History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 61

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 61

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In the year 1842, Mr. Bridge associated with him

his younger brother, Harrison Bridge, and the firni of Bridge & Brother was established. His brother's death in 1850 left him again alone for several years. In 1857, John H. Beach, who had been for several years connected with the house, was admitted as an associate, and the firm of Bridge, Beach & Co. has continued to the present time.

The foundry of Hudson E. and Harrison Bridge was located in the northern part of the eity, but in 1847 it was removed to the corner of Main and Al- mond Streets.

About the time of the establishment of the stove- works of Hudson E. Bridge, Philip Kingsland re- moved to St. Louis, and in 1844 built the Phoenix Foundry and Machine-Shop at the corner of Second and Cherry Streets, for the manufacture of cooking-, coal-, and parlor-stoves, tin-plate, ete. From this small beginning has grown one of the largest manufacturing establishments in the United States.

Philip Kingsland, now the head of the great Kings- land & Ferguson Manufacturing Company, was born at Pittsburgh, Pa., March 31, 1809. His father was a well-known manufacturer in the iron business, and condueted the largest establishment there. Philip was sent to the village sehool, for Pittsburgh then was not much more than a village, and at the age of fif- teen the boy's education, such as it was, was con- pleted. His father then placed him in his shop, where he learned the business, beginning at the very bottom. Mr. Kingsland says he was "put through" the trade without being shown any favor as the son of the pro- prietor, but, on the contrary, was treated with the utmost strietness. The discipline, if harsh, was very useful, and so well did the boy profit by it that at eighteen he had the whole charge of the shop, embracing the supervision of over one hundred and fifty men. Although a mere stripling, he man- aged affairs so well that he was continued as superin- tendent for several years. Meanwhile he had visited St. Louis two or three times, and finally, in 1835, no longer able to resist his pioneer spirit, he removed to St. Louis and built a large iron foundry and machine- shop on Broadway, which he managed for several years. The first firm was Kingsland, Lithner & Cuddy, but this partnership was of brief duration, Mr. Cuddy withdrawing and Kingsland & Lithner continuing for perhaps twenty years. Their business grew to immense proportions, and became one of the most prominent and important industries of St. Louis. At last Kingsland & Lithner sold their establishment, good will, ete., and soon after the works burned down.

Mr. Kingsland next engaged in the manufacture of agricultural implements at the corner of Second and

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Cherry Streets. The firm was Kingslands & Fer- guson, the partners being himself, his brother George (now dead), and David K. Ferguson. Here, too, signal prosperity rewarded his efforts.

Mr. Kingsland finally withdrew from the active management of these works, and removed to Caron- delet in 1869, where he organized the Kingsland Iron-Works, being president of the company, and built the two blast furnaces which now comprise a part of the famous Vulcan Steel-Works. These were put into successful operation, but a change of man- agement occurring, Mr. Kingsland returned to St. Louis in 1871 or 1872, and resumed his place as a member of the firm of Kingsland & Ferguson. He subsequently effected a reorganization of the concern under the title of the Kingsland & Ferguson Manu- facturing Company, under which name the establish- ment is still known, its present officers being Philip Kingsland, president ; D. K. Ferguson, vice-president ; Elliot Douglas, secretary ; L. D. Kingsland (a nephew of Mr. Kingsland), treasurer.

Nearly fifty years have elapsed since Philip Kings- land arrived in St. Louis and established himself in business, and they have proved to be years of steady and astonishing success. It is gratifying to be able to state that Mr. Kingsland's prosperity is the result of watchful devotion to business, and of honest and straightforward dealings. Half a century spent in a career in which there is no flaw or stain is something certainly to be proud of, and Mr. Kingsland may not only enjoy the abundant fruits of a business wisely planned and honestly conducted, but may be happy in the consciousness that his integrity has earned him a high place in the regard of the community. He is now at the head of one of the largest manufactories in the West. It occupies nearly a whole block in North St. Louis, embraces expensive buildings, com- plete and costly machinery, immense stocks, etc., and requires the use of vast capital and the employment of hundreds of hands,-a monument of no ordinary character to the energy, ability, and skill of its founder.

In 1846, John T. Dowdall started the Washington Foundry, on Second Street, between Morgan and Green. The firm was at one time styled Dowdall, Carr & Co., and afterwards Dowdall, Page & Co.

In 1846, Palm & Robinson started the pipe foundry on Soulard and Second Streets, and in 1852, it is said, constructed the first locomotive ever made in the West, but, unfortunately for St. Louis, William Palm was too honest to compete with the foundries of the East, and the construction of locomotives was not encouraged here. It is conceded though that Mr. Palm built a good, serviceable locomotive.

In 1846 the Garrison Brothers started the Eagle Foundry, on Main Street, between Carr and Biddle, conducted it several years, and sold it to Renfrew & Crozier. Mr. Renfrew died in 1861, and the es- tablishment passed into the hands of the surviving partner, Alexander Crozier.

The extensive works of Buek & Wright were es- tablished in 1849, but did not commence manufac- turing until April or May, 1850, when they began to operate with thirty-five men, moulders, laborers, etc., ineluded. Their operations were then confined to a small establishment, but they gradually increased their facilities and capacities, by the extension and enlargement of the area of their works, until they covered an entire block and gave employment to one hundred and thirty men, comprising sixty-six moulders and sixty-four other mechanics and laborers. To this firm, it is said, belongs the eredit of inventing and making glass doors to their Buek cook-stoves, of which they also claim to be the inventors. It was the leading cook-stove manufactured at their estab- lishment, and attained a wide-spread popularity. They also made twenty-nine other kinds of cook- stoves, the leading wood-stove being the " Brilliant," of which alone they made fifteen different varieties, and of the " Peerless" nine different varieties. Their leading coal cook-stove was the " Paragon," of which they manufactured thirteen different varieties, and of other stoves they made twenty-five different varieties.

In 1849, Giles F. Filley started the Excelsior Stove-Works. A writer, speaking of the works in 1869, says,-

" These works, now ranking among the first in the country, were commenced in the early part of the year 1849, and the manufacture of stoves commenced in September of that year. For four years the business was confined to a small establish- ment, and necessarily compelled to meet many perplexing diffi- culties; hut in 1853 the incrcaso of the business was so great that an addition and extension of the shops became necessary, and a moulding-room, cighty by ono hundred and twenty, and a four-story warchouso were erected, much to the surprise of many people, who thought it a rash and foolish venture, arguing that it was impossible to make stove manufacturing a successful or profitahle business in St. Louis. But time and experience, tho great arhiters of all earthly affairs, have clearly demon- strated the fact that it was not a rash venture, hut a most suc- cessful financial enterprise, and one which has done as much to develop the practical importance of St. Louis as a manufactur- ing point as any other enterprise cver undertaken. And now, instead of being confined to narrow quarters, it extends over an area of 37,000 square feet, gives employment to 255 operatives in its various departments, and involves a weekly cash outlay of $4916, or, reckoning a month at four and one-third weeks, $21,303 a month, or $255,636 annually, and is porhaps among the largest, if not itself the largest, in the United States. It now melts from 27 to 30 tons of iron per day, or a weekly ag- gregate of 175 tons. But just here it will bo proper to remark that only about two-thirds of the iron melted is turned out in

Philips Kingsland

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

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perfect castings. The other third results in scraps or 'grates,' to use moulders' parlance, and is remelted and recast from day to day. It is estimated that sinee starting in September, 1849, up to Nov. 1, 1869, it has consumed a little over 50,000 tons of iron. From the time the foundry commeneed operations in 1849 to Jan. 1, 1850, there were made 644 stores of all kinds. In 1852, the first year of the run of the Charter Oak stove, its leading cooking-stove, their manufactures amounted to 12,680, of which 2619 were Charter Oaks, and as the popularity of these stoves increased so increased their manufacture of them, and the whole may be summed up in the following tabular statement to the present time. It will be noticed, however, that in 1857, when there was a financial panie, and during the war, there was a slight falling off in this as in all other kinds of manufactures :

" Year.

Total.

Oaks.

1849.

644

...

1850

5,977

.........

1851

10,906

...

1852.

12,608

2,619

1853

14,850

4,785

1854

18,44L

6,643

1855

25,305

11,141

1856

29,387

12,548

1857

28,385

10,804

1858

18,718

6,595

1859

22,764

7,144

1860

21,599

7,366

1861

10,334

3,183

1862

16,422

4,795

1863

18,23 l

5,546

1864

15,666

5,556

1865

23,488

8,066

1866

24,258

9,445

1867

18,245

11,548

1868.

31,507

13,347

1869, 11 months ending Nov. 30.

33,334

16,864

411,141

147,995

On hand Dec. 1

5,776

1,565

Total production.

416,917

149,560

"During the years 1864-66, while the government law im- posing a tax of three dollars per ton on melted iron remained in foree, the Excelsior Manufactory paid a yearly average of the one-twenty-second part of all revenue derived from that source, as follows :

" In 1864

1.17} parts.

In 1865.

1.18

In 1866

1.28

" Until the present year nearly all the iron used at the Exeel- sior Works was brought from points outside of the State,-Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee,-but the establishment of fur- naces in our own State and city has worked a very desirable change, as it tends to keep all the outlays for iron, except for the Scotch pig, at home among our own people. This outlay for iron was no inconsiderable item, as last year the works of which we write paid out over eighty thousand dollars to the iron manufacturers of Ohio alone, to say nothing of the amount paid to the manufacturers in other localities. This year they have not purchased or used a single ton of American iron pro- dueed outside of Missouri, and after giving it a fair test, pro- nouneed it superior to any other iron ever used for stove manu- facturing purposes. The only foreign purchases are of Scotch iron, which, as heretofore remarked, is of a softer, more fluid nature, and when mixed with the Missouri iron, which is very strong and, to use a foundryman's words, 'does not run sharp enough to bring out the nice designs and ornaments,' obtains the quality desired.

" The stoves manufactured at the Excelsior Works find a market in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and other adjoining

States, in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, Utah, and wherever else St. Louis commerce extends.

"From the 1st of January to the 30th of November of the present year their sales of stoves and the necessary materials to put on the fixtures reached within a small fraction of $1,250,- 000, while it is supposed that in the five stove foundries in operation in St. Louis there is invested no less than $1,500,000.

"The power that drives the machinery to carry on the manu- facturing department of the Excelsior Works is supplied by an engine of eighty-five horse-power, with sixteen and a half ineh cylinder of four-feet stroke. The machinery which it propels may be enumerated as follows : Two eylinder-blowers, one burr millstone, one sand-mill, three coal-mills, seven drills, one iron- turning lathe, one wood-turning lathe, three circular saws, one planing-machine, ten eleaning mills, seven emery-wheels, two hoisting-machines, and four grindstones. Besides this it fur- nishes the power for moving the iron ears used for hauling coal and iron up to the cupola. There are two furnaces, the blast for which is carried. from the eylinder-blower, one of them an eighteen-inch pipe three hundred feet long, and the other one a sixteen and a half ineh pipe two hundred and forty feet long.

" We have stated that the Excelsior Stove-Works give employ- ment to two hundred and fifty-five persons, and on further in- quiry we learn that these two hundred and fifty-five employés are classified and paid an average of weekly wages as follows :

Total to

" Class.

No.

Wages. Each Class.

Draughtsman.

$24.00

Pattern-makers.

18.00

54.00

Flask-ınakers.

4 18.00

72.00

Iron pattern fitters

17.00

68.00

Moulders

112

22.00

2464.00

Mounters.

15.00

570.00

Cleaners

14.00

252.00

Blacksmiths

15.00

60.00

Engineers

22.00

Laborers, teamsters, cte.

14.00

756.00

Clerks.

30.00

390.00

Superintendents.

60.00

180.00

Total

255

$4916.00"

Total weekly expense for labor ..

The start of Giles F. Filley was made in rather a small way, the employés numbering twenty-five moul- ders and about twenty men in other departments. These works have been extended and enlarged from time to time until they now (1883) employ two hun- dred and thirty moulders and about three hundred and twenty men in other departments, five hundred and fifty in all at the works proper, which cover two large blocks in North St. Louis. In 1865 the works were incorporated into what is known as the " Ex- celsior Manufacturing Company," and the business now ineludes the furnishing of tinners' supplies as well as the making of stoves, and the whole number of employés is about six hundred and fifty.

The Missouri Stove-Works were established in 1865, but did not fairly commence business until January, 1866. During the four years succeeding their manufactures made the following exhibit :

1866 .. 2,380 | 1868 6,400

1867

3,850 |1869 7,500

Total

20,130

Charter

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or 5032 annually. The Missouri Stove Foundry is now located on Second Street, northeast corner of Palm.

The Western Stove Manufacturing Company was organized and a charter obtained in 1868, and manu- facturing operations commenced in October of that year. The stock was owned and the labor principally performed by mechanics and laborers. It combined the manufacture of iron railings and castings for agri- cultural implements with that of stoves. The works are still in successful operation.

In this sketch of the St. Louis stove manufacturing interest and its extent we have dealt altogether with the leading establishments, but from them sufficient in- formation has been obtained to show the importance and magnitude of the business as well as its influence upon the commercial interests and population of the city. The amount of capital invested in this one branch of trade exceeds $1,650,000. In 1882 there were nine establishments engaged in this branch of manufacture, employing 1555 hands, whose products were valued at $2,695,000.

The first bar of iron made out of pig-metal in Mis- souri was made on Cedar Creek (Washington County) . in May, 1825, and the first blooms were made in 1832. Though ore was abundant and easily smelted, the great cxpense of transportation in a new and thinly-settled country soon indueed the abandonment of the enter- prise ; and Dr. Litton states that "the next blast fur- nace was probably erected in 1828, by Mr. Massey, in Crawford, which has been in successful operation up to the present time." 1

In 1850, Messrs. James Harrison & Co. purchased . from Capt. James Bissell a large tract of land in the northern section of the city, a short distance above Bremen, and began the erection of an extensive roll- ing-mill and nail-factory. The building was about two hundred and thirty-four feet long and one hun- dred and thirty feet widc.

James Harrison, one of the pioneers in the devel- opment of the iron trade of St. Louis, was born in Bourbon County, Ky., in October, 1803, and was the son of John Harrison, a farmer of that region. John Harrison's family came to this country from the north of Ireland at an early day, and his wife was of English lineage. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison had ten children, James being the second of several sons, all of whom became wealthy. Capt. William M. Har- rison is now one of the most successful merchants and bankers of Texas.

James Harrison spent his early ycars on a farm,

and enjoyed such moderate school advantages as his section afforded. In 1822 he removed to Missouri and settled in Fayette, Howard Co., where for several ycars he engaged successfully in mercantile pursuits with James Glasgow. He carly showed uncommon aptitude for business. Among his successful ventures of this period was the shipping of stock to St. Louis, and several times he went with a flat-boat of stock from St. Louis to New Orleans. In 1830 he married Maria Louisa, daughter of Joel Prewitt, of Howard County, Mo., and sister of Mrs. William N. Switzer and Dr. Prewitt, of St. Louis. This excellent lady died in St. Louis in 1847.

During 1831 and 1832 he visited Chihuahua, Mexico, for trading purposes, and led a busy and stirring life, not unfraught withı personal danger. On one occasion his party was pursued, and eleven out of the thirtcen were caught and scalped.

From 1833 to 1840 he was a merchant in Arkansas, and conducted business in several towns simultane- ously, meeting with the most flattering success. He was still in partnership with Mr. Glasgow, under the style of Glasgow & Harrison.

In 1840 he removed to St. Louis, which city he henceforth made his home. He had "prospceted" over a large portion of Missouri, and the immense mineral wealth of the State was earlier and better known to him than to most others. ITis knowledge on this subject convinced him that the development of these treasures would inure immensely to the ad- vantage of St. Louis, and would prove a source of fortunc to the individuals who engaged thercin. He therefore formed conncetions with inen of great wealtlı and business capacity, and began active operations in this new field. In 1845 he became a partner in the firm of Chouteau, Harrison & Vallé, a house which eventually took the very highest rank in the business eireles of the West, and contributed largely not only to establish the iron interests of St. Louis, but also to enhance the general reputation of its entire manufac- turing and mercantile community.

The immense wealth of the Iron Mountain had for generations excited the cupidity of men, but it was reserved for Mr. Harrison to develop its treasures. In 1843 he became a third-owner of the Iron Moun- tain property, and in 1845 organized the " Iron Moun- tain Company," consisting of James Harrison, Pierre Chouteau, Jr., and F. Vallé, of St. Louis ; C. C. Zeig- ler and John Scott, of Ste. Genevieve; F. Pratt, of Fredericktown; and August Belmont, S. Ward, and Charles Mersch, of New York. The development of this industry was attended by numcrous and costly experiments, but eventually the unwearying faith and

1 Franz Mayer was the first to cast bells in St. Louis, in 1851.

Das Alame

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TRADE, COMMERCE, AND MANUFACTURES.

energy of Mr. Harrison and his associates overcame every obstacle, and their business has grown until they have come to be reckoned among the largest producers of iron in the world.

James Harrison was a staneh defender of home interests, and gave a ready ear to every enterprise that promised to be of public utility. He was an earnest friend of railroads, and not long after the formation of the company to work the Iron Mountain property inspired the organization of the Iron Monn- tain Railroad Company, and was one of its direeting minds for several years. He was a dircetor in the Missouri Pacific, and when that road was bought from the State he was one of the principal parties who negotiated the seven-million-dollar loan.

In all these large transactions there never attached the slightest suspicion to Mr. Harrison's name, and such was the confidence placed in his honor and judg- ment that he readily secured the co-operation of the most eminent men of the city in his. undertakings- On the other hand, he was always ready to assist others in their meritorious projects. He possessed a rare knowledge of men, as was evinced by the con- spicuous success of most of those whom he chose as partners, friends, associates, and even employés,-men of great talent and unsullied honesty, who became noted in his enterprises for largeness of views, fer- tility of resources, and persevering energy.

Mr. Harrison toiled not for wealth alone, but also for the great and noble objeet of assisting to build up the city and State. He was a man of large heart and generous impulses, and the welfare of his employés engaged inuch of his time and attention. He eaused to be built a handsome church for his tenants at Iron Mountain, and established schools for their benefit. An open-handed citizen, he figured in various ehari- table and other undertakings for the public good, such as the organization of the Bellefontaine Cemetery Association, ete., and sceined to realize fully that he was responsible to God and society for a good use of his riches.

In person Mr. Harrison was tall and stately, and liis manner was grave and dignified, never tolerating a rude familiarity, but courteously inviting to known friends or those who had legitimate claims upon his attention. Ilis habits were remarkably temperate, and enabled him to labor with unflagging industry under burdens which would have broken others com- pletely down. The most conspicuous trait of his character was a " marvelous serenity under misfor- tune and absence of elation in periods of special prosperity."

Mr. Harrison died on the 3d of August, 1870,

after but two or three days' illness. His sudden decease shocked the community, and was mourned as a public affliction. He did not die before his time, and had lived to see many of his predictions regarding St. Louis more than fulfilled. He saw his favorite city double her population within the last decade of his life, while the increase was thirtyfold during his citizenship. As an observant man, he must have been conseious that some share of this wonderful progress was due to his labors.

Well has it been said of him, " The imperishable evidences of his labors and enterprises are stamped in unmistakable characters upon works more enduring than bronze or marble, and the ability with which he grappled the great commercial and manufacturing probleins of his adopted State adds a lustre to a name that Missourians will always be proud to honor."

Edwin H., son of James Harrison, was born in 1836 in the town of Washington, Hempstead County, Ark., where his father was then conducting one of several mercantile establishments located at widely separated points in that State. In 1840, as we have scen, James Harrison sold out his Arkansas enterprises and removed to St. Louis with his family, of which Edwin, the subject of this sketch, was the first born.

In 1846, Edwin was sent to Ste. Genevieve, Mo., to a French school, in order that he might be better prepared for the training that was to follow. The next year, at the suggestion of Father De Smet, he was sent to the Jesuit College of Notre Dame de la Paix, at Namur, Belgium, where he remained until 1851, acquiring a good education and as thorough a knowledge of French as could be obtained by daily and uninterrupted praetiec.

Upon returning to St. Louis in 1851, young Har- rison spent a part of the two succeeding years at Wyman's seliool, and in 1853 entered the Lawrenee Scientifie School, a department of Harvard Univer- sity, Cambridge, Mass. Here for the first two years he made a specialty of mechanies and engineering, in which branches he graduated in 1855. Mean- while he had attended the lectures of Professor Asa Gray on botany, and of the great Agassiz on zoology and geology. To use his own expression, he was " infatuated" with Agassiz, and after obtain- ing his diploma as engineer he went into Agassiz's laboratory as a special student, remaining for one and a half years. Of his intercourse with that wonder- ful man he never speaks except with emotion. One of his summer vacations was spent with Agassiz about Eastport, Me., and Grand Menan Island, study- ing the beauties and unraveling the mysteries of ma- rine animal nature.

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History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 61

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