USA > Iowa > Polk County > Des Moines > Des Moines and Polk County, Iowa, City Directory 1881 > Part 4
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BUSHNELL'S DES MOINES CITY DIRECTORY.
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HOME INSURANCE COMPANIES.
"Our home insurance companies, especially the Hawkeye and State (fire), and the Equitable (life), deserve particular mention as institu- tions which Have done much for Des Moines, and are in themselves a credit to the city and the State. The upright manner in which their business has been transacted, and the promptness and liberality with which their losses have been settled, have induced the utmost confidence on the part of the public. There is no necessity for sending money out of the State to obtain reliable insurance on life or property. The Insur- ance Companies of Des Moines are conducted by substantial and honor- able gentlemen of long experience in the business, and the record which they have made is an honor both to themselves and to the city.
LOAN ASSOCIATIONS.
There are three of these associations in our city, which loan not only the surplus money of pur capitalists, but also of. Eastern corporations. Money can be obtained at a low rate of interest. These associa- tions are included with the banks among the solid financial institutions of our city,
BUILDING ASSOCIATIONS ..
There are four first-class loan and building associations in .Des Moines, all of which have rendered valuable assistance in building up our city. " The object of these organizations is to aid any of their stock- holders in their efforts to secure a home, by lending money to them at a low rate of interest, to be paid in, weekly, monthly or yearly install- ments. The money is loaned only to stockholders. There are hundreds in Des Moines to day dwelling in their own homes, who, but for these insti- tutions, might not bo thus fortunate.
STREET RAILWAY.
Des Moines has a very good street railway system, and the present season, it is the Intention of the company to remove the western termi- bus north to Brown's Addition, thene west to Cottage Grove: and the eastern terminus about a half mile cast of the new capitol building; also a line directly westward to Brown's Park and the State Fair Grounds is projected.
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WATER AND GAS WORKS.
Des Moines hins the Holly system of water works, and the water used is soft and porre, being taken from twenty feet beneath the Rac- coon river. The water company have twenty-five miles of mains laid in the city, and contemplate the extension of them still further this year. : The gas works are ample to supply : the demand, even of our large corporation. There are twenty miles of pipe laid for their ac- commodation, but the company will extend their mains this year to meet the increasing demand for gas, which is of excellent quality .. The com-
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BUSHNELL'S DES MOINES CITY DIRECTORY.
pany have a capital invested of $150,000, manufacture annually 23,000,- 000 feet of gas in the production of which they consume 3,000 tons of coal and 6,400 bushels of lime. . The coke remaining finds ready sale at a fair price.
MANUFACTURING.
Nothing is where notable of late than the rapid development of man. ufacturing in the West. Des Moines has every clement necessary for making a great manufacturing center. In the mere item of fuel, Des Moines has the advantage over every city in the West. Good screened coal can be had for five to seven cents per bushel, and best lump coal for eight cents. No location in the United States can furnish cheaper . or better food for operatives. All articles of food and provisions are in the market at greatly reduced rates. in comparison with the Eastern markets. The success of the factories already established and the rapid settlement of the adjacent country, are warrants for the establishment of many more & We notice. with pride, that Des Moines manufactures sig equal in appearance and quality to the best products of Eastern man- Mfacture Manufacturing lies at the foundation of industrial life in . all tours that flourish. They are the one thing needed to com. plete the Independence of the West and to establish her prosperity upon a sure foundation, and every addition to them should be welcomed. We should encourage all new enterprises, and in every possible way endeavor to induce others to come among us, as well as to encourage our factories already established by patronizing them, so far as possible, in preference to foreign manufacturers.
The City Council has recently passed the following resolution:
Resolved. That in the opinion of the council it is wire and competent for the city to enter into contracts with any party or parties who shall propose to erect and maintain within the city manufacturing establishments, employing a considerable amount of capital, and which shall give employment to such an amount of labor as shall make the master of public importance, by which said manufacturing establishment shall be released or exemptfrom taxation for municipal purposes for a term of years, and that this Council will favorably consider any proposition from persons or corporations proposing to erect for establish such . manufacturing establishments.
STATISTICS OF
MANUFACTURING.
The following table gives the Moines for the year 18SD:
statistics of manufacturing ing Des
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Alcohol works ..
Artificial stone and sewerage pipe
Bakeries auf cracker factories.
104.380
Cooperage 89,600
183.000
File works. $5.500
Brass works. .
37.950
Breweries ..
Furniture ..
100,000
Brick yards
8.472
Hair goods.
10,400
Brooms
146,000
Harness and saddlery
33,900
Hominy mills ...
¥5,600
Cigar box.
12,500
Hoop skirts
3.500
Cigars ..
47.874 4,300
Job printing ..
160,800
Lithographing
$0,100 91.990
Marble works ..
165,780
Millinery
281,500
Agricultural imdement?
S 36.200
1,020,000
440.000
,Contractors and builders.
1,776,500
70. 1:25
Confectionery
113,540
Blacksmithing.
Boiler works ..
34.640
Flour mills 166,180
Foundries and machine shops
1 6,272
Boots and shoes
36.350
103,500
Carriage factories
Clothing (merchant tailoring)
179.500
Coal mining.
Barbed wird
BUSHNELL'S DES MOINES CITY |DIRECTORY.
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, 256.400
Scales.L
t med mills
100,000
Scale, stamps and locks
i mills ..
95.000 Shirt factofles.
Inting
187,600
Sqap work !!
acture frames!
8,860 125,400 1421134' Stereotyping'
Stair rod and carpet fasteners.
. 2.589
Pork packing
2,456,000 44.800
Syrup and glucose works, four months in operation
21,812
ublishers
111.800 Tin and sheet iron works
20,000.
Pickles and vinegar works
164,400 12,600 20.700
Total
$9,560,630;
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Of the three great coal measures which underlie the Des Moines River Valley, the greatest mining point is in the vicinity of Des Moines. The beds here offen appear uncovered at. the 'bottoms of our streams, `and crop out in many glaces from our hillsides. In quality it excels any other found west of the Mississippi, and in quantity is inexhaustible." The city and adjacent country are underlaid with heavy deposits of coal. Here we have the three measures, while most of the workable points Have but one or two of them. The measures worked most profitably are the second and third, where the coal varies from three to eleven feet, and is free from sulphuric and argillitid matter There are fifteen mines, in operation, employing about seven hundred men, who mined five Hundred and forty-five thousand tons, valued at $1,020,000. Coal for manufacturing purposes can be had at $1.50 per ton, and slack at 40 cents per wagon load,
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WATER POWER.
The first step for Des Moines to take toward becoming an important manufacturing town is to provide cheap water power for the operation of machinery.
Sections 1236 to 1240 of the Code of 1873 (chapter 79, laws of 1872) confer the most ample power upon water-power improvement companies They have the same power as railroad companies to condemn land for the right of way for canals, water-ways,
uses.
buildings and other necessary About twenty years ago, before Des Moines was a city, Edwin Hall obtained by grant from the Legislature, convened at Iowa City, and by license from the Commissioners
of Polk County, the franchise. which gives the present water power on the Des Moines river within the limits of. the city, a power which should, to-day keep; in motion man- ufacturing enterprises sufficient to give employment to many thousands, and profitable investment for unlimited capital .. Not a twentieth part .' of the power has ever been utilized, and yet it has been a profitable in- vestment. The touring mill, the land adjacent to the dam and the west half of the dam sold recently for $20,000. The east side of the : river, having the same power, is now idle, and presents a rare opportu !; nity to locate manufacturing enterprises, for we have here so many un- developed resources, It is believed by our most |competent engineers that, by raising the dam one or two feet a fall can be secured that will . give power sufficient to operate almost unlimited machinery. This can be done under charter. It would be lan easy thing for a competent 1 1
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19.500 4,000 .. 16,400 88,800 65,800
Spice mills.
faring mills.
dumbing and gas fitting
16,500 1
Jumps
25,400
Wagons.
W
otteries
COAL.
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spapers.
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BUSHNELL'S DES MOINES CITY DIRECTOBY.
engineer to take the water from the dam down both banks of the river. Intelligent men have estimated that the dam can be raised, all the necessary right of way secured, and the two water-ways constructed from the dam to the mouth of the Raccoon river for less than $40,000, capable of running all the machinery that requires power within reach that would pay a reasonable rent for the use of the water. A water power company could rent the use of its water power to every such factory at from one-half to one-eighth of what steam power costa to say nothing of the manufacturers' original capital that is swallowed up in the purchase of engines, fuel, ete. While this is a feasible plus and apparently the most practicable for securing the desired water power, we must not forget the Raccoon river, which flows ata rapid rate, is soft water, and can readily be made of great utility in manufac turing.
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CLAYS.
The clays of this vicinity add no small value to the industries of our city. Go wherever you will, you soon arrive at extensive brick yards, and the buildings of our city, small and great, demonstrate their excellence and stability. ' This resource last year aggregated $103,500. Not only is clay, for the manufacture of common brick abundant, but the finest quality of white, or "Milwaukee," brick are made in our vicinity. Fireday abounds in connection with our coal deposits, and the best and most valuable of coal measure clays-potters' clay- is found of a superior quality. The products of lout extensive potterds find markets hundreds of miles away, and last year's business footed up the handsome sum of $44,800. . We have the largest drain tile whyis in the State, and their product is greatly appreciated by farmers in every direction. . This is also true of our artificial stone and sewerage pipe manufactories, and their total business last year amounted to $10,125. Clays have also been tested which proved unexcelled for the manufacture of mineral paints. It is a well-known geological fact that where bituminous coal exists in any quantity there is almost sure to be found in the upper strata, near the surface, excellent clay, suitable for the finer grades of brick and terra cotta manufacture. doi tual experiment has shown that all around our city, near the surface of the ground, there exists ah inexhaustible supply of this clay. " Parties ·who have made the ceramic arts their study for years, in the interest of terra cotta manufacture, and have visited all the leading establishments. of Europe, where clay is manipulated for manufacturing purposes, say our clays seem peculiarly, fitted for this work, and tests prove there of a better quality than the European dlays, in some localities imported to manufacture the finer grades of pressed brick, terra cotta and fancy pottery wares. There is no article that can be manufactured in our city! which will do more to help make it a beautiful city, and at the same. time field a better profit for the capital, skill and energy expended, than the manufacture of the finer grades of brick, terra cotta pottery and the other ceramic arts; and there is no reason why the Des Moines of the future should not be as noted for its pressed brick as is Philadel- phia or Baltimore. Already several of our most extensive brick manu-
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BUSHNELL'S DES MOINES CITY DIRECTORY. -
acturer's have made arrangements to manufacture an immense number Ipressed and Are brick during the coming season, for the convenience the contractors of our city.
BANDS.
Des Moines has sufficient inducements for capital and skill to test the firtues of sand found in this vicinity. |By actual test this Band has droved capable of making glass of a more brilliant whiteness than the dand brought from other States. This sand is found in large deposits . near the city; | The quality being unexcelled and the quantity incz- haustible should certainly be sufficient to induce a large establishment. for the manufacture of glassware in the near future. Our sands- Ilying in great bars along the rivers-are one of the most necessary requisites for the manufacture of artificial stone and mortar for building purposes.
OUR MANUFACTORIES.
We enumerate the leading manufactories, but many other industries than those cited are doing very profitable business and making potable . advancements:
Flouring Mills .--- While we ask home patronage for all our mechanics and manufacturers, we especially claim the same for our millers. Our mills Have incurred the, expense of obtaining as good machinery for cleaning wheat and for manufacturing flour'ns any'in any State in the Union. And they make as good winter of spring wheat flour, either by new or old process, as any other. Let us hs a city establish the charac- ter- of [firmly supporting our home manufacturers, and soon all depart- ments will be largely, represented among us. Oat Meal Mills. - One of the most important industries of Des Moines is the manufacture of oat meal. The oat meal manufactured here is of the very best quality, and that it is fully appreciated is evinced by the fact that their works hre in operation' both day and night, to keep pace with their orders. They have recently created an elevator with capacity for 280,000 bushels along the south side of which runs a side-track of the C., H. I. & P. It.IL., which.greatly, facilitates the handling of grain. Hominy Mills .- There is no better hominy than that produced by our justly celebrated mills. They have the exclusive, home trade, and the demand from abroad is constantly increasing.
Glucose! Works .- Out Glucose. Company have a structure one hun- dred and sixty feet long by one hundred feet wide. The building is pf These works are. prosperity to this The company have brick, three stories high, and very substantially built. ag finely finished as any In the United States. " With enterprise comes a certain degree to Des Moines. increased facilities in their new building, the chpacity of which is 2,500 bushels of corn per day: There are two distinct departments' in the building, the starch department and the glucose department. Either of these can be run separately the one for the manufacture of glucose and syrupstand the other for the manufacture of laundry and corn starch. The company are also preparing to make sugar and syrup from amber canel " They intend to furnish farmers with the cane seed in order to
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BUSHNELL'S DES MOINES CITY DIRECTORY.
stimulate its cultivation. Amber cane is the best and most valuable df canes for either sugar or syrup. The juice that will make one gallon of amber syrup will make St pounds of sugar and 23 pounds of uncrystal lized syrup.
We also have encouragement for the establishment of a Beet Sugar Manufactory in Des Moines during the coming season. This sugatis of a most brilliant whiteness, true, firm crystals, and superior sweetness. It is a well established fact that the sueros of beets exceeds that of all other vegetables and as they are easily grown and their yield wonderfully prolific, we can expect an article of their manufacture here to be of unrivaled quality, and one that! will fully meet the demand for a pure sugar of home manufacture, and the source of a profitable industry to Des Moines.
Starch Fustory .- In Eastern company has lately secured forty acres of ground and is erecting a building 80 by 280 feet, six stories high, and two other large buildings; also an elevator with capacity for 150,00 bushels of grain. (They will use at least; 3,500 bushels of acom daily. It will exceed the capacity of any like manufactory west of New York. and be ready for operation the coming season.The company has abun. dant capital, and will operate and increase its works according to the demands of trade. however large they may be. Undoubtedly this is one of the greatest acquisitions Des Moines can have.
.All kinds of crackers are manufactured, by two factories in vy Moines extensively for the trade. . [No goods of the kind ver fald excelled them. and they are becoming more and more popu- lar at home and el fullere. as they are introduced.
Iron Worksh An que king an enumeration of our manufacturing inter-
ests, among the most important are our iron works. This branch of business has been constantly increasing. The trade has made; the enlarge ment of every capacity necessary, and they have made additions of the most approved machinery for iron working. . Our iron manufacturers ship machinery to all parts of the West.
Plone Manufactories .- We have several plow factories in our city, but they are able to supply the demands of the trade in this vicinity to a limited extent ouly. Their plows are of the best quality of thaterial and workmanship, and well adapted tofour soil .. They also manufacture
sulky plows. cultivators; harrows, check-rower attachments to com planters, and other improved agricultural implements of most approved patterns.
Barbed Wire Factories .- Among the largest and most noted indus- tries of our city is the manufacture of barbed wire for fencing purposes. There is one establishment located herd which has manufactured 50,000;
pounds in a single week. The sales last year amounted to $183,000.
Wagon and Carriage Factories .- Des Moines has several houses en- gaged in this branch of manufacture, and we have no hesitation in say- ing that their work is first class in every respect: The finest carriages upon our streets are made by Des Moines workmen. Our firms manu- facture first-class farm and spring wagons and buggies, and all sorts of vehicles, from a phaeton to a heavy transfer wagon.
Scale Works !- Another of our institutions for the manufacture of articles too long imported is the Scale Works. Their specialty is the
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BUSHNELL 8 DES MOINES .CITY DIRECTORY
manufacture of standard farm scales, which for accuracy and durability Are not excelled by any received here from Eastern markets. We find in thuir large buildings every facility for the manufacture of scales in first- ches style, and they are turning out work that is a credit to home indus- In addition to far stales they manufacture railroad track, Hay, coal, stock, hopper, miners' and portable warehouse scales.
Timpare Manufacturers. +Our Des Moines manufacturers in this line aggregated, in sales, last year, $174,000. This industry in Des Moines tiunrivaled by any other city west of Chicago, especially for workman- taip and quality of goods, and during the coming season it will have increased facilities!
File Works .- We have works which manufacture files exclusively. The material used is the best Ames stech. They are constantly tilling orders. for jobbers in all directions, The works are operated by steam power, and have a large capacity. j
Linseed Oil Mills. - The sale of flax seed in this vicinity last year was over 300,000 bushels. We have two linseed oil mills, which have `capacity for working five hundred bushels per day, and, manufacture nearly two hundred and fifty thousand gallons of oil per annum. They also ship thousands of bushels of scal to Eastern markets. || The i residue of the seed is manufactured into oil care, and is principally shipped to foreign markets. ] This industry is constantly increasing, and it is expected that a greater amount of seed will be raised and ground this * jear. It provides a market for one of the most profitable crops the farmer ohn | raise, and furnishes employment for a large number of bands,
Elron Cornice Manufacturers-There are two factories manufacturing ron cornice in our city, and their work stands unsurpassed- an evidence sof which is the cornice work on the principal edifices of our city.
State Roofing .- The Des Moines slate roofers are unrivaled for their irtistic and beautiful work, Many of our public buildings and finest residences are roofed with sihte.
Planning Mills. The manufacture of sash, doors, blinds, stairs, etc., has three large representatives in Des Moines. In one, over fifty thousand doors are made annually, and this is a small item to the gross Amount of manufactured goods. They send invoices to every part of Towa and into many of our Western States and Territories, and employ rover one hundred men.
Pump Factories .- We have two factories one for the manufacture of wooden and the other iron pumps. . Their goods are of excellent quality, and the demand for them is constantly increasing." The aggregate sales !for 1880 were $26,000.
Creameries and Cheese Factories .- The creamery business has sprung up with such sudden advancement and gained such wonderful, propor- tions that we cannot easily comprehend its magnitude .. | There is hardly - any direction but you can find a creamery adjacent to Des Moines, and two of the largest in central lowa are located within our city limits. WVe have no large cheese factory in this vicinity, although there is cheese manufactured of excellent quality, and the demand and necessaries for its manufacture far exceed the product.
76 ! HUSHNELL'S DES MOINES CITY DIRECTORY.
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Spice Mills .- In proof of the extensive trade done in Des Moines this business, we call attention to the mills which represent this indus try in our city. It is to the great satisfaction of all that we can chun for every branch of their business all the latest and best method of manufacture known, thus bringing their products to unquestionable perfection. 'Baking powder is manufactured by these mills, which he been pronounced by the highest authority, from practical tests, to bed the highest standard of quality in the market.
Breweries .- Our breweries are four in number, in addition to which there is to be another built the coming season. They supply the entire trade of this vicinity and many points along the railroads. Thei aggregate sales for last year amounted to $176,100.
Distilleries .- We have but one distillery, whose capacity is abou 5,000 gallons of alcohol per day. They have accommodations for and feed from one to two thousand head of cattle each season. They man- factured over 500,000 gallons of alcohol last year.
Tanneries .- Among the many varieties of productive industry of par- ticular value to the city is our tannery. The company are constantly increasing their facilities, as the business is rapidly enlarging. They provide a home market for hides and pelts equally as good as the East- ern shipments. Their articles of manufacture are first-class.
Steam Dye Works .- We have two steam dying establishments, which are prepared to do coloring in all its details. In addition to their extensive 'custom work they do a large business in re-coloring shelf goods for mer- chants and millibers.
Cigar Mannfactories .- It is a well known fact that our cigar mano- facturers' brands are equal to any made in the West, and their trade, which is constantly increasing, amounted last year to the sum of $380,400 .:
Confectionery Manufactories .- Des Moines has two manufactories making all of the most celebrated candies and confcotions which are being used, and have increasing orders from every direction.
Soap Factories .- No article manufactured has a more ready and sure sale than soap, and the product of our two soap factories has rapidly grow in public favor, as is evinced by the large orders constantly received by them. They manufacture linen, laundry, castile, glycerthe,' cocoanut, and various other toilet soaps, and the trade pronounce them as good as any like articles sold. With their present machinery they can manufac- ture about eight tons per week,
Churns and Butter Workers .- No better goods, in this line, can be found anywhere than are manufactured in. Des Moines. This industry. is one of importance, and the manufacturers are increasing their facili- ties to meet their constantly growing trade, which is extending in every direction.
Trunks and Paper Bases .- This industry has been but recently es. tablished in our city, but from the first-class goods they are sending out, and the demand there is for such goods, we predict that in the near future Des Moines will have one of the largest and best trunk and paper 1 * box factories in the country. 1
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