The builders of a great city : San Francisco's representative men, the city, its history and commerce : pregnant facts regarding the growth of the leading branches of trade, industries and products of the state and coast, Part 32

Author:
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: San Francisco : The Journal
Number of Pages: 556


USA > California > San Francisco County > San Francisco > The builders of a great city : San Francisco's representative men, the city, its history and commerce : pregnant facts regarding the growth of the leading branches of trade, industries and products of the state and coast > Part 32


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GEO. H. ROE.


GEORGE HENRY ROE.


HE subject of this sketch was born June 7, 1852, and raised on a farm in what was then known as Upper Canada.


When he was 13 years of age his father died and thereafter he received no help from any source, but relied upon his own energies to make his way through life. He found employment in a country store and by the time he was 16 had saved enough money to enable him to attend school for two years at Upper Canada College. Leaving school he returned to the position he had left and remained until he was satisfied that Canada was a good country to emigrate from, when he took the advice of Horace Greeley, moved West, going first to Chicago, finding various employ- ments, and remaining there three years. A portion of the time he was. a commercial traveler throughout the Western States. Profiting thus far by the advice "Go West," he determined to follow it to the fullest extent, and arrived in San Francisco in the Summer of 1875. He brought with him a little money, which he deposited in the Bank of California a few hours before it sus- pended payment, leaving him among strangers with no money and a month's board bill coming due in a few days. During the excitement young Roe applied to the Paying Teller to certify his check, which was refused, but obtaining a personal in- terview with the President, Mr. Ral- ston, and explaining the circum- stances to that gentleman, he ordered a check certified for the amount of Roe's deposit, which was probably the last order Mr. Ralston gave, for, within an hour, he was drowned.


This check Mr. Roe could not nego- tiate even at forty cents on the dollar, but this evidence of indebtedness en- abled him to live at the hotel where he was quartered until it became known that the bank would resume business.


Shortly after this he entered into a partnership with W. P. Plummer, under the name of Roe & Plummer. They began business as money and note brokers, with offices on Steuart street, near the water front. Their business prospered and was freely discussed in banking circles; for it was a well known fact that the capital of the concern was but $5,000, while ten times that sum was often involved in a single day's transaction.


In 1878 the electric light made its first appearance here, at the Palace Hotel, and at about the same time the agents of different Eastern elec- tric lighting concerns put in an ap- pearance also. Among them was one who came to Roe & Plummer, to have his note discounted, offering his ma- chinery as collateral security.


The risk was great, but the dis- counting was even greater than the risk, and in the end the brokers became possessed of the machinery, which they soon found to be very defective and inefficient.


About this time the Jones Silver Bill "knocked the bottom out" of the money brokerage business and the firm of Roe & Plummer dissolved part- nership. In the settlement Mr. Roe was awarded the electrical machin- ery. He immediately associated him- self with John Bensley, O. F. Willey, J. R. Hardenbergh and R. A. Robin- son, and on June 30, 1879, incorpor- ated the California Electric Light Co.


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Electricians and mechanics were employed to improve the machinery, and finally an entirely new dynamo was constructed, with a polished band of iron surrounding the arma- ture, to give it a finished appearance. Upon trial it was found to be a com- plete failure. In after years the cause was plain; the iron band had cut off the lines of force from the field mag- nets, rendering the machine useless. While it was being tested Mr. Roe, in his anxiety, placed both ends of the line wire in his mouth, endeavor- ing to taste enough current to hang a hope upon. Had the machine com- menced generating at this time there would have been a funeral in the family. Mr. Roe had, however, been reading the electrical papers and be- coming enthused with the idea of electric lighting, concluded that it was the business he would like to follow. He at once made arrange- ments with Mr. Kerr, the Pacific Coast Agent for the Brush Electric Company of Cleveland, Ohio, and in September, 1879, began the business of electric lighting from the station, corner of Market and Fourth streets, where the Flood Building now stands. This is said to be the first public electric lighting station established in the world. On Sunday morning, April 24, 1880, the works were en- tirely destroyed by fire. In the lan- guage of Mr. Roe, "It was a clean burn. There was no insurance and consequently no adjusters to quarrel with. We simply gathered up the scraps and proceeded to arrange for a new building." In a few months a new station was established at No. 117 O'Farrell street, on rented ground. At that time it was thought this station would be large enough to supply the needs of the city; but in less than two years the business had been pushed beyond the capacity of the works and new ones were erected on Jessie street. These were greatly enlarged in 1885, but in less than three years were found to be inade- quate and an entirely new building


has been constructed on Townsend street, near Third street, which is said to be the largest electric lighting station in the world to-day. The ac- tual money invested in the plant is nearly $1,000,000. This company has not, however, confined its busi- ness to Sin Francisco, but through individuals and "Sub-Companies" has established electric lighting plants in seventeen other cities and towns and has also erected some fifty private plants; making a total of nearly 5,000 arc lights that have been introduced during the past ten years. It has done a large business in incan- descent lighting also, which is soon to be greatly extended. The com- pany is also engaged in the business of the distribution of electrical power and in establishing power plants. Starting with one small sewing ma- chine electric motor in 1887, the business has increased until it has assumed very large proportions. The company has lately established a power plant at Virginia City of over 500 horse power capacity.


While Mr. Roe has associated with him some of our most energetic and substantial business men, still to his personal supervision, pluck and perseverance is due the success of this great enterprise and industry. He may justly be called the father of electric lighting on the Pacific Coast. Mr. Roe has given much time and study to questions of political econo- my. Nearly every person has some pet theory of his own. Mr. Roe's is the disarmament of nations and the establishment of an international army. His theory is that by this method wars will be done away with. No nation should be allowed to have a larger army than is actually neces- sary for police protection. All forti- fications should be done away with and no ships of war be maintained by any country, each nation having a representation in the Congress of Nations, either in proportion to its population, its wealth, its geograph- ical position or such other standard


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of representation as might afterwards be determined upon. Then, when there came a dispute between two or more countries, such as the dispute between Germany and France over Alsace and Loraine, the Congress of Nations would meet, hear both sides and render its decision, which must be final.


An eminent jurist once said it was not of so much importance that a case should be decided right as that it should be decided. So with the little disputes between nations; it is not of so much importance that they should be decided right as that they should be decided, and save the shedding of the blood of the subjects of both nations. The strip of dis- puted territory between Germany and France is not worth the sacrifice of the life of a single subject, and yet thousands have been killed over it. Objections may be found to this proposition, because it will be asked : How are you going to enforce the decision of the International Con- gress ? The answer is, by having an army and navy under the control


of the International Congress, and when the Congress renders its decis- ion, the commander-in-chief of the international army will be instructed to enforce the decision of the Con gress, and the nation itself having no army, will be powerless to resist the international army and must therefore comply with and abide by the decision. These views of Mr. Roe are new and novel, but are in sympathy with the spirit of the age and the general desire of enlightened nations to settle international questions by arbi- tration.


Mr. Roe was married April 15, 1885, to Laura B. Rice, the daughter of a pioneer, and a neice of Judge Finn of this city. They have one child, a boy. Mr. Roe belongs to the Masonic Fraternity, being a Knight Templar. He is also a mem- ber of the Pacific Union Club, but better than all these, he is a loving and dutiful son to a mother whose pathway through life has been made smooth by the affectionate attention of her son.


JOS. ROTHSCHILD.


JOSEPH ROTHSCHILD.


HE subject of our sketch is one of the most popular and pro- gressive of the younger mem-


bers of the San Francisco Bar. Born in this city thirty-four years ago, he is a thorough San Francis- can. His father, Henry Rothschild, was one of our most respected Hebrew citizens, and being pos- sessed of means he afforded his son ample opportunities for obtaining an excellent education. That these opportunities were improved no one who is acquainted with the son will question. He attended the public schools, and after graduating from the High School, ' underwent a course of instruction from a private tutor in order to make him thor- oughly fitted for college. He en- tered Yale College and soon took a prominent place among his class- mates. He was not only successful in his studies but endeared himself warmly to all with whom he came in contact. As an evidence of the re- gard entertained for him by his fellow students, it might be stated, that lie was presented with the "Scales of Justice," a prize annually awarded to the most popular student in the law class.


After pursuing a course at the Yale Law School, Mr. Rothschild was admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of Connecticut. Soon afterward he returned to this city, and at once entered upon the active work of his profession. For a time he remained in the office of the well-known law firm of Stanly, Stoney & Hayes, but after a brief season he "hung out his shingle" . on his own hook, and his wide acquaintance and the favorable esti- mation entertained for his ability


soon brought to him a large clientage.


While devoted to his profession Mr. Rothschild has found time to do much good work in connection with several of the benevolent orders. He has been for many years an active member of the Independent Order of the Free Sons of Israel and of I. O. B. B. He is a Past President of the former, and in January, 1890, he retired from ser- vice as Grand President of the last named order, which is a representa- tive body of the wealth and intelli- gence of our Hebrew citizens, and whose jurisdiction covers the entire Pacific Coast. At the close of the last session of the Grand Lodge a banquet was held at which the re- tiring Grand President was present- ed with an elegant gold watch, as a token of the regard and esteem entertained for him as a man and in appreciation of his services in be- half of the order. During this ses- sion of the Grand Lodge, also, a series of resolutions were adopted sympathizing with Mr. Rothschild in the deep affliction sustained by him a few months before in the loss of both his parents. One of these reso- lutions reads as follows :


"That this Grand Lodge proffers the sentiment of warmest regards to Brother Joseph Rothschild, and the earnest and heartfelt hope that the future may recompense him for the bitter sorrow of the year 1889, and that it may bring him ample reward for the devotion and love he lavished on his parents, for having been a good, dutiful and obedient son, an affectionate and faithful brother, a friend staunchly to be depended on. May he ' live long in the land ' which is the blessing that came to obedient


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sons, and may 'length of days,' lionor and prosperity crown a career that already gives indication of shedding lustre on himself and his relatives."


Mr. Rothschild was elected by the Grand Lodge one of the District Judges for this coast, and also a Delegate to the National Convention of the World, which met at Rich- mond, Va., in June of the present year.


Mr. Rothschild has always had a fondness for politics. In the mem- orable struggle for the adoption of the new constitution in 1879 he was a member of the Executive Commit- tee of the New Constitution party, and at the local convention he was a member of the Conference Com- mittee of Five, to confer with a like committee appointed by the Demo- cratic Convention to agree upon a plan of fusion. In the last Presi- dential campaign he was selected by the Democratic State Central Com- mittee to open the campaign at Merced, and all through the cam- paign he did effective work on the stump for the Democracy.


Mr. Rothschild was elected by


the Democrats a member of the Board of Education in 1887, and served on several important commit- tees, besides acting as legal adviser of the Board. He declined a re- nomination from the last Demo- cratic Municipal Convention, feeling that a proper attention to the duties of his office trenched too greatly upon the demands made upon his time by his profession.


Mr. Rothschild's practice, while general in its character, is largely in the line of commercial law. He is attorney for many of the heavy mer- cantile firms of this city, and also lias charge of the property of a num- ber of our leading capitalists, acting as their agent and caring for their interests. As a speaker Mr. Roths- child is fluent, forcible, and wlien occasion requires it, rises to true eloquence. One of the best speci- mens of his oratorical ability was displayed in his response to " The Bar," at the memorable Democratic banquet in this city in May, 1884.


Mr. Rothschild is a member of the Democratic State Club, and is prominent in the councils of the party.


CHARLES P. SHEFFIELD.


*


CHARLES P. SHEFFIELD.


F foreign immigration has not in all cases been of a desirable character, certainly the instances are more than numerous where it has conferred inestimable benefits, not only in helpingto fill the waste places of the land and cause smiling towns and cities to spring up, but also in bringing to our shores men fitted to advance the cause of the industrial arts.


There are many such here among us in San Francisco. Of these, is Charles P. Sheffield, who, with James Patterson and N. W.Spaulding, combined to form the " Pacific Saw Manufacturing Com- pany " just about a quarter of a cen- tury since. Mr. Sheffield is a native of England, having been born in Der- byshire in 1819. While young he attended night school, and there re- ceived the rudiments of an education. He learned his trade, that of sawmaker, in Sheffield, the great center of Eng- lish edge tool manufacture. He ar- rived in New York in 1845, when about twenty-six years of age. He worked there at saw making for Wor- rell & Co. and Hoe & Co. He also worked in Baltimore, where he first made the acquaintance of Mr. Patter- son. He visited Pittsburg, too, every- where doing good work at his trade. The gold discoveries in California at- tracted him, and after waiting long enough to know that they had left a permanent impress on the character of the coast and room for workers in other avocations than that of mining, he set out for San Francisco, where he arrived on July 6, 1850. He came by the Panama route and in the steam- ship Panama. From this city he went to Downieville, Sierra County, where he engaged to run a saw mill for Col. Durgan.


He was afterwards partner with Craycroft in a saw mill in the same place. But there was a broader field of operations opened to him, and in 1852 he removed to this city. As early as 1845, Mr. Sheffield bad seen a solid plate with inserted teeth, but in 1848 he himself made nineteen saws in Pittsburg, each saw in six parts and joined together by flanges. Mr. Sheffield made the first circular saw manufactured on this coast in 1852. It was of boiler iron with inserted teeth. It was run in a mill at Twenty-Six Mile House on the Auburn road. In the same year this gentleman went to the mountains where he remained till 1855. In the latter year he came to San Francisco. Mr. Sheffield started a repairing shop and an importing saw establishment at the corner of Battery and Jackson streets with George Stead, his old em- ployer. For all these years he was engaged in saw milling and saw repairing, but in no wise dreaming of the future in manufacturing that was before him. In 1859 he sold the business out to his partner and went to the mountains for the second time. In the fall of 1863 he came to this city, and went into partnership with Mr. James Patterson. In 1865, Mr. Pat- terson and Mr. Sheffield made two mill saws, each 12 feet long, and they were placed on exhibition at the Mechanics' Institute Fair and were awarded a premium, being the first ever made on the Pacific Coast. One was used by McPherson & Wetherbee's mill and the other at Duncan's saw mills. It was then that both conceived the idea of making instead of repairing saws, and being joined in 1866 by N. W. Spaulding they proceeded to carry out their ideas practically and with


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the greatest success in the teeth of the most overwhelming obstacles.


The rest of Mr. Sheffield's life story belongs to the history of the industry to which, for twenty-five years, it has been unremittingly devoted. Mr. Sheffield was first married in New York in 1847, and in 1886 to his present wife in California. He had one son, Mr. Charles M. Sheffield, a bright, promising youth, born in 1856 in California, who graduated from the State University with honors in 1879, and who subsequently graduated from the Hastings' Law College in 1882 and was admitted to the bar of San Fran- cisco the following year. He gave


promise of a successful career in the profession of law, but unhappily died in 1884.


Though seventy years of age, Mr. Sheffield is active and vigorous, at- tending to every department of the manufacture with the same care and efficiency that he did over twenty years ago. He is a life member of the Territorial Pioneers and also a life member of the Mechanics' Institute. He belongs to the Masonic Order of this city. He is stout and robust, under the middle height, and in figure and features is a typical Englishman. His mother country has no reason to be ashamed of her son.


DEAD .- The above article was written while Mr. Sheffield was in the enjoyment of good health. He died on December 14, 1889.


ISAAC H. SMALL.


ISAAC HENRY SMALL.


HIS gentleman, well and widely known as the senior member of the firm of I. H. Small & Son, at 574 Brannan street, has been for many years prominently identified with the manufacture of wood-working and other machinery in this city, and is therefore entitled to a more extended mention in this connection than our limited space will permit. He may properly be referred to as the father of the industry of which he has for many years made a spe- cialty, the establishment of which he is the head having been founded by him in 1864, and having always been the leading and indeed the only one of importance in its line upon the Pacific Coast. Mr. Small has also been the inventor of many ingenious and useful appliances and improve- ments in labor-saving machinery, which have been of great utility in the wood-worker's art, besides hav- ing perfected and put into practical form the ideas of hundreds of others.


Isaac Henry Small is a native of Bowdoinham, in the State of Maine, where he was born on November 6, 1828, and is therefore now in his sixty-first year. His ancestors on his father's side were among the early colonial settlers of New En- gland, from Scotland originally, while' his mother was of English and Irish extraction. Beyond a doubt Mr. Small has inherited the shrewdness and business taet of his Scottish- Irish ancestry, with the good-natured bonhommie of the latter, while strongly predominating are the mental traits and characteristics which distinguish New Englanders, and which have made them the greatest inventors of the age. This gentleman is of Revo-


lutionary stock, his grandfather hav- ing served in the War of Indepen- dence, and his father having " done the state some service " in that of 1812-15 with Great Britain.


After receiving his education in the public schools of Brunswick, in his native State, at the age of six- teen he entered the employ of his father, who was engaged in the mer- chandising business. Young Small early showed a decided penchant for mechanics and kindred pursuits, and finding the confinement of his posi- tion irksome, he retired from his father's counting-room and engaged in the business which was to be the employment of his future life. He entered a factory extensively engaged in the manufacture of ma- chinery, and which was especially noted for its output of the vari- ous machines used in saw-mills and flouring mills. His adaptability to his chosen business was soon made evident. He progressed rapidly in the knowledge of his trade in all its departments and details, and while yet a very young man had risen to be the master mechanic of the es- tablishment. His position was a re- sponsible and lucrative one, but he was young, active, energetic, and withal ambitious, and California of- fered a more promising field for the attainment of his desires than did older Atlantic States. He contracted the "gold fever," and on the 18th of January, 1854, he bade adieu to fam- ily and friends, and started to seek his fortune on the shores of the Pa- cific. Coming by the Nicaragua route, he arrived in San Francisco on February 23, 1854, remaining in the city but a few days, when he started


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for the mines at Horseshoe Bar, where his two brothers-who had preceded him to California-had lo- cated a mining claim. Here he had his first experience with the " pan," the " rocker," and the "long tom." The claim was a good one, and in a single season he was made compar. atively rich, but becoming badly af- feeted with the poison oak of the locality he left the mines and re- turned to San Francisco. He here engaged in teaming on an extensive scale. The business was successful and profitable; he made money, and finally disposing of his interest to ad- vantage, he returned to his Eastern home on a visit to his relatives and friends, to whom the recital of the adventures and experiences of the young and adventurous Argonaut in the then distant California were, of course, of great interest.


Possessed of the necessary capital, Mr. I. HI. Small established a ma- chine shop at Old Cambridge, near Boston, Mass., but, as has been the ease with hundreds of old Califor- nians, he concluded to make the Golden State his future home and base of operations. This was in 1857, and Mr. Small sold out his es- tablishment at Old Cambridge and returned to the State of his adoption by the Nicaragua route-the same by which he had come in 1854. At this early day, the feasibility of an inter-oceanic canal by way of Lake Nicaragua and the San Juan river had already been mooted, and Mr. Small became interested in the pro- ject. He has since remained a be- liever in and advocate of this great undertaking, and it is probably now but a question of time when it will be an accomplished faet.


For some three years after his re- turn to California Mr. Small was em- ployed in the Vulcan Foundry, and in 1860 entered into business on his own account at Petaluma. Remaining at that place less than a year, he was offered and accepted the foremanship


of the Pacific Foundry in San Fran- eiseo. In 1862 he filled a similar position in the Golden State Foun- dry, and some two years subsequent- ly, in 1864, he bought the machine- shop at the corner of Market and Beale streets, and began the manu- facture of wood - working machin- ery. The establishment thus founded was the first devoted exclusively to this class of machinery, and, as we have said, Mr. Small thus became entitled to be called the father of this new and important industry. This gentleman now de- voted his entire time and attention to the development of his business, and was very successful. He made several inventions and improvements upon principles already formulated, among the most important of which were thejustly celebrated Small plan- ers and wood cutting machinery, which have achieved the reputation of being by far the best ever produced. These valuable machines have come into very extended use, and the de- mand on Messrs. Small & Son's estab- lishmenthasnot been confined locally, but extends throughout the neigh- boring States and Territories, British Columbia, Mexico, the Hawaiian Is- lands, and even to distant Australia and New Zealand, where a number are in successful operation. Another of the inventions of I. H. Small is the roller re-saw, which is superior to any yet devised for box-makers' use. This ingeniously constructed device is a top-and-bottom saw, capable of splitting boards at the rate of 100 feet per minute, or four times as much as was possible with similar machines twelve years ago. The roller re-saw has been in use now about six years. The slotten cutter- head used to hold the knives in po- sition on wood planers is one of the many and by no means the least im- portant of the inventions emanating from the fertile and inventive brain of Mr. I. H. Small. This valuable appliance was produced in San




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