History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. I, Part 149

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 840

USA > New Jersey > Essex County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. I > Part 149
USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. I > Part 149

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MANGELS & SCHMIDT, manufacturers of bread, 348 to 352 t'ourt Street, established business in 1876 in a small way. The large and commodious three-story and basement brick building now occupied by the firm was built in 1881, and is seventy-five by one hundred and twenty-five feet. Both members of the firm are natives of Germany, and came to this coun- try in 1865. They employ fifty persons, and the an- nual product of their business amounts to two hun- dred thousand dollars.

Cocoa and Spice Mills .- THE BREWSTER COCO.A COMPANY. of 59 to 63 New Jersey Railroad Avenue, carry on one of the novel industries of the city,-the manufacture of chocolate, cocoa and broma prepara- tions. The business was established in 1866 by A. B. Brewster & Co., who were succeeded by Brewster & Wałbridge in 1881, in turn succeeded by the present company, which was incorporated in September, 1883. Of this organization A. B. Brewster is president and treasurer, and C. R. Baldwin, secretary. Mr. Brew- ster is an ex-member of the Assembly of New Jersey.

THE NEWARK CITY MILLS (G. D). Drake, proprie- tor), at 341 to 343 Halsey Street, have a capacity of about six thousand barrels of flour and eighty thou- sand bushels of fred per annum, nearly all of which find a ready local market.

CLARK THREAD COMPANY .- Probably no other branch of American industry has attained to greater supremacy than the manufacture of spool cotton. Thread-making in the United States dates from the close of the last century, when the first efforts were made in Bridgewater, Mass. The thread works are among the largest manufacturing establishments of the country, the largest of which are at Newark, and known by the above name.

The company was incorporated by act of the State Legislature March 9, 1865, under the name of the l'assaic Thread Company, naming George A. Clark, Alexander Clark, William Clark and Thomas Barber as incorporators, with a capital stock of seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, with power to increase to one million dollars, to be divided into shares of one hundred dollars each.

To George A. Clark, a native of Paisley, Scotland,

is justly ascribed the chief credit of having founded the great industrial institution in question. He came of a family trained in similar pursuits, his ancestors having established a factory at Paisley nearly seventy years ago. It still exists, and rivals it- New World offspring-for such the Newark factory may properly be termed-in the vastness of its dimensions and products. Into the enterprise Mr Clark infused his remarkable energy, and it was an established success from the very first. I'nfortunately the chief founder did not live to witness the full fruition of his plans, and the perfection to which the works were destined to be brought under the zeal, energy and skill of those who continued where he suddenly left off.1

GEORGE A. CLARK, who, some years ago, stood at the head of the Clark Thread Company of Newark, N. J., was born in Paisley, scotland, 1824. He was a descendant of Peter Clark, who, between eighty and ninety years ago, made the first cotton thread that was ever used for sewing. It is a curious fact that this invention should be due to the necessities some- times occasioned by war. Prior to the great victories achieved by Napoleon, at the close of the last century, cotton sewing thread was unknown. In its place flax, worked by spindles and distaff into hanks of coarse linen thread, was used for sewing all kinds of garments. But when Napoleon seized upon Hamburg and destroyed all the silk in that port, the weavers of England and Scotland were deprived of the material used in making the heddles or guiding threads ao essential to the loom. The business of the Clark Brothers of that day was the manufacture of silk heddle-twine for the weavers of Paisley, and when no more silk could be obtained for that purpose Peter Clark looked about for a substitute. After a series of experiments with cotton, he obtained a thread from that material which answered his purpose, and, more- over, promised to be far preferable to the old linen thread for sewing. For some time he continued to wind his new cotton thread upon bobbins with his own hands for the accommodation of some of his lady customers in Paisley, and being convinced ere long that his discovery was a valuable one, he gradually withdrew from the manufacture of heddle-twine, and, with the firm to which he was attached, gave attention entirely to the making of spool-cotton.

Mr. George A. Clark, the subject of this sketch, began his business career as a lad in the employment of the firm of Kerr & t'o., at Hamilton, Ontario, and, after remaining with this house for about four years, returned to l'aisley, and began the manufacture of shawls. In 1850 he relinquished this business, and became a partner with his brother-in-law, Mr. Peter Kerr, in the manufacture of cotton thread. This firm was subsequently merged into that of the Clarks, and therein he retained a partnership until his death. and it was mainly due to his energy and business

1 Atkinson's " Ilistory of Newark."

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

ability that the resources and operations of the establishment were so vastly developed.

When the business of making cotton thread began at Paisley, in 1812, one man, turning a crank, furnished all the motive-power required, and the sale of manu- factured goods was limited to a small portion of Scot. land and England. When Mr. Clark died, in 1873, the Paisley works gave employment to upwards of two thousand operatives, the works at Newark, N. J., cm- ployed one thonsand more, and the business of the firin extended throughout almost every eivilized country on the earth. To Mr. George A. Clark the successful establishment of the American branch of this great enterprise is wholly due. He came to the United States in 1856 to look atter the interests of the works at Paisley, fixing his headquarters at New York. The great increase in the consumption of cotton-thread occasioned by the increased use of sew- ing-machines, together with the high protective tariff, induced him to establish a branch of the Paisley works in this country. Accordingly, in 1864, he founded a factory at Newark, N. J., and began opera- tions in a hired building at the corner of Front and Fulton Streets, in that city. While conducting the business on a small seale, he put under contract the extensive works on Clark Street, personally superin- tending their erection and in many ways improving upon the Paisley model. In the spring of 1866 the buildings were completed, and the gigantic works were set in operation, giving employment to hundreds of operatives and contributing largely to the welfare of Newark and the adjacent country. The great business talents and energy thus exhibited by Mr. Clark could not fail to bring him prominently before the public, and so we soon see him associated with the leading business men of the community. His advice and assistance were sought in all important enterprises of a public nature. He became an active and influential member of the Board of Trade; he was also a director of the People's Insurance Company, and at the time of his death was president of the Burns Society of Newark. To matters of religion Mr. Clark was always conscientiously devoted. As a member of the North Reformed Church of Newark, he sought to live a life worthy of his high profession, and not only the church to which he belonged, but all religious and benevolent associations, were dear to him, and received largely of his bounty. As a friend, he was sincere, and always ready to perform a friendly act. His genial dis- position made him welcome wherever he went, and it might be truly said that none knew him but to love him.

Mr. Clark died suddenly from heart-disease on the 13th of February, 1873. The various corporations with which he was connected, on hearing the sad in- telligence, assembled to pay a tribute to his memory. Funeral services were held in the North Reformed Church, and his remains were sent back to Scotland to find a resting-place in his native town of Paisley.

WILLIAM CLARK, son of John Clark, of the great firm of James & John Clark, cotton-thread manu- facturers, and brother of the late George .A. Clark, elsewhere mentioned in this volume, was born in l'aisley, Scotland, in 1841. After receiving a good academic education in the grammar-school of his native town, he entered the famous establishment which had been founded by his ancestors, for the pur- pose of acquiring a practical knowledge of all the details of every department of the business in which he expected, at the proper time, to become an active and interested manager. This knowledge having been fully obtained, he accompanied his brother, Mr. George A. Clark, in 1860, to the United States, where already a general agency of the home firm had been established with its headquarters in New York. Here he rendered assistance to his brother in his manifold operations, and finally, in 1864, removed with him to Newark, N. J., where a branch of the Paisley works was estab- lished upon a very small scale. This branch was, however. greatly extended at a subsequent period, and in 1866, Mr. Clark became associated with his brother as a partner. The enterprise proved to be highly successful, and after the admission of Mr. Clark as a partner the works were from year to year extended.

In February, 1873, Mr. George A. Clark, the senior member of the firm, died suddenly of heart-disease, leaving his brother, the subject of this sketch, sole manager of this vast establishment. And now the ad- vantages of a thorough knowledge of everything eon- nected with this complicated business became manifest. The survivor was abundantly able to take the helmi from which the brother's hand had been loosed by death, and although younger by twenty years, com- manded all the respect and confidence which is due to experience and capability. With the management of these great works came also, in time, an enlarged interest in the proprietorship, and with an ambition to see himself not merely the head of one of the greatest establishments in the land, but the patron, as well, of industry and thriftiness, Mr. Clark soon took measures to extend-in fact, to double almost in magnitude-his already marvelous mills. Not only did he erect in close proximity to his office and ware-rooms, an im- mense spooling factory, one hundred and sixty by eighty-two feet, and four stories in height, all in brick and stone, but on the eastern bank of the Passaie River, opposite to the old mills, a traet of land, containing more than ten acres, was purchased, with a view to making still greater additions to the works. Here buildings have been erected for the accom- modation of eight thousand spindles, together with a large amount of other machinery, as well as boilers and engines and various safeguards against losses by fire.

With so vast an increase of facilities, the business of the mills has also increased, and the employés of the great establishment are now numbered by thou- sands. This army of operatives of both sexes is

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WORKS OF THE CLARK THREAD CO, NEWARK, N J.

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RESIDENCE OF WILLIAM CLARK, MOUNT-PROSPECT AVENUE, NEWARK, N. J.

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INDUSTRIES OF NEWARK

under the most perfect discipline, and their busy fingers move with as much regularity and precision as the complicated machinery which everywhere sur- rounds them. Industry and skill in these truly won- derful works always find their reward, while sloth and awkwardness maintain but a short carver Mr. Clark omits nothing that can contribute to the comfort and happiness of his operatives. He has encouraged the formation among them of societies for mental as well as physical improvement, and in addition to the legal holidays and annual picnics, a half-holiday is enjoyed by them every Saturday.

It is easy to believe that the benefit of Mr. ('lark's great business talents has been sought more than once by the financial institutions of Newark, but his own immense operations have formed a suthicient excuse for him to decline such positions. He has been induced, however, to become one of the managers of the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company, and a director of the American Mutual Fire Insurance Company, to both of which institutions he cheerfully gives his services. He is president of the board of trustees of the Newark Eye and Ear Infirmary, and takes a great interest in that noble charity. Of the Board of Trade he is a member, and the Newark Library Association acknowledges him as one of its benefactors. In polities he is a pro- nonneed Republican, and was strongly urged to be- come the Congressional candidate of that party at the election of 1884, but although eminently qualified for that important position, he could not be induced to accept that or any other political office.

Breweries. - More than half a century ago l'eter Ballantine, a thrifty Scotchman, settled in Albany, N. Y., and established an ale brewery there. Twenty years later, in 1840, he removed to Newark. From ( his then skillful efforts has grown the extensive and important business of which he continues the netive head, though now in his eighty-seventh year. With him have long been associated his sons, Peter HI., John H., and Robert F. Ballantine. Nearly two hundred workmen are usually employed, and the an- nual products reach seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The ales and beer now brewed by the firm are declared by authorities to rival in quality the best brands manufactured in England.

MORTON & BROTHER, of 235 High Street, are among the prominent brewers of the city, and the sue- cessors of one of the oldest brewers in the country- their father, who began business, in 1822, in that part of New York known as "Stagtown," which was the name of a particular district north of l'anal Street and east of the Bowery, and at that time was com- posed mostly of vacant lots, or, more properly speaking, open fields. During the year 1821. Mr. Thomas Morton and his family arrived in New York from London, where Mr. Morton had been engaged in the well-known brewing establishment of Mesure. Whitbread & Co., but by inducements bad come to this country to establish a similar establishment to

the great one that he had just left. It was in I>22 that Mr. Morton put up his first brewery in this country, at "Stagtown," on a site now fronting on Essex Street, and north of Rivington. At that time there were only four other breweries in New York,- Mills, Burbank, Bilbarrow and MeLochlan. shortly after this a brother of Mr. Morton established on Delancey Street the old " John Barleycorn " Brewery. In those days all the heavy work of grinding malt, pumping water and hoisting was done by horse-power, but the mashing was done by hand. In 1827, Mr. Morton's brewery was destroyed by fire, and during the time of rebuilding he began brewing in an old carpet factory at Belleville, now a part of Newark, N. J. About the time he had finished the rebuilding of his brewery he established another at the cor- ner of Twelfth Street and Broadway, but soon after rented it to Lamb & Co. In the year 1831, Mr. Morton moved to Newark, and purchased from Mr. Joel t'on- dit the old and celebrated Cummings brewery, where he continued to brew successfully for a few years, and in 1838 he added another department to his business, aud rented his brewery to Messrs. Adam Collins and Jethro Thain, who conducted the brewing for about one year. In 1840 the brewery was leased to Messrs. Patterson & Ballantine, the papers of this business transaction being executed by the first mayor of Newark, William Halsey. The firm did business for about six years when Mr. Peter Ballantine leased it alone until 1850, at which time the three sons, Thomas, Jr., Robert and John Martin, began the brewing for a livelihood. Thomas Morton, their father, had now been dead about three years; he was buried in Newark. There have been great and important changes made in the present establishment since the Messrs. Morton have had control. The brewery covers more than an acre of ground and with the pre- sent facilities this firm brews about forty-five thousand barrels of the best ale that is made in this country every twelve months. Mr. Robert Morton is a pro- minent member of the New York Produce Exchange, and was one of the charter members. He has taken an active part in some of its committees during the time of his membership. Personally all are cultured gentlemen, and are very popular in business and social circles.

KRUEGER'S BREWERY. - This extensive model brew- ery is one of the largest in the country, and there are probably none which have finer buildings. The business was begun by Gottfried Krueger in 1865, at his present location, at Belmont Avenue and West Kinney Streets. He began improvements the follow- ing year, and has kept them up steadily since. The first large building, an ice-house, was erected in ISso, and the principal building of the present group in 1883. This is six stories or ninety feet in height, and is sixty feet by sixty-three feet square, with wings, making n frontage of two hundred and fifty feet. The tower used for the storage of malt holds sixteen

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

thousand bushels. This brewery is supplied with all the modern improvements, including a Delavan re- frigerating machine. The capacity for production is four hundred and thirty barrels per day, and double that amount of beer ean be produced on short notice. Employment is given to about ninety mnen.

GOTTFRIED KRUEGER .- Conrad Krueger, the grand- father of Gottfried Krueger, was a resident of Baden, Germany, where he followed agricultural employment. He was the father of five children,-William, Eliza - beth, Christian, Michael and Julia. William was

knowledge of the business, his present extensive es- tablishment being on the identical spot which was the scene of his early labore. Four years later he aeted in the capacity of foreman for a neighboring brew- ery, and in 1875, in connection with a partner, pur- chased his present brewery, the firm being lill & Krueger. This copartnership was dissolved in 1875 since which date he has condueted the business alone. Mr. Krueger married, in 1861, Miss Catherine Harter, daughter of Joseph H. Harter, who was also a native of Baden. Their children are seven in number, of

born in Baden, on the 9th of September, 1811, and inherited his father's love for agriculture. He mar- ried Susan Laible, and had nine children, of whom Gottfried, William and Charles survived. Mr. Krue- ger, emigrated to America in 1860, and removed to Newark, where his death occurred in 1872. llis son. Gottfried, was born Nov. 4, 1837, in Baden, where he remained until seventeen years of age. In 1853, hav ing been impressed with the great advantages offered young men of ambition and energy in America, he de- termined to emigrate. Choosing Newark as a location, he entered a brewery for the purpose of acquiring a

whom Gottfried F. and John G., the only survivors, are pursuing their studies in Germany. Mrs. Krue- ger died Sept. 3, 1873, and Mr. Krueger was again married on the 21st of April, 1874, to Bertha G. Laible, danghter of John Laible, of Newark. The children of this marriage are Bertha, Lilly, Maida, and an infant, beside one who is deceased. Mr. Krueger's political views are Democratic. He has participated actively in the arena of polities, was chosen freeholder in 1872, a member of the State Legislature in 1876 and re-elected in 1879. In 1880 he was male clector-at-large on the Democratic

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ticket. The same year he was a delegate to the Demo- cratie Convention and honored with the position again in 1854. He is also a member of the Democratic State Committee. Mr. Krueger is vice-president of the State Banking Company, president of the Germania Savings Bank and a director of the Germania Fire Insurance Company. He is also president of the Brewers' Association of New York and vicinity.

(. FIEGENSPANS' brewery, located on Freeman Street, has been in operation since 1879, and the pro- prietor was engaged in business elsewhere in the city four or five years previous to that time. His sales are estimated at from three hundred thousand to three hundred and fifty thousand dollars per year, much of his beer being exported. In 1578 he obtained a silver medal at the Paris Exposition.

WEISS & MIAt DERS, corner of Fifteenth Street and Morris Avenue, proprietors of the Court Street Park Brewery. The business was established at this place many years ago by David Holzworth. He was suc- reeded by Weiss & Brock, who purchased the brewery in 1873. Mr. Brock retired in 1875, leaving Mr. Charles Weiss sole proprietor, who subsequently re- ceived Mr. Mauders into the concern.

GEORGE A. WEIDENMAYER, 588 Market Street, proprietor of Newark City Brewery, established busi ness, in 1879, in the brewery formerly operated by U. Schiener. He has since rebuilt the brewery, employs ten nien, and manufactures six thousand harrels of lager beer annually. He is a son of Mr. Christopher Weid- enmayer, and a native of Newark. He was elected a member of the City Council in 1880, re-elected in 1883, and made president of the board in January, 1884.

D. M. LYos & SONs' brewery, located at 97 Canal Street, manufacturers of ales and porter. Business was established in 1864 by D. MI. Lyon, on the lot now occupied by the firm. William JI. Lyon became a member of the firmn in 1867, and in 1882 his brother, t'. D. Lyon, also son of D. MI. Lyon, became a member of the firm. In 1873 the brewery was rebuilt of brick, and now has a capacity of thirty thousand barrels of ale annually.

WILLIAM HILL, proprietor of Union Brewery, 333 Springfield Avenue, is a son of Gottlieb Ilill, and is a native of Newark. The brewing business was estab- lished at this place in 1860, by John Baier, and in 1870, Mr. Hill became a partner. In 1875 this part- nership was dissolved, and Mr. Hill became the senior member of the firm of Hill & Pilz. In November, 1883, Mr. Pilz retired, when Mr. Hill became sole proprietor. This brewery turns out forty-five thon- sand barrels of ale annually, and employs thirty-five men.

Knit-goods Manufactory .- The l'eters Manufac- turing Company is a house the foundation for which was laid by the late H. N. Peters, in 1863, under the name of the Rankin Mills. It was under his control until his death, in 1878, since which the business has been managed by his sons. In 1872 the name was

changed to the Peters Manufacturing Company, which is a stock company, having a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, The chief executive officers are as follows : E. H. l'eter-, president ; N. H. Peters, Frere- tary ; and D. D. Smith, Jr., treasurer. The board of directors, besides including the president, is composed of the following well-known gentlemen, and is indica- tive of solid wealth, reliability and success: S. R. W. lleath, Theodore Little, H. C. Pitney, and William Rankin. The plant of the company comprises several buildinga, the main structure being four and a half stories high, and has a frontage of one hundred feet and a depth of one hundred and fifty feet. Here is carried on the manufacture of knit woolen underwear being divided into five departments,-the carding, the spinning, the knitting, the cutting and the finishing. The number of employes is often as high as three hundred and fifty, and the machinery is driven by an engine of two hundred and fifty horse-power.

THOMAS LINNETT & Co. (Charles P'. Mar-h), of 165 Market Street, have been engaged since 1877 in the manufacture of shirts, and they now control a large trade.

Varnish .- In 1836 the manufacture of varnish was begun in this country by Daniel Price and S. P. Smith, who in that year established a branch of that industry in Newark. Smith subsequently retired from the firm, and became a member of the firm of E. A. Hoppock & Co. When Mr. Smith retired from the old firm, John 1). Fitzgerald and David M. Fitzgerald purchased an interest. Price sold his interest to John D. Fitzgerald, when A. Ogden Fitzgerald became a member of the firm. The business is still conducted at the old stand, Nos. 362-365 Mulberry Street, by J. D. & A. O. Fitzgerald.

In 1845 three other firms-Pierson & Robertson, David Price & Co. and Price, Johnson & Co.,-began the manufacture of varnish in Newark. Pierson & Robertson were succeeded by E. C. Robertson, and David Price & Co. by Hewson Brothers & Co. Price, .Johnson & Co. was succeeded by Bigelow & Price, and in 1856 the business passed under the control of Moses Bigelow, and in a short time Moses Bigelow, Jr., became a partner. This partnership continued until 1874, when the senior Bigelow died. Mr. J. C. Kirtland then became a member of the firm, under the firm-name of Moses Bigelow & Co., and have now one of the most extensive varnish manufactories in the country.

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History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. I, Part 149

Author: Shaw, William H Publication date: 1884 Publisher: [United States :] Number of Pages: 840

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 840