Untitled Document

THE KEWANEE WATER SUPPLY COMPANY.

Mr. Xenophon Caverno commenced the sale of pneumatic water supply goods in the year 1897, under the name of Kewanee Pneumatic Supply Company. The business was continued in this way until 1902, when the Kewanee Pneumatic Water Supply Company was incorporated with a capital stock of ten thousand dollars, the incorporators being Xenophon Caverno, C. H. Pratt and B. C. Parkinson. In 1905, the name was changed to the Kewanee Water Supply Company, and the capital stock was increased to fifty thousand dollars. In 1907 the capital stock was increased to two hundred thousand dollars, and the present officers are as follows: president, Xenophon Caverno; vice-president, A. W. Errett, Jr.; secretary and treasurer, C. A. Sheldon. The increase in capital stock corresponds closely with the increase in business.

For a number of years it was the policy of the company to have all of their material manufactured especially for the company by outside manufacturers. In 1904, the company built the present office and testing laboratory, a machine shop being built in 1905, and a warehouse in 1906. Since the building of this plant, the company has been developing a line of small power pumping machinery of a quality never before attempted in machinery of its size, the design being made as perfect as possible, and everything being made of the best possible grade of material and workmanship, and with a view to permanence of con struction, the motto being, "Small machinery built as well as large machinery."

A very extensive campaign of advertising was inaugurated, which has advertised the name "Kewanee" all over the world, until now the "Kewanee" system of water supply is known wherever periodicals are read, outfits being shipped to nearly all of the foreign countries. The pneumatic system of water supply, particularly for houses and institutions, has been developed- very largely by the Kewanee Water Supply Company. This system has been copied to a certain extent, but it was the Kewanee Company which caused the general discarding of the elevated tank, and started the use of the pneumatic system.in 1906 an office was established in New York, and in 1907 offices were established in Chicago and Pittsburg.

This company does not give out figures as to the volume of business, but it is not difficult for one to observe that this volume is growing from day to day and the name "Kewanee" suggests to a great many people in various parts of the world a city of which they know only through the products of this company.

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