Local Folk Jump at Chance to Back Knitting Mill, Aug. 5, 1919

From The Monroe Journal, Aug. 5, 1919

Mr. Iceman to Erect Knitting Mill to Cost Nearly $200,000. . . Will Employ 150 High Class Skilled Wormen. . . May be Followed by Half Million Dollar Gingham Mill

Application for a charter for the Iceman Knitting Mills, a $150,000 corporation, with the privilege of increasing to $300,000, was made this morning. The mill will be located on the Davis Gold Mine road near the Southern Power station at Icemorlee and will manufacture underwear.

At a meeting of the business men in the Chamber Commerce yesterday morning, Mayor Sikes stated the object of the meeting and introduced Mr. Charles Iceman. Mr. Iceman, who is just back from Baltimore and points north where he studied mill conditions and outlook, told those present that the erection of a mill at the present time would cost more than twice as much as one a few years previous but if the men of the city would lend him their support and cooperation he would feel justified in proceeding with the erection of a mill. It was then voted unanimously to back Mr. Iceman in the enterprise. Mr. T.P. Dillon presided at the meeting and Miss Belle Pointer acted as secretary.

Work on the erection of the mill will start as soon as possible. A railway official from Hamlet will be summoned this afternoon to lay out a side track to the site. The buildings will be about 70 feet wide and 180 feet long and it is planned to use concrete construction throughout. It will be of the latest architecture in its style and a model in sanitation and good working condition.

A higher grade of labor is required for the operation of a knitting mill and around 150 operatives will be employed. When the mill first begins operation a number of skilled workmen will be brought from New England to instruct classes in the operation of the machinery. It is thought that a number of the operatives will make their home in Monroe.

The promoters of the mill are already making efforts to secure the improvement of the road to the mill in order that the hauling of material to it from the city may be made with the least difficulty. It is pointed out that the sum which the county will receive from the corporation in the form of taxes in one year will put the road in first class condition.

In the erection of a mill for the manufacture of underwear a new branch of textile work for this section is started. Already Mr. Iceman and the other leaders of the enterprise have contracted with the Icemorelee Cotton mill, located several hundred yards from the site on which the new bill is to be erected for all yarn to be used in turning out of their product. The Icemorelee mill agreed to furnish the necessary yarn at net cost.

Mr. Charles Iceman heads the enterprise. Common stock to the amount of $100, 000 and $50,000 worth of preferred have already been subscribed. Later the stock may be increased to $300,000. The subscription books are open at the office of Mr. J.C. Sikes.

Following are the ones who have subscribed for stock: Lee & Lee, H.E. Lee, Fowler & Lee, Mrs. J.W. Fowler, S.O. Blair, Miss Anna Blair, Miss Mary Blair, English Drug Co., J.R. English estate, N.C. English, R.W. Allen, R.A. Morrow, R.A. Morrow Jr., Julian Griffin, Miss Bertha Smith, J.W. Laney, W.M. Gordon, T.P. Dillon, C.H. Hough, R.V. Lockhart, A.M. Secrest, F.G. Henderson, G.B. Nance, J.M. Belk, N.W. Tharp, Grier Robinson, W.H. Norwood, Mrs. J.B. Eubanks, Miss Allie Horn, J.E. Ashcraft, W.D. Flow, R. Phifer, Mrs. C.W. Bruner, Mrs. Ola Clary, W.D. Crow, J.J. Crow, E.W. Crow, W.A. Redfearn, N.M. Redfearn, J.T. Griffith, Mrs. James A. Stewart, D.L. Middleton, J.A. Roland, Miss Belle Pointer, Mrs. N.G. Russell, Mrs. J.W. Rawlings, C.C. Sikes, John C. Sikes and Charles Iceman.

The building of the Iceman mills will probably mark the beginning of a new era of mill construction in Monroe. There is already some talk of Mr. Iceman building a half-million dollar gingham mill later on, but nothing authoritative in this connection has been given out for publication.

There is general rejoicing that Mr. Iceman has definitely decided to continue making his home in Monroe. Of course he stated immediately after disposing of his interests in the Icemorlee mill that he would remain in Monroe, but that did not keep many Monroe people from worrying over the possibility of him locating elsewhere. Mr. Iceman has done much toward the upbuilding of Monroe, and his fellow citizens attest to their confidence in him by their wild scramble to get stock. The entire issue would have been sold before this had not some of the promoters been under the impression that the capital stock would be limited to $100,000. Mr. Sikes stated to The Journal that as soon as the rumor spread that Mr. Iceman would erect a new mill people were swarming at his door clamoring for stock.