USA > Illinois > Peoria County > Peoria > Peoria of to-day with Peoria blue book directory, 1915 > Part 3
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28
PEORIA OF TO-DAY
DOOLEY BROTHERS
Dooley Bros., dealers in coal and miners' supplies, was established in 1890 by R. A. and J. B. Dooley as 12.01 DOOLEY BROS, COAL. 1201 a very small coal vard. In 1908 they were joined by E. A. Moffat and incor- TEE ATHENS RAILS. SOMANTON DeFonts porated under the laws of the State of Illinois. This S 457-46 firm handles all grades of DOOLEY BROS COAL hard and soft coal, gas house coke, and a general - - O line of miners' supplies, which includes T rails spikes, sterling brand shovels, Baldwin carbide lights, Union carbide, and the well known Dupont blasting powder, dynamite. fuse caps and explosives. The office is at 604 S. Ada ns Street and the yards, occupying more than a third of a block, are at 1201 S. Washington Street. In addition to the large truck seen in the accom- panying picture, which can be unloaded in about one minute and make rapid deliveries to any part of the city and suburbs, thirty teams are in constant use.
PEOR A FUEL CO.
513
PEORIA FUEL CO.
513
PEORIA FUEL CO.
LIME & CEMENT.
SEWER PIPE
CEMENT
MENT ER PIPE
The Peoria Fuel Co., which was incorporated in 18SS, is the outgrowth of a small coal yard that Chas. E. Butts opened in 1872. To-day they have an office at 513 S. Washington Street, and their yards, located at 513 and 1818 S. Washington Street, have facilities for storing two hundred cars of coal, which is handled by machinery making it possible to unload a car of coal in seven minutes, reload in ten minutes and load a wagon in less than three minutes. They handle the best Lincoln, Springfield, and Kentucky Lump Coal, and D. L. & W. Scranton Hard Coal. They are also agents for the Monmouth Sewer Pipe, and distributing agents in five counties for the Atlas Portland Cement, the best known and best lasting cement on the market. The present officers of the firm are M. C. Butts, president; D. E. Horan, vice-president, and Win. W. Nicol, secretary and treasurer.
29
PEORIA OF TO-DAY
PEORIA'S NATURAL RESOURCES
Peoria was born as a distributing point. In all those elements which go to build up a commercial, prosperous community, the position of Peoria surpasses that of any other interior city in the country.
Geographically it is ideally situated. Illinois is the great central state and Peoria is in the very heart of Illinois. Half way approximately between Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis and Des Moines, and being aided by the unexcelled trans- portation facilities described in the preceding pages, it is in truth the Gateway to the West and North-west.
But Peoria not only possesses the advantages of natural and artificial lines of communication, bringing it in prompt and close connection with the principal markets of the country, but lies in the very heart of the grain and mineral produc- ing regions so essential to the development of the whole.
Altho strictly speaking Peoria is not in the mining region, yet within a few miles are some of the greatest mines in Illinois. The estimated coal supply of Illinois is 239,000,000,000 tons, and Peoria is near the center of the deposit, thus affording an exhaustless supply of fuel, for the creation of power so necessary for manufacture, at a most reasonable price. The present price is from $1.27 to $1.67 per ton for mine run and from 60c to $1.10 for slack, delivered to the plant.
In the shales overlaying the coal, concretionary bands of iron ore occur.
The modified drift deposits, forming the terrace upon which the city is mainly built, furnish an inexhaustible supply of sand of various qualities adapted to the varied economical uses to which this material is applicable, and is also an excellent moulders' sand; also sand stone and limestone of good quality is to be found.
Excellent briek clays are abundant. The sub-soil clays over a large portion of the uplands are used for this purpose, and furnish an abundant supply of brick of good quality at a moderate cost.
There is also a plentiful supply of timber; the proportions of timber land and prairies originally being about the same. The timber land is mostly confined to the ridges and valleys of the streams, though occasionally fine groves are met with on the level adjacent to the prairies in close proximity.
As an agricultural region, this county ranks amongst the best. The soil is a dark chocolate colored loam, rich in organic matters and producing annually abund- ant crops of corn, wheat, rye, oats and barley, and with judicious cultivation this kind of soil retains its fertility for an indefinite period of years without the appli- cation of artificial stimulants. In the grain world it is fifth in rank as a corn market and in the receipts and shipments of oats. Illinois is first in corn, second in oats and fifth in wheat. The grain business is one of the largest industries in Peoria, and crops from thousands of acres adjacent to the city are milled at Peoria industries. Shipments of grain from the North-west reaching Peoria, are "milled" in our local grain mills and the milled product is reshipped to various territories on the original through rate from point of origin of the grain to the final destination of the milled product.
30
PEORIA OF TO-DAY
WAHLFELD MANUFACTURING COMPANY
The Wahlfeld Mfg. Co. manufacturers of fine interior wood work, veneered doors, stair work, cabinet work, bank and store fixtures, is owned by August Wahlfeld, who established this business
in 1892. Today the premises occupied embrace one entire half block at the corner of Washington and Persimmon Streets, and more than 96,000 square feet of floor space. The First National Bank, Central National Bank and Jefferson Building are only a few of the many large buildings and institutions furnished with fixtures by this firm.
HART GRAIN WEIGHER CO.
-
ro
HART
GRAIN
WEIGHER
7 3
rr
rr
-
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-
R
Manufacturers of Grain Handling Machinery PEORIA
ILLINOIS
CO.
HARI
31
PEORIA OF TO-DAY
INDUSTRIAL PEORIA
As a result of the exhaustless supply of fuel, the different varieties of raw materials most needed in the economical prosecution of enterprises, the transpor- tation facilities, etc., is the unexcelled growth of some of the great manufacturing industries and commercial institutions in Peoria. These are not only being con- tinually supplemented by others, but go on expanding with the ever-increasing demand for the purpose of consumption, making "Peoria of To-day;" one of the greatest and most popular manufacturing and commercial centers not only in this country but in the world.
Ever since it was first settled has Peoria been a factor in the commercial world. Almost immediately it became an important trading post, and as early as 1844 began to attract manufacturers. Making its way entirely on merit and frown- ing on the bonus system, "Peoria of To-day" has six hundred and ten factories, representing an investment of over $50,000,000. Twenty-seven of these factories have an annual output of over $1,000,000 each, and nine factories of over $2,500,000 each. There are no vacant factory buildings in Peoria, but plenty of money and space to build as many and as large buildings as shall be necessary to house legitimate enterprises desiring to reap the benefits of what Peoria as a city has to offer.
Manufacturing and Producing Concerns in the South Peor'a District
The sun never sets on Peoria products. Products manufactured, produced and trans-shipped from Peoria are consigned to every country on the face of the globe. In far off Siberia, Australia, Upper Canada, New Zealand, Cape Horn, the islands of the oceans, Greenland-everywhere-are found Peoria products. One thousand various articles are manufactured in Peoria; more than twelve thousand persons are employed, and over eight million dollars paid out annually as wages.
Each year tons of wire and nails are shipped; trainload after trainload of farm machinery and implements to all parts of the world; cars of stoves, meats, marble, finished and in the rough; tons upon tons of paper of various kinds and weights; train loads of alcohol, grain and denatured; whisky and blended goods; train loads of German carp and other fish for Eastern markets; maunfactured drugs; trainloads of grocery supplies; barrels and other cooperage; grain foods, wheat flour, meal. etc .; tons of stock food, starch, lard, syrup, hides and pelts, tallow, hay, coal from acres of mines; manufactured and natural ice.
32
PEORIA OF TO-DAY
SCHULZE BREAD CO. the largest bread baking institution in Peoria commenced business in COMPANY this city in 1910. This is the most modern bakery in Central Illinois and is equipped with the BREAD SCHULZE latest sanitary machinery used in the bread baking business. The process is entirely auto- matic, thus producing a uniform loaf that is hardly touched by hand and is absolutely sanitary. SCHULZE BREAD COMPANY The highest standard of sanita- tion and purity is maintained, and the public has a standing invitation to visit this plant at any time and see the modern and sanitary way of bread manu- facture. This bread is marketed under the popular brands, Schulze Butter Nut, Pan Dandy, Big Dandy and Prince Henry Rye Bread, in five and ten cent size loaves, and under the able management of Mr. E. Chrostoffel, this plant has increased to a daily average capacity of 25,000 loaves.
DONMEYER, GARDNER CO. manufacturing the famous Vienna Patent and Snow Loaf Flours, have been in the milling business in Peoria for more than thirty years. With the true spirit of progressive- ness they have continually changed and improved the mill until at the present time it is a modern and complete industry and is under the general management of its presi- dent, R. G. Gardner. Great care is exercised in the selection of the wheat and of its grinding into a flour of the highest grade. A com- plete, up-to-date laboratory is maintained in which thorough tests of the flour are made every hour. Bakings are made several times a week and every possible precaution is made to maintain the general excellence of their flour.
VIENNA
FLOUR |VIENNA
PATENT
VIENNA PATEN
BUT THẾ DEST
FLOUR
SNOW LOAF FLOUR
DONMEYER-GARDNER CO
A large branch house at Cleve- land, Ohio, takes a big percentage of the output for distribution throughout the state of Ohio. In addition to the two brands mentioned, Vienna Patent and Snow Loaf, they also manufacture Solid Com- fort, which is very popular in Ohio, and Donmeyer's Best, Daisy, and Best on Earth, well known throughout Indiana and Illinois. In addition to these, National and Crystal, high grade pastry flours, and the very best grade of Graham and Entire Wheat Flour are produced. Their motto is, "Not the Cheapest, But the Best."
33
PEORIA OF TO-DAY
The appended tabular statement of the activities for the year 1914, shows to what majestic proportions Peoria has grown in manufacture, commerce, banking, building, wholesale trade and kindred matters. Statistics can not keep up with the city's rapid progress and the figures given in the following table would need revising upward to meet the facts of to-day.
Articles
Receipts 1914
Shipments 1914
Flour, barrels.
2,292,900
2,428,352
Wheat, bushels.
2,399,033
2,361,662
Corn, bushels
14,520,478
7,004,565
Oats, bushels
12,925,660
14,203,497
Rye, bushels
493,600
418,800
Barley, bushels.
2,777,825
1,754,430
Mill Feed, tons
61,344
129,155
Seeds, lbs.
7,850,000
1,110,000
Broom Corn, lbs.
1,035,000
345,000
Spirits, Liquors, barrels
187,392
701,582
Starch, lbs.
10,385,000
35,755,525
Cattle, head.
32,479
35,220
Hogs, head.
377,521
316,339
Sheep, head
4,911
7,790
Lard, tierces.
2,170
4,760
Pork, barrels.
1,120
Bulk Meats, lbs.
18,720,000
11,393,400
Syrup and Glucose, lbs
36,000
31,845
Eggs, dozen.
2,148,000
1,008,000
Potatoes, bushels.
1,347,180
868,637
Hides and Pelts, lbs.
3,720,000
2,706,000
Tallow, lbs.
270,000
610,000
Hay and Straw, tons.
43,780
15,378
Agricultural Implements, cars.
3,336
4,725
Cooperage, cars.
1,874
1,439
Lumber, M. feet
172,413
105,733
Salt, barrels.
47,300
24,100
Oil, barrels.
248,185
152,799
Coal, tons.
2,146,872
1,846,079
Iron, tons.
60,081
44,367
Ice, Tons.
6,232
19,729
Miscellaneous, lbs.
2,174,654,600
2,040,143,400
Merchandise, lbs
332,798,600
602,854,700
Retail Business
$ 47,000,000.00
Manufactured products.
$ 85,000,000.00
Bank Clearings
$173,103,643.33
Internal Revenue Receipts.
$29,188,006.78 $452,686.60
Post Office Receipts.
Building Permits
444
Building Value.
$3,450,776.00
-
-
COLD STORAGE
BEHRENDS ICE EX FUEL CO
OFFICE
The Behrends Ice & Fuel Co. plant and section of engine room showing machinery used in the manufacture of artificial ice ,having a capacity of 125 tons daily.
35
PEORIA OF TO-DAY
It is impossible for the pen to do Peoria justice. Realizing this, and for want of space to make a serious attempt to describe the superior manufacturing, labor and commercial conditions of this city, a few views of various industries are sub- mitted in this chapter for the reader's consideration, the actual conditions being left to his imagination, which cannot be exaggerated.
1535087
DETWEILLER ICE COMPANY
The Detweiller Ice Company, whose offices are at 1724 N. Adams Street, was established in 1870 by Captain Henry Det- weiller, who at that time was in command of the steamer Beaver. DETWEILLER ICE In 1874 the captain resigned his command to devote his entire time to the ice business, which grew very rapidly, andlin 1892 was incorporated under the name Detweiller Ice Company. Their business and facilities soon grew to such proportions that they subsequently also engaged in the wholesale business and since the demise of Captain Detweiller in 1903, the business has been con- ducted by Thomas H. Det- weiller, who is the president and general manager. For forty-two years the offices of this company were located on the second floor at 108 S. Adams Street, and in 1912 moved to its own office building at 1724 N. Adams Street. By their honest dealings, courteousness and promptness, the Detweiller Ice Com- pany has built up a very extensive ice business, both wholesale and retail, and is one of the leading ice companies in this city.
BEHRENDS ICE COMPANY
The Behrends Ice & Fuel Co. was established and incorporated in 1909, and purchased the ice routes of Behrends & Sons, supplying natural ice. The following year the natural supply of ice being short, the present large plant which is modern in every respect, was erected for the purpose of manufac- turing artificial ice. The main building embraces many thousand square feet of floor space, and has a daily capacity of 125 tons of ice. The cold storage warehouse operated in connection with the ice business occupies a modern three-story structure and embraces more than 18,000 square feet of floor space, devoted to general cold storage, having special facilities for storing furs and textiles. The office, factory and warehouse of this concern are located at the corner of Apple and Washington Streets. In addition they handle the Springfield and best grades of hard coal. Eighteen ice wagons and an auto truck and about ten coal wagons, with more than sixty employees are kept busy at all times supplying the demand. The officers are Frank C. Godel, president; D. Becker, vice-president; Walter E. Godel, secretary; D. A. Covey, treasurer; and Ed. B. Logan, general manager.
Peoria Engr. Co.
WILSON GROCERY CO .- Wholesale Grocers
JOBST-BETHARD COMPANY.
JOBST
BETHAND
COMPANY
1.7.
JOBST-BETHARD COMPANY-Wholesale Grocers
AVERY COMPANY
· INCORPORATED CAPITAL STOCK $3.500.000
KESTO
KEYSTONE STEEL & WIRE CO.
ACME HANVY .TIN2
ACME HARVESTING MACHINE CO.
L
HERSCHEL MANUFACTURING CO
38
PEORIA OF TO-DAY
HARRY M. MAAS
Among the many successful business men of Peoria who have won place and fortune as the direct result of their untiring diligence and unfailing integrity is Harry M. Maas, who has one of the most fashionable and up- to-date tailoring establishments, oc- cupying the entire building at 109 N. Jefferson Avenue. Mr. Maas, a young man of ability and sterling integrity, was born in the central part of the state. He at- tended the pub- lie schools in the place of his nativity and after graduating high school in 1908, came to Peoria with his mother, his father having departed this life. Choosing for his occupa- tion the tailor- ing business, Mr. Maas en- tered the em- ploy of Block & Kuhl to ob- tain the prac- tical selling ex- perience, at the same time studying the technical part with some of the best tailors in the city. After spending four years at Block & Kuhl, one year with O'Brien & Jobst, and mastering all the details of the tailoring business, such as cutting, designing, etc., he felt him- self thoroughly qualified to engage in business for himself and opened a small shop in the Woolner Building. His ability soon proved itself and within one year his trade expanded to
the extent that larger quarters were necessary, and the present premises were leased. Since then many altera- tions extensions and additions were made and to-day he occupies the en- tire building and employs a large force of expert tailors and cutters. Every customer receives Mr. Maas's personal attention, whether it is an order for a shirt, an ordinary business suit or a very fine evening garment. To keep abreast with the styles and patterns, he makes a trip to Chicago once a month and oc- casionally goes east. He carries in stock at all times an exten- sive line of ex- clusive patterns for suitings and other wearing apparel for men, in all the latest patterns and weaves and maintains in conjunction with his tailor- ing business a made to order shirt department, making a shirt that is distinctive, better in quality and fit, for less money. Mr. Maas lives at home with his mother and is a member of the Calumet Club, Peoria Association of Commerce, Dramatic Order Knights of Khorassan and the Knights of Pythias. Peoria has few young men of greater promise and of more real value to its business, civic and fraternal life than Harry M. Maas.
39
PEORIA OF TO-DAY
COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATION Peoria Association of Commerce-Peoria Retail Merchants' Association Rotary Club of Peoria
For ever watching over, and with untiring energy and zeal unearthing and holding out to the public, the best that Peoria has, is the Peoria Association of Commerce, incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois, not for pecuniary profit.
The object and purpose of this organization is: to encourage moral, social, educa- tional, commercial and industrial conditions in Peoria and to secure the co-operation as of one body, of all individuals, and all educational, professional, commercial, and industrial organizations; to gather and distribute business, social and economic in- formation and statistics; to promote equitable principles of trade and commercial integrity; to give opportunity of acquaintance among citizens for free interchange of views, and to secure concerted action in matters of public interest; to consider and correct abuses growing out of public service, and to encourage all men to submerge individual interests and desires that conflict with civic development.
That the Peoria Association of Commerce is succeeding therein is only too evident. Every individual, institution and organiaztion, in putting forth their efforts to aid or better Peoria does so through this association. This co-operation and mutuality of feeling is evident in all undertakings, and from the following article a more compre- hensive idea can be had as to its accomplishments.
THE PEORIA ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCE By WILLIS EVANS, Executive Secretary
The editor of this book, devoted to history and achievements of Peoria and her business men, has asked me to contribute a page or two to the history of The Peoria Association of Commerce. Peoria's merchants and manufacturers in developing the work of the early Improvement Associations and Commercial Clubs, kept pace with the civic advancement of the city. La Salle was the first merchant in this community, and according to the earliest written history, Isaac Underhill and his associates in the early thirties and forties, were recognized as the original boosters. A paragraph in an historical edition refers to Mr. Underhill's trip of three months, and the fact that when he returned to Peoria, he was greatly surprised at the number of residences and business houses that had been erected during his absence. He hgave expression to the sentiment that Peoria was making progress. From that date, Peoria's advance has been continuous, steady and sure.
The Peoria Association of Commerce was organized four years ago. Prior to that time there was the Commercial Club of Peoria, which had done a splendid work. Then the Peoria Improvement Association of which Archbishop Spalding was one of the first presidents. We must not forget the early activities of the Peoria Board of Trade, and the splendid work of Peoria traveling men who always did their share in general publicity work for the City of Peoria. Then the boosting of the Creve Coeur Club and the Implement, Vehicle and Hardware Club, which twelve or fifteen years ago inaugurated the idea of Trade Excursions. The Merchants and Manufacturers Association was potent in its influence, bringing to Peoria hundreds of merchants from many states who came here to look at Peoria goods and to buy.
'The Peoria Association of Commerce had a good, rock foundation. The new idea
L.
WILLIS EVANS Executive Secretary Peoria Association of Commerce
41
PEORIA OF TO-DAY
found expression at a Mass meeting at the Coliseum and from that meeting grew the Peoria Association of Commerce, with its many affiliated and associated commercial, civic, professional and trade bodies.
Affiliated organizations are the following: Peoria Merchants Association; Peoria City Medical Society; Peoria Public Schools Principals Association; Master Painters Association; Implement Vehicle and Hardware Club; Wholesale Liquor Dealers As- sociation; Retail Druggists Association; Builders Exchnage; Livestock Exchange; Peoria Bar Association; Peoria Board of Trade; Peoria Brewers Association; Peoria Association of Railroad Officers; Peoria County Dental Society; Peoria Coal Dealers Association; Life Underwriters Association; Peoria Master Plumbers Association; Travelers Protective Association; Peoria Ministerial Association; Peoria Clearing House Association; Peoria Gardeners Association; Distillers Association; Master Printers Association; Peoria Fruit and Produce Exchange; Peoria Wholesale Coal Dealers Association; Hotel Keepers Association; Peoria Auto Dealers Association; Peoria Liquor Dealers Association; Transportation Club; National Implement and Vehicle Show; Illini Club; Rotary Club of Peoria; Peoria and Pekin Joint Car Inspec- tion Bureau; Illinois and Iowa Demurrage Bureau; Peoria and Pekin Freight Com- mittee; National Credit Men's Association; Peoria Automobile and Accessory Dealers Association; Peoria Retail Hardware Dealers Association; Peoria County Farm Bureau; Jovian Electrical Association; Peoria Shippers Association; Peoria Wholesale Grocers Association.
Douglas H. Bethard was the first president, and during his administration atten- tion was paid to perfecting the organization. Secondly, the establishment of the first stone in a foundation for constructive publicity and advertising of the City of Peoria- the National Implement and Vehicle Show.
The fathers of the Association of Commerce movement in Peoria viewing the present splendid advance of the work with intense satisfaction, look back to the first year because the right start was made.
This was referred to recently by Harry A. Wheeler, first president of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, who said Peoria had followed con- sistently a rational program for civic improvement and betterment.
The second president was Dr. Clifford U. Collins. During this year under Dr. Collins' leadership, specific attention was given to interesting various civic and com- mercial organizations in the work in hand and securing their identification as affiliated bodies, so at the close of the year there were upwards of forty societies represented in the Board of Directors by regular delegates. This year was termed the " Year of Affilia- tion" and under Dr. Collins' leadership, all hands set to work to push Peoria forward in a substantial way. The heralding of Peoria as a city of merit and quality, rather than of "Fictitious Values," centered the attention of Eastern capitalists, and soon Peoria found many within its gates, seeking location for business.
The third year, with the election of John W. McDowell, found Peoria ripe for greater things in all lines and was early proclaimed to be Peoria's greatest industrial year. Three or four big excursions were planned, and instead of Trade Extension, they were changed to Publicity-Fellowship, this idea being considered more advantageous in attracting attention to the city. President McDowell listed the remaining empty factory buildings in the City of Peoria and environs, and before the three-quarter post of his term, announced that every factory building in Peoria was filled and every
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