Hoaglin Factory03

Waupaca Record Leader

August 7, 1924

HAS RAPID GROWTH

HOAGLIN MANUFACTURING CO. OF THIS CITY EXPANDING

BUSINESS STARTED IN 1913

What the Company Now Makes

New Articles to be Put on Market This Fall Are Kitchen Recipe File, Knife Sharpener, and Others

Upon a recent visit to the Hoaglin Manufacturing Company, Shearer St., an interesting conversation developed which has made it possible for the public to know just what Mr. Hoaglin is doing in his factory.

In 1913 Frank L. Hoaglin, associated with George Ritchie, now of Manawa, took out a patent on gasoline funnels, and started the manufacturing of them on a small scale, in the apartments over the post office. It was at this time that he patented the first fly swat, which marked the actual beginning of that industry. In 1916 he completed the present factory, continued to make the funnels and swats, and made wooden handles for many articles, gradually putting them on the market. Efforts to produce a bottle washing device resulted in a most successful manner and that article was also designed, carried out and perfected by Mr. Hoaglin. Everything went along in an up-building way until July 3, 1920, when destruction visited the factory, and everything was totally destroyed by fire, with the exception of a portion of the machinery. Reconstruction was started at once and the products were again placed among the necessary household articles. The fly swat season is considered its best during the months of February and June. During this time, an average of 5,000 swats daily are made ready for the market. The bottle washers are made the year around, and average 3,000 daily. The products are handled entirely through jobbers, such as the Coshocton Specialty Company at Coshocton, Ohio, Lewis F. Dow Company of St. Paul, Minnesota, Standard Advertising and Printing Company at Fort Scott, Kansas, the Grand Rapids Calander Company at Grand Rapids, Michigan, and many others.

The Hoaglin Manufacturing Company is equipped with a saw mill, a printing department, and machinery of all kinds, to turn out completely finished products. Most of the machines are devices which Mr. Hoaglin has made himself, purposely designed for this line of work.

The plant is equipped with a steam heating system which also runs the saw mill. Other special made machines are the automatic screen cutting and stapling machines. In connection with the saw mil department, the farmers find an ever ready market when bringing logs in for their own personal use.

Mr. Hoaglin is still in the experimental stage, and owing to his untiring energy and ability, has a number of additional articles which he will put on the market this fall, patents having been received upon application. A kitchen recipe file, a knife sharpener and a gasoline gauge are three articles which will be ready for distribution before autumn. The making of lawn seats and benches is another product which has just been started.

In conclusion it can be said that Mr. Hoaglin no doubt has many other applications in mind that the public knows nothing about, which will gradually be manufactured and placed on the market.