Stahl Toy and Novelty Company Making Progress, June 17, 1923

Lane Named to Head “Toy Factory” Board in a Recent Meeting. . . Stahl Toy and Novelty Company Stockholders Elect Board of Directors for Year—Payroll Growing Steadily as Factory’s Output Increases—Now Operating on Capital of $5,500 and Neat Profit Being Turned In

In a meeting of the stockholders of the Stahl Toy and Novelty Company, New Bern’s youngest, and one of its most promising enterprises, held Friday night at the plant on upper Griffith Street, a board of directors was elected, and they in turn named their officers for the ensuing year, with Mr. O.W. Lane, president of the New Bern Banking and Trust Company, chairman.

The board elected by the stockholders was given out as Messrs. Lane, C.A. Seifert, J.J. Tolson, C.M. Holton and K.E. Stahl, and the officers as Mr. Lane, chairman; Mr. Holton, secretary and treasurer, and Mr. Stahl, manager of the plant. Mr. Stahl was the originator of the company, struggling through many difficulties to finally establish his manufacturing idea and winning the confidence of local business men.

Making Profit

The Stahl Company was organized with a capital stock of $25,000, and to date $5,500 of this amount has been paid in. It is the plan of the company to sell enough stock within the next few months to bring its working capital up to $10,000. In the meantime the profits, and officials declare the factory is beginning to turn in a neat substantial profit already, is being put into working capital.

From a working force of three men on December 1 the company’s payroll yesterday included 20 men, and amounted to several hundred dollars. “A year from now we expect to have 200 men on our payroll,” manager Stahl said yesterday.

Organized originally to manufacture toys, the delay in getting underway diverted the purpose of the factory last fall and attention was paid to the manufacturing of other articles. Potato crates, crates for bottled drinks, cabinets, show cases and various other articles have been manufactured. At this time the company has a contract with Dollar Store Company, to furnish all counters and cases for the new Dollar Store in Rocky Mount.

Does Varied Business

Ability to do manufacturing to satisfy many different demands enables the plant to operate full strength at all times. When a contract for potato crates was filled, the show case contract was ready for execution, and so on.

Mr. Stahl said yesterday that the plant would be put to work within another month on the manufacturing of toys for the coming holiday season. He expects to make up 25,000 pieces of one particular toy, he said, and others that promise to be strong sellers this season will be made up before the season. In the meantime the management is looking for toy contracts.

New Bern people are beginning to take a keen interest in the “toy factory” as is evidenced by the number of visitors who drop in to watch Manager Stahl’s ingenious machines cutting the parts for his varied products. The plant is located near the river on lower Avenue A, and the management is always glad to show visitors about the works.

From the front page of The New Bernian, Sunday, June 17, 1923.