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PAGE SEVEN'
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America' s Furniture Metropolis
4
RAMO RAPIDS
F. WA T ER M AN
ads,
not
no-
Inge
mow
fa
1th
roe-
thir
non-
le
• .
'scrip-
:. On
preta-
e fur-
ogium
to be
ig and
a who
such
it of a
mg to
pave-
s that
royed,
les the
diately
collec-
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unit
an ex
hole is
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ids for
tement
llective
di cont.
ie MO
ig wi
that
to wit
Jewis
tKS
In the first place, let me mention
that C,.:ind Rapids is the second
largest city in the state, and of late
it has been growing rapidly. The Jew-
ish community has been advancing
Rh it, as may be understood from
a facts that the membership of
ample Emanuel has approximately
doubled, the religious school enroll-
ent bas been more than quadrupled
d oqr average temple attendance
ykreased many hundred percent.
By LEE H. BIERCE, Secretary Chamber of Commerce.
Over a period of three weeks, which pulleys, folding, paper boxes ,metal
began on Jan. 1 and is to last until belt lacers, sticky tly paper, excelsior,
Jan. 19, Grand Rapids gave evidence chessmen and checkers .
The largest factory in the United
of its leadership in the American fur-
niture market. The factory show- States producing opera chairs, church
pews
and schools seats is located at
rooms and the Exhibition Building
space, which were filled to capacity Grand Rapids.
The
principal manufactured pro-
with interesting displays of an unus-
ual value and merit, gave evidence of ducts outside of furniture are grist
a great community which ranks mill products, machinery and print-
among the leaders in American indus- ing.
The largest individual factory
1 t nal centers.
Spiritual Activity.
Grand Rapids is the forty-seventh makes auto bodies, the next school
Rapids is what I like to call
G
seats, church pews and opera chairs,
.oing city. This need not argest city in the United States and and the next furniture.
liment. There are many ,! the second largest in Michigan, ac-
Among the other products made in
and intellectual creatures cording to the Federal Census of Grand Itapids are knit underwear,
1920. Last September, the popula-
k o spurn the lecture-going habit, h ion was estimated at 150,000.
brass findings, cigars, etc.
t
and perhaps despise it. On the other
The value of the annual manufac-
Organized as a village in 1037 and
hand, when a whole group of people as a city in 1050, the growth of Grand tured output is about $110,000,000.
manifest such an interest, the soil is Rapids has been steady and consis-
The city dues an annual wholesale
ripe for the seeds for some spiritual tent, the stagnation or mushroom per- business of about $65,000,000.
activity. If a man's sole interests iods of development being unknown
The city has a park and playground
are the >ale of belts and the fame of in Grand Rapids history.
within one-half mile of the home of
golf ,you have small chance of in- 1 Grand Rapids is in the southwest- every child.
acing him to concern himself in any ern section of Michigan, about 100
The city has the purest water for
tal way with religion also. In the mlies north of the Inidiana line and general consumption it is possible to
me way, if the people who give the 30 miles east of Lake Michigan, on produce.
ne to a city are given to derisive the banks of the Grand River, which
No state supervised bank has ever
'ckering when anything cultural is flowa through the heart of the city. failed in Grand Rapids.
nest. the rabbi's problem is at Originally there was a fall of 17 feet
The infantile death rate is the low-
extremely difficult. It so hap-1 in the river in one mile at Grand Rap- est of any city of 100,000 population
Lf
ne'that Grand Rapids is an intel- 1 ids and it was front these that the or over in the United States.
ctual community, and one which has I city derived its name. The city is
The death rate from tuberculosis
ItiOated the taste of listening to built up on tooth sides of the river, the is among the lowest of the large cities
oken discourse.
business district being in the valley. of this country.
The city has no slum district and on
Rabbis have asked me if I find any The city is therefore frequently call-
account of its housing and building
rutty in avoiding the danger of ed the "Valley City."
Originally founded by the Dutch, codes none can develop.
king over the heads of my peo-
The Federal Bureau of Ilealth says
I have assured them by way of the city now has 25 per cent of the
cower that there are people in my po pulation foreign born, half of these Grand Rapids is the healthiest city in
the
United States.
the
people
of
Holland,
who
are
mgregation every Sunday morning being
The experts of the Chicago Univer-
ho,ran talk over my head with no prominent in business, politics and th e
sity
say the educational system of
professions.
Originally
a
lumbering
ouble. Not everybody in the city
otholar, but the tone of the corn- center, Grand Rapids has become a Grand Rapids is among the best in the
country.
great
furniture
manufacturing
dis-
unity is intellectual and spiritual,
Association of Commerce.
nd hence the problem of buttressing trict. Notwithstanding the fact that
The Grand Rapists Association of
udaism here resolves itself into that furniture is now made from foreign
Commerce is an organization of busi-
woods,
largely
walnut,
mahogany
and
f adopting, so far as is possible, a
oak, shipped from foreign countries, ness and professional men and women
piritual and intellectual approach.
this industry has prospered until to- similar to the Merchants' Association
City's Organisations.
day there are about 75 furniture fac- of New York City, the Association of
The Jewish community of Grand tories in Grand Rapids.
Commerce of Chicago, the Board of
0 "Five Edges to Serve You"
lipids maintains several organize-
Grand Rapids is the greatest fur- Commerce of Detroit and the Chamber
ions. There are three congregations, niture manufacturing market in the of Commerce of Cleveland, and simi-
lar
organizations
in
all
important
cit-
Talmud Torah, a religious school in world and has the reputation for mak-
onnection with Temple Emanuel, an ing the best the furniture market af- ies of the United States and Canada.
The headquarters of the organiza-
tive and thoroughly efficient char- fords. While Chicago produces the
ble organization, known as the most furniture, with New York sec- tion are in the Grand Rapids Asso-
oiled Jewish Welfare Society, a ond and Grand Rapids third, the ciation of Commerce building at 35-37
Better Lumber Than Our
dies' Auxiliary Society of Temple Grand Rapids furniture ranks among Pearl street, N. W., on the fourth and
fifth floors, where offices, parlors and 0 Lumber Never Grew.
minuet, an active lodge of B'nai the best produced.
'nth and other similar groups. The
The largest factories in the world dining rooms are maintained.
The Grand Rapids anti-Tuberculo-
lision of responsibility is being han- for producing the following articles
al
Mill in Connection.
d, and there is a minimum of are located in Grand Rapids: Re- sis Society, the Social Welfare Asso-
lication of effort. Our problem, frigerators, carpet sweepers, show- ciation, the Infant Feeding Clinic and
the
Grand
Rapids
Welfare
Union
are
oelieve, is not to form more organ- cases, gypsum products, window sash
foils, but rather to permit those
c
have to function unimpeded, so
at they might work for the beat
crests of the community and of
deism.
1 Taylor and G. T. It R.
From people who have lived in this
ty for many years, I have gleaned
i
GRAND RAPIDS
a information that conditions in our
al Jewish organizations were not
=0=t0=01:=00
Is as bright as they are today.
is fair to add, however, that I
"4lso gleaned that the progress
teen fairly steady, and that the
arch has been so far a more or less
tinuous advance. At any rate, it
clear, and he who runs may read,
I t we have finished our foundations
Grand Rapids, and it is the super-
ructure that is being builded.
ue
a
,B. F. EDGE
LUMBER
g
alld
Johnson, Handley, Johnson
Makers of
Bedroom, Dining Room,
Living Room Library
and Hall Furniture
Michigan
Grand Rapids
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Spade's
Bell Main 2604
"Deskitis"
96
Vulcanizing
Shop
The Insidious Enemy of Desk Workers
A Preventative and a Cure
Imionsark
Why does the Arctic Explorer often suffer from Snow Blind-
ness? Why doe, a day on the water in bright sunshine
frequently induce headache? And why do desk workers
find themselves victims of "DESKITIS?"
eCitPice
of the
discriminating
CYtosiess
Science tells us that it is because nature has provided no
protection to the eyes against light reflected from below the
level of vision. The brows, lashes and upper lids automati-
cally adjust themselves to light from other directions. But
glaring reflections from snow, water and desk tops or other
surfaces enter the eye and cause headache, nerve strain and
fatigue.
Desk workers need no longer suffer from this destroyer of
comfort and efficiency, which we term "Deskitis."
Efficiency is at once increased when Gunn Linos are in-
stalled. The eyes and nerves immediately respond to better
treatment.
Lino Tops wear like iron, yet feel like kid—are impervious
to stains and distinctively beautiful in appearance. Made
in Grand Rapids and conceded to be the greatest advance
yet made in Office Equipment.
All Gunn Lino Desks have Lino Tops. We also supply Lino
Tops for Desks in use, Lino Fabric in rolls, or by the yard,
and a full line of Cafeteria Tables and Tops, Counter Tops
and Teacher's Desks.
Catalog and sample of Top mailed on request.
"IT ISN'T A LINO UNLESS IT'S A GUNN"
manDiscuit Co.
Red
Arrow
gasoline
One trial will convince
a You of the merit of this
high grade product.
At the Following Stations:
Fulton and Front
Second and Stockin g
Lincol n and Walker
Monroe and Ann
115 Hall
Burton and Palace
cud and Road of Remens•
branc•
and
Johnson Furniture Co.
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Grand Rapids, Mich.
reed
:A11
GREENHOE-HATCH
FUNERAL DIRECTORS AND LICENSED EMBALMERS
lemirommewoommommo.
1
1
•
Cit.. Phone 66-872
all
East
GOOD li
R g
UMBER
LUMBE
I
7 Fulton St. W.
22
64-400
Bell Phone
M. 49
207
Fulton St.
6
(
•
Cite. Phone
Offices
and Chapel
0==.0.000=0
p .
1.377
ssffsprings of the Association of Com-
merce. The activities along these
lines of endeavor became BO heavy it
Was found necessary to organize the
work separately.
The Michigan Tourist & Resort As-
sociation, which organization is direct-
ly responsibly for advertising West-
ern Michigan as a tourist and resort
region and bringing thousands of
tourists to this territory annually,
was organized by the Grand Rapids
Association of Commerce and the
Western Michigan Development Bur-
eau.
The population of Grand Rapids in-
creased from 1910 to 1920 from 112,-
471 to 137,634, and increase of 25,063.
New industries brought to Grand Rap-
ids directly or indirectly, through the
influence of the Grand Rapids Asso-
ciation of Commerce in the same ten
year period, would support a commun-
ity of 27,000 population.
According to the Federal census of
1910, Grand Rapists ranked second of
all the cities of 100,000 population or
over as to the percentage of home
ownership—Spokane, Wash., ranking
first. In that year 51.3 per cent of
the homes in Spokane were owned by
the people who occupied them, and
47.9 similarity owned in Grand Rap-
ids. All the other cities near the top
of the list were western cities, such as
Oakland, Cal.; Portland, Ore., and
Seattle, Washington.
According to the Federal census of
1920, Grand Itapids again occupies
second position, this time being passed
by DesMoines, Iowa, in which city
51.1 percent of the homes are owned
by the people who occupy them, while
in Grand Rapids the percentage is
50.2 per cent. Not only did we main-
tain our relative position during the
past decade but our percentage in-
creased by 2.3 per cent. Furthermore,
there is only one "western" city in
the first ten in 1020, this city being
Seattle, Wash., which is ninth. The
others among the first ten being To-
ledo and Youngstown, Ohio; Omaha,
Nebr.; Kansas City, Kan.; Reading,
Pa.; Baltimore, Md.; and St. Paul,
Minn.
runes & Madigan
Service Is • Pleasure"
Grand QaDids.Mich.
The Spencer - Duf
Company, Inc.
Designers and Manufacturers of
Fine Upholstered Furniture
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
Factory and General Offices: Grandville Ave. at P. M. R. R. Tracks
Ssissroom: Blodgett Building, Sixth Floor
1
THE GUNN FURNITURE COMPANY
General Offices and Factory—GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
kart Wine and hies Near
55W YORK
LOS AlIGILL3
vs PLUTON FURNITUU Co..
Prim..,
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!IL'
GRAND RAPIDS; THE CAPITAL
OF FURNITURE IN AMERICA
AMERICA'S FINEST AMBULANCE