Civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the County of Kings and the City of Brooklyn, N. Y., Part 43

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : Munsell
Number of Pages: 1360

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Wood matting is also made here, to some extent, by a single manufacturer. We believe that rope mats and matting are also produced here, at least in the peniten- tiary; but our information on that subject is not posi- tive. For many years this branch of mat and matting manufacture has been considered the perquisite of the blind asylums and homes.

The principal product of this class of goods, made here, is that manufactured from coir and eoeoa fibre, and it has been carried to great perfection. The founder of this business in the United States was Mr. Edmond Greenland, a native of England, who emi- grated to the United States when ten years of age, and who established a small factory for its produetion in Kosciusko street, in 1855, but removed his factory to 143 Spencer street in 1875, to obtain larger quarters, though he retained also the old factory in Koseiusko street till 1881, doing a part of his work there. His material was wholly imported from Caleutta.

The American Cocoa Matting Company was formed by Joseph Wild & Co., in 1875. From about that date there has been a very marked improvement in its goods. The mats are now made with the initials, date or num- ber of the house or offiee, interwoven in bold and plain letters on their surface, as a protection against thieves. They are far superior to any other goods of the kind manufactured either in Europe or the United States. Mr. Edmond Greenland died in August, 1883, at the age of 62 years, but his business is still earried on with great energy by the surviving partners. The company employ more than 150 hands. Their annnal product is some- what more than $250,000, and is rapidly inereasing.

Joseph Wild & Co., have two factories, Nos. 202 to 218 Koseiusko street, in which they make crumb cloths, felt and woven druggets, established 1882; also, sheep skin and Lapland rugs, established 1877. These fae- tories together employ 90 hands, with an out-put of $150,000 a year.

Another of the members of the Greenland family, Frank or Franeis Greenland, is engaged in the same manufacture at 60 Gold street, near Water street. Here also are made all the varieties of mats, matting and rugs from Calcutta eoir and eoeoa fibre. They em- ploy 80 hands, and turn out about $125,000 worth of goods.

J. && H. Hutchison, mat and rug manufacturers, 404 North Second street, E. D., started in 1854. John Hutchison came from Scotland in 1833, where he had been a carpet manufacturer. He continued in the busi- ness he had ehosen here, till his death in 1877. Since then his son Hugh has been sole proprietor. He em- ploys 65 men, 25-horse steam power, and is the largest wool-border mat maker in the United States. He was the first in this country to shear mats by machinery. Two years ago he introduced the manufacture of faney rugs, from imported China goat skins. His business the past year has exceeded $90,000. Mr. Hutchison has always been an inventor, and mueh of the machinery in his factory owes its efficieney to his skill of construction or modifieation. Other manu- facturers in the same line are : Thomas Brown & Co., 138 South Fourth street; Cowley Bros., 461 Lori- mer street; Richard D. Crottey, Jr., 503 Marey ave- nue; William Doggrell, 864 Hancock street and 86 Harvard avenue; Thomas Mc Kenna, Conselyea street; C. Humboldt; R. H. Nutt's Son & Co., 18 Water street; Bernard Sharkey, 204 Middlelon street, and two or three smaller shops.

Samuel Lewis, 14-18 Lorimer street, is, so far as we are aware, the only manufacturer of wood matting for kitehens, bath rooms, railroad ears, ferry boats, saloons, ete., ete., in Brooklyn. He commeneed business in 1870; has a capital of $15,000; employs 12 hands; pays about $5,000 wages; his annual produet is $20,000, or more.

We can only estimate roughly the entire product of this industry. The firms or companies we have named must employ not less than 360 hands, and their annual product must reach at least $750,000.

SECTION XLVI. Plumbing Materials and Gas Fixtures.

There are seven manufacturers of plumbing materials whose factories are in Brooklyn, viz., Brandeis & Son, established 1859, by the senior partner (a native of France), who have a large factory, with steam power and 60 to 80 hands, and do not only an extensive domestie trade, but their operations extend over many foreign countries; J. Conway, Geo. D. Kimber && Son, Wm. H. Storey; Ronald & Co., a large house; Henry McShane & Co., and B. E. Valentine. The whole seven probably do a business of about $600,000; of which Ronald & Co. and Brandeis & Son, do mueh the largest share.

The eensus statisties of plumbing and gasfitting are : 216 establishments; $352,890 eapital; 691 hands; $377,- 195 wages; $701,530 material; $1,399,092 annual pro- duet. We must not, however, put much faith in thesc statistics. Plumbers in general could not if they would, and would not if they eould, tell exactly what they pay for material or what their annual product is. It is

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HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

as likely to be $3,000,000 as anything less. Some of them do their work on contraets altogether-what is called new work. Some do only repairing, or old work. Some atteud to gas-fitting only. Some to sewers and sewer connections only.

Gas fixture manufactures are not in the census, but ought to be. There are four houses, of which the W. C. Vosberg Manufacturing Company, 275 State street, is much the largest, and the third largest in the United States, in this line. It was established in 1865, and incorporated as a company in 1881; employs large steam power and 200 hands, and manufactures some of the finest and most artistie work in the country; their produets finding a large sale abroad as well as at home. The others are May & Barren, 225 State street, Sea- man & Nichol, 95 Boerun street, and Richard Trigge, 6 Flatbush avenue.

SECTION XLVII. Photographic Materials.

There are only two honses here who manufacture photographic materials, sensitized paper, ete., viz., William II. Lewis, 121 Manhattan avenue, E. D., and Lucina II. Wilco, 236 Fulton street. The census statistics of photographing are: 35 establishments; $88,950 capital; 84 hauds: $37,455 wages; $26,685 material; $141,947 product. Photography itself, iu Brooklyn, we have elassed among the arts, in connec- tion with our chapter on Art in Brooklyn.

SECTION XLVIII. Dentists' Materials-Mechanical Dentistry.

There are four manufacturers of dentists' materials, one of whom, E. Bagott, 84 Pearl street, Brooklyn, makes only dental instruments. The other three are the S. S. White Dental Manufacturing Company, 313 Ful- tou street, a very large house; A. JJ. Nickolds, 235 Washington street, and Edward Kearsing, 101 Hoyt street.

Some of the deutists manufacture their own tools and plates, but none of them make teeth. The S. S. White Company make them for the whole country.

The statistics of mechanical dentistry iu the eensus are: 67 establishments; $59,200 capital; 41 hands; $17,711 wages; $28,521 material; $137,271 aunnal product. The directory has 175 dental firms; but, as the dentists who do less than $3,000 a year are very few, many doing $15,000 to $25,000, the census estimate must be very far wrong.

SECTION XLIX. Art Products.

There is not much to be said about this. We have 75 artists in Brooklyn, but not all of them make any art products. There are five dealers in artists' materials,

M. J. SEELIG.

some of whom make them. One-Charles Mellish, of 22 Flatbush avenue-manufactures bronzes; another -. Joseph. A. Stoll, a Swiss, at 588 Grand street, E. D). -manufactures church statuary, ete., commeneed in 1866; capital, abont $6,500; annual product, §2,000- $3,000. The Art Establishment of Mr. Seelig, 115-121 Maujer street, Williamsburgh, is a most interesting collection of objects of artistie interest.

M. J. SEELIG, founder of the Art Establishment, was born December 25th, 1809, at Annaberg, in Saxony. As a child, he often visited the family of a wood-turner, in which, near Christmas, various play-things were made, not only from such materials as a turner uses. but also from plastic materials. Here the boy made his first attempts at model- ing, and also became very fond of carving. Following this in- clination, he learned the turners' trade, and after finishing his apprenticeship, visited Switzerland, finding in Berne con- genial employment in carving decorated flower-baskets.

In the spring of 1828, he went to Italy, and visited the art- collections of the principal cities, Genoa, Florence, Rome, &c., feeling special interest in the sculptures, and devoting most of his leisure time to carving in ivory.

On account of frequent attacks of fever, he returned home, where he soon recovered, and then went to Warsaw. The revolution, which occurred in 1830, and in which he was wounded. drove him from this city, after he had spent six weeks in the hospital.

Returning to Saxony and visiting Dresden, he received from Conncillor Böttcher, Director of Art Collections, per- mission to model in the Mengs Museum, under the direction of the Mint-engraver, König.

Six months later, he entered the atelier of Professor Riet- schel, and at the same time became a pupil in the Art Academy, thereby becoming entitled to attend the lectures on anatomy and art history, and to model in the Art Hall.

There were, at that time, in Rietschel's atelier, the monu- ment of King Augustus and several other important works.

After a four years' sojourn in Dresden, he went to Professor Schwanthaler, in Munich, where some of the most important of the works of art, which now adoru the city, were in pro- gress, and was engaged npon the statnary and other decora-

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THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.

tions of the Pinakothek, the Glyptothek, the Walhalla, the Royal Palace, &c.

In the year 1839, Professor Semper, who had charge of the building of the new theater, called him to Dresden and gave him commissions for various ornaments and figures, among them the great Gothic fountain on Post-Office Square.

On the discovery of galvano-plastic by Jacobi in Peters- burg, Mr. Seelig applied himself with great zeal to this art, and succeeded in producing the first important work of this kind, namely, a life-size statue of the heavy-robed Muse, Melpomene, and received from the Industrial Fair in Dres- den the first prize, the grand gold medal, of the value of twenty-five ducats.

A prize of five hundred thalers had been offered in Prus- sia, but it was refused to Mr. Seelig on the ground that he was not a Prussian.

After a long series of experiments, he discovered a material for moulds, which resists the action of alkaline solutions, and hence is adapted to the manufacture of gold and silver orna- ments.

By the use of this invention, he produced the beaker which General Bewlaqua received as a present from the Communal Guard.

He also furnished to Baron Hackwitz, in Berlin, the form (mould) for the shield of Achilles, which, by the king's re- quest, the Baron had undertaken to produce from silver, as a present to Queen Victoria.

On the perfection of this process depended its sale, at the price of two thousand thalers. It fully answered all require- ments, but only the first payment, 500 thalers, wasreceived, as Baron Hackwitz was ruined by the Berlin revolution.

In addition to his labors in gold and silver, he gave much attention to bronze and zinc castings.

The unsuccessful revolution of 1849, in which he conscien- tiously took part, closed his career in Europe.

Arriving in New York in 1831, he established himself in Williamsburgh, and applied himself exclusively to the production of zinc statuary and ornamentation, for the two- fold reason that no similar establishment existed there, and that his method was far superior to the usual ones.

In the year 1852, he received the gold medal for an alto- relievo zinc casting at the Castle Garden Fair ; and soon thereafter numerous commissions for decorations for the Crystal Palace and for dwellings and business houses.

Laboring under the disadvantages of a want of acquaint- ance with the country and the English language, his business was not very remunerative; he became involved in a lawsuit with an agent, which lasted for five years; then came the disastrous years, 1857-8, and not till 1861 were the conditions again such as to infuse life into such undertakings as his.

At this time, he produced two figures intended as garden decorations, namely, "Spring " and " Autumn." These were very favorably received, and the artist was cheered at finding his new home as appreciative of beauty as is the old Father- land.

Under the influence of this stimulus, his models increased from month to month and year to year, until his establish ment is a veritable museum, containing not only original conceptions, but also copies of the most celebrated statues of antiquity.

SECTION L.

Awnings and Tents and Sail Making.

The directory has 29 of these, including flags, ban- ners, awnings, tents, decorative flags, sails, horse, wagon, express and truck corers. J. Spencer Turner,

Cobb & Co., Fred. Curren, Christopher Luhrs, R. Went, Charles Kessel and Robert D. Thornton & Co., are said to be the largest; also Wm. II. Lothrop, 46 Court street. The census statistics are : 12 establislı- ments; $7,200 capital; 22 hands; $9,319 wages; $14,- 559 material; $35,843 annual product. If this product were multiplied by 5 it would be very near the truth.

JOHN SPENCER TURNER was born in Philadelphia, March 3d. 1830, and removed to chicago, with his father's family, in 1835. He attended such public schools as were in vogue there at that time, and at the age of fifteen or sixteen en- tered the service of Messrs. Payson & Rabb, sail makers and ship chandlers. He speedily became an expert sail cutter, and within two years had been advanced to the position of chief cutter and foreman of the sail department of their business. In this special department he was soon admitted to a partnership, having come to be regarded as the best sail cutter west of New York, and having obtained control of a not inconsiderable trade. In time, Mr. Payson sold his interest in the house to Mr. Gilbert Hubbard, who, with Mr. Rabb, continued the business under the firm name of Gil- bert Hubbard & Co. At the death of Mr. Rabb, Mr. Turner was enabled to purchase his interest in the business on such favorable terms that he soon thereafter became a full part- ner in the concern, the name of the firm remaining un- changed.

Now it was that Mr. Turner's conspicuous business capacity was for the first time made available. Gradually the man- agement of the affairs of the firm passed almost entirely into his hands. He was more pushing and progressive than either of his partners, and his enterprise and popularity with the trade was such that the business subsequently assumed proportions of which the old, conservative owners had scarcely dreamed, Mr. Turner securing profitable contracts from the United States Government, at the outbreak of the Rebellion, for the manufacture and delivery of tents, wagon covers, and other similar army supplies.

In the meantime, Mr. Turner had formed a favorable ac- quaintance with the old New York house of Theodore Pol- hemus & Co., dealers in cotton duck and similar goods, whose customer he had been on behalf of his firm for many years, and soon after the close of the war overtures were made to him to remove to New York, and thenceforth de- vote his business ability and energies to the extension of its already large operations. He consented, and in 1867, he be- came a member of the then reorganized firm of Brincker- hoff, Turner & Polhemus. At the death of Mr. Theodore Polhemus the firm became, and has since been known as, Brinckerhoff, Turner & Co.

Mr. Turner is also a member and the President of the Greenwoods' Company, proprietors of extensive cotton mills at New Hartford, Conn., and he is doubtless one of the most widely known men in his branch of trade in the United States.

Busy as has been the life of Mr. Turner, he has yet found time to inform himself in history, in political econ- omy, and in the sciences, to a degree that renders him the peer, limited as were his early educational advantages, of those who are regarded as foremost in these departments of knowledge. His convictions made him a Republican early in the history of that party; and the affairs of his country, his State and the city of his residence. have a fully recog- nized claim upon his time and all that is best in his thoughts and investigations. Yet he is not, and has never been a politician, as the term is usually applied, though his counsel

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HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

is often sought by those high in authority and he has re- peatedly refused the nomination for places of trust and honor, at one time refusing to stand as the nominee of his party for the Mayoralty of Brooklyn, though strongly urged to do so by those whose support would have been likely to secure his election.

Mr. Turner married Miss Cornelia Eddy, daughter of Dr. John Eddy, of Rochester, N. Y., who has borne him five children, four of whom are living. He is a member and regular attendant upon the services of the Strong place Bap- tist church. As a business man, as a citizen, and as a Christian gentleman, he has ever enjoyed the respect of all who have known hun in a more than ordinary degree.

SECTION LI. Kindling Wood.

This is rather a large industry, though carried on, in part, in connection with coal yards, and sometimes with sash, door and blind factories. The census statistics are: 28 establishments; 8211,900 capital; 290 hands; $116,932 wages; $276,907 material; $483,368 anual product. The directory has but 25 establishments, but several of them are very large. The National Chemical Wood Treatment Co. (Dr. Squibb's Co.) does a business of nearly $200,000. Tieleke, Miller, Frost, etc., do a large business; Emil Buelmann; also several of the coal men do a large business in wood. The product is very near $600,000.

SECTION LII.

Refrigerating and Artificial Ice Machines.

There is only one establishment in Kings county which is engaged in the manufacture of these ma- chincs-the Mixer and Byrnes Improved Ice and Re- frigerating Machine. It is solely the invention of these gentlemen, and may be deseribed as an " Am- monia-Compression Machine," the peculiar features of which consist in the oil or liquid piston used in com- pressing the gas, which makes the most complete and only perfeet compression which has been, or is likely to be, used for gas; showing by indicator card, the com- pression of over ninety-nine per eent. of all the gas taken into the eylinder; and in this machine only, at each stroke of the pump, a small quantity of oil (the oil specially prepared for this machine being always used) is passed through with the gas, cooling, per- fectly lubricating all parts of the pump, and effectually sealing the valves and piston against leakage, and escape or return of the gas.

From their extended and successful experience, these gentlemen have been able not only to thoroughly com- prehend and meet the wants of the trade, but to com- bine in their improved machine, all the desired requisites, and at a greatly reduced cost, as compared

819

THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.

with that of the original machines, which they placed in breweries.

The Mixer and Byrnes machines have been intro- duced in many of the largest brewcries of New York, Brooklyn, Newark and Philadelphia. In Brooklyn, the following very large breweries have already introduced them, and others are intending to do so the coming season : Otto Huber, Ferdinand Münch, S. Lieb- mann's Sons, H. B. Scharmann, Claus Lipsius, and N. Seitz's Son. The last named brewer is re- ferred to in section XXIII. of this work-" Breweries," -as having introduced this machine with great ad- vantage to his business.

The great advantages offered by these machines to brewers, are: The great saving in the consumption of ice, and in the space hitherto devoted to its storage, which can now be utilized in enlarging their business ; the ability to command a much lower temperature than can be produced with ice, and consequently more rapid production of the ale or beer; and finally, far greater cleanliness than was possible with the use of ice.

The leading brewers are so fully satisfied of these advantages, that, after careful investigation, they have introduced the machines, notwithstanding their con- siderable cost, and in every case they have been more than satisfied with the results produced by their use. Breweries use machines ranging from 30 to 100 horse power.

These machines (the smaller sizes) are also adapted for artificial ice-making, and for all purposes for which a low temperature is demanded, such as provision pack- ing, refrigerating steamships, and the provision rooms of the great hotels, etc.

For these purposes the machines may be from two horse power upwards. Messrs. Mixer and Byrnes are genial and well educated gentlemen, and they take great pleasure in exhibiting these machines to any vis- itors who take an interest in mechanical processes and are curious to observe the ingenious methods by which any desired degree of cold can be obtained. One of their machines can be seen in operation at their office and works, Nos. 6 and 8 Water street, Brooklyn, and its mode of action will be freely and fully explained by the proprietors to any intelligent visitors.

Miscellaneous Manufactures and Industries.

These are "legion;" their cnumeration would fill a volume larger than ours. Among them we can only enumerate, as showing their variety and scope: Morocco Machinery, Wm. H. Hughes. Lace Machinery, Merrill Bros., 26 First street, E. D. Bolts, Greenpoint Bolt Works, 63 and 65 Freeman strect, and Gaskell, Greentie & Co. Zinc Wash-boards, H. H. Bel- lows, Kent avenue. Spiral Spring Hinges, Lorenzo Rommer, 84 Pearl street. Cigar Boxes, Brelim Bros., 212-214 First street, E. D. Ivory Working, Billiard

Balls, etc., W. A. Brooks, 10 Atlantic avenue. Under- takers' Supplies, Baird & Smith, 12 Boerum Plaec. Corsets, Patrick J. Menahan, 19 Ralph street. Pic- ture Frames, Art Novelties, etc., Downes & Turk, 66 Fourth street; F. J. LeCourt, jr., 50 Fourth street; O. W. Young, 50 Front street. Artists' Materials, W. H. Brownell. Spring Beds, J. Ainslie, 20 Broad- way; C. H. Bradford, 99 Broadway, and E. P. Fowler, 61 Greenpoint avenuc, E. D. Scales and Weights of all kinds, Chas. Reinhardt, 72 Stagg street, E. D., established 1873. Briarwood Pipes and Smokers' Articles, Thos. Krader's Sons, 7 and 9 Mckibben street. Sporting Goods, John R. Barton (Fish Hooks and Tackle), 13 Adams street; IIerman H. Kiffe, 318 Ful- ton street; Edward H. Madison, 564 Fulton street; Geo. C. Marsters, 389 Fulton street; Frank E. Mor- gan, 450 Grand street; E. J. Stowell, 86 Broadway; Peter Toy, 350 Fulton street. Tobacco, Cigars, etc., L. Biederman, New Lots; Buchanan & Lyall, 346 Carroll street; Daniel A. Bradley, 65 Bond street; Henry Mentanus, 239 Flatbush avenue; Samuel Turl, 275 Broadway; W. B. Vredenburg, 104 Court street; G. Schlueter, 238 Duffield street. Oil Cloth (four firms). Resin Oil (three establishments). Liquorice Puste and Stick, Young & Smylie, 180-186 First street, E. D., and S. V. & F. P. Scudder, 114 John street. Honey and Maple Syrup, E. A. Walker, 135 Oakland avenue. Tin Toys, E. Durlach (sce page 704), 282-286 Penn street, established 1880, average hands employed, 125; 20 horse steam power; annual product, about $100,000 ; is the only toy factory in the county. Tinware, William Vogel, 45 South Ninth street. Axle Grease, John J. Hardy, 788 Third avenue. Rubber Goods, A. II. Smith, 74 Ninth street and 61 Leonard street, N. Y.

Sewing Machines .- L. Roeder, 145 Scholes street.

Mineral Waters .- George Russell, 373 Bridge street; William Wenholfer, 329 Ewen street; H. Minek, 43 Beaver street.

Surgical Instruments .- George Tiemann & Co., 81 Boerum street.

Thermometers .- J. T. Large & Son, 118 Powers street.

Show-cases .- N. & P. Seott, 6 De Kalb avenue.

Baskets .- Sebastian Selig, 139 Montrose avenuc.

Designers and Makers of Art Furniture .- Lang & Nau, 262 Fulton street. The business was established in 1871, at No. 294 Fulton street, by the present firm, where they rapidly built up a large patronage. In 1879, they removed to 262 Fulton street, a large four- story corner building, 50 feet front by 125 deep. The firm are wholesale and retail dealers in furniture of every kind, and give special attention to interior decora- tions. They are designers and makers of special sets and pieces of all descriptions and in all woods. Their warcrooms contain the newest and most elegant de- signs, upholstered with the richest stuffs. The firm

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HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

makes a specialty of fitting up offices with elaborate or plain fixtures. A sample of their work is the well- appointed counting-room of the Brooklyn Eagle. Messrs. Lang & Nan were leaders in the movement that took form a few years since, which applies the principles of art to household decoration, and preserves harmony in design and coloring throughout. In this departure the firm has been remarkably successful, and deserves credit for its enterprise.

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Civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the County of Kings and the City of Brooklyn, N. Y., Part 43

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909. Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : Munsell Number of Pages: 1360

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : Munsell
Number of Pages: 1360