USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of Whiteside County, Illinois, from its earliest settlement to 1908, Vol. I > Part 43
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April 22, 1882, articles of association were adopted and the name of the association was called the Sterling National Bank.
The following persons were the stockholders at the time of organiza- tion: James R. Bell, James Dinsmoor, Aaron A. Wolfersperger, Edgar G. Baum, Charles N. Russell, John Wolfersperger, Edwin F. Lawrence, Adam Smith, Charles A. Reed, Bradford C. Church and John H. Lawrence.
A board of seven directors was chosen by the stockholders, which con- sisted of James Dinsmoor, Charles A. Rced, James R. "Bell, C. N. Russell, B. C. Church, A. A. Wolfersperger and J. H. Lawrence.
This board of directors organized by the election of B. C. Church as president and Charles A. Reed as cashier. The capital was paid in on May 15, 1882, and the bank began business.
As soon as possible the site of the present place of business was secured and a bank building erected.
January 1, 1883, the capital stock of the bank was increased to, $75,- .000.00.
In September, 1883, Bradford C. Church, President, died and his son, E. G. Church, was elected to fill vacancy in the board of directors, and James R. Bell was elected president.
In January, 1885, Adam Smith was elected a director succeeding James Dinsmoor.
On October 5, 1886, Chas. A. Recd's resignation as cashier was tendered and accepted and John H. Lawrence was elected to fill vacancy.
At the stockholders' meeting in January, 1889, the names of Abijah Powers and E. F. Lawrence were added to the directory, taking the places on the board formerly occupied by E. G. Church and Chas. A. Rced.
In January, 1891, Fred Simonson was elected a director and continued a member of the board for six years. W. J. Bell was elected a director in January, 1894, to fill vacancy caused by the death of Adam Smith.
In 1902 John H. Lawrence, who had been cashier for over fifteen years, tendered his resignation in order to devote his attention to the already large and rapidly increasing manufacturing business of Lawrence Brothers.
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C. H. Tuttle who had been employed as teller in the bank for several years was elected to succeed Mr. Lawrence and at once assumed the duties of the office.
During the summer of 1903 the capital of the bank was increased from $75,000.00 to $100,000.00 and the beginning of the year 1904 found them with capital $100.000.00, surplus fund $50,000.00, undivided profits $53,- 122.49 and deposits of $583,451.84.
Cashier Tuttle tendered his resignation Oct. 24, 1904, to take effect Jan. 1, 1905, and same being duly accepted he retired from the business at the last mentioned date.
Samuel G. Crawford succeeded Mr. Tuttle as cashier and his name with that of Paul T. Galt was added to the list of directors about the same time.
In June, 1905, James R. Bell who had been president of the bank since 1883 died and John H. Lawrence was elected to fill the vacancy. Since the election of Mr. Lawrence to the presideney there have been no changes of officers or directors.
At this time the bank has a capital of $100,000, a surplus of $100,000, and undivided profits of $25,000 and $600,000 of deposits. Besides accumu- lating the present surplus and undivided profits the bank has paid semi- annual dividends satisfactory to the stockholders.
' At this time, in addition to the cashier, the bank employs an obliging and competent force consisting of Harry R. Trudo, Teller; John Royer, Assistant Teller; Walter Reed, Bookkeeper; and Arthur J. Becker, Collector.
THE STATE BANK OF STERLING.
The youngest of our financial institutions has its quarters in the former postoffice, corner Locust street and Fourth. Capital, $50,000. Organization was effected Oct. 16, 1905, by F. Heflebower, C. E. Windom, John M. Kohl, J. Frank Wahl, J. H. Gray and August Frank. Charter was granted in 1906, and business began Jan. 24 of that year. Accounts of Galt's savings bank were assumed Jan. 1, 1908. Money is loaned on real estate, and a general banking business is carried on. The directors consist of N. G. Van Sant, C. E. Windom, F. A. Grimes, Fernandus Jacobs, John M. Kohl, J. Frank Wahl, J. H. Gray, of Morrison, the others belong to Sterling. Van Sant is president, C. E. Windom vice president, F. Heffebower is cashier. He is an Ogle county man. Fred B. Frerichs is teller and bookkeeper. The rooms of the old post- office were completely remodeled, hard wood partitions and furniture installed, and the place presents a light and attractive appearance. The directors are among our conservative and substantial citizens, and a good business is al- ready secured.
THE STREET RAILWAY.
Everything comes to him who waits, and there was general rejoicing when the first car rolled through third street on the afternoon of May 5, 1904. Franchises had been secured once or twice before, surveys made, and even rails laid, but the projects were given up. But it was reserved for Ed- ward Higgins to carry the enterprise to a successful completion. The railway
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runs from Main street in Dixon to the end of Fourth street in Sterling, pass- ing through Prairieville and Gap Grove in Lee county, and following for the most part the common highway between Dixon and Sterling. Sign boards advertise regular stations through the country where passengers are received. The interurban cars leave Dixon and Sterling every hour, the smaller cars run in each city every twenty minutes. In Dixon a spur leads from the main line to the Assembly grounds. The fare is 25 cents from Sterling to Dixon, five cents in Sterling. The ride in summer between the two cities presents views of a charming landscape with fertile fields, verdant valleys, attractive homes, and all the tokens of a rich agricultural district. The full name is Sterling, Dixon and Eastern Electric Railway.
A brick power house with dynamos installed was erected in the first ward near the river, but was soon discontinued, as it was found that the mo- tive power could be secured cheaper at Dixon by using electricity developed by water power at the dam.
STERLING GAS AND ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY.
The city has two kinds of illumination, the gas works, constructed in 1870, and the electric plant, in 1890. The Chicago office at 184 La Salle St., the Sterling office on East Fourth. Elmer Crawford is resident manager. In the city are 19 arc lights, and 245 incandescent, for which the monthly bill is $439.78. The city hall in addition is $19.20. Most private houses use the gas for cooking, and in the new residences electricity is installed for lighting, as well as in the stores and churches. The price of gas is $1.35 per thousand with a discount for cash of 20 per cent. In electric light, kilo watts at 16 cents.
GALT-BROOKFIELD HOSPITAL.
In November, 1907, Mrs. Helen M. Brookfield tendered the Thomas A. Galt homestead on West Third street to the people of Sterling and Rock Falls provided they raised an endowment fund of $10,000. The property is con- sidered ideal for the purpose. The house was built in 1871 by Thomas A. Galt at a cost of nearly $25,000, and could not be duplicated today for less than $40,000. The elegant residence with the adjoining grounds is valued at $50,000, and is one of the best and most desirable locations for a hospital in either city.
The house is large and roomy, and has a sloping terraced lawn. There are two rooms which could be made into wards without any remodeling whatever. One of these rooms is 40x30 feet and the other 30x30, and twelve beds could be installed in these wards. There are several other rooms in the residence which could be fitted up very easily for wards. The library would make a splendid office.
The house is a four-story structure, and has a fine south frontage which has all the requirements of a hospital, such as sunlight and air. The kitchen and large laundry are located in the basement. One of the physicians of the city stated that should the people of the city build a new building they could not plan it better for a hospital than the residence given by Mrs. Brookfield.
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The interior is finished in the most expensive solid walnut which is highly polished. The house has recently been repaired and remodeled at a cost of several thousand dollars. The cost of additional remodeling to put the house in condition for a hospital would be very light.
Preliminary steps have already been taken to start the charity on its beneficent mission. A board of directors was elected whose officers are A. A. Wolfersperger, president; W. J. Doherty, vice president; R. L. Halsted, sec- etary, and John Royer, treasurer. The board of physicians is composed of Doctors .A. C. Smith, S. S. Kehr and S. A. Allen.
Liberal offers of assistance have been made. Manager M. C. Ward of the Academy of Music has offered the use of the Academy one night in each year for the benefit for a hospital fund; Mrs. Electa E. Smith of Washington, D. C., whose home for many years was in Sterling and who always has taken great interest in the old soldiers, has offered to furnish a room to be known as the old soldiers' room for the use of the G. A. R., U. S. W. V. and their families.
Substantial citizens stand ready to contribute liberally. The ladies of the Presbyterian church held a Dutch Market, whose characteristic booths and wares attracted large crowds, and realized $300 for the hospital fund. Subscriptions are under way, and the endowment of $10,000 will be easily secured.
THE CITY HALL.
Hear the loud alarum bells! In the startled ear of night, How they scream out their affright !- Poe.
On the corner of Fourth street and First avenue stands the municipal building of Milwaukee brick with its square tower. On the third floor is the council chamber and the hall of the Grand Army; on the second, the police headquarters, the public assembly room, the firemen's chambers, and the Historical Society; in the basement the station of the fire department and the lockup. The main equipment of the department consists of a hook and ladder wagon, a hose wagon, and several thousand feet of hose. Two heavy Norman horses, about 1,300 pounds, are ready to gallop, night or day, to the scene of destruction. John Gleason is janitor of the building and driver of the grays. There are twenty firemen connected with the city hall, and ten in the first ward with a small hose carriage in the upper barn. S. A. Stull is chief, and the alacrity with which the boys respond to an emergency call de- serves a much higher compensation than the city allows, $60 per year. Fires, of course, are rare, but the position is no sinecure, for it means work and expo- sure when the call comes.
Be wakeful, be vigilant, Danger may be At an hour when all seemeth Securest to thee.
The hall was erected in 1889, and in 1892, the corner tower was elevated
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a full story for the bell of fire alarm. The building has cost complete about $29,000.
AMONG THE FACTORIES.
Perseverance, dear my lord, Keeps honor bright; to have done is to hang Quite out of fashion, like a rusty nail .- Shakespeare.
Near the bridge are the new shops of the National Manufacturing Coin- pany, who make hardware specialties of standard sorts. It was founded by W. P. Benson and Louis Bittorf, both former employes of the Messrs. Law- rence. Six years ago they began business in a little three-story building, fifty by seventy feet and in 1907 they completed a new shop four stories high and have a floor space of 45,000 feet. They employ nearly a hundred men and their trade has extended from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The capitalization is $200,000.
The Novelty Company on Wallace street turn out an elaborate assort- ment of iron hitching posts, lawn and cemetery vases, plumbers' supplies, stove repairs, and porcelain lined cylinders for iron and wooden pumps. A pay roll of fifty men, and a yearly product of $80,000.
Few persons know that Sterling is the home of the first gasoline engine, and the Charter Gas Engine Company gets its name from John Charter, who twenty-five years ago, solved the problem of operating an engine by vaporized gasoline. From the standard type from two and a half horse power to forty, the company make several other types such as marine engines, traction en- gines, wood sawing outfits, electric generators, both of direct and belt types, hoisters, and several styles of pumping engines and make many for special purposes. These engines are in use for at least 250 different purposes where power is required, from making baggage checks to milking cows. In the early nineties the firm sold the first engine ever put to the latter use and now have several operating in large dairies where they take the place of the old time milk maid and the hired man on the three legged stool. These engines are pushing yachts, making cob pipes, weaving wool and cotton, making fish- ing rods, pens, pop and lace.
The company employs about fifty men on the average, though at times the force in the shops has approached a hundred. The engines are sent to Mexico and South America.
On Wallace street is the only concern of the kind in the city, the Sterling Pattern Works, whose specialty is metal and wood patterns of all sizes and shapes. It makes patterns for local factories and inventors, and has a large trade outside. It has just completed the making of a new gaso- line marine engine of two, four and six horse power. The engine is single, double and triple cylinder variety, designed for pleasure boats. The engines were placed on the market and local owners state that they are as near per- fection as possible, as they are light and durable and very powerful.
The Harrison Manufacturing company, the only company in the two cities making a specialty of all kinds of inside finishing for houses, churches, stores. etc., is located at the foot of Locust street on Mill street. It occupies
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two buildings, each 60x160 feet and it derives its power from a turbine wheel.
The company is engaged in the manufacture of all kinds of store fixtures, bank fixtures, drug store cases, display racks, interior fixtures for residences, in fact, make a specialty of making anything from wood.
The company has been in existence in this city for many years. During the busy seasons of the year is employs thirty men and during the dull sea- son not less than eight men. It has an average pay roll of eightcen inen. The men are skilled mechanics and their wages are seldom less than $2.50 per day.
The annual output of this establishment is about $60,000.
The most imposing establishment in the city is that of the Dillon-Gris- wold Wire Mill. The buildings, three stories high, cover three and one-half acres, and the floor space ten and one-half acres. The lofty smoke stacks are striking and ornamental. A large variety of wares like wire fence, poultry and garden, wire nails, barbed wire, bale ties, straight and cut wire, telephone wire, gates, are produced.
Over 2,555 tons of stove polish is made in Sterling every year. The two stove polish factories, the Black Silk company and the Sterling Stove Polish company, between them turn out over seven tons of polish each day of the 365 days of the calendar year. This amount of polish, when canned, makes a total of over 1,250,000 cans of the finished product.
The works of the two companies are large and commodious. The fac- tory of the Black Silk Company is 60x124, two stories in height, with offices 15x30. The manufacturing rooms are 40x30 and the labeling rooms five feet longer. The shipping room and stock rooms are 124 feet in length by thirty in width. The upstairs is devoted to laboratory and storage. The works of the Sterling Stove Polish Company are 40x100 feet, two stories high, the en- tire building being devoted to the manufacture of the polish.
The third largest plant of its kind in the world is the Rock Falls Manu- facturing Company, whose chief product is caskets and hearses, ambulances and undertakers' carriages.
The casket factory is on the east side of Third avenue and has a floor space of 27,000 feet. It is a three-story brick structure, 150 feet long and 60 feet wide. The engine and power house is attached to this building.
The hearse and carriage plant is located on the west side of the avenue and it occupies 27,430 square feet of floor space. Eighty-five men are steadily employed, and the goods have a high reputation and are in ready demand. The building occupied by the casket factory is the old Keystone Block, where Patterson and Witmer in the sixties did an enormous business in general merchandise. The factory was founded by Ed Brookfield, a young man of remarkable sagacity, who took a sickly venture and developed it into an im- mense success in a few years, but did not live to enjoy its prosperity.
Over a half century ago John Harpham began the harness business in a small shop, which gradually grew into a manufacturing and jobbing trade. In time his son, John L. Harpham, acquired an interest, the senior Harpham withdrew from active participation, and in 1903 the Harpham Saddlery Com- pany was formed. A three-story brick was erected on Wallace street, with 21,600 feet of floor space all occupied. The factory is of modern construc-
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tion, being equipped with an electric elevator and electric motors to operate their various machines necessary in the business. They have three motors with a total capacity of twenty-five horse power which operate the stitchers and die machines and other appliances. There are between forty and fifty men employed steadily in the shops and there are five salesmen on the road with territory in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and Wisconsin. The product of the factory for the past year has been equivalent to 10,000 sets of harness.
Within a year or two, one of the largest bakeries in the state, has been added to the city industries. When all the machinery is in motion, sixty barrels of flour will be turned daily into attractive food. The bread depart- ment has a capacity of 7,000 loaves per day. Much of the product is sold outside of the city in other towns in this part of the state and Iowa. The fac- tory has floor space of 10,400 feet and the present number of employes is about thirty. It is expected this number will be increased in the near future to fifty or perhaps sixty, just as soon as the cracker department gets well under way. In the cracker factory there are forty barrels of flour consumed and a full line of crackers and cookies are being made, which, if packed in the ordi- nary sized cracker boxes would fill no less than 400 of them every working day. A part of this product, however, is packed in paper cartons and in tin biscuit boxes.
The plant is operated by a thirty horsepower steam engine with an elec- tric auxiliary plant.
There are three ovens, two in the bakery department of one type and the third in the cracker factory.
A feature of the baking department which has just been inaugurated is a domestic oven where skilled women bakers are in charge and are equipped to execute orders for fine cakes and pastry. All of the work in this depart- ment is on order and the phone kecps them busy.
The factory generates its own electric current for lights and this species of power is also used in operating some of the smaller machines.
The officers of the Sterling Steam Baking Company are F. B. Hubbard, president; W. T. Egan, vice president and general manager, and B. P. Werntz, secretary and treasurer. Geo. W. Hill, late superintendent of the Western Baking Company at Portland Ore., is in charge as superintendent.
Without a tall factory or a big display in advertisements, the leather souvenir business of Scott Williams in five years has developed into a lively industry employing in the busy season forty people. He buys his tanned sheepskins by the carload, and after they are cut into cards, his assistants ex- ercise their taste in burning the pictures and making the letters. His trade covers the country, as he sells cards from Dakota to the Gulf, from New York to San Francisco. Amid the mass of these goods made everywhere, the stock of Mr. Williams stands number one. He has recently shipped orders to Cuba, but has been compelled to refuse further expansion of his business be- cause he has found it impractical to expand with economy.
The sled works of O. A. Hoak, Rock Falls, last year did business to the amount of $50,000.
To meet the call for soothing refreshment in the sultry summer, two
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ice cream factories come to the rescue. The demand has steadily increased. When Mr. Jackson began his business in Sterling in 1901 the local trade con- sumed 700 gallons a year, and every year this has increased until last summer he sold ten thousand gallons from his wagons direct to the people. For sev- eral years he has been turning 400,000 pounds of milk into the frozen dainty every year. This approximates 40,000 gallons of ice cream for the year and of this 10,000 gallons is consumed here. The remaining seventy-five per cent is disposed of in the territory north of Kewanee in Illinois outside of Chicago and west into Iowa as far as Mt. Vernon.
The smaller factory, the Peerless Company, has made rapid strides in two years, selling thousands of gallons at retail from the wagons. The total amount of ice cream made in factories in Sterling is close to sixty thousand gallons per annum and the winter demand is growing rapidly so that it is expected that there will soon be ample business to keep a factory in opera- tion throughout the year.
Among the smaller industries that minister to the luxury of the stronger sex, is the, cigar production. There are six factories in Sterling and Rock Falls, and the records of J. E. Harmon, secretary of the Cigar Makers' Union, show that in 1907 he issued 21,340 labels, each label meaning a box.
There are two grades of cigars made here-the five and ten cent grades. The cigars find a ready sale in most of the cases in the city, and each of the six factories also has in connection a retail store.
During the ycar 1907 there was a total of 1,092,000 cigars made in this city. It is estimated that the retail value of the cigars was $30,930.
The cigar manufacturers here give employment to twenty-eight men, the majority of whom are married and have families. The wages paid to cigar makers are high.
The following are the names of the factories in the two cities: Frank Cochran, Huber Brothers, E. Limond, J. E. Harmon, Williams & Elsasser and Alfred Pucklewartz.
The Sterling Broom Works turn out a daily output of twenty-four dozen brooms, making an annual output of 7,324 dozens or 94,088 brooms, having a retail value of $23,622.
At the foot of Locust street is the largest repairing establishment in the two cities, E. Bauder, proprietor. He occupies his own building, which is thirty-five feet wide and 150 feet deep, built of stone and brick. The build- ing is equipped with special machinery for doing iron and steel repairs and work of all kinds. Within the walls of the building there is housed the largest steel lathe between Chicago and Omaha.
Mr. Bauder makes a specialty of building machines from patterns, also doing pattern work. During the past few years he has constructed the steel dredges for the Austin company of Chicago, making a number of the big machines.
He is now engaged in making a new type of marine gasoline engines.
Three dealers in marble and granite are prepared to furnish monuments. Fred Johnson and Henry Krohn confine their attention to local business, but Walter J. Moore fills orders far and wide, carrying the largest stock west of
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Chicago. He has made shipments to Mexico and Brazil. His yearly sales amount to $25,000.
He occupies a building 133 feet long and twenty-five feet wide, using the basement and the first floor. The maximum number of stone and marble cutters employed is seven, and the work is done by compressed air machinery.
The twenty-second annual meeting of the stockholders of the Whiteside Building and Loan association showed a flourishing condition. Series Nos. 39, 40 and 41 which have matured since January 1, 1907, representing a total of one hundred forty-two shares and amounting to $14,200, has been paid in addition to several nice loans being made on buildings in Sterling and Rock Falls, and all the buildings which were held at the first of the year have been sold with the exception of one. W. S. McCloy, Dr. G. B. Dillon and A. J. Frank were elected as three new directors, and the following officers were chosen: President, Dr. J. F. Keefer; vice president, P. T. Van- Horne; treasurer, A. J. Platt ; attorney, H. C. Ward; secretary, J. G. Wetzel.
John G. Haglock's new skating rink, The Rollaway, located in First avenue, is the most modern skating rink in this section of the state, being built especially for that purpose. The rink proper is forty-six feet wide and ninety-five feet deep. The walls are of concrete blocks and the roof built on truss work. The floor, which is of hard maple, is laid on a concrete foun- dation. The ceiling and top of the walls are painted white, and in the rear of the building is a music box, rendering band music.
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