In the 060613 MMD Andrew Barrett wondered about the status of the
Artizan Factory here in North Tonawanda.

On June 15, 2006, I met David Wagner, of Wagner Precision, Inc., who
occupies the Artizan Factory site.  The factory building is not used
and is sealed to prevent access by vandals.  The exterior is overgrown.

Inspection of the interior of the factory building is an exercise in
frustration to a historian.  I have never seen a building so utterly
devoid of clues or artifacts or interest.  There was not a partition, a
workbench, a sign painted on the wall, anything that gave a clue as to
the original occupant of the building.  I'm not sure there was even
paint on the wall.  Moreover, even the first floor was gone!  One of
the post-Artizan owners of the property needed a higher ceiling, so he
removed the first floor, making the basement ceiling the underside of
the second level.

Mr. Wagner was generous with his time and provided some interesting
background on the building.  He moved his business to the site in 1986.
He said the previous owner was a pallet manufacturer who had gone
bankrupt.  The elevator had been sold off for income.  Some of the
(hardwood?) flooring had been removed by someone for the construction
of a summer home.  There were two boilers associated with the building,
but evidently not within the four-story structure.  Both have been
removed and one boiler room is now used as a compressor room.

Mr. Wagner had engaged the late Don Maerten to move machinery on
occasion.  Don had mentioned that his father was associated with the
Artizan Factory [Christian Maerten was Artizan's treasurer. --Ed.]  I
am not clear that Mr. Wagner was aware of the original business in the
building at that time.  Don Maerten may or may not have elaborated to
Mr. Wagner.

Don Maerten was proprietor of Maerten's Motor Service, on Shawnee Road
not far from here.  I had talked to him.  Once, while I was in his
building, I noticed that the driveway signal bell mechanism looked more
like something found inside a pipe organ or player piano.  I had
conjectured then that he must be connected to the organ building
family.  Here, then, is a possible explanation a very long time later.

Doug Hershberger
North Tonawanda, NY