A stranger visiting Newport will find
in Messrs. Wilmans Bros, live, energetic
and wide-awake business men, always
ready to assist a home-seeker in locating
within their midst. Their horses and
carriages and#time are always at the
disposal of the stranger for this pur
pose.
One of the chief sources of wealth to
Newport has been her lumber interests,
and one of the largest concerns em
braced under this line of manufactures
in this section has been the stave factory
in this city of the Poivl-Decker Manu
facturing Company. The active head of
the company, Captain George W.
Decker, is a native of Catskill, N. Y.,
and is a man who “does things,” which
of Newport and Black Rock. A recent
investment of the company is 109,00c
acres of hardwood timber lands in
Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, where a
number of stave and saw mills are al
ready at work. To look after this in
vestment, Mr. Hess has recently moved
his family to Marksville, La.
Mr. Hite was born in Nashville, Tenn,
He came to Arkansas in 1880. He
served as county clerk at Pine Bluff
eight years. He came to Newport ten
years ago and opened a general real
estate and loan office. He was city en
gineer and street commissioner for New
port for two years. He represents the
People’s Building and Loan of Little
Rock, and is the local loan agent for the
izing this municipality and was honored
with election to the school board of this
district. Though an aggressive Repub
lican, he overcame a Democratic major
ity of 1,000 in 1886 in election to the
Legislature. He was instrumental in
securing the capital for our first bank,
our water system and many other enter
prises. The many triumphs of his public
spirit make a lasting record of his serv
ice for this city, and the credit for his
good work is manifest in the popularity
of Mr. Remmel in his old home. He has
been honored by his party in this state
with its highest gift, twice the standard
bearer in gubernatorial campaigns, the
nominee for senator, state chairman and
a delegate to several national conven
tions. He enjoys the lucrative and re
sponsible position of state manager for
the Mutual Life Insurance Company and
is president of the Mercantile Trust
Company of Little Rock. Mr. Remmel
has a 500-acre farm just below town, a
part of which has been platted and is
within the corporate limits, protected by
Capt. J. E. Wilmans—Father of the Firm.
company deals not only in farm land,
but timber land also. Within the past
three years they have located the Muir
head Shingle Company at Newport,
which employs a large force of men;
Wilkins-Luce Lumber Company at
Grubbs, Jackson County, which has a
large mill and a big crew—this com
pany alone bought 5,000 acres of timber
land; the Pierce Lumber Company, of
Olyphant, which is now operating on a
large scale, running night and day; the
Kimball Lumber Company of St. Louis,
which had a mill at Grubbs; also sold
the Sedgwick Tie Company 4,000 acres
of timber; the Auvergne Land & Lum
f ber Company at Auvergne, to whom
they sold 1,200 acres of land. In addi
tion to these large companies, the New
port Land Company has sold a number
of small tracts in various parts of Jack
son and surrounding counties.
The Wilmans Bros, operate a system of
gins, including one at Diaz, one at Jack
sonport, one at Oil Trough and one on
the Island. This firm alone handles
about 5,000 bales of cotton per year.
Last year they sold $25,000 .worth of
horses and mules and about $30,000
worth of cotton seed.
In connection with their business, this
firm has a large general supply store at
Newport, employing a large force of
clerks and occupying one of the largest
store buildings in the city. During the
past year their mercantile business alone
amounted to $150,000.
The Messrs. Wilmans Bros, are now
operating 7,000 acres of land, most of
which is in cotton. Their land is some
of the best to be found in this section
and will yield from one-half to three
fourths of a bale of cotton to the acre.
The cotton raised is of a good grade of
river bender cotton and brings a good
price. It would be difficult to state the
exact number of men employed by this
large firm, but the number runs into the
hundreds and is constantly being
added to.
While this large business is under the
direct management of the Wilmans
Bros., Mr. J. E. Wilmans, Sr., father of
the boys, is always looked to by them
for counsel and encouragement. He
conies from the best families of Ken
tucky and has always had a careful and
fatherly care over his sons, of whom he
is and has every reason to be proud. .
James Edward Wilmans, Jr.—Mascot.
SA/vocn j Cq -5 /.l.
Pond & Decker Manufacturing Company.
1— view of Yards, Electric Light Plant and Stave Mill. 3—Interior of Light Plant.
2— Electric Light Plant. 4—Stave Factory and vVorkmen.
accounts for his highly successful busi
ness career. For many years his family
were residents of Newport, but they now
make their home in St. Louis. Mr.
Decker continues to be president of the
Bank of Newport and his activity in
local affairs tending to the advancement
of Newport has never lagged. The
Pond-Decker Company has had a most
valuable secretary and treasurer in the
person of Mr. Frank S. Hess, whose
careful and conscientious management
of the many important duties entrusted
to his shoulders have contributed mate
rially to the success of the company’s
varied enterprises. He is ably assisted
by an energetic young man in Mr. F. L.
Reiff. . T „
The Pond-Decker stave mill, L. B.
Young, superintendent, has a capacity
of 5,000,000 whisky barrel staves per
year and employs 200 hands in the fac
tory and forests, which means an annual
payroll of $50,000. The product of the
mill amounts to six or seven hundred
cars of staves per year.
The Pond & Decker Manufacturing
Company owns the controlling interest
in the following companies and Captain
Decker is president of each: Black Rock
Lumber & Cooperage Company; West
ern Cooperage Company, of Kansas
City; Inman-Decker Packet Company,
Union Central Insurance Company of
Cincinnati, Ohio. In connection with
his other business, Mr. Hite has a very
complete set of abstract books of Jack
son County. He is thoroughly ac
quainted with all property that is for
sale in this locality. Those desiring to
either buv or sell land would do well tc
consult Mr. Hite. He will save you
time and money.
Harmon L. Remmel, now of Little
Rock, but a prominent factor and figure
in the earlier growth and progress of
Newport, whose fondness for his old
home brings him back to here exercise
the privileges of citizenship, was born
at Stratford, N. Y., in 1852. Coming to
Newport in 1876, and here under the
firm name of Remmel Bros., and later
the Reinmel-Empie Stave & Cooperage
Company, he engaged extensively in the
manufacture of walnut and hardwood
lumber, the company’s mill being located
on the river front in this city. Mr. Rem
mel was prominently identified in organ
the new levee, also business and other
residence property. He is interested in
the city’s welfare and growth and his
public spirit is ever to be relied upon.
Harmon L. Remmel,
Chairman Republican State Committee.