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Show Memories of fh 0J Mill linger New and Uied Can for feu money than you think during Aihton't Big Celebration Sale. ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT and to wiff ffco few prkes during Ashfn's Celebration Sale. SUNDAY, MARCH 26, 1972 P. E. Ashton's Marks Mill Centennial Celebration It's just one city block. But its story reflects a century of change and progress in Provo. The Ashtcn Block has always been one of the important business centers in Provo. Today it is the home of one of Provo's largest automobile dealers, the P. E. Ashton Company. For years it was the location of the largest industry in Provo, the Knight Woolen Mills. The Barbizon " - - r- ... . rv"v::v:-- ii -- ;. , " , '.:;itmt' r t . iim' , , j, v . , .. " , jiwi' - i i A j I fv! """'-' ' ,f - THE SAWTOOTH ARCHITECTURE of the P.E. Ashtoo Company Is one of the masterful touches of today's building styles. Bat this structure was bant jvet half a century ago as part of the Knight Woolen Mills. Originally used as a weave shop, the sloping ceilings are designed to let a large amount of light into the building. The shop was one of the few parts of the plant to survive the disastrous fire which occurred in 1918. (See pages 2 and 4 for story and pictures on the fire). Combining the best of Provo's tradition with the most modern business advancements, Ashton's is waiting to give you quality service. building inspectors couldn't find one crack in the two existing buildings which were originally part of the Woolen Mill In 1917 the Knight Woolen Mills employed around 250 people and did a gross business of $622,685. Today, with a total of 73 employees, the P. E. Ashton did a gross of Company $7,300,000 in 1971. The firm sold 2,624 new and used cars during Thanks to this active firm, which is increasing in size and business each year, the Woolen Mills block is still making an important and last year alone and they anticipate selling over 3,000 new cars this year. When P. E. Ashton purchased Company is celebrating the the woolen mills block in 1947, its centennial anniversary of the location, near 200 N. and 203 W., Provo Woolen Mills, an industry was considered to be on the which played an important part outskirts of Provo. Now, with the in the economic history of Provo. growth of the Provo business In 1947, when P. E. Ashton area, it is in the middle of the purchased the block where the current business district Provo Woolen Mills and the old This month Ashton's courthouse stood, the property Centennial Sale will feature old had been standing idle for time prices for' new-tim- e several years. bargains. Hundreds of dollars of savings Since then, the buildings which housed the old Woolen Mills have on a large variety of quality new been remodeled and improved and used cars are currently several times. And recently, available on the Ashton lots and after a thorough inspection, showroom. Corporation, now located on 12th N., also rented buildings on the block for a period of seven yeara This month P. E. Ashton P. E. ASHTON' The Mills' History Is Provo's Story One of the first important manufacturing establishments in the Territory of Utah was the Provo Woolen Mills. Its history reflects the history of Provo, and install machinery and direct its operation. In 1873 the company re- incorporated and became known as the Provo Manufacturing Company. The company's For instance, the idea of stockholders at that time establishing the firm was first included Brigham Young, 3600 in Priesthood shares; A. O. Smoot, 320; Myron mentioned discussions of the IDS Church. Tanner, William 169; In the minutes of a Priesthood Bringhurst, 120; John Taylor, meeting held on June 13, 1869, 252, and Joseph S. Tanner, 120. Utah Stake President A. O. Many others also held shares, Smoot said, "This woolen mill but only 56 per cent of the stock which President Brigham Young was paid up. desires us to build will be a great Changes Name Again blessing to us. We have all the In 1889 the name of the elements, also the artisans here organization was changed, for the manufacture of this time to the again Provo Woolen we need." everything Mills Company. Early ' of Utah. Tlmqanogos Manufacturing called the company Tiinpanogos Manufacturing Company was organized in 1869. - The site chosen for the mill is now the Ashton block. It was chosen because a flour mill, A owned by Lake City, there, and then ran street John Taylor of Salt was already located the Mill Race which along Second West could furnish necessary power. the The buildings were completed in the spring of 1872 at a cos of $155,000. of the For purchase machinery, President Brigham Young advanced over $70,000 in of F. Loughery Philadelphia was engaged to cash. f if -- i . T " - .i V rr superintendents included Myron Tanner, James Dunn, and Reed Smoot. Employes for the mill came from England and Scotland where they had been trained in doth production. Most of them were converts to the IDS Church and the Provo industry gave them a chance to raise their , families in Utah. Payment in Scrip During the early years of its operation, the lack of money in the Territory forced the. company to pay its employes in scrip, redeemable in cloth and general merchandise. The cloth scrip was redeemed at the mills or at the Coop stores (Continued on Page 7A) o V FOR MANY YEARS THE LARGEST AND MOST INFLUENTIAL business in Provo, and even in the whole territory of Utah, the Provo Woolen Mills was located on what is now the Ashtcn Chevrolet block. The plant was one year old when Lincoln was assassinated. Roosevelt, Wilson ""., Illir'HMt.f)!!'!-- active contribution to the economic success of Provo. ; and Kaiser BUI were stffl lads in short breeches when it first began producing bats of doth. Products from the mills were sold from New York to San Francisco, and from Canada to Mexico. Despite fire, rising costs, and heated competition, the null survived for well over half a century. |