The Holyoke Company, Incorporated, remained at 439 Dwight Street in the Prentiss Wire building until 1926. The failure of the Century Machinery Company at 720 Main Street, at the corner of Stebbins Street, created an opportunity for expansion for the Holyoke Company, Inc.
The timing of the available space proved fortuitous, as there was talk of the company moving from Holyoke. William K. Marshall, the corporate Vice-President, had opposed the idea.
Joseph Ranger was the successful bidder at the bankruptcy auction for this property, and shortly after his acquisition, he sold it to Holyoke Company Inc. in January 1926. It would take several months for the company to relocate all its equipment and machinery from Dwight Street to Main Street. The Main Street plant had 32,000 square feet of floor space, double the size of the former location.
Holyoke Company produced 6 tons of covered wire goods daily, a figure expected to double at its new location. All of the raw materials the company used originated in Holyoke, and its finished products were entirely exported.
In 1932, the company expanded its production by 50-75% with the manufacture of auto ignition wires. The plant had been operating at a third to half of its full workforce, but with the addition of this contract, it was expected to be at 100-125%. The latest machinery to perform the work was installed in the factory.
In 1936, about 80 workers went out on strike due to a proposed wage cut of 10-15%. The strike was resolved within 24 hours through a labor-management agreement.
On October 21, 1936, Harold T. Smethurst, the company's President and one of its founders in 1910, died. Although he was a New York City resident, he was frequently available at the Holyoke business. He roomed at the Hotel Nonotuck.
In November 1936, the Holyoke Water Power Company announced that it would construct a two-story industrial building on Water Street. The factory was 144 feet long and 60 feet wide. The steel framework contract was awarded to Haarman Steel Company.
Holyoke Water Power leased the entire first floor of the building to Holyoke Company Inc for five years. Holyoke Company, Inc. was operating at full mill capacity at 720 Main Street. There was strong demand for rubber-covered wires for car radios and household use, and securing this additional space was vital for production.
More changes, including a new name, were on the horizon in the late 1930s, and this story will be told in Chapter 3.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican; publication dates and pages are shown.
Ancestry.com (paid subscription): Price & Lee Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories
Massachusetts Cultural and Research Informational System (MACRIS), Boston, Massachusetts
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