USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922, Vol. I > Part 61
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The Trippensee Manufacturing Company, engaged in the making of auto- mobile bodies, with plant located at Stanley Avenue and Twelfth Street, was started in 1906 as manufacturers of Trippensee Planetarium and wood specialties. The building of automobile bodies was begun in 1907 and in that year incor- poration papers were taken out. The organizers of the company are the present officers, namely: William F. Trippensee, president; Albert W. Trippensee, vice president; and Frank J. Trippensee, secretary and treasurer: the three are brothers. The company has an authorized capitalization of $1,000,000 and employs about five hundred people.
The C. R. Wilson Body Company was incorporated in 1899. This business was the outgrowth of that started in 1870, when C. R. Wilson came to Detroit and in 1875 began the manufacture of buggy woodwork. In 1876 he was joined by his brother, J. C., and the company was incorporated in 1886 as the C. R. & J. C. Wilson Carriage Woodwork Company. The brother afterward sold his interests in the company and the name became the C. R. Wilson Body Com-
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pany. C. R. Wilson became interested carly in the automobile development in the manufacture of bodies for the machines and in this way became connected with the founders of the Ford, Olds and Cadillac plants. His first work was done for these makers. This company now, which in normal times employs about two thousand five hundred men, has its principal plant located on Clay Avenue and the Grand Trunk Railroad, and is officered by the following: C. R. Wilson, president ; George D. Wilson, vice president; C. Haines Wilson, secretary and treasurer.
The Aluminum Castings Company, 7610 Joseph Campau Avenue, was incor- porated on August 13, 1909, but on November 15, 1919, became incorporated as part of the Aluminum Manufacturers, Inc., with general offices in Cleveland, Ohio. This is one of the largest shops in Detroit for the making of aluminum and brass castings, with a payroll, in normal times, of nearly two thousand people.
The American Injector Company, manufacturers of brass goods and located at 175-184 Fourteenth Avenue, was incorporated in 1886. The officers of this company are: John Trix, president; John J. B. Trix, vice president; Herbert B. Trix, secretary and treasurer. About one hundred and fifty men are employed by this concern. The authorized capital stock is $200,000.
The Charles B. Bohn Foundry Company, engaged in the manufacture of aluminum, brass and bronze castings for automobiles, motors, farm tractors and allied industries, is located at 3516 Hart Avenue. This company was incorporated April 23, 1918, with an authorized capitalization of $500,000, as a consolidation of a company of the same name and its subsidiary, the Peninsular Smelting and Refining Company. About seven hundred people are employed in the plant when working at full capacity.
The Bowen Products Company, located at 2760 Warren Avenue, west, manufactures various parts for automobiles. This company was incorporated in November, 1917, and at the same time given an authorized capitalization of $2,500,000. George W. Bowen is president of the company, which has a pay- roll of nearly eight hundred men when running at capacity.
The American Agricultural Chemical Company, manufacturers of fertilizers, has a Detroit branch located at the corner of Forman and Carbon avenues, where some three hundred and fifty people are employed. The general offices of this company, which is of national scope, are in New York City.
The American Auto Trimming Company, located on Meldrum Avenue, was incorporated in 1910, with a capitalization of $150,000. The state labor bureau in 1919 reported that 657 men were employed in the plant at that time.
The American Blower Company, as it now exists, was incorporated January 15, 1909, under the laws of New York, and was a consolidation of the fan and blower business of the old American Blower Company at Detroit and the Sirocco Engineering Company of Troy, New York. In 1913 the company purchased the air washer interests, including the patent rights, of the McCreery Engineer- ing Company of Detroit. The plant, which is located at 6004 Russell, is used by approximately six hundred employes. The officers of the company are: James Inglis, president; J. F. G. Miller, vice president and treasurer; Frederick R. Still, vice president and secretary. The authorized capitalization is $1,500,000.
The American Electrical Heater Company, at 6125 Woodward Avenue, was incorporated in September, 1894, and has an authorized capitalization of $115,-
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000. About three hundred people are employed. Robert Kuhn is president of the company and B. H. Seranton is president of the board.
The Michigan branch of the American Radiator Company had its foundation in 1888 and the original incorporation was made under the title of the Michigan Radiator & Iron Manufacturing Company. The chief promoter was John B. Dyar, who had been for about a decade the managing owner of the Detroit Metal & Heating Works. In the forming of the company there were associated with him such men as Martin S. Smith, Clarence Carpenter, Clarence M. Woolley, James McMillan, E. W. Meddaugh and Ernest E. Mann. John B. Dyar was the first president of the company. The company purchased a tract of land on Trombly Avenue between Russell Street and the Grand Trunk Railway and erected thereon a foundry building, machine shop, core room, cleaning room, warehouse, and an office building. Starting with 200 employes, the payroll was gradually increased to meet the incoming business, and the 1919 report of the state labor bureau credits the company with 372 employes. In 1891 the American Radiator Company was organized and assumed control and possession of the plants of the Michigan Radiator & Iron Manufacturing Com- pany and the Detroit Radiator Company, as well as the Pierce Steam Heating Company of Buffalo. At first the company engaged in the manufacture of cast-iron radiators for water and steam-warming purposes, and was second to the Detroit Steam Radiator Company to take up this line of work in Detroit. In 1891, the company began making water and steam-warming apparatus and in 1894 the first boilers for house-warming purposes were turned out. The American Radiator Company was reincorporated February 10, 1899, and ac- quired the property of the old company of the same name, the St. Louis Radiator Manufacturing Company, the Standard Radiator Manufacturing Company of Buffalo, and the radiator department of the Titusville Iron Company of Penn- sylvania. The American Radiator Company of Michigan was incorporated August 1, 1906; all of the stock of this company is owned by the American Radiator Company. Two plants, one on Trombly and one on Joseph Campau, are operated in Detroit.
The Detroit Steam Radiator Company, mentioned above as having been merged with the American Radiator Company was organized and incorporated in 1882 by Henry C. and Charles C. Hodges; this firm was the first to manu- facture the cast-iron radiators of the type which have become standard the world over.
The Jefferson Forge Products Company, employing about three hundred people in the manufacture of drop forgings, was incorporated January 27, 1906, in Michigan as the Anderson Forge & Machine Company. The name was changed to the present style February 6, 1920. This company, the principal stock of which is owned by the Alger family, makes drop forgings for the auto- motive trade, also other products.
The Automobile Crank Shaft Corporation was incorporated September 26, 1916, to succeed the old Automobile Crank Shaft Company of Michigan, which was organized in 1906. The company manufactures erank shafts for motors for autos, marine engines, aeroplanes and tractors. The plant is located on Piquette Avenue.
The Automatic Products Company, located West Grand Boulevard, was incorporated in 1913 with an authorized capital stock of $200,000. About
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three hundred and fifty people are employed when the plant is operated at capacity.
Under the title of the Sprocket Chain Manufacturing Company, the business of the Buhl Malleable Company had its inception on April 11, 1899, when the company was incorporated with a capital stock of $25,000. The company began the manufacture of sprocket chains by purchasing the Detroit Sprocket Chain Company. The Buhls assumed control of the business and on August 14, 1899, was incorporated as the Buhl Malleable Company, with a $50,000 capital. The first officers were: Theodore D. Buhl, president; Alexander MePherson, vice president; Frederick T. DeLong, secretary and treasurer. Upon the death of Theodore D. Buhl in April, 1907, his son, Arthur A., became the president of the company and yet remains the executive head. The plant of this company, at Wight and Adair, is in the 'main that formerly used by the Peninsular Car Company. The capital stock of the company is now authorized at $460,000, about seven hundred and fifty people are employed, and the product includes all classes of malleable iron work and eastings.
The Buhl Stamping Company was founded in 18SS, the interested principals in the new corporation having been junior partners in the wholesale hardware concern of Buhl Sons & Company. The first president of the company was Theodore D. Buhl; Charles II. Jacobs, vice president; Dewitt E. Delamater, secretary; and Jefferson M. Thurber, treasurer. The capital represented in the organization was $25,000 and the plant secured for the start of the business was that of the Buhl Iron Works, located on Third, Larned and Congress streets, from Third to Fourth. About three hundred people are employed in the manu- facture of metal stampings and kindred products at the Scotten Avenue plant. The president of the company now is L. D. Buhl.
The Caille Brothers Company, at 6210 Second Boulevard, is a manufacturing business which was moved here from Saginaw in 1895 by A. Arthur Caille. In 1893, Mr. Caille brought his first patents in the coin-controlled slot machines and from that time built up a business which was one of the largest of its kind in the world. In recent years, however, the company has turned its attention to the making of other products, specializing on marine motors and seales. Adolph Caille is president and general manager of the company.
One of the distinctive products of the Detroit manufacturing field is that of overalls. One of the principal companies turning out overalls in quantity is the Larned, Carter & Company, located at Eighth and Howard streets. This company was organized by Abner E. Larned and David S. Carter in 1896 and was incorporated the following year. The company employs about three hundred people. Mr. Larned is the executive head of the concern, M. W. Sales is vice president, and Mr. Carter is secretary and treasurer.
The Carhartt Hamilton Cotton Mills, also engaged in the manufacture of overalls at Tenth and Michigan, was incorporated in 1905 with an authorized capitalization now of $1,000,000. The number of employes averages over three hundred people.
The W. M. Finek & Company, with a plant at 3710 Gratiot Avenue, was incorporated in 1902, for the manufacture of overalls and similar garments. W. M. Finek is the president of the company.
The Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company, employing about seven hundred men at the Detroit factory, 6201 Second Boulevard, is part of a large company operating plants at Chicago, New York, Cleveland and Franklin, Pennsylvania.
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The Detroit branch includes machine shop and annex, special shipping depart- ment, testing room, special tool room, heat treating department, and polishing and plating department. The general offices of the company are in New York.
The Clayton & Lambert Manufacturing Company, makers of auto parts, etc., at Knodell Avenue and Detroit terminal railway, employing now about four hundred people, was started at Ypsilanti in 1SSS, and removed to Detroit in 1899. Nelson J. Clayton, Joshua Lambert, and the latter's three sons, John E., Charles R. and Bert were the principal ones interested in the company at the beginning. The company has an authorized capitalization of $1,000,000 and manufactures, in addition to sheet metal for the auto trade, kerosene and gasoline fire pots. Charles R. Lambert is president of the company at the present time.
The Detroit Brass & Malleable Works is a title of a manufacturing business known before July 23, 1920, as the Detroit Valve & Fittings & Detroit Brass Works, incorporated in February, 1917, as a consolidation of the two named. The plant of the Detroit Valve & Fittings Company is at Wyandotte; this company was organized and incorporated in 1908 for manufacturing malleable and gray iron fittings for steam, water and gas and special malleable iron cast- ings. The Detroit Brass Works was organized in 1892 and incorporated in 1903. The company is engaged in the making of brass valves and cocks for steam, water and gas, for gasoline motors and gas stove trimmings. E. B. Whitcomb is the president. The authorized capital stock of the Detroit Brass & Malleable Company is $1,500,000.
The Detroit Copper & Brass Rolling Mills was first incorporated April 15, 1880, and reincorporated April 15, 1910, for the manufacture of sheet copper, brass, copper and brass wire, rivets, burrs, copper bottoms, etc. C. H. Buhl was the first president of the company. The first works were located on the corner of Larned and Fourth streets. In 1SSS removal was made to buildings constructed for the purpose on the west side of Mckinstry Avenue, near the Wabsh Railroad. The capital stock of this company is authorized at $5,000,000 and at the plant, now on Clark Avenue, over one thousand people are employed during time of normal production. The officers of the company are: Lewis H. Jones, president; Richard Joy, vice president; Arthur H. Buhl, vice presi- dent; John R. Searles, Frank H. Hoffman, assistant general managers; Andrew J. Peoples, secretary and treasurer.
The Continental Motors Corporation, 2935 Jefferson Avenue, is the largest concern in the United States manufacturing gasoline engines exclusively and supplies, among other large consumers, the Jordan Motor Car Company, Paige- Detroit Motor Car Company, Velie Motor Corporation, Federal Motor Truek Company and Acme Motor Truck Company. The plants at Detroit and Muskegon cover a total of 261/2 acres, the largest area being at Muskegon. This organization started in Chicago in 1902 as a partnership and was incor- porated in 1903 as the Autocar Equipment Company. It was reincorporated in 1904 as the Continental Motor Manufacturing Company. The name was changed to the present style in February, 1916. The last incorporation, under the laws of Virginia, is dated January 23, 1917. Over four thousand men are employed by this corporation during periods of normal production, the authorized capitalization is $18,500,000, and the officers at the present time are: R. W. Judson, president; W. R. Angell, secretary; G. W. Yeoman, treasurer.
The Detroit Lubricator Company was established in 1879, when Charles C.
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and Henry C. Hodges purchased the business of John R. Grout, manufacturer of lubricator devices, and thereupon organized and incorporated the Detroit Lubricator Company, of which Henry C. Hodges became president. The plant of this company is located at 5938 Trumbull Avenue and the payroll of the concern, in normal times, numbers over one thousand one hundred people. The company was incorporated in December, 1906, has an authorized capitaliza- tion of $1,000,000, and is officered by: C. H. Hodges, president ; C. B. Hodges, H. I. Lord and F. C. Blanchard, vice presidents; F. W. Hodges, secretary and treasurer.
The Detroit Pressed Steel Company, 6656 Mt. Elliott Avenue, was incor- porated under the laws of Delaware, September 12, 1919, as the successor to the company of the same name which was incorporated in Michigan in October, 1909. The company, which employs over nine hundred in the two Detroit plants, manufactures automobile, truck and passenger car frames, medium and heavy steel stampings, also a single-disc, steel wheel, known as the "Disteel" wheel. The company has an authorized capitalization of $700,000 and is officered by: H. B. Iloyt, president; C. H. L. Flintermann, vice president ; Howard A. Coffin, secretary; Rudolph F. Flintermann, treasurer.
The Detroit Seamless Steel Tubes Company, employing over three hundred men at the plant located at West Warren and Wyoming avenues, was incor- porated May 7, 1900, in Michigan, for the manufacture of seamless steel tubes used in rear axle parts, differential parts, torque tubes, drive shaft housings, steering gears, oil feeds, brake shafts, also boiler tubes, both marine and loco- motive. The capital stock of this company is $2,000,000 and the officers are: A. A. Templeton, president; James R. Coulter, vice president; R. H. Phillips, secretary and treasurer.
The Detroit Steel Products Company, 2250 East Grand Boulevard, was incorporated September 3, 1904, in Michigan for the manufacture of steel products. The company makes automobile springs, "Fenestra" steel sash, and "Harvey" friction gears. The authorized capitalization is $5,000,000, the number of employes, when operating fully, is over one thousand two hundred and eleven, and the present officers are: John G. Rumney, president; Victor F. Dewey, vice president; H. F. Wardwell, secretary; and E. R. Ailes, treasurer.
The Edmunds & Jones Corporation, incorporated March 30, 1916, ranks as one of the largest manufacturers of automobile lamps, connectors, sockets and gauge lamps for speedometers in the United States and Canada. This company, whose plant is located at 4440 Lawton Avenue, has an authorized capitalization of $1,000,000 and employs about eight hundred men. The officers are at the present time: George E. Edmunds, president; W. T. Jones, vice president; V. E. Jones, secretary; L. H. Bedford, treasurer.
The General Aluminum & Brass Manufacturing Company, at East Grand Boulevard and St. Aubin, was incorporated May 31, 1912. This company manufactures aluminum, brass and bronze castings, also bronze bearings for auto- mobile, marine and electric motors. The authorized capitalization is $4,500,000 and the employes number on the average over one thousand. This company manufactures eighty per cent of all the bronze babbitt lined bearings of the type used in ninety percent of all gasoline motors. The officers of the company now are: Frank C. Root, president; E. H. Brown, vice president and treasurer; L. G. Hooker, secretary.
The Kelsey Wheel Company, 1230-40 Military Avenue, was established in
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January, 1909, when the Detroit Bent Wood Company and the Kelsey Hickory Company consolidated to manufacture complete automobile wheels. John Kelsey became president of the new company. The company was reincor- porated August 23, 1916, having taken over the assets of the old company, also the Herbert Manufacturing Company, the Kelsey Wheel Company of Canada, Ltd., and the Kelsey Wheel Company of Tennessee. The authorized capitaliza- tion is now $13,000,000 and when operating on full time and capacity about two thousand seven hundred men are employed. The company manufactures, in addition to wheels, hubs, brake drums, rims, bodies. Sawmills and wood- working plants are located at Memphis, Tennessee, the main plant is at Detroit and another factory at Windsor. The officers are: John Kelsey, president; Charles W. Fox, vice president; Louis C. Brooks, secretary; and William H. Ducharme, treasurer.
The McCord Manufacturing Company, 2587-2637 East Grand Boulevard, was incorporated December S, 1916, to supersede a company of the same name. Late in the year 1919 the company expanded by acquiring the business of McCord & Company, steel founders, of Chicago, the Russell Motor Axle Com- pany of Detroit, and the Racine Manufacturing Company. This gives the company a wide range of automobile and truek parts products, including radiators, axles, bodies, cylinders, lubricators for steam and gas engines, and journal boxes for railroad freight and passenger equipment, also fixtures for railway passenger cars. The company controls seven plants, employs over one thousand men, and has an authorized capitalization of $1,325,000. A. C. McCord is the executive head of the business.
The Michigan Copper & Brass Company was organized in the year 1906, its chief promoter having been George H. Barbour. The company was incor- porated the same year and on July 24, 1907, the machinery started in the new plant built for the company on River Street just east of Fort Wayne. There are employed at the company's plant on West Jefferson Avenue, in normal times, about six hundred and fifty people. The authorized capitalization is $1,000,000. The principal products of the company are sheet brass, wire rods, tubing, sheet and rolled copper.
The Michigan Lubricator Company was first incorporated in 1884 and again in 1914. This company, with plant located 3643 Beaubien, has an authorized capitalization of $200,000, and manufactures all classes of brass goods. The officers of the company are: J. B. Corliss, president ; Robert Lindsey, treasurer; and Frederick N. Stocking, secretary. Over six hundred people are employed by the Michigan Lubricator during normal periods of production.
The Michigan Malleable Iron Company melted its first iron on March 1, 1882, having been established and incorporated the previous year. The com- pany was reincorporated in 1911, capitalized for $800,000. The plant of the company is located at Gould, Anderson and Crossley avenues, and the executive head of the business is T. H. Simpson. Other officers are: William E. Burns, vice president and manager; H. S. Slyfield, secretary. The normal working force of this plant is three hundred and fifty men.
The Michigan Stamping Company was established as a business in 1901 and is now engaged in manufacturing various lines of metal stampings largely for the automotive trade. The company was incorporated in October, 1911, and has an authorized capital stock of $3,300,000. The plant is located on Mack Avenue, east of St. Jean, and the usual number of employes is in the neighbor-
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hood of six hundred and fifty. John H. French is president of the company, Henry P. Cope is vice president, and Walter F. Tant, secretary and treasurer.
The large rubber manufactory of Morgan & Wright, employing over four thousand people in the making of rubber goods, including automobile tires, was incorporated in 1905 with a capitalization authorized at $5,500,000. The plant is located on Jefferson Avenue. Charles J. Butler is president of this large eoneern.
The Motor Products Corporation, located at Maek and Hart avenues, was incorporated June 5, 1916, and took over the business of the Rands Manufactur- ing Company of Detroit, the Diamond Manufacturing Company of Detroit and Walkerville, the Superior Manufacturing Company of Ann Arbor, the Vanguard Manufacturing Company of Detroit and the Universal Metal Company of Detroit. These companies were engaged in the making of miscellaneous products from steel, brass and copper, and of automobile accessories. In 1916 the company acquired their present plant, which were the buildings of the old Lozier plant. Braneh plants are operated at Walkerville and Ann Arbor. The number of employes is nearly one thousand two hundred. D. B. Lee is president and general manager of the company; C. F. Jensen is first vice presi- cent ; H. H. Seeley is second vice president; R. R. Seeley, treasurer; and M. L. Brown, secretary.
The J. W. Murray Manufacturing Company, located at Clay and St. Aubin, was incorporated April 14, 1913, under the laws of Michigan, for the manu- facture of auto hoods, fenders, tanks, pans and other sheet metal parts for automobiles. The first officers were: J. W. Murray, president, and J. R. Mur- ray, secretary and treasurer. J. W. Murray gave up the executive control of the company July 1, 1920, but remains chairman of the board of directors, his place as president now being filled by his son, J. R. Murray. In 1920, the company purchased the plant of the General Spring & Wire Company and the American Motor Castings Company. In December, 1919, a Cleveland plant was also opened. The authorized capitalization of this concern is $3,000,000.
The National Twist Drill & Tool Company, 6522 Brush Street, was incor- porated November 3, 1903, its establishment having been accomplished chiefly through the work of P. J. Hoenseheid. All types of twist drills and fine tools are made by this company which has a normal payroll of about seven hundred and fifty people. The capital stoek is authorized at $300,000. The officers of the company at the present time are: William H. MeGregor, president; John A. Mercier, vice president; William T. McGaw, secretary; Otto Reinhardt, treasurer.
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