The Early Backus Garage

photo credit: Mary Pierotti Family Collection

McKEAN COUNTY MINER
Thursday, February 9, 1911
BACKUS NOVELTY PLANT WILL SOON EXPAND
This Company Has Purchased The Cut Glass Factory
CAPITAL STOCK RAISED TO $30,000

Will Build Large Fire-Proof Garage On East Side of New Plant - Prospects
Bright for its Being Smethport's Best Industry - All the Stock is Sold.

The Backus Novelty Company has sold all of the $14,100 in stock to increase its paid in capital stock to $30,000, and now the managers are making preparations to increase its business accordingly and late spring or early summer this company will be located in its new plant and will be in readiness to take care of its fast increasing business.

Instead of building an entirely new factory as was the intention when the new issue of stock was offered to the public, Manager J. C. Backus has closed a deal for the purchase of the large building of the Smethport Cut Glass Company on Water street, adjacent to the old plant of the Backus company, and will soon have a force of men at work remodeling this plant for the new factory. In addition to this a large garage will be erected on the east side of this building. This garage will be 50x50 feet, one story high and will be of cement blocks and steel, making it almost absolutely fire proof.

One day last week Manager Backus took the writer through the cut glass plant and pointed out some of his plans for the new plant. The front of the first floor will be somewhat remodeled by putting large modern windows and fitted up into convenient offices for the company, and the remainder of this floor will be divided into assembling, buffing and nickling(?) rooms. The basement will contain the heavy presses and stamping machinery together with the engine room and the stock room. The second floor will probably be used for the wood furniture used in constructing the coat, hat and umbrella racks of the Backus Locking Check system. A substantial freight elevator will be put into the building and the heating system improved, making it one of the most modern and convenient maufacturing plants in this section.

With the additional capital of $14,000 and the new and improved quarters Mr. Backus feels certain that this company will do a profitable business from the very start. Four and a half years ago this company was organized with a capital stock of $12,000 and the marketing of the Backus Locking Check system was started. Besides getting a new commodity on the market and the reverses a new concern of this kind always meets this company has made money and now with a well established trade and the benefit of experience there is every reason to believe that the Backus Novelty Company will be a successful and substantial business enterprise that will be a great benefit to Smethport for years to come.

At the present time this company has enough orders booked and contracts closed to double the force of men as soon as they can get into their new quarters, and inquiries for work of this kind are coming in everyday.

The garage and automobile supply and repair shop will be up to date in every way and will be the most complete in every detail outside of the large cities. This company is selling agents for the Peerless, the Selden, E. M. F. and Flanders cars, and has a nice business started in this line.