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Doomed factory buildings stir memories

By Max Hrenda

When the news came earlier this month that a private firm had plans to demolish two old North American Rayon Corp. factory buildings, it spurred the memories of many former employees of the years they spent working within those factory walls.

Elizabethton City Councilman Bob Cable spent 20 years at the third unit, working nearly every job the facility had to offer.

“I started off as an operator,” Cable said. “I went to shift supervisor, then to an area supervisor, and then to superintendent. I was right under the plant manager.”

Having risen through the ranks at the plant, Cable said that for the most part, work in the third unit was easy.

“I went through the whole thing and learned it hands-on,” Cable said. “It was a very clean plant, and I wouldn’t consider any of the jobs in there hard.”

Otis Griffey worked in the filtration plant, and added that the work became easier when he moved higher up the factory’s food chain.

“I did shift work for about 12 years,” Griffey said. “But after a while, when I had seniority, I worked in filtration. It was easier work.”