USA > Iowa > Johnson County > Leading Events in Johnson County, Iowa, History > Part 39
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every respect and large enough for the city's needs for a great many years to come. The company has a total of over 20 miles of mains in operation.
The present management came into control in 1899. Thomas C. Carson was president of the company until his death in 1905. Since that time George S. Carson has been the president and Frank C. Carson the secretary and treasurer.
It is not an easy thing to realize that in 1878 the city was looking upon the new electric light as some impossible inven- tion of Thomas A. Edison, yet the press of that recent time has the following item: "Much interest has been awakened by the announcement that the greatest inventive genius of the age, Mr Edison, has succeeded in perfecting a scheme for dis- tributing the electric light in such a way as to give light of any desired brilliancy in the rooms of ordinary houses. One of the natural consequences of this announcement is the marked de- cline in gas stocks. A gentleman named Wallace is associated with Edison in this invention and with him Mr. M. T. Close has been in correspondence with a view to introducing the new light in this city as soon as practicable." A commentary on the lighting system sounds now like ancient history since the details of the system were fully explained. "From the central station wires will be run to the homes and offices to be lighted. The gas fixtures already in place will be used to enclose the wires, and in place of the burners will be the coil, or substance which gives out the light. This light is incandescent and Mr. Edison claims can be regulated with mathematical accuracy, descending from a white and dazzling brilliancy to a soft dim light suitable for a sick room. No matches or tapers are used in lighting the burners. The turn of a thumb-screw accom- plishes this." "68
Viewed as a practical proposition the observer said in 1883:
"Much has been said and read about Edison's incandescent electric light. The writer saw it for the first time in Davenport a few days ago. It is nothing but a strip of carbonized bam- boo, about as big as a very small hair pin, and in an air-tight, pear-shaped glass. A button is turned, and the piece of bamboo glows with the soft brilliance of a dozen wax candles; turned again and it's dark as a black cat. The light is altogether dif- ferent from that made by the carbon point light, and is as soft
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and gentle as the approach of spring. It is a superb means of illumination but we fear almost too costly for general use. The lights are suspended from gas fixtures, or brackets like ordinary gas lights." 369
Electricity has been one of the advantages of Iowa City residents since 1886 when the Iowa City Electric Light Com- pany was organized, to furnish lighting for an arc system for the stores of the city. The plant was installed at Coralville where it has since been located. Mr. M. T. Close and son, to- gether with other local citizens, financed the first company. This plant was operated until 1894, when the entire concern was rebuilt. A modern system of arc and incandescent light- ing machinery was installed and preparations made to enter the field much better equipped. At that time a contract was secured from the city for street lighting, as previous to that time gas had been used.
On January 3, 1899, the plant was entirely destroyed by fire. Strenuous efforts were made by the management, how- ever, to rebuild, and by July 1st of the same year the machin- ery was again in operation. In the fall of that year the present owners came into control and since that time it has been under the same management as the gas company. In 1902 the twenty- four hour schedule was undertaken, and has continued since that time.
The feasibility of a system of waterworks for the city was brought before the public in the summer of 1872 in a plan for a forty thousand dollar investment, that all the modern de- mands upon such a plant might be met. One statement is sug- gestive of the need of such a system: "If it be," as it was said, "in many cases now necessary to haul water from the river the cost is more than the tax would be for such a water- works system;" and further, "then bath rooms would be pos- sible, the summer streets could be made endurable, and shade trees by our hot sidewalks be made green and growing, the city become healthful and in every way a better place to live."
Active consideration of this subject seems to have been de- layed, however, until July, 1879, when a meeting of business men was held at the Saint James Hotel to consult with M. C. Orton, of the firm of Williams, Orton & Co., of Sterling, Ill. A committee was appointed at this meeting whose membership
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included E. Clark, Colonel Morrow, G. J. Boal, G. W. Mar- quardt, Rev. Father Emonds, and A. J. Hull, who were to con- for with business men on the proposition to form a stock company.370
In April, 1882, the company is mentioned as having recently purchased two carloads of "spick and span" new machinery, being the outfit for the main pumping station. These were to put the fear of the failure in water supply entirely out of the minds of the people. The engines were declared to be "mag- nificent pieces of machinery made by the Holly Waterworks
ELECTRIC POWER PLANT AT CORALVILLE
Co.," and Ira Holly, the superintendent of the company, was to supervise the installing of the system in Iowa City.
The improvements in public service facilities have, without any question, made the increase in manufactured products for which Iowa City is especially well known, more rapid than it could have been without these. It is true, as has been suggested heretofore under other topics, that many industries were under- taken in an early day, industries which are now out of the minds of men, but others more in keeping with the time have succeeded them. It is not possible to enter into details con- cerning each industry, however desirable it might be. Among the older establishments of productive kind that are now in operation one may name the old foundry, purchased many
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years ago by Dr. N. H. Tulloss, a practicing dentist, now con- trolled by his son, in connection with the Iowa City Iron Works, which have been in operation under the present management for nearly twenty years; "manufacturers and jobbers" in iron work of a general nature, subject to orders of their customers. None of the old time factories, of a nature suitable to the pro- duction of rope or cloth, or goods such as the lint mill of I. N. Sanders, William Snyder, and John Horn, which was erected in East Lucas township as it is now established, where they in- stalled the best machinery of the time, are now remembered by the present generation. Flax and hemp are even unfamil- iar to any who did not live in 1850 or before. A "rope walk" is not a term in our vocabulary. Yet this firm made a reputa- tion for rope making in the far east, it is said, before their plant was destroyed by fire. The woolen mill is gone as a local industry, the tan yard of Jacob Gobin, where he collected his bark during the summer to prepare shoe, saddle, and har- ness leather in the proper season, has long since ceased to furnish its supply of cured material. Competition from the larger producers killed the industry, and although revived . some years later by James Thompson, it could not endure.
As early as 1844, it is said that Ohio men prepared to start a distillery on Rapid creek, not far from the present home of Homer Johnson, the building having been begun from hewed logs, but lack of funds, it appears, caused the abandonment of the project. Samuel McCulloch ran a distillery in a small scale in 1854, on the Wyoming road, finding a market for his pro- duct beyond the Mississippi, so it is said. While his equipment was homely enough, his production was rapid, and with corn worth but ten cents per bushel he probably found a fair profit even in cheap whiskey.
In 1866 Hull and Scofield built a modern distillery just south of the city, which had a capacity of six hundred bushels of corn per day. This prospered for a time, then gradually lost bus- iness until is changed hands, ending in a conflagration, as so many ventures had before. In 1879 Mr. Bloom and others rebuilt the distillery with a largely increased capacity, and their feeding sheds contained one thousand head of stock, ac- cording to report. Once more competition caused this to be
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abandoned, although the pay roll was very large, and all the product was exported.
The Glucose Works and Flint Glass Company both began with hopes of continuance, but soon followed their predeces- sors, indicating the very unstable condition of commercial undertakings that involved experiments. That all experiments have been tried is not, possibly, true, and some now under test will probably result as those mentioned until the real need of a community is met.
A VIEW OF THE ZIMMERMAN STEEL PLANT SHOWING CONVERTER IN BLOWING POSITION F. W. Zimmerman is operating the convertor and J. F. Zimmerman is at the left of the Picture
From this account the Albrecht loom must not be omitted, since for thirty years or more Mr. Albrecht made cloth for the community, commencing in 1844. His brick building is yet standing on the corner of Market and Van Buren streets. The owner was widely known as the producer of "linen, heavy and light clothing cloth, blankets, flannel, and carpets." 371
The later, newest concerns that produce goods for wear are the Pioneer Knitting Works and the Rate Glove Factory. The goods of these firms go to many parts of the country and excel the early producers in that particular, since transportation has made it possible. The latter company manufactures hun- dreds of varieties of gloves and mittens, and uses "tons of steel" in making husking pegs.
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The specialized industries come in a later date than the "boom period" of 1875 to 1880, at which time there were, ac- cording to good authority, one hundred and eighty manufac- turing concerns in the county. The term specialized is used in case of the Boerner-Fry Company, manufacturers of drug sundries, which was established in 1896; the Shrader Drug Company, which produces a variety of stock food, established in 1899; the Puritan Manufacturing Company, makers of jewelry and perfumes, occupying the former W. F. Main build- ing in East Iowa City; also the Economy Advertising Com- pany, doing a general advertising and calendar business in a large field; the Davis Button Company, which draws on the local district for its supply of shells to produce "pearl" but- tons, a comparatively new industry, and one dependent upon the continuance of raw material, beyond the control of ordinary men. These illustrate the enterprises which are es- tablished for distant trade, while we may cite others that must depend on local conditions almost entirely.
It was in 1854 that T. M. Banbury put into actual operation a planing mill. Up to that time such work was done by hand, and needless to say, his mill was a great accommodation. Not long after two more of the same nature were established, finally forming a company, continuing for several years, when the building was converted into a factory of another kind. The present shops of F. X. Freyder and B. A. Wickham must fur- nish services similar to the former mill of Banbury, although the general work of this nature is now done elsewhere on a large scale.
In 1870 Joseph Gregg secured machinery to saw building stone in the State or North Bend quarry in Penn township, taking his power from the river by means of a bucket wheel, which was finally carried away by the stream, leading him to abandon the project, although he was succeeding. The new way is found in the manufacture of cement blocks in many communities, making any mold desired, which does not quite take the place of quarry rock, but at least requires no sawing. This was recently well illustrated in the exhibit of "manufac- tures of Iowa City."
Long years ago Sylvanus Johnson began the making of
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brick, and one yard now in operation was established in 1856 by Nicholas Oaks. Many others were endeavoring to assist in supplying the demand for brick, but this one, now managed by Oaks Brothers, continues, long after the others are gone. . Both brick and tile are produced, of the former 1,200,000 per year, and of the latter 300,000. Mr. Oaks was probably the maker of the first drain tile in the county. Other yards in the vicinity of Iowa City are those of Goss and Gaulocher, estab- lished in recent years.
The Tiffin Tile Company is a private partnership between F. J. Herdlicka and P. R. Ford, doing business under the above title. They are manufacturing all kinds of drain tile up to an eight inch dimension, making the ordinary brick in the same
BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE ZIMMERMAN STEEL PLANT
plant. From March until December they employ fifteen men, having a plant capable of producing a carload of tile daily. Three kilns have a capacity of 80,000 three-inch tile, and the drying sheds will contain 165,000 of the same. For twenty-five years this plant has been in operation. The product is in de- mand over this section of the state, and to supply it requires a steady production.
It appears that in the past brick has been produced at River Junction and Oxford, but the business of the county in this building material is now confined to the yards mentioned. The clay bed which furnishes the material is said to be many feet in thickness.
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Agricultural machinery is a common product of many com- munities, not only in the larger centers of population, as may be illustrated by the Kelley Company in Iowa City, but a more uncommon illustration is found in the corner of Johnson coun- ty, and one not well known, although well worthy the attention of students. This is the Zimmerman Steel Company, said to be the promoters of the first cast steel industry in the state of Iowa.
Sixteen years ago a small industrial plant was opened in the town of Lone Tree, Johnson county, which has now become so well known in so many parts of the world that in the past twelve months shipments of products have been made to 23 foreign countries, among them far off Siberia, the Straits Settlements, Japan, Australia, Western Africa, and Chili. A glance at the card index of foreign customers and the list of foreign agents named in their catalog and large calendar hanger, will be very surprising to the citizens who have never looked into the field covered by this firm.
It was in 1895 that Wm. C. F. Zimmerman and Miles Bate- man, under the firm name of the Monarch Grubber Company, began the manufacture of Monarch stump pullers in a shanty 12 by 16 with a board roof and no floor, located in the rear of the Jewell Manufacturing Company's plant. The exact lo- cation of this old shanty is now occupied by the Zimmerman Steel Company's large steel foundry. Not having a foundry at that time, the castings were purchased, and this modest beginning led to the present large output. In the spring of 1897 a one story building 30 by 40 was erected on a piece of ground 100 by 120. It was located south of the railroad track and a little east of the present plant. The first heat of cast iron was taken off June 27, 1897. The plant at this time con- sisted of an old boiler shell for a cupola with a wooden bottom and set on oak posts. The power was furnished by a six horse power engine and a small upright boiler. The foundry space was 20 by 30 feet with a capacity of two tons per heat or four tons per week; the machine shop and office occupied the balance of the building and the machine shop equipment consisted of an emery wheel, a blacksmith's vise, and a hand power drill. In the spring of 1898 the building was enlarged by an addi-
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tion 30 by 30 feet, the factory being now 30 by 70 feet, which was required to accommodate the increasing business. But as increase in capacity in business likewise required an increase in capital and Mr. Bateman being without funds and having no money invested in the business, except his labor, Wm. Zim- merman took over his share in the plant, paying Mr. Bateman the small sum of $250.00 for his share and cancelling Mr. Bateman's indebtedness to the firm. It was at this time that H. L. Zimmerman, Mr. Zimmerman's oldest son, became identi- fied with the factory and Miss Bertha Zimmerman, Mr. Zim-
A VIEW OF WM. C. F. ZIMMERMAN, SR., IN HIS OFFICE At the Zimmerman Steel Company Plant
merman's twelve year old daughter, was sent to Miss Elizabeth Irish's business college to prepare her for a stenographer so that she could assist in conducting the correspondence, which she did at the age of thirteen. The demand for the product of this little factory increased so rapidly under this management that the building soon became entirely too small. In the spring of 1900 Mr. Zimmerman purchased the Jewell Manufacturing Company's plant, above referred to, the former firm having gone out of business in 1898. This plant consisted of two wooden buildings, one 40 by 150 and the other 40 by 100 and a boiler room 16 by 28; the power plant consisted of a forty-five horse power slide valve engine and a fifty horse power boiler.
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A space 40 by 60 feet of the main building was used as a foun- dry. This was increased in 1905 by the addition of 30 by 50 feet and the two buildings were joined by an enclosure 24 by 56 feet. As the business increased, first John E. Zimmerman and later Fred W. Zimmerman were taken off the farm to help manage the factory. In September, 1906, an electric franchise for light and power for the town of Lone Tree was secured by Wm. Zimmerman, and on December 6th of the same year the electric light plant was put into operation with 3,000 lights wired up. The plant had been installed, the service lines and street lighting system erected and the plant ready for opera- tion in the short space of three months. This, remember, was done by men who had no special training in this particular field, except one nineteen year old boy, who assisted in the first stringing of the wires, and it was found necessary to re- arrange part of the work, that this young man had done, under the direction of Fred Zimmerman, the member of the Zimmer- man family who has this work in charge. The plant is at pres- ent operated as a day current as well as night service, furnish- ing power and light to all the citizens who desire, and the demand from farmers near town has become such that the lines are now being run out in the country to supply the farmers as well.
In 1907 it was found that the old slide valve engine was en- tirely too small, when this was taken out and a one hundred and twenty-five horse power Corliss engine put in its place in the short space of nine days. This, also, was installed under the direction of the Zimmerman boys without outside assistance.
On March 1, 1908, the firm name was changed from the Monarch Grubber Company to the Zimmerman Steel Company. The Schwartz Down Draft furnace was purchased and the first heat of steel taken off in December, 1907, but this furnace failed to give satisfactory results and was abandoned in 1908. An improved type of side blown converter was then built by the Zimmerman Steel Company and put in operation during the latter part of 1908. This converter has given entire satis- faction and been a perfect success ever since. At the time that this steel plant was put in operation it was the first and only cast steel plant in the state of Iowa; also the first plant to make steel on this side of the Mississippi river between St. Louis
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and Minneapolis. In 1909 a new fire-proof foundry was built of steel and concrete with a floor space of 72 by 116 feet. This building was designed, the steel fabricated, and the building built entirely by the Zimmerman boys. This building is equipped throughout with electricity and compressed air and is one of the most modern foundries in the west. Nine electric motors furnish the power for this plant and compressed air reduces the labor wherever possible. The plant has a capacity
A VIEW OF ONE END OF THE STUMP PULLER FITTING DEPARTMENT In the Zimmerman Steel Company Plant
of fifteen tons of gray iron or semi-steel per hour and a capacity of fifteen tons of steel per day. An electric traveling crane, de- signed and built in the Zimmerman shops, transfers the melted metal and does the heavy lifting all over the foundry. An clectric driven jib crane transfers the metal from the cupola to the converter. A seventy-five horse power motor drives the Sturtevant blower that furnishes the blast for the con- verter. A thirty horse power electric motor furnishes the blast for the cupolas. Other motors handle the raw material and clean the finished product.
The entire plant is heated from the exhaust steam, which is accomplished by a blower system that was designed and built by the Zimmerman boys at a cost of only one-third of the amount asked of them by firms in this line of business.
It may be mentioned here that the principal raw materials
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used in the plant come from Duluth, Minnesota, and the Bir- mingham district in Alabama, and are here turned into Mon- arch Stump Pullers and Royal and Zimmerman Pitless Wagon Scales, and these are shipped to all points of the compass, as mentioned. A small idea of the scope of the business may be gained from the fact that over $5,000.00 worth of imported wire rope is often used in a single month, and that a recent month's shipments amounted to over $18,000.
The John Deere Plow Company has charge of the firm's
A VIEW OF THE ZIMMERMAN STEEL FOUNDRY Showing the Bessemer Convertor discharging a heat of steel and moulten Bessemer flowing from the cupola, with electric transfer crane in the foreground
business in Texas and Mexico; Balfour, Williamson & Com- pany, of New York, look after their interests in Chili; an old English firm cares for the East Indian trade, where the Zim- merman Steel Company ships direct; one of the oldest and best known firms in the country takes care of their interests in Norway, Germany, and Russia. Forty per cent of the business is in foreign countries. Some idea of the business may be gained from the fact that the incoming freight bills of the firm, not considering the outgoing freight, which is considerably greater, amounts to an average of over a thousand dollars per month.
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The present force numbers over forty men, nearly all of them high priced mechanics, and the work in the several de- partments is under the direct personal supervision of the members of the Zimmerman family who compose the firm. H. L. Zimmerman buys the material, cares for the shipments, does the scale engineering and designing and superintends the scale testing. F. W. Zimmerman has charge of the foundry and superintends the construction work on the electric light. plant. He has twenty-five men to supervise.
J. E. Zimmerman has charge of the machine work and me-
A VIEW OF THE MACHINE SHOP In the Zimmerman Steel Company Plant
chanical engineering, doing the designing and drafting. This: work he began at the age of fourteen, with little or no instruc- tion in its particulars. He did, however, begin a correspond- ence course, but the mathematics troubled him so much that he went on in his own way till he mastered the problems that confronted him, until now all this work falls under his super- vision.
H. V. Mccluskey quit school teaching because the position the Zimmermans offered him paid better, and now having married Miss Bertha, who was mentioned in the early part of
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this sketch, he has taken her place in the management and looks after the sales correspondence, which keeps six people busy.
That these men have worked out the entire plan without any technical instruction, studying the motor from an old relic in 1897, and then erecting and equipping the Lone Tree lighting plant in 1906, seems rather out of the ordinary. That they have customers over so much of the world in the short space of sixteen years ; that they employ no men on the road to repre- sent them; that they manage the entire business through some of the largest firms in the world out of a town of seven hun- dred, with one line of railroad and with only occasional trains is the remarkable thing. There is a great lesson in this for the school men to study, and the fact that such work is being done in the county or state is worthy of special mention. The eco- nomics of the management is suggestive. This company is not incorporated, but is owned by William Zimmerman and his five sons, who, with H. V. Mccluskey, conduct the operation of the plant as described.372
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