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A building that eventually became the property of the Mayer Pottery Company and that was destroyed by fire September 1931 had a rather interesting history. For many years it spanned the canal which furnished the water power for the old cutlery and other plants along the Beaver River, including for a time the Union Drawn Steel Company. The building was known at one time as the coffin factory. Burial caskets were manufactured there.
Many years ago the building was also used by the Moltrup brothers, William and Stephen. Three or four men worked in a small room of the building patting into shape small parts of cold drawn steel such as dies, keys and finished steel used in the construction of elevators.
Later on, the building was abandoned and a
company organized under the name of the Standard Gauge Steel Company
took over, following the building of a still larger plant on First
Avenue, J. T. Moltrup and Walter Moltrup became members of the
company which proved to be one of the town's most important industries.
During World War I between 1200 and 1500 men were employed in
the plant. Thus from an exceedingly small star in a small building
there was established a great industry.