A Battery Factory in the Pines: Newport Bets Its Future on Dry Cells

Newport is to have a new manufacturing establishment that promises to be a valuable addition to the town. The plant is at present capable of turning out 200 cells per day, working a force of five men. It is anticipated that the output will be brought up to 1,000 per day by Sept. 1, and 25 men will then be employed.

A large part of the material employed in the manufacture of the cells comes from the east and will be received in carload shipments. The plant will be in active operation by June 1, and outside orders are already being received.

Mr. Anderson is manager of the Newport Telephone Co. and has taken a leading part in the enterprise; he is one of the most active business men of the town, having given us a telephone service unexcelled anywhere. Mr. Pfeiffer is an electrician of experience, having held positions with the Western Electric Co., of Chicago, and the Voit-Berger Co., of La Crosse. They are capable of building up an industry that will be of great importance to the town, and are doing it without making any noise about it. That the Newport battery factory will grow to be a large institution is the hope of Newport people.

Mr. Pfeiffer is the originator of a new formula for making dry cell batteries, the special features of which are recuperative qualities and a large output. The first battery made by them was started running on Sunday, May 2, and has been running continually ever since — a total of 17,264 [hours] to date — and is still at it, which is surely a remarkable record.

The plant is operated by a five-horsepower engine, equipped with a dynamo to furnish electric lights for their own use. The machinery includes a power forming roll, punch press, mixer and packer. Electric soldering irons will also be used. The building housing the plant is iron clad, 40x54 feet, two stories in height. The laboratory, mixing department, bins and stockroom are located on the second story. The power plant is on the first floor, and the work of assembling the product is done here.

There is but one other plant of this character located west of the Mississippi River, and that is at San Francisco. Practically all of the batteries used in the West are made in the east and are generally about 60 days old when they reach the consumer.