest in 



f. E. PAHKS. 



warehouse 40x80, 2 stories, and lumbei-x aid. In 1890 

 the present plant was put up. It consists of facto- 

 ry 60x120, three stories and basement; engine and 

 boiler-house, and ofBce. In addition to former 

 warehouse another was put up, 100x30, one story. 

 Two additional lumber-yards were purchased, mak- 

 ing three yards, besides which anotliei' j ard was 

 leased from one of the railioad companies. 



In addition to the excellent water power, a 125- 

 horse-power engine was added. The factory is 

 heated with steam, lighted with electricity, and all 

 sawdust and shavings are removed by means of ex- 

 haust pipes connected wit h evei y machine 



After the completion of the plant in 1890 the firm 

 of G. B. Lewis & Co. was merged into a stock com- 

 pany, under the name of The G. B. Lewis Co. This 

 company has a iiaid-up capital stock of $100,000. 

 Mr. G. B Lewis was president. From its organiza- 

 tion until the fall of 1894 the direct management- 

 w;is done by Mr. C. E. Parks; but owing to ill health 

 he was then obliged to ntire. His death in the p e mkuhiij.. 



summer of 1895 left the management in the hands 



of Mr. G. B. Lewis, who is now president and gen- the sash, door, and blind business .lanuary 1. 1883. 

 eral manager. Yours truly. The volume of business inci eased in 1883 over four 



Watertown, Wis. G. B. Lewis Co. times that of 1882, and for some years either trebled 



