History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time, Part 158

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 1340

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* This circumstaner lead- to the belief that. at that time, there was no large mannfactory of lumber nearer than Plainfield.

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EARLY MANUFACTORIES.

B. Clarke was admitted to the partnership, forming the " Co." It was this management which furnished the money referred to. The first castings were made as early as December, 1835. In March, 1837, Stow & Co., formed a partnership with King, Walker (J. H.) & Co., (E. Peck), the old firm of Jones, King & Co. having been dissolved, and commenced the operation of a foun- dry, under the firm name of William H. Stow & Co. They continued to operate it until about 1842.

In the spring of 1834 Briggs & Humphrey inaugurat- ed the business of manufacturing wagons and carriages by starting a small shop on Randolph Street. They continued in partnership for some six or seven years. Soon afterward, Peter Schuttler, who, by 1857, had one of the largest establishments of the kind in the West, also started a small wagon shop.

Charles Morgan commenced the manufacture of furniture in the spring of 1837. His large factory on Lake Street was burned in 1852, but was rebuilt. In. 1857 he occupied a five-story building and had invested $60,000 in the business.

Among the first sash, door and blind factories, if not the first, was that established in 1837 or 1838 by Ira Miltimore, on the South Branch. It was purchased by David Scott in 1838 and was burned in July, 1842.

One of the earliest machinists and foundrymen of Chicago, and among her prominent citizens was Elihu Granger, Alderman for a number of years and, later, Superintendent of Public Works. Although a native of New Hampshire, he became a resident of New York when a young man, following in various localities his vocation of mechanic and millwright. He came to Chicago in the winter of 1836 for the purpose of build- ing Lyman & Gage's flour mill, the first one erected in Chicago. It was situated on the west bank of the Chi- cago River, at what is now the west end of Van Buren- street bridge. The machinery was furnished by the Aub- urn (N.Y.) State Prison. In February, 1837, having com- pleted his contract with Lyman & Gage, Mr. Granger became a heavy canal contractor, and like all others of that class, became financially embarrassed, being paid in State scrip and bonds upon which he was able to realize but comparatively a small amount. In 1839 Mr. Granger pre-empted Block 4, of the original town, on the north side of Chicago River, which was canal land, and established thereon a small foundry and finishing shop. He made a specialty of manufacturing machinery for elevating grain. The locality of Mr. Granger's first foundry was North Water Street, west of Clark-street bridge.

An attempt has been made in the foregoing pages to chronicle the first appearances of those branches of manufacture previous to 1840, which afterward devel- oped into magnitude, viz., the manufacture of iron and of wood in its various forms. The full list of manufact- ures of Chicago in 1839 compiled from Fergus's direct- ory for that year, the files of the Daily American, and other sources and including primitive manufactures was as follows:

" Candle and Soap- Makers .- Charles Cleaver, South Branch ; Joseph Johnston, West Washington Street.

" Fanning Mill Manufacturers .- James V. Dickey. North Clinton Street ; Albert C. Ellithorpe, Monroe, near Franklin Street.

" Iron and Brass Founders and Machinists .- Elihu Granger, foundry North Water Street, near LaSalle ; P. W. Gates, machinist. No. 42 Canal Street ; William and John Rankin, brass founders, No. 55 Clark Street ; William H. Stow, foundry, West Randolph Street.

" Wagon and Carriage-Makers .- Briggs & Hum-

phrey, Randolph Street, near Franklin ; John Lang, North State Street and Kinzie ; John Burgess, Ran- dolph, east of Wells; Henry Bower, Wabash Avenue, near Randolph.

"Brewers and Distillers .- William Haas, brewer, corner of Chicago Avenue and Pine Street ; William Lill, brewer, same location ; Edward Nicholson, distil- ler, Illinois Street, near the lake.

"Steam Saw Mill. - Captain Bensley Huntoon, proprietor, North Branch.

"Sash and Door Factories .- Francis McFall, Mar- ket Street; Ira Miltimore, South Branch ; Edwin B. Colvin, corner North Water and Dearborn streets.

"Tanners .- James H. Knox, Wells Street, south of Polk ; John Miller, North Branch ; Marvin M. Ford, Clark, northeast corner of Madison.

" Flour Mill .- South Branch, Canal Street, Lyman & Gage, proprietors.

" Miscellaneous. - Charles M. Gray, grain cradle factory, No. 78 Dearborn Street ; Hayward & Co., buhr mill-stone manufactory, Kinzie Street ; Noah Scranton, block and pump-maker, corner North State and North Water; V. Detrich, match-maker, corner Division and North State; John Penny, brick-maker, North Branch.'

Among the earliest of the metal workers who com- menced business about the time that William H. Stow & Co. assumed charge of the "Chicago Furnace " in 1839, were the brothers William and J. Rankin. They established a brass foundry, on the corner of Clark and Illinois streets. Hiram P. Moses, Mr. Stow's successor in 1842, owned a shop at this time on the South Branch, at the Polk-street crossing. The firm, at first B. P. Andrews & Co., became afterward Moses & Ayres, and then Hiram P. Moses. The latter was a brass founder and steam-engine and boiler builder. Mr. Moses was perhaps the first manufacturer in Chicago to make a specialty of steam-engine building. In later days his foundry was known as the "Chicago Steam- Engine Works." At this establishment, in 1848, the engines and boiler of the propeller, " A. Rossetter" were made. The " Chicago Eagle Foundry," also oper- ated a similar concern in 1840.

It will be remembered that, in 1839, Elihu Granger established his iron foundry on North Water Street, upon canal land. On account of a decision of the court against his claim, in 1842 he was obliged to change his location to the corner of Franklin and Indiana streets, where for many years he did a large and suc- cessful business, adding good facilities for iron and brass castings. In 1853 Mr. Granger sold out to his sons, and they conducted the business until the panic of 1857, when they were obliged to make an assignment to their father and George W. Dole, as trustees.

In 1842 Philetus W. Gates formed a partnership with his father-in-law, Hiram H. Scoville, and opened a small blacksmith and wagon shop on Randolph Street. Mr. Scoville had been engaged in contracting on the canal and had met with serious reverses. Mr. Gates was also without capital. To show the financial condition of the new firm it is only necessary to state that they were obliged to buy one thousand feet of lum- ber on credit, with which to erect their building, which was situated near the bridge. At the end of the year a foundry and machine shop was built, on the corner of Washington and West Water streets. The firm con-

ducted the business for about five years, when Mr. Gates purchased Mr. Scoville's interest. In 1848, after being alone one year, Mr. Gates admitted A. H. Hoge into partnership. Before the end of the year George S.

568

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

McKnight had purchased Mr. Hoge's interest, the firm becoming P. W. Gates & Co. Soon afterward E. S. and A. G. Warner, Thomas Chalmers, and Andrew and David Fraser became associated with Mr. Gates, adding to their already extensive business the manufacture of cars. The panic of 1857 found them encumbered with debts amounting to $350,000 ; but, although the affairs of the firm were placed in the hands of an assignee, by 1860, every dollar of this indebtedness was paid off.

In 1848, soon after Mr. Scoville severed his business relations with Mr. Gates, he, with his sons, Adison, William and Ives, established a foundry on the corner of Canal and Adams streets. About this time the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad Company commenced laying iron, and Scoville & Sons contracted for building a number of freight and passenger cars. They also built the first locomotive manufactured west of the Allegheny Mountains, called the " Enterprise.' 'The formation of this firm of Scoville & Sons, in 1848, was the origin of the present 1883) Scoville Iron Works, Nos. 51-53 Lake Street.

In IS46 another branch of iron manufacturing was established in Chicago. During that year C. R. Van- dercook & Co. commenced to operate the " Phoenix Founory." on the south side of the river, near the lake shore. The firm made a specialty of manufacturing " Queen of the Prairies," a new hot-air cooking stove, and also turned out furnaces, grates, etc. This was the first stove foundry in Chicago.

By 1848 a number of firms were operating quite large brass foundries. Thomas George & Co .. on Lake Street, was not only one of the oldest of the brass found- ers, but the most extensive .. Nugent & Owens estab- lished their works on Market Street in 1848, but they were burned out in 1854, and afterward the foundry was operated by M. Nugent alone. H. W. Rincker was proprietor of the first bell-foundry on Canal Street near Adams, and in 1848 cast probably the largest bell in the city. for St. Peter's church. In 1854 he also cast the large alarm bell for the court-house. In those days F. Letz's Chicago Iron Works on Wells Street, and James Hannah & Co.'s foundry in Wabansia's addition, West Side, were turning out considerable work. Letz's works had been established some years, and in 1853 he · purchased land on Franklin Street, between Washing- ton and Madison, where he erected a substantial cut- stone and brick building of three stories.

In 185t Charles Reissig established the " Chicago Steam Boiler Works" on Jackson Street, west side of the river. He constructed the large mains for the water works in 1854.

Mason & McArthur commenced to manufacture purifiers and various wrought-iron work for the gas works in 1852, in a small wooden shop on Randolph Street. A removal was afterward made to the corner of Canal and Carroll streets, and in 1855 the facilities of the establishment were greatly increased. By 1857 the " Excelsior Iron Works" were among the leading iron manufactories of the city.

The year 1852 marks an epoch in the history of Chicago and Cook County manufactories. It was then evident that the city was to become a great railroad center, and! all branches of manufactures were fostered. The building of cars and locomotives, especially, grew into large proportions. As has previously been stated P. W. Gates and Hiram H. Scoville engaged in the manufacture of cars on a small scale, when the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad first commenced to call for rolling stock in 1848. Stone & Boomer, in February of that year, began the construction of wooden bridges on

the Howe principle. In November, 1852, they com- pleted the " Union Car Works," on South Clark Street, which were destroyed by fire in September, 1855. In February, 1853, they turned out the first car, and dur- ing 1854 four hundred cars were completed. The firm had the contract for equipping the Western Division of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, and the Ohio & Mississippi Company. At the time of the destruction of the works they were the most extensive of the kind in the West, the gross annual earnings of the firm in the building of bridges being SSco,oco. They had contracts with twenty-four different railroads in Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin. After the fire, the firm purchased the "American Car Works," on the lake shore, in the southern part of the city, and associated with themselves N. S. Bonton. Mr. Bouton had pur- chased the works of G. W. Sizer & Co. This manu- factory was completed in the fall of 1852, but did not fairly commence business until March, 1853. When Messrs. Stone, Boomer & Bouton assumed charge in 1855, everything was in fine working order, the build- ings and necessary yard-room covering thirteen acres of ground. The Michigan Central and the Illinois Cen- tral roads passed by the manufactory, so that every transportation facility was at hand. The works con- sisted of a foundry, blacksmith shop, engine house, machine shop, paint shop and two passenger-car shops, and were known as the " Union Car and Bridge Works." In addition to these buildings the new firm continued to use their old foundry on South Clark Street. It should be remarked, however, that before the American Car Company's works came into their possession. they did a very extensive business under the former management and under the superintendency of D. H. Lyman. During the first year (1853) seven hundred cars were constructed, mostly freight. The passenger coaches of the Illinois Central Company were also built by the American Car Company. The value of the finished work amounted to $450,000. In 1854 the company manufactured thirty-nine first-class passenger cars and two hundred and thirty platform cars. This work, with the railroad castings, brought the value of manufactures up to $600,000 in the year 1855. In December, 1856, the car works were bought by the Illi- nois Central Company. The partnership was dissolved. Mr. Stone went into business as a contractor, Mr. Boomer as a bridge builder, and Mr. Bouton started a foundry on Clark Street, being appointed, soon after, to the position of City Superintendent of Public Works.

In September, 1853, the attention of business men was called to the importance of establishing, at this point, a locomotive manufactory. A company was therefore formed, in 1854, of which William H. Brown was president. The works of H. H. Scoville & Sons, corner of Adams and Canal streets, being adapted to the wants of the locomotive company, were purchased by the new organization. The Messrs. Scoville had already commenced the construction of a locomotive, which was placed upon the track soon after the organization of the company. It was the first locomotive built in Chicago -the " Enterprise "-and entered the services of the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad Company. After- ward the locomotive company built the " Falcon" for the same road, and during the year of its existence turned out some ten locomotives, when its works and " good will " passed into the hands of the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad Company.

In 1854 the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad Company established a machine and repairing shop on West Kinzie Street. Locomotives were also built there,

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EARLY MANUFACTORIES.

the " Black Hawk " being one of its productions. The next year (1855) the Illinois Central followed the exam- ple of the Galena road and established shops on the lake shore, south of Twelfth Street. As stated, in 1856, the company purchased the American Car Works, at Carville. In 1855 the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Company erected machine and repair works on Buffalo Street, and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Com- pany put up similar shops on West Kinzie. The Chi- cago, St. Paul & Fond du Lac Company also estab- lished works on the North Branch of the river. Con- sequently there was little need for private assistance in the manufacturing of cars and locomotives.

Within the five years succeeding 1852, a number of new iron manufactories started into life, In June, 1853, the "Chicago Iron Railing Manufactory," A. F. Stod- dard, proprietor, commences business on Randolph Street. Vincent, Himrod & Company's stove foundry was built the same year, being located on the South Branch. John Peattie's steam engine works were located the same year on North Water Street. In 1854, Stephens & Brother established a steam-engine manufactory, and J. W. Cobb's establishment on the corner of Kinzie and Desplaines streets, devoted to the same objects, was burned. The "Chicago Lead Pipe and Sheet Iron Works," corner of Clinton and Fulton streets, were established the same year by Collins & Blatchford, on the corner of Clinton and Fulton streets. Pressed bar lead was also made. The parent house for lead manufacture was located in St. Louis. M. C. Barrel established a foundry corner of Canal and Adams, in 1855; and during the same year Russe !! & Angel commenced business on the corner of Kinzie and Halsted; and Sherman, Bay & Co., on Canal Street. In April of this year, Perkins & Krause began to man- ufacture steam engines and flour and saw mills, their works being situated on the corner of Canal and Washington.

The following establishments commenced business in 1856: Evarts & Butler, manufacturers of shingle machines, steam engines, etc., North Water Street; James Campbell & Co., boiler manufacturers, Jefferson, near Kinzie; W. M. Horton & Co., founders, corner Canal and Adams.

In July, 1857, Captain E. B. Ward established his mills for the re-rolling of iron rails. They were situated on the North Branch, three miles from Lake-street bridge. The buildings covered fifteen acres. The machinery was made in Detroit.

But few manufactories of any kind were established in 1857, those already in existence feeling satisfied if they could tide over the hard times.

By the year 1857 the capital invested in iron works, car manufactories, etc., exceeded $1,700,000, and the value of manufactures over twice that amount. Some two thousand eight hundred workmen were employed and eight thousand tons of wrought and four- teen thousand tons of cast iron were consumed. In the manufacture of stoves a capital of about $185,000 was employed, and the value of the products was $238,000 per annum.

Asahel Pierce, as has been stated, was the pioneer manufacturer of agricultural implements in Cook County, and the first one in northern Illinois. In 1847 Cyrus H. McCormick removed from Cincinnati to Chi- cago, and made arrangements with C. M. Gray for the manufacturing of his celebrated reaper. About seven hundred machines were made the first year, and fifteen hundred the second. In 1848 Mr. McCormick entered into a contract with Ogden & Jones under the firm

name of McCormick, Ogden & Co. The contract em- braced the supplying of Illinois (except four counties , Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan. Ar- rangements were also made to enlarge the manufactory on the north side of the river, near the mouth of the harbor. During this year (1848) Mr. McCormick's brother, Leander, was taken into the business, and in 1849 William S. McCormick was associated. They afterward 1859) became partners in the manufactory. By 1857 the establishment was turning out over four thou- sand reapers annually, a capital of about $360,000 being invested.

In 1853 J. S. Wright commenced manufacturing the Atkin's self-raking reaper and mower, his building being on Peyton Street, North Side. The next year three hundred reapers were turned ont from this factory. In 1855 Mr. Wright changed his location. In 1857 he was manufacturing one thousand eight hundred ma- chines.

In 1854, as stated, Asahel Pierce turned over the manufacture of plows to David Bradley, his brother- in-law. Mr. Bradley associated with himself Conrad Furst, and the foundation of the present extensive estab- lishment of the " Furst & Bradley Manufacturing Com- pany " was laid.

H. A. Pitts, manufacturer of threshing machines and horse powers, was also prominent in this branch of industry. His factory, corner of West Randolph and Jefferson streets, was burned in September, 1855, but re-built on a greatly extended scale. In October, 1855, H. D. Emery & Co. established the "Chicago Agri- cultural Works."

An idea of the growth of this class of manufactur- ing may be obtained from the statement that in 1856 the capital invested amounted to $597,000, and the total value of the production was $1, 134,300.

Among the pioneers in planing and the manufacture of builders' materials-sash, doors, blinds, etc.,-after Ira Miltimore were Foss & Brothers and J. W. Noble, who established themselves in 1848; also F. McFall & Co. and Goss & Phillips, successors to Goss & Abbott. Mr. Goss commenced the business in 1848, and the firm of Goss & Phillips was formed in 1850. Goss & Phil- lips' factory was consumed by fire in August, 1856, but suspended business only a few weeks, and even then showed the enterprise which the " Goss & Phillips Man- ufacturing Company " possess to the present day. By 1857 there were some twenty planing mills and sash, door and blind factories, in which establishments was invested a capital of $445,000. The value of manu- factures turned out during the year 1856 was over SI,- 000,000.

From the most reliable accounts, as stated, Briggs & Humphrey were the first regular wagon and carriage makers, with Peter Schuttler a "good second." In No- vember, 1837, J. C. Outhet started a wagon manu- factory, and continued in business many years, his location being on Randolph Street, between Franklin and Wells streets. B. C. Welch established the first omnibus factory in the city in 1846. The firm name was at first B. C. Welch & Co .. then Welch & Men den. and after Mr. Welch's death in 1856, J. T. Mensden & Co. The factory was situated on Randolph, between LaSalle and Clark streets, and the business bad walely extended by 1857. F. Busch commenced to manu- facture wagons on Washington Street in 1847. H.

Witheck was one of the largest and best known wagon manufacturers in Chicago for many years. His manu- factory, which he greatly enlarged in 1853, was situated on the corner of West Randolph and Jefferson street -.

570

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

In 1854 Mr. Pierce, after having conducted the business of manufacturing wagons and plows for twenty years until it had grown into immense proportions, gave up the latter branch of the industry to his brother-in- law, David Bradley, and established the "Chicago Car- riage and Wagon Factory " at Holstein, three miles northwest of the city, on Milwaukee Avenue, being the largest and best known house of the kind in the city. Mr. Pierce carried on the business up to September, 1856, when the management was assumed by Tucker & Steinhouse. Mr. Bradley, in the meantime, had asso- ciated himself with Conrad Furst, an experienced car- riage and wagon maker, and thus was laid the basis of the "Furst & Bradley Manufacturing Company," still alive and wonderfully prosperous.

Among the prominent wagon and carriage manu- facturers of early days may also be mentioned Ellithorpe & Kline. John H. Kline went into business for himself in 1856.

By 1857 the total capital invested in the business was $356,000, and the value of the manufactures S948,- 160. Over seven thousand wagons and carriages were manufactured in 1856.

Charles Morgan has the reputation of being the earliest furniture manufacturer in Chicago. John Phil- lips commenced to make chairs in 1845. His factory was on the corner of Green and Third streets, and was the first establishment devoted exclusively to the manu- In 1838 S. B. Collins & Co. began the manufacture of boots and shoes, in a small way. It increased yearly until 1855, at which time the business passed into the hands of Pearson & Dana. In 1854 E. S. Wells opened the Metropolitan Boot and Shoe Store, and commenced the manufacture on an extensive scale. facture of chairs. Both were in business in 1857. Furniture making took a fresh start in 1855 ; such new firms as Jacob Strehl and Hutchings & Brown going into the business. The capital invested in this branch of industry in 1857 was $354,000, and during 1856 the manufactures were valued at S543,000. Among the In 1855 C. G. Sheffield, as agent of the old type most extensive then doing business were D. L. Jacobus . foundry of John T. White & Co., New York, established & Bro., on Randolph Street, and John Finerty, on the a branch in Chicago-the only one of the kind west of Cincinnati. It was in a large four-story brick building on Washington Street. same thoroughfare, the latter of whom confined himself to the manufacture of fine goods.

The sub-soil of Chicago and vicinity is a blue clay, underlying the surface from three to six feet. This material is found in great abundance on the South Branch of the River. in Green's addition. Next to MEr. Blodgett, among the first of Chicago's citizens to fairly establish this branch of manufacture was John Penny. Other Pennys followed, and in the forties John Penny was re-enforced by A. J., and G. W., his sons. Penny & Meacham, Penny, Meacham & Harvey, etc., were all in the same business up to 1857. In 1853 the total manu- facture of bricks had reached only twenty million, but the entire product was used at home, Milwaukee also furnishing this city a portion of her cream colored articles. By 1854 there were five brick-yards in oper- ation, that of Daniel Elston being the largest. F. T. & E. Sherman had also obtained a reputation for the excellence of their manufacture. In 1857 there were fifteen yards and they turned out about ninety-one million of brick, valued at over $700,000.

About eighteen miles southwest from Chicago, are situated the famous "Athen- Quarries." near lemont. In 1846 the stone was discovered by some workman while they were excavating for the Ilinois & Michigan Canal, but was not then considered of superior quality. It was, at first. used merely for foundation stone. In 1851 the " Illinois Stone Company " opened a quarry there, but even then no one thought of using the stone for facing purposes, or of calling it " marble." In 1852, however, the Merchant's & Mechanic's Bank of Chicago was faced with the Athens stone, the first used for this purpose in the city. F. C. Sherman and William B. Ogden then used it in their buildings, next to the Sher-

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History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time, Part 158

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas Number of Pages: 1340

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 1340