History of Lee County, Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY 441
business from the beginning and is the owner of tliiee-fouiths of
the stock. In 1907 1). G. Harvey purchased an interest and is now
vice president and treasurer with J. C. Sehnele as secretary.
George W. Reynokls, a brother of H. (i. Reynohls, entered the
factory in 1897 and has for some time been superintendent of one
of the departments. The concern manufactures window screen
cloth, its output being blaclc painted copper lu'onze and galvanized
screen cloth. They also make wire specialties, including corn
poppers, dy traps, flour sifters, etc. At the time of the organization
the comjoany became interested in the dam and water power at
Dixon and thus operate the mill but also have steam power for
emergencies. All power is converted into electricity through a two
himdred horse power Westinghouse generator. There are individ-
ual motors and the plant is most thorougldy equipped in every
particular. Their factory is foui' stories in height and includes
one hmidred thousand square feet of floor sx^ace. The Imilding in
1911 was rebuilt of reenforc('(l concrete of the flat slab type of
construction. There is spriuklei' equipment for fire, with two
sources of water supply. Emplopnent is furnished to one hundred
and twenty-five people, and the output is sold mostly in the
central west, but extensive shi])ments are also made to the coast
and to the southwest. Something of the notaldy rapid growth of
the business is indicated in the fact that their sales have doubled
in the past two years, now aggregating over five Inuidicil thousand
dollars per annum. Since taking up this liusiness Mr. Reynolds
has concentrated his energies upon administrative direction and
executive control. He has full faith in the enterprise and its
possibilities, and his sound business judgment is shown in its con-
tinuous growth.
In 1884 Mr. Reynolds was united in marriage to Miss Letitia
J. Lyon, of New York city, and they have two daughters: Pauline
Reynolds Harvey, the wife of Douglas G. Harvey, who is acting as
superintendent of the wire factory and resides in Dixon ; and T^ucile
G., at h.ome. Mr. Reynolds holds membership with the Benevolent
Protoetive Order of Elks, and his political s^qnpathies are with the
progressive party. The family attend and are members of the
Episcopal church and are prominent socially. Mr. Re^Tiolds thoroughly
enjoys home life and takes great pleasure in the society
of his family and friends. A man of great natural abilitv. his
success in business from the beginning of his residence in Dixon
has been uniform and rapid. No plan or movement for the bene-
fit of the city along lines of progi'ess and improvement seeks his