Historical souvenir of Greenville, Illinois : being a ... - University Library

104 Historical Souvenir of Greenville, Illinois.
The Helvetia MilK Con=
c} densing Company el
The plant is well located in regard
to trackage facilites, drainage and
sanitary surroundings. The buildings
consist of a power house, the
condensing plant proper, canmaking
department and a number of
warehouses for the storage of metals,
box lumber and the finished
product. They are all substantial
structures, mostly two stories high,
and cover over two acres of ground.
The machinery in every department
is of the latest construction, and
several of the apparatus used have
been built according to plans original
with the Company or persons
connected therewith. A striking
feature noticed by the visitors is the
neatness and cleanliness which prevails
throughout the plant. It was
established in 1S99. and several additions
have since been made, so
that now it has sufficient capacity
for handling about 125,000 pounds
of milk daily. The investment in
buildings, machinery and materials
is about $100, noo, and the average
monthly expenditures for milk and
labor is about $2(>,000. The p-oduct
is consumed principally within
the United States, but it is also
shipped to all parts of the world,
including the Islands of the Seas.
You cannot travel in any country
with exception of some parts of
Europe where you do not find it.
The plant has been in charge of its
present Manager, Mr. Adolph Meyer,
ever since it was established. The
main office of the Company is located
at Highland, 111., where the
Company was organized in 1SS.5,
and where its magnificent home
plant is located. It also operates
a third plant at Delta, Ohio.
The Company was organized by
some of the leading business men
in Highland, in 1885. Its first
board of directors consisted of Dr.
John B. Knoebel, President: John
Wildi, Secretary and Treasurer;
Louis Latzer, Fritz Kaeser and Geo.
Roth, Members, but for many years
up to this date the board of directors
has been composed as fo'lows:
Louis Latzer, President: Fritz
Kaeser, Vice President: John Wildi,
Secretary and Treasurer; Adolph
Meyer and C. W. Buck, Members.
of getting into the bucket to go
down to the bottom of the well in
the southeast corner of the square,
when the rope parted and he was
precipitated to the bottom, a distance
of 82 feet. When Gray was
taken out he was still alive but he
died the next day in great agony.
A hoy by name Cornelius Hildreth
fell into the well at the crossing of
SixHi and Main and was instantly
killed.
In 1S49 another well was dug in
Rear View of a Portion of the Helvetia Milk Conden.sine Plant.
.\d()Lph Meyer,
Manager of the Greenville Plant of
the Helvetia Milk Condensing
Compaiiv.
the orchard between the J. P. Garland
property and the home of Rev.
Stafford, on Second street. Seven
men formed a company and dug to
a depth of 75 feet, when the sand
caved in, the cholera epidemic came
and the laborers fled the town,
leaving Mr. Garland to finish the
work himself.