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Westclox History from 1930 to 1939

1930

Corporate

General Time Instrument Corporation

formed. holding Company for Western Clock Company and Seth Thomas Company. (Merger of both companies was voted on - 11/12/1930.

(Seth Thomas was established in 1813. Tower Clock in St. Joseph's Church in Peru - is a Seth Thomas Clock.)

Income And Pension Plan -

extended to include General Time New York Office.

Miscellaneous

November 6, 1930 - a Temporary Unemployment Benefit Plan

was put into effect. (Company pioneer in Employee Unemployment Benefit.) - This plan to run until April 23, 1931.

$30,000 - paid out in half-pay through the winter months, as follows --------- (eligibility)

(1) Individuals with 10 years and 500 hours lay-off in preceding 12 month period.

(2) Individuals with 5 years service, 750 hours lay-off in preceding 12 month period.

(3) 2 years service ad 1,000 hours lay-off in preceding 12 month period.

Lowest number of individuals to receive benefits - 61; largest number 378. (Amount of benefits varied from a few cents to $30.00 per day.)

Building - Four-Story

on 5th and Buffalo Streets - completed.

Garage Space

rented for $1.25 per year

Introductions

Tom Thumb (blue, green, rose)

New Auto Clock

Country Club Pocket Watch

LaSalle Series of Clocks (3)

Miscellaneous

(Cont.)

Street Car lines abandoned in 1930 (Tracks were in front of building - Westclox passengers from Utica, Depute, Spring Valley and Ladd used this for transportation to and from work.

H. Cohard worked 9 years without Absentee or Tardiness.

1931

Corporate

General Time Instrument Company - purchased - Hamilton - Sangamo Corporation

which was formed in 1929 by Hamilton Watch Company and Sangamo Electric Company - (Company is producer of Electric Clocks.)

Introduction

Big Ben Chime (Springwound) (First Big Ben Chime introduced)

Big Ben Electric (#820 and #840) - $12.50

Bantam (Springwound) Green

Mirror Clock (Car) (Pullwind)

LaSalle Series - Three added to Line - making 6LaSelle Series.

Employees

O. J. Senftleben - Master Mechanic - Retired with 41 years service. Was from Kenosha, Wisconsin - started in July 16, 1891 as a toolmaker. Superintendent of Tool Department until 1925 - Master Mechanic in 1925, until retirement.

1932

Corporate

(F.W. Matthiessen, Jr. -Resigned late 1931)

R. H. Matthiessen -President and General Manager
H. E. Hackman - Chairman of Board of Directors
W. S. Hawthorne - 1st Vice President
Arnold Wilson - 2nd Vice President
Paul R. Beeby - Works Manager
E. M. Greene, Jr. - General Sales Manager
E. C. Roth -Secretary and Treasurer
R. L. Hughes - Assistant Secretary & Assistant Treasurer
L. J. Stewart - Comptroller
John H. Schmidt - 1st Assistant Comptroller
Homer Cook - Assistant Comptroller
A. J. Hasselman - Superintendent (formerly Assistant Super.)
A. H. Neureuther - Consulting Engineer (formerly Chief Engineer)
J. A. Reinhardt - Chief Engineer (formerly Assistant Chief Engineer)

Directors -

(Re-elected ) - R. H. Matthiessen (N.Y.) , H. E. hackman (Peru, Ill.) W. S. Hawthorne (Peru), A. J. Wilson (LaSalle) , R. L. Hughes (Peru) , J. D. Lent (Peru) , M. F. Gallagher (Chicago) , S. F. Ferguson (N. Y.), E. C. Roth (Peru)

June 14 - Arnold J. Wilson - General Manager
Donald J. Hawthorne - Works Manager (st.1923)

Miscellaneous

Vacation Pay

Due to reverse business conditions, vacation pay for salaried and non salaried employees discontinued this year.

Work Force Reduced

Temporary Unemployment Benefit Plan

extended (see next page)

Introductions

Baby Ben base model - $2.95 Pl., $3.95 Lum Kitchen Wall Clock introduced
America - $1.50 (ring top) Green, white
Sleepmeter- 2.00 (Button Knob top)
Ben Hur - 2.50 (convex lens-glass)
America Electric Alarm - buzzer type - $1.95
Black Knight - $1.95 lum - 32 hours. - dropped 1936
New Bantam - $1.00 base model - 66 movement - $1.00
New Pocket Ben $1.50 - thinner, silver plated dial
New Dax Pocket Watch

Completed 1932 - without a lost time accident

Temporary Unemployment Benefit Plan

For more stable employees - 6 months unemployment at 1/2 pay (extended). Gained National recognition from all Industrial Companies.

Winter of 1932 - Minimum 1/2 pay to permanent, stable employees. $50,000 spent from a fund that had been set aside for this purpose.

1933

Corporate

Sterling Watch Company

made Division of Western Clock Company Manufactured autoclocks and electric clocks.

Vacation

with no pay because of business conditions.

Seth Thomas

Charles Gillman made General Manager of Seth Thomas.

Miscellaneous

Tennis Club

organized (Officers - E. McInerney -Chairman, Luella Keutzer - Sec.; Liela Loekle - Treasurer)

Giant Clock

42" High and 300 pounds - made in the Engineering department for display at the World's Fair (Tone of Big Ben Chime Alarm.)

Peru

Charles Toellen (of the Tool Dept) - elected Mayor (started with Company 1904)

Deceased

F. L. Hackman - Superintendent Industrial Relations - died 11/33 - (started at Westclox 11/1/1895)

Employees

Lowest level of employment during depression - 1779.

July 1 - 1908.

Introductions

Hustler Alarm (blue; green) - $1.19

Lookout Alarm (nickel/black; green)

Thinner Pocket Watch (Pocket Ben) - $1.50

America (Green w/nickel bezel) - $1.50

Siesta - $2.95

Ben Bolt (Electric) - $2.95

Fortune (Black) - $1.25

Hand Bag Watch - $2.95

1934

Employees

2,312

Safety Record

2 years - no lost time accidents - Bonus given employees - Half-holiday with pay.

Introductions

Pull Wind Auto Mirror Clock (one-day mov't - $2.95)

New Monitor (30 hours with one winding) (round, leg model, 30 hr. mov't-ringtone only sold to Dealers - dial did not carry Westclox name)

Canada

Canada Plant builds new building - 80 x 100 ft.

1935

Safety Record

February 6, 1935 - 11,114,599.8 hours without a lose time accident - Placed first in nation

Miscellaneous

Peru Centennial Celebrated - Westclox entered a float - "A Westclox in every other home in Peru" was the slogan. Float had a large replica of a Big Ben atop it. Awarded second prize.

Population of Peru - 9,121

Employees from Peru - 950

General Time Corporation - Purchased Stromberg Electric Co.

Introductions

LaSalle Alarm - $3.95 - lum. $4.95
Country Club (Electric clock) - $2.50
Tide (Springwound) - $1.95

Purchased

(by General Time Corporation)

Stromberg Electric Company

R. Culberton - Started Westclox - February 11, 1935 - assigned to Superintendent's office

1936

Employees

2,800

Corporate

Company now known as - Westclox Division

Some of Central Park Property - given to High School

for Athletic Field; and some to City of Peru.

Wages

Increased 7%

Social Security Act

went into effect - 1% deducted from wages.

Christmas Bonus

given December 15, 1936 - One year service & over - two weeks pay

Less than one year - bonus by calendar months.

Miscellaneous

Horseshoe Courts & Softball Diamond

East of Orleans St. and directly West of Office Building

Peru Police

now directing traffic at 12 & 4:30 P.M. - (Westclox employees did this previously)

Employees

R. D. Payton - First Westclox employee to complete 50 years of service.

Started 1/1/1886 at 13 years of age. At that time there were 8 employees, including R. Paton's dad. Daily output of clocks approximately 8 clocks which were delivered daily to Schlichten Dry Goods and given as premiums with $10.00 order. In 1888 - 20 clocks a day.

Mr. Paton received a $1,000 War Bond.

Les Link - Foreman Power Press

Introductions

Wrist Watches first introduced

Wrist Ben $3.95 - production st. 9/35

Electric Clocks - Greenwich Table Clk. - $6.95

Springwound - Fortune Lum, top shut off, Bingo Top Shut Off.

Silent Knight (electric alarm - table clk)

July 14

Temperature reached 113° - for an all time high.

1937

Corporate

H. H. Hulse

has been Patent Attorney General Time

R. R. Warren

elected Assistant Treasurer of Westclox Division

Dr. W. J. Ream

Plant Doctor

Wages

increased 10% (March 1937) - increasing payroll $280,000 to $3,900,000

Vacation

2,474 employees, or approximately 82% on factory payroll will receive whole or part Vacation pay.

Pension Plan

(contributory) - 97% of total employees enrolled in Pension Plan.

Safety Record

held National Safety Record 2/6/35 - 3/22/37 (11, 114, 000 hours)

Miscellaneous

Westclox purchased "Pink Row"

(frame building west of main entrance) for a large parking lot to hold 100 cars.

Foreman's Club

Frame Building used as Foreman's Club to be torn down to make way for new building - Assembly building and Lacquer building.

Club Rooms to be located in the former dormitory - 5th and Orleans St.

Introductions

Clocks In Line

Big Ben Loud Alarm - $2.45 Plain; $3.45 lum.
Big Ben Chime - $3.50 Plain; $4.50 lum.
Baby Ben Quiet Tick- $2.95 Plain; $3.95 lum.
Siesta $2.95
Fortune $1.50 Plain; $1.95 lum.
LaSalle $3.95 Plain; $4.95 lum.
Bingo $1.25
Tide $1.25
Table Clock -round - tilts back $3.95
Handbag Watch $2.95 (disc. 1937)
Wrist Ben $3.95
Pocket Ben $1.50
Dax Pocket Watch $1.25
Pickwick $2.95
Mirror Autoclock $2.95 (Pullwind autoclk-disc193
Electric Wall Clock $3.50
Country Club Electric Alarm $2.50 Plain; $3.45 lum.
Ben Bolt $2.95 Plain; $3.95 lum.
Ben Franklin $5.95
Silent Knight Electric $4.95
Spur $1.65
Pickwick - $2.95 (time clock)(no alarm)
Greenwich (table) $6.95
Wall Clock - electric red, ivory

Formed Westclox Employees Winter Activities Association

Obtained High School gym and swimming pool - membership - $1.00

Men - Indoor Baseball, basketball - teams formed

Ladies- Basketball and Volley Ball - teams formed

Officers

Pres - John Gilligan (Inspection Dept.)
V.P. - Luella Kuetzer (Balance Dept.
Sec. - Leila Loekle (Pers. Statistics)
Treas - George Klein

1938

Employees

Promotions

Adam Currie - Assistant Superintendent
William Richards - " "

Quarter Century Club

Art Smith - elected President of Foremen's Club

Introductions

New

New - Bulls Eye Pocket Watch Lum.
Black Chief Pocket Watch - $1.95

Judge Wrist Watch - $4.95

Belfast Wall Clock - $2.95

In Line

Westclox Dax Pocket Watch - 4.95
Wall Electric
Travalarm (Shutter)
Orb Electric -Table
Big Ben Electric - 4.95
Pittsfield Electric Table $5.95
Spur 1.65

Promotions

Robert D. Paton - Master Mechanic
A. J. Metzinger - Foreman of Mainspring (Emil Frizol - Foreman of Mainspring - retired with 43 yrs of service)

1939

Corporate

Westclox, Ltd., A United Kingdom Subsidiary

formed - interrupted by the War - resumed in 1946 - to produce Clocks and Watches. Muir Glen in charge.

Appointed Directions

D. J. Hawthorne - (Assistant General Manager of Westclox)

F. M. Greene - (General Sales Manager)

Deceased

Clarence Griggs (Ottawa, Ill) - Corporate Attorney since 1907 died 4/24/39.

Formulated outline of operations of Tri-City Hygienic Institute, which was made possible by an endowment by Mr. Matthiessen.

Miscellaneous

Pension Plan

2,710 employees in plan - 97% of work force

Quarter Century Club

294 Active members, 22 associate - total 316 74 employees joined in 1939

First year of Hamilton Wrist Watches were presented for 35 years of service - previously - diamond stick pins were presented

Vacation

2,739 employees to receive one or two weeks vacation pay.

Foreman

R. L. Burch made foreman of the Stock dept. succeeding B. Nelson who died.

Introductions

Leland - glass & chrome table - springwound - $4.95

New Rocket Wrist Watch ---------------- $2.95

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