112

Clough Still Going Strong

On September 11, 1931 the

Lowell Sun

(Massachusetts) reported: Alton, New

Hampshire - Don't worry world

—

the

corkscrew business is picking up. Nell

Clough declares that hard times in the

corkscrew industry are over and Nell ought

to know, for her little red factory in Alton

village produces about 90 per cent of the

world's supply of stopper-pullers.

More than 30.000,000 corkscrews will go out

of the Alton village factory this year, Mrs.

Clough says.

China has ordered 3000 gross. But China is a

particular customer. She must have the bright

alloy of tin in her corkscrews. The ordinary

bronze base doesn't shine enough to suit the

China trade.

South Africa has ordered a like number for

medicine bottles. Big orders have come from

Canada, England, Scotland and France.

There's one world-famous English product

that is never sold without an Alton, N. H.

corkscrew attached to the package.

One British railway that operates 18 hotels in Scotland and England has ordered

1,000,000 stopper-pullers.

The perfumers have put in large orders for the coming year. And the perfumers

demand a rather special type with handles of wood for the cheaper grade perfumes and

handles of gold plate for the more expensive brands.

The business of making the corkscrew in Alton was begun in 1875 by Rockwell Clough,

late husband of Nell Clough. According to Mrs. Clough the idea of the twisted wire do-

funny [

sic

] came to Mr. Clough shortly after he had cut his finger opening a bottle. The

idea earned him a fortune and is still virtually a family monopoly. The factory today

has 16 intricate machines, several of which can turn out 1000 corkscrews an hour, and

they're running to capacity.

‗

The world is clamoring for corksc

rews once more,‘ Mrs.

Clough says,‖

and Alton village is aiming to oblige.

‖