The day the magazine arrived , I started right in reading and learning things about Mr. Hickman and his invention that he patented in 1914. Then about nine pages in, I hit this paragraph!

As Joe E. Ross who played Sgt. Rupert Ritzik ,

the Army cook in the Sgt. Bilko TV show used to say

 

"I KNEW IT .... I KNEW IT.... I KNEW IT...

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1925 with the power of the Knapp Presses and the the power of

a strong infusion of Knapp Capital, The 10 year old Sea Sled Ltd. became

The Sea Sled Corporation and got off to a roaring new beginning

 

Starting Off With Close To 3 Million Dollars In Capital In 1925 ...You Can Buy You A Few Board Feet Of Mahogany

& Get A Few Boats Built

And increasing it to 4 Million 500 Thousand in one year will keep you afloat for sure

 

They had $800,000.00 worth of new orders the first year

&

125 employees in two factories in Groton & Mystic, Connecticut

 

Factory photos : Rosenfeld Collection / Mystic Seaport Museum

 

 

 

 

 

NEXT MEET THE BRAINS BEHIND IT
MR. WILLIAM ALBERT HICKMAN