History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 57

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358

USA > Missouri > St Louis County > St Louis City > History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men > Part 57

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Mr. Nicholson's remarkable success as a merchant may be attributed to his unremitting diligence, and the conducting of all his business transactions, small and large, on the basis of strictly honorable princi- ples, to his promptness in payments, and the hand- ling of only the best goods. In all his thirty-seven years of commercial life no one having a just claim was ever turned away from his counting-house with- out receiving his due, and the name of David Nichol- son was never commercially dishonored at home or abroad.

He had great contempt for the " sharp practices" common in the trade, and despised those who were guilty of them. He was original in his business methods, having little respect for the stereotyped ways of others, and did not follow them.

The establishment always occupied its own distinct position in the grocery system of St. Louis. It was, however, thoroughly progressive and aggressive; its growth was co-extensive with that of the city, and it ul- timately came to be recognized throughout the country as a leading house. It was also well known abroad, for Mr. Nicholson was the first, and also the largest, importer of foreign groceries in this market, at times chartering vessels and loading them with cargoes solely for his own account, and dealt directly with the merchants and producers of almost every foreign clime. He did more than any other man in the St. Louis trade to educate the community to the impor- tance of purchasing superior goods, and to induce the consumption of commodities hitherto unknown in this market.

From the time of his coming to St. Louis, Mr. Nicholson took a very active and practical interest in the development and growth of the city, and gradu- ally, as his mcans permitted, became a large real es- tate owner, and left many enduring tokens of his en- terprise scattered throughout the city. He erected the beautiful " Temple Building," at Fifth and Wal- nut Streets, and had he built nothing more this hand- some structure would have been a convincing evidence of his superior taste and spirit. But few men in St. Louis ever built more largely or after a better style than he did. A man of commerce by education and practice, he was nevertheless a mechanic by nature. As a lifelong friend happily remarked, " the spirit of a builder lived in him," and the bent of his genius took form in many stately edifices. One of his most tasteful improvements was " Nicholson Place," laid out and adorned by him, and which he stipulated should be occupied only by dwellings of " elegant design and substantial character."

During the civil war David Nicholson was a stanch and unswerving Unionist, an outspoken adherent of the loyal cause, and prominent in the counsels of its friends. Through the darkest days of civil strife, from 1861 to 1865, he never doubted the final tri- umph of the lawfully constituted powers, that of the government of the United States. In a career noted for its activity and industry his charities were many, -his ever-open hand responded munificently to the generous impulses of his noble heart.

Mr. Nicholson possessed many traits which en- titled him to be classed among the most remarkable business men of his time. He intensely loved his business, and his energy in the prosecution of it was almost unexampled. To this were added unswerving rectitude, intense hatred of dishonesty and dissimu- lation of every type, and an outspoken condemnation of wrong. There was also another side to his char- acter less publicly known. In his nature, tender as that of woman, there was an element of poetry that always belongs to men of fervent feeling. Possessing a fine mind and an intimate knowledge of Bible his- tory and teachings, and having read much historical and current literature of the highest order, he enjoyed the companionship of large and elevating thoughts, and in moments of relaxation was a most entertaining companion. In certain issues which at times sprang up, regarding his business, he was led into various news- paper controversies, and proved himself a racy master of the pen. In his early days he wrote numerous compositions in verse that were of a high order of merit, and during the civil war wrote several patriotic odes that were characterized by unusual poetic inspi-

David Nicholson

LIBRARY O: THE LINIE

TY IH WINGIS.

TRADE, COMMERCE, AND MANUFACTURES.

1243

ration and fervor. His love for the home of his boy- hood and his native land, which he often visited, grew as his years were multiplied, and he never ceased to give evidence of his deep affection and warm friend- ship for his schoolmates and the companions of his early years. The scenes and surroundings of his youth, beautiful in nature and luxuriant in their adornment, were precious to him, and the thatch- roofed cottages of his birthplace were ever dear to his heart. A striking evidence of the tenderness of his nature was shown in the fact that, having learned that the roof of the cottage in which he was born needed rethatching, he promptly forwarded the money

while the community sorrowed over the loss of an upright and honored citizen.

BELCHERS SUGAR REFINING COMPANY .- One of the most prominent features of the manufacturing and mercantile interests of St. Louis is the Belcher Sugar Refinery. The business of which it is the outgrowth was established in 1840 by William H. Belcher and Samuel McLean, and in August of that year the firm of McLean & Belcher invited the atten- tion of the trade to the fact that they " had on hand a stock of refined sugars and sugar-house molasses,- a pure article." The refinery was originally located on Cedar Street, between Main and Second Streets.

11 11

.11

THE BELCHER SUGAR REFINERY, Southeast corner Main and Ashley Streets.

to have it done, and cared for its proper preservation ever afterwards.

He was frank and bluff in his manner, and courted no man's favor, but was also an humble, sincere, and faithful Christian, and the teachings of his pious home in Scotland inspired tlie activities of a long and honor- able career. Hc was early schooled in the tenets of Presbyterianism, and for nearly forty years was an effi- cient, esteemed, and highly-respected member of the Second Church of St. Louis. He died on the 26th day of November, 1880, after a short illness, surrounded by his family, who mourned the departure of an affec- tionate, kind, and noble-hearted husband and father,

After it had been in operation a comparatively short time, Gay, Glasgow & Co., then importing island sugar, purchased Belcher's interest, and finally Mc- Lean's interest also. For nearly a year Edward J. Gay, one of the partners of the firm, gave his personal attention to the management of the refinery, and in 1843, William H. Belcher returned to St. Louis, and purchased from Gay, Glasgow & Co. the works in the old building, on which they held a lease. He gave his closest personal attention to the business, although it was then very small; secured the services of practi- cal refiners, and was gradually gathering confidence, strength, and ability, when the " high water" of 1844

1244

HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.

drowned out his establishment and caused him con- siderable loss.

In 1845 a site was purchased on the block between Main and Lewis and Bates and O'Fallon Streets, and the erection of new buildings was commenced. Al- though the building put up was of considerable extent, it was only the nucleus of the numerous buildings which afterwards constituted the immensc establishment of the refining company. From this time the business, con- trolled by William H. Belcher and his brother Charles Belcher, received a new impetus and steadily increased in magnitude. Additional ground was purchased and new buildings were put up from year to year as the enlargement of operations rendered it necessary. For ten years the career of the establishment was steadily successful, and its operations rapidly assumed most important proportions. During the years 1854 and 1855 some rather extensive operations in Cuba re- sulted disastrously and heavy losses were incurred, and early in 1855 the business was transferred to a corporation now known as the Belchers' Sugar Refin- ing Company, which was composed of the creditors of Belcher & Brother, the capital stock being fixed at one million dollars. The original incorporators were William H. Belcher, Rufus J. Lackland, George D. Humphreys, Charles W. Horn, Edward Walsh, Derick A. January, William M. Morrison, Edward Wyman, Joseph C. Cabot, Constance J. Peifers, Edward Y. Ware, and Charles Belcher. The charter, which was approved Jan. 25, 1855, fixes the capital stock at the amount above named, and authorizes its being in- creased to one million five hundred thousand dollars whenever the stockholders shall by vote so direct. Thus organized, and with energetic and experienced men at the head of affairs, the operations of the refin- ery were prosecuted successfully. In the general financial crash of 1857 the business suffered severely, there being a sudden drop in sugars of from four to five cents a pound. A loss of from four hundred thousand to five hundred thousand dollars was incurred, but the business went on without inter- ruption. William H. Belcher remained at the head of the business until the close of 1859, when he re- moved to Chicago, where he died in 1866. He was succeeded by Charles Belcher, the junior partner of Belcher & Brother. Having weathered the storm of 1857, the career of the company since has been one of steady progress, and it has now reached a position of commercial influence national in point of view.

The premises occupied by the company consist of a number of buildings, covering nearly four of the squares in that part of the city, embracing the main structure of the refincry proper, bonded warehouses,

cooperage-shops, bone-black houscs, and various other buildings occupied by other departments.

"The sugar refinery proper," says a description of the estab- lishment written in 1868, " where the different processes of re- fining are carried on, has a front on Lewis Street, between Bates and O'Fallon Streets, of two hundred and forty fect, with a depth of one hundred and twenty-five feet, and is six stories in height. The first part of this building was erected in 1845, but it has been added to constantly until it reacbed its present propor- tions. It is built with great solidity, as a great weight has to be supported in the stories. The processes of refining require that the building in which they are carried on should be of con- siderable height, so as to admit of the sugar in solution being let down from story to story in the various stages, and to gain the advantage of the pressure of a column of liquid which is required in the course of refining. The portion of this build- ing erected in 1845 stands on the southern half of the square ; the central portion was erected in 1856, and that covering the northern portion of the square was built in 1852. The central part is principally devoted to the clarifying process, the filter- ing of the liquid sugar, storing or drying hard sugars. In the lower part of the southern portion of the building the packing is done, while the northern and the upper floors generally are devoted to various operations in the work of refining, purging sugars in the moulds, etc. Here also are the crushing- and pow- dering-mills, shaving-mills, and other appliances used in the preparing of the sngar in the different forms for the market. The vacuum-pans, where the refined solution is reduced again to the form of sugar by boiling, are situated in a small building south of the main structure, and fronting on O'Fallon Street. The basement is used principally as a fill-house, where the melted sugar is run into the monlds and allowed to stand until it is well settled preparatory to drawing. In the rear of the refinery, and occupying the balance of the square to Main Street, is a bonded warehouse and other buildings. On the east side of Lewis Street the bone-black house is situated, with a front of one hundred and seventy feet on Lewis Street and a depth of eighty feet. This was built in 1867. On the square between O'Fallon and Ashley Streets, and covering half of the entire square, with a front of two hundred and forty feet on Lewis Street, is a line of warehouses four stories in height, built in 1852 and 1854. In the rear is the mechanics' shop, occupy- ing the central portion of the square, and running back to Main Street. On the square on the opposite side of Main Street is an extensive cooperage-shop, with a front on Second Street of one hundred and seventy-five feet, which was built in 1852. On the northeast corner of the same square is the water reservoir, built in 1867. The company have water- and gas-works of their own, and supply all that is needed throughout the refinery premises. The total value of real estate owned and occupied at present by the company is not far from half a million dollars, and the total frontage is about fourteen hundred feet. In some instances the buildings on different squares communicate by bridges across the streets, stretching from the upper stories, and the bone-black house is connected with the refinery by a tunnel under the street. In various places tramways are laid for the easy transportation of the trucks containing bone-black."

The company, which still occupies the building at the corner of Lewis and O'Fallon Streets, is now erecting a new refinery and incidental buildings on Main and Ashley Streets. The building will be the highest in the city, having thirteen stories, including a spacious basement. The foundation on which this

1245

TRADE, COMMERCE, AND MANUFACTURES.

gigantic structure rests is built of cut stone, the walls having a thickness of forty four inches. The refinery has a frontage of one hundred and thirty-eight feet on Main Street, and the filtering-house, ineluding wash-house and warehouse, has a frontage of two hundred and eighty feet on Ashley Street. The boiler- house, fronting on an alley, measures two hundred and eighty feet. The floors in the refinery are each sup- ported by twenty-four oak posts, having an average thiekness of twenty-two inehes. In the filtering- house, each floor is supported by twenty-four east-iron columns, which are connected with wrought-iron beams. The height of the refinery is one hundred and thirty-two feet ; height of the filtering-house, one hundred and ten feet ; height of the tower, one hun- dred and twenty-seven feet. The average height of the floors is eleven feet. The material used in the building is principally pressed brick above the founda- tion. In appearance it is plain and substantial. Riehard Berger was the architeet.

The present officers of the company are W. L. Şeott, president, and A. D. Cunningham, seeretary.

William H. Beleher, founder of Belehers' Sugar Refinery, was born in Conneetieut in 1811. From fifteen to twenty years of age he was elerk in his father's store in a country town in Massachusetts. When not quite twenty he went to New York, enter- ing as elerk in a wholesale grocery store. After a year or two he took up the business of selling books at auction, traveling through the country for that pur- pose, and selling in the largest towns. At the elose of 1834 he went through the Southern States, and continued in the business until 1840, selling books in most of the Southern eities and in some of those in the West. In 1840, as already stated, he embarked with Samuel MeLean in the business of sugar refining in St. Louis. The business connection was dissolved next year, Mr. Beleher leaving it; but in 1843 he bought the whole establishment, and the enterprise from that time went forward prosperously and ex- panded yearly. Mr. Beleher knew nothing of the business when first eonneeted with it, but soon learned the old plan and system of sugar refining, and learned further that it was going out of date, and that new and improved methods must be adopted to seeure suecess. These he introduced from time to time, and from a very small beginning built up a sugar refinery that when he left it was one of the largest in the country, as well as being one of the most important manufacturing establishments in St. Louis or the West. The principal part of the present buildings of the sugar refinery were erected by him. He pur- ehased the site after suffering severely at his old loea-

tion from the flood of 1844, seleeting a loeality that was found water-proof that year. In 1859 lie went to Chieago, and established a sugar refinery there with fair prospeets of success, but the outbreak of the war ruined that enterprise, and the refinery was worked irregularly during the war with only partial suceess.

While in Chiieago he introduced the culture of the sugar-beet into Illinois, and inaugurated other enter- prises which promised more of benefit to the public than to himself. He died at Chicago in Mareh, 1866, honored and esteemed by the mercantile community of that eity for his rare business qualifieations, his publie spirit, and his personal character.

SPICES .- The sale of spiees also forms an important factor in the grocery business of St. Louis. One of the largest firms engaged in this branch of the trade is that of William Sehotten & Co. William Sehotten, the founder of the house, was born in Neuess, near Düsseldorf, Germany, Sept. 26, 1819. His father was a man of limited means, and his boyhood passed without special ineident. He received the usual parochial education, and was then employed by a prominent physician in his neighborhood, who had a very large praetiee. In this occupation young Sehot- ten acquired a practical knowledge that could not be obtained in the schools. In 1847 he embarked for America, and repaired directly to St. Louis, having heard that a number of his countrymen had settled here. Soon after his arrival he established a spiee- factory on Walnut Street, opposite the Cathedral. He began on a small seale, grinding his stock himself by hand, and then peddling it about town from a basket. He labored with remarkable energy and per- severanee amid discouragements that would have ap- palled a less determined man. One by one, however, the obstaeles yielded, and he finally seeured a prosper- ous business, his goods not only obtaining a local reputation but being in demand in Chicago, Cincin- nati, and other large eities in the West. Year by year the trade continued to expand until his death in September, 1874, when he left a comfortable fortune to his family, together with a large spiee and coffee business. His sales aggregated yearly about two hundred thousand dollars, a very large amount for those days. As has been said, this result required hard and steady work and many saerifiees ; but Mr. Sehotten possessed in an uneommon degree the val- uable German qualities of patience and perseveranee. His genial disposition seeured him hosts of friends, and added largely to his list of customers.

In addition to the spiee trade, Mr. Sehotten engaged in the milling business on North Market Street, oppo- site the old North Missouri Railroad depot. This

1246

HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.

enterprise prospered for a time, but the mill was burned, and the insurance proving worthless, the in- vestment was a total loss. Thenceforward he confined himself strictly to the business of manufacturing spices, etc., and handed over to his sons at his death the fine results of a quarter of a century of honest and diligent labor.

Mr. Schotten was twice married, and left three sons,-Hubertus by his first wife, and Julius J. and Henry E. by his second. Upon his arrival in St. Louis, Mr. Schotten attended a night school in order to gain a knowledge of English and other branches essential for a business man, and thoroughly appreci- ating the importance of a good education, gave his three boys the advantages of a college course. His sons seem to have inherited much of their father's aptitude for business, for in the eight years since his death their trade has doubled, and is constantly in- creasing.

In 1870, Mr. Schotten visited Europe, remaining abroad over a year. Much of the time was spent in gaining additional knowledge of his business, and he brought back improved machinery.

Outside of his business, Mr. Schotten did not seek prominence, being naturally very unpretentious. He once, however, accepted a directorship in the Iron Mountain Bank.

In politics he was inclined to be independent, and never sought an office. In religion he was a Catholic, and was, successively, a member of the Cathedral and St. Mary's parishes, and was a faithful and generous adherent of the church.

Salt used to be in the past, and probably will be in the future, a valuable mineral resource of Missouri. As early as Jan. 25, 1810, William Christy & Co. adver- tised that they wished to employ fiftcen hands to work at salt-making on the Missouri, to whom they would give liberal wages. " Our boat," added the advertise- ment, " will depart from this place for the salt-works about the 1st of March." Jan. 4, 1812, McKnight & Brady announced that they had just received " a quantity of salt from the Missouri saline." At the present time the cost of transportation bears such an inconsiderable relation to the cost of establishing im- proved modern salt-works, with the elaborate ma- chinery, royalties, rentals, etc., that it is cheaper for St. Louis to buy its salt than to manufacture it. In former times, when the costs of transportation were excessive, the salines of Missouri and the adjacent counties of Illinois were a source of revenue and a stimulus to trade.

The salt springs and salines of Missouri are most abundant in the central part of the State, yielding

excellent brine, especially in the counties of Cooper, Saline, Howard, and those adjoining them. They are adjacent to the Missouri, in a country full of cheap wood and coal, and the supply of saline is regarded by experts as inexhaustible.

RECEIPTS AND EXPORTS FOR EIGHTEEN YEARS.

Receipts.

Year.

Barrels.

Sacks. Bulk, in Bushels.

1882

297,425

42,750

368,290

1881

232,843

73,239

314,720

1880

313,379

61,348

333,868

1879

244,966

78,345

439,788

1878

271,521

78,781

1877.

202,377

104,406

1876

242,153

114,850

..........

1875

246,193

96,880

......

1874.

201,268

136,165

1873

379,699

149,861

.........

1872.

262,413

117,367

......

1871

211,235

107,197

.....

1870.

316,435

62,626

.....

1869

238,452

63,937

.... ...

1868

242,899

64,512

.....

1867 ..

141,869

78,674

.....

1866

134,542

88,013

......

1865

170,814

83,221

....

...

Exports.

Year.

Barrels.

Sacks.

Bulk, in Bushels. .

1882.

291,188

16,519

245,071

1881.

218,185

25,197

182,382

1880

239,163

21,688

...

1879

221,965

21,691

....

...

1878

218,997

32,049

1877

184,934

25,519

1876

196,988

39,900

.....

...

1875

219,102

30,381

.....

1874

205,442

40,119

1873

230,939

35,978

1872

199,940

51,594

1871

202,629

52,547

...

1870

251,509

23,164

..... ...

1869 ..

195,100

27,031

......

1868

182,187

24,778

....

1867 ..

114,817

28,737

....

1866.

115,252

47,432

. .

1865.

109,248

24,328

...

.........

.....

...

Tobacco .- According to the early advertisements of industries in St. Louis, the manufacture of tobacco was begun about the year 1817. On November 29th of that year, Richards & Quarles advertised a " tobacco manufactory on the cross street nearly opposite the post-office, northeast corner of block No. 36," and in 1836, H. Richards informed the citizens of Missouri and Illinois Territories that he carried on the tobacco manufactory " on the cross street nearly opposite the copper and tin manufactory of R. Neal." From that day the trade in tobacco in St. Louis has steadily grown and expanded into its present enormous dimen- sions. The absence of data prevents the tracing of their growth ; commercial statistics were not regarded as of any importance at that day, and for many years afterwards there existed no reliable record of commer- cial facts and conditions. In 1841 the Republican regarded tobacco as " another item of our trade which is swelling every year into much greater importance."

........

..........

Wm Schotten

LIBRARY Of THE UNIVERSITY OF ILINOIS.

1247

TRADE, COMMERCE, AND MANUFACTURES.

" To show the importance of this item," added that journal, " we here incorporate a letter addressed to us by a house in the city who are extensively engaged in the trade, and the extent of their connection with it will be appreciated by the fact that they this year took out an open policy of insurance on tobacco to the amount of $500,000. From the interest and attention they have devoted to the subject their statement may be relied upon as very near the actual amount :

""' A. B. CHAMBERS, Esq. :

"' DEAR SIR,-In answer to your inquiries in relation to the tobacco crop of Missouri, we reply that the shipments this season do not vary materially from 9000 hogsheads, of which number at least 8500 pass St. Louis. The relative quality and value will be found nearly as follows :

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 57

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898 Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts Number of Pages: 1358

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358