100 Years Ago: Machine shop, factory owned by Harold G. Crane opens on West Church Street

100 Years Ago

July 18, 1924: The new factory building erected on West Church street, near College avenue, by Harold G. Crane for the manufacture of his line of electrical apparatus and bench machines has been completed and much of the machinery has been moved from his shop at the corner of Locust and Front streets. The new building provides 2,400 feet of floor space for actual production work while shipping and storage facilities are provided an equally large basement room. The building is practically fireproof, being of brick and steel construction. Standard industrial wired glass windows afford excellent natural lighting and the elevated position of the structure also makes for perfect ventilation. Operations at the Locust street shop are not to be discontinued, Mr. Crane said today indicating that he would retain that location for the manufacture of some of his finer electrical apparatus, for the making of patterns, woodworking for laboratory testing and for such other work as might be necessary. The enlarged quarters provided in the new building has made possible the addition and installation of much new machinery which will enable Mr. Crane to accept job machine work which he has been unable to handle at his Locust street location. This new feature of the business will be restricted to machine shop work only and will not include work on automobiles. Mr. Crane produces a large quantity of sensitive and precise equipment for college and university laboratory work, bench saws, drills, hand saws, jointers, lathes and motor driven bench machines. He has done considerable work for the government and his testing and detecting appliances are now in use at United States arsenals, proving grounds and schools of fire.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: 100 Years Ago: Machine shop, factory owned by Harold G. Crane opens on West Church Street