USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > Hudson County to-day; its history, people, trades, commerce, institutions and industries > Part 8
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Owing to the rapid expansion and to anticipate the growth of the domestic embroidery industry, President Reiner announces that his company is now approving plans for the erection of another building to be located directly opposite the present offices and demonstrating plant. The big structure recently erected by the company on the Hackensack Plankroad has been sold to the American Embroidery Manufacturing Corporation, West Hoboken. and the Hoagland-Ligety Co., also of that town.
The Reiner demonstrating plant is a veritable wonderland of science. In regularly soldierly files are seen numerous embroidery machines represent- ing the latest inventions of the greatest mechanical experts. A marvel of ingenuity is the new Vogtland fifteen-vard shuttle machine, operated by a high-speed Vogtland-Zahn automat. This is the largest and most complete design of embroidery making machine ever manufactured. It is a source of never ending wonder to those who see it in operation. Ten-yard machines are also set up and working, on exhibition for all interested.
That domestic embroidery works have already made noticeable inroads upon the industry abroad is shown by a recent issue of a Swiss newspaper. which charges that the Vogtland machine manufacturers have seriously injured the Saxon and Swiss embroidery industries by the importation of machines to this country. Switzerland has long been the acknowledged centre of the European embroidery industry, and in this complaint a great tribute is paid to the enterprise of American manufacturers.
The Robert Reinef Importing Company's business is national in scope. Machines imported by this company are in daily use in various parts of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Missouri, Maryland and other states, as well as in Canada and South America, where the embroidery industry has achieved any considerable proportions.
73
Best Anboken Novelty and Embroidery Works, Jur.
HE West Hoboken Novelty and Embroidery Works, Inc., has made a field for itself in the manufacture of novelty embroidery in a section which is regarded as an embroidery center by buyers and makers in all parts of the country. The ideal factory building which houses this indus- try is at 811-817 Walnut street, West Hoboken. It is owned by A. Rohner. who established the business December 1, 1913. The property is ICOX100 feet, and it is the boast of the owner that it is the most up-to-date embroidery plant in the world. It has living apartments above, which are also fitted up in the very latest manner.
The concern is incorporated for $50,000. 449 of the 500 shares being owned by Mr. Rohner, who is president of the corporation. Fritz Kruesi. who is secretary and treasurer, holds fifty shares for profit-sharing
purposes. The firm was the first importer of the fifteen-yard pantograph machines, manufactured in Switzerland, which have proved a great success from the start.
Alfred Rohner, president, was connected with S. Galle & Co., wholesale cheese importers, New York, as credit man for eighteen years prior to esta !- Jishing this concern. The embroidery line is not new to him, however, he having been connected with that line in Europe, as well as in this country. Kruesi is the designer for the concern. lle was in business on his own account before he made connections with Mr. Rohner. His services as a designer were much sought by embroidery manufacturers who did an exclu- sive business, and Mr. Rohner feels that in him he has made a splendid acquisition to his concern. Mr. Rohner is optimistic, and thinks the period of depression we are passing through is at the worst only temporary. Ile expect- a great boom in the embroidery business in the near future, and is receiving two fifteen-yard automatie machines from Switzerland.
74
A. firfti
J T IS not generally known that at least in one of the embroidery plants of North Hudson every care is taken to make the products equal in every respect to those of St. Gall, the recognized European centre of embroidery excellence. Reference is made to the plant of M. Ilefti, 381-38; Summit Avenue, West Hoboken, N. J., with New York offics at 1133 Broad- way, N. Y. City.
Mr. Hetti has operated this plant since 1909. He is a native of St. Gall. and in common with most young men of that district, was apprenticed to an embroidery manufacturer.
While yet a young man he became general manager of an embroidery factory with an interest in the concern. In this position he visited the English and French markets with acknowledged success.
Subsequently he came to America as representative of St. Gall manu- facturers, visiting most of the large trade centres east of the Mississippi of United States and Canada, repeating his success obtained in the English markets. When he decided to start in business himself, he had little difficulty in obtaining audiences from the largest buyers.
It is generally conceded that any goods bearing the HEFTI trade mark are of the best. He operates a number of the new automatic machines, which have set a new standard for uniform and perfect work. The working people in his factory are of the best obtainable, and are paid liberal wages accord- ingly. The factory itself is considered a model in regard to light. cleanliness and perfect sanitary arrangements. Mr. Hefti champions quality in work and pattern, because he asserts this to be the only way to develop the em- broidery industry on healthy. substantial lines, creating a more steady. all the year around demand for domestic embroideries.
We believe his success to be the best proof of the correctness of his contention.
75
FF. JJ. Manpai During Company
MONG the younger and more progressive businesses of North Hudson is that of the F. P. Maupai Dyeing Company, at 620-628 Thirteenth street. West New York. This company was established April 1, 1913. employs fifty people and has a capital of $15,000. Its business is that of dyeing artificial and natural silk of domestic manufacture only.
This company is the outgrowth of the firm of Schmitt & Maupai, which was started in 1889 at 232 East Forty-third street, New York. This partner- ship was dissolved in April, 1894. In November of the same year F. P. Maupai again began business, this time at 585 Hudson street, New York. and in 1905 it became necessary to move into larger quarters. The firm then moved to 616-618 West Forty-fourth street, New York, where it continued until the organization of the present company.
For a long time Mr. Maupai had kept his eye on North Hudson. He knew there was an extensive field for his endeavors here. When the com- pany was organized it settled in West New York, where it is the intention to remain. Principal patrons of the company are local silk mills.
Officers of the company are : President and treasurer. F. P. Maupai ; vice- president, E. L. Maupai.
In this connection may be mentioned the progress of F. P. Maupai. founder of the company. He came to America thirty-one years ago, and was taught the dyeing business by an old and experienced German dyer in Jersey City. He later worked in, Philadelphia. He came to New York in 1887, worked in the best dye houses there and established himself in business. as stated, in 1889.
His son, E. L. Maupai, learned his trade in Germany, Switzerland and France. The company has American, English, Belgian and German patent- for blending artificial silks and special methods for dyeing the same.
76
Bellman Bronk Bleachery Company
I IS not generally known that in North Hudson is located one of the most important textile industries outside of silk manufacture in the country. Yet this is the case, the concern being the Bellman Brook Bleachery Company at Fairview. The business carried on by this company includes the bleaching, mercerizing, dyeing and finishing of cotton goods in the piece. Its operations are so extensive that it requires the assistance of 225 employees. Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cotton goods are handled in the course of a year and the bleachery is one of the busy hives of industry in the county, which, because of its location, is hidden from the ordinary observer.
The plant occupied by the Bellman Brook Bleachery Company is a large one. It is just off the Hackensack Plankroad in Fairview. Many who travel this road by trolley, auto or other means have wondered what the big plant was and what was done there. If they happened to be about at the time of opening or closing the mills they saw an army of workmen such as they supposed could hardly exist outside of the big cities or more thickly settled communities.
The Bellman Brook Bleachery Company was organized in 1905. It laid its base of operations along the little known Bellman Brook in Fairview. from which brook it takes its name. The concern is capitalized for $400,000. The stock is principally owned by its officers, who are all actively interested in the conduct of the business of the plant. These officers are: President. Benjamin 1. Ward : treasurer, George Van Keuren ; secretary, H. W. Beecher. These gentlemen are all well known in the business world.
It is mostly because of the fact that their work is done for the trade and general advertising has not been required that so little is known of the firm outside of its own particular working ground in Hudson County. Among cotton goods manufacturers the firm is known far and wide. It is said that its processes for the work for which the company was organized are among the most advanced in the entire country. This must be so because the com- pany has the work of so many manufacturers of cotton goods to finish.
Columbia Silk During Works
J N none of the bigger concerns of the kind in the country is more care or pride taken in the work than that done by the Columbia Silk Dyeing Works of 316 Barclay street. West Hoboken. As a consequence the work of the concern has grown to splendid proportions since the erection of the plant a few years ago. A good deal of the silk made in North Hudson is dyed at this plant, and there are also customers from other points where silk is made.
The Columbia Silk Dyeing Works is splendidly equipped for the dyeing of silks of all kinds. The plant is not so large that a certain formula is used for big batches, trusting to the quality of the goods to take the colors properly. Every piece of goods brought to these works is examined carefully with a view to seeing how best it can be treated to obtain desired results.
Because of this great care the silk dyed here is generally recognized among silk manufacturers as being dyed the best that skill and science can devise. Some manufacturers believe it necessary to give the dyers instructions in their work, but those who deal with the Columbia people know that such instructions are not necessary there.
77
Jersey City Juster Adurrtising Co.
11E Jersey City Poster Advertising Company was established in 1857 by A. P. Rikeman, who was succeeded by Rikeman & O'Mealia, and later was incorporated as The Jersey City Billposting. Display Adver- tising and Sign Company, with James F. O'Mealia as president and H. F. ()'Mealia as secretary. Later the name was changed to The Jersey City Poster Advertising Company. The business extends throughout Hudson County. with connections over the entire State of New Jersey. The connections also enable the company to cover the entire United States, Canada, Cuba, Hawaii and the Philippines.
The company advertises Jersey City as "The Gateway to New York," and claims to have the greatest railroad showings in the world. In all its advertising matter, sent broadcast throughout the United States, it always endeavors to boom Jersey City. It owns 1500 large bulletins and billboards with a covering surface of 100,000 square feet.
The allied companies include the Jersey City, North Hudson, Bayonne, Hoboken, Hackensack, Monmouth, Asbury Park and Paterson Poster Ad- vertising Companies, and cover all trunk line railroads and terminals, all suburban railroads and terminals, all ferries to New York City from Jersey City, all large cities, all connecting trolley lines, the counties having the largest population in the State and the most prosperous towns with more than half the population of New Jersey.
The company is in the metropolitan district. The farthest town is within forty-five minutes from Broadway. More people reside in this district who do business in New York City than reside in New York City itself.
The railroad showing covers the Pennsylvania, Erie, Central of New Jersey, West Shore and Lackawanna Railroads and their connecting lines, the Baltimore and Ohio, Philadelphia and Reading. Lehigh Valley, New York, Ontario and Western, Susquehanna, Morris and Essex, Newark and New York, New York and Long Branch, Northern of New Jersey, New Jersey and New York, and New York and Greenwood Lake Railroads.
The billboards are all in prominent locations on boulevards, principal thoroughfares and drives and on trolley lines leading to all ferries to New York City, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Newark and suburbs, Rutherford, Pas- saic and Paterson. The population of this territory is composed of pros- perous, well-to-do people who appreciate billboard advertising.
The company does house-to-house distributing. A regular force of distributors works under the personal supervision of experienced foremen. It is a sign painter, and its bulletins are displayed in equally good posi- tions as its billboards. It employs only first-class painters.
The cities and towns, with railroad showings, covered by the allied companies, follow: Jersey City District .- Jersey City, Bayonne, West Ho- boken, West New York, Union Hill. Guttenberg, Weehawken, Homestead. New Durham, Tyler Park and Secaucus. Iloboken District .- Hoboken, Hackensack District .- Hackensack, Englewood, Fort Lee. Hasbrouck Heights, Kingsland, Leonia, Little Ferry, Lodi. Lyndhurst, Bogota, Car]- stadt. Cherry Hill, Covtesville, East Rutherford, Edgewater, Maywood, Grantwood, Palisades Park, Ridgefield Park, Ridgefield, Tenafly. Teaneck, Westwood and Fairview. Keyport District .- Keyport and Matawan. As- bury Park District .- Asbury Park, Ocean Grove, Bradley Beach. Avon, Belmar, Spring Lake, Point Pleasant, Como, Sea Girt, Manasquan, Allen- hurst and Tom's River.
James F. O'Mealia. present owner, is one of the best-known men in Jersey City. He is a leading member of the B. P. O. E. He is a hundred- point man in anything he undertakes. He acts his thought. and thinks little of the act. This has been ably demonstrated by the remarkable progress of the company. He is a member of the Jersey City Chamber of Commerce.
-8
Judeprudent Lamp and fire On.
A MONG the larger manu- facturing plants of North Hudson is that of the li- dependent Lamp and Wire Co. Ins., at 536 538 Gregory Ava- mnie. Weehawken. This com- Pany, organized and incorporated under the laws of New Jersey in 1912, conducts two factories, one at York, Pa., and the other here. The company is incor- porate:l for $1.700.000. employs in its local plant 300 people, and has sa'e offices in all the large cities of the country.
In the Weehawken branch are manufactured drawn wire Tungsten lamps for train light- ing, automobile head lights. signs, etc., and the regular lamps for illumination of buildings. At York, Pa .. asbestos insulated magnet wire for electrical machinery, fiekl and armature coils are made. The Weehawken branch was formerly the plant of the Hleany Lamp Co., which business was taken over by the new company.
Some of the largest steam and electric railroads, also leading manufactur- ing industries, use the products of this company, which speaks for their high clas .;. Instead of sperkiing large sums for advertising it has been the policy of the president, Nathan Hofheimer, to pay high salaries and wages, thus insuring the best products. Under his management and that of General Manager Dr. A. J. Liebmann a splendid engineering organization has been built up.
Officers of the company, besides those mentioned, are: vice-president. E. R. Campbell : secretary, R. B. Dana ; treasurer, R. K. Dana. The directors are: Nathan Ilofheimer, F. B. Stewart, Lester Hofheimer. G. W. Dewey and E. R. Campbell.
79
American Grad Ururil Company
HE factory of the American Lead Pencil Company, located at Fifth, Clinton. Grand streets, and Willow avenue, is the oldest factory in the United States, manufacturing a complete lead pencil. It was estab- ished about the year 1860, and comprised at that time, one small building. located on the corner of Fifth and Clinton streets, which still stands, and is known as Building No. 1. Since that time the growth of the factory has been a steady one, until at this time Building No. 21 is being erected.
As the business grew from a comparatively small beginning, so has the number of employees. At this date there are employed by the company over 2,000 people.
In addition to the manufacture of complete lead pencils, they also manu- facture penholders, rubber erasers, rubber bands, compasses, and kindred novelties. All these goods are subdivided into many styles and classes- for instance, there are manufactured in the Hoboken factory alone, over 500 different grades, classes and styles of black lead pencils, ranging from the ordinary kind to the very finest made anywhere in the world, namely, the "Venns" Pencil.
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The graphite for these pencils comes chiefly from Bohemia and Mexico, the clay also from Bohemia, and the cedar from the company's forests in Tennessee and other Southwestern states. The rubber used for rubber tips on pencils, rubber erasers, and rubber bands, comes chiefly from Brazil. The graphite, clay, cedar and rubber are all received at Hoboken in the raw or natural state, and the complete work of manufacture of the lead pencils from their very inception, is done in the numerous departments of the company's factory.
The crowning victory of the products of the American Lead Pencil Com- pany Hoboken factory was the introduction of the "VENUS" Pencil. which today holds first place in pencildom the world over. No other American manufacturer has a pencil like it. It is made in seventeen different degrees- from the very softest to the very hardest known-as well as two copying degrees.
In addition to the large factory at Hoboken, the American Lead Pencil Company has offices in Europe, four lumber mills in the South and South- west. and a factory in London, England, where certain European wants are taken care of.
So
German O. Strinhoff
U O Hermann C. Steinhoff, whose hot houses and place of business are at 578 Hudson Boulevard, West Hoboken, belongs a place among the leading florists of North Hudson. His business is one that has been firmly established for many years past and one which will be conducted for many years to come because of its magnitude and prominence.
Mr. Steinhoff may also be classed as a progressive florist. He is one of those men naturally born for the work of a florist, and if he had the capital and backing necessary, there is no question that he would be the Luther Burbank of the fraternity of florists in this section. He is continually making improvements through experiments and the flowers and potted plants he raises are well known in the metropolitan markets where he has a very large trade.
Of course, in common with other florists, Mr. Steinhoff caters to the markets and to the fashions in flowers, but while doing so he does not forget that every little while something of a new nature in horticulture is advanced.
A pleasant half hour may always be spent with Mr. Steinhoff when he is at his place of business. His one hobby is flowers and plants. He under- stands them thoroughly. He knows their habits. He treats them as humans. He nurses and pets them-and they respond to his treatment by being bounteous in their reproduction. He has some interesting plants and is al- ways willing to show them and give their history to any one interested in his line of work.
Aemis Max
LEWIS MAX
EWIS MAX was born in Russia. May 15, 1864. His parents were Harry and Rose Max. His father died when Lewis was but five years of age. He started to work as a mason's helper when a mere boy and has received no education except what he has learned through actual business experience.
He has risen to a position of prom- inence in Jersey City's business world. is well known in charitable circles, is a member of the German Hospita! and many other organizations and in- stitutions. He is president of the Clinton Amusement and Improvement Company and a director of the Denver Consumptive Sanitarium. He is among the largest property owners and realty dealers in Jersey City.
When Mr. Max arrived in America he settled in Jersey City and secured work as a glazier on a large farm. Since then his progress has been remark- able. the more so because he has always been a liberal man, and any charitable movement of any importance will usually find him a supporter.
He has bulit up a big business in glass at 52-56 Greene street, and nine years ago he purchased the old Vreeland estate on Bergen avenue, Jersey City, and has converted it into a handsome home. His work is found in many large buildings in New York and throughout the country.
Besides his own he has raised two families, one his brother's and one his sister's, who both died while the children were young. There has never been any distinction between these and his own children and they vet dwell together in perfect harmony. His hobby is his home.
81
Gardner & Meeks On.
HE history of the Gardner & Meeks Company, retail dealer in lumber. is worthy of much more extensive space than can be given it in a work such as this. Founded in 1852. it is the second oldest concern of its kind in Hudson County. Its operations have carried it through the great civil war of 1861 to 1865. during which time it escaped the fate of so many enterprises which were forced to the wall.
From the inception of the business, which was founded by Robert Gardner. it has flourished. Year after year has added to the general popularity of the firm among contractors because satisfaction was sure by dealing with the concern. It has always maintained an integrity second to none in the county and that integrity is carefully preserved by its present officers.
The main office and yards of the company are located at Hudson avenue and Union street. Union Hill. Besides this there is a dock and storage vard at Guttenberg. At both the main yard and storage yard there is always a large stock of lumber constantly on hand. Where in stressful times other companies have compelled patrons to wait until their orders could first be obtained, the Gardner & Meeks Company could always deliver promptly any order left with it at any time.
There are twenty-four employees of the firm and they are grouped into an organization of the utmost efficiency. That is one of the strong points of the Gardner & Meeks Company, and it is because of efficiency in manage- ment and efficiency in the disposition of its workmen that it has weathered the storms of hard times and the fair weather of business prosperity with- out ever once having its integrity impaired.
When it was organized the office of the company was in Hoboken. but it was later moved to Union Hill and it has been at its present loca- tion for a number of years past. Being centrally located it is in a position to give the most excellent service to its patrons, a fact which is generally appreciated by contractors and others who want lumber when they want it. Because of this fact the business has grown and is growing as probably no other lumber supply firm in the county has grown.
At present the firm is entirely in the hands of the Meeks family. The officers are: President and treasurer, Hamilton V. Meeks; vice-president. Clarence G. Meeks; secretary, Howard V. Meeks. Each of the officers has his work cut out for him and strict performance of that work is required.
The members of the firm are live, wide-awake citizens. They are all in- terested in town betterments and municipal improvements. Hamilton V. Meeks has been vice-president of the Hudson Trust Company since its organi- zation. He is a member of the board of trustees of that financial institution. He has been president of the New Jersey Lumbermen's Protective Associa- tion. He is foremost in many projects for the improvement of the commun- ity. He has never dabbled in politics for his own aggrandizement, but he has always taken a keen interest in good government, in county, state and nation.
Clarence G. Meeks is a member of the board of managers of the Hoboken Bank for Savings, the only strictly savings bank in the county. He is a trustee of the New Jersey Lumbermen's Protective Association. He is also keenly alive to the benefits of good government and his influence is always found on the side of what he believes to be right in political affairs. To a large degree he is independent and progressive, which fact is echoed in the business of the Gardner & Meeks Company.
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