USA > New York > Bronx County > History of Bronx borough, city of New York : compiled for the North side news > Part 43
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which may be placed on the second floor of the boiler house. The other pump is held in reserve, ready to start at a moment's notice, should anything happen to the one in use. In the base- ment of the boiler house are two duplex pumps of an aggregate capacity of about 2,000,000 gallons per day. They are held as a reserve in case of breakdown of any of the larger pumps, and also for fire protection. There are two doors leading from the boiler room to the engine room. This room is by far the most impressive in the whole building, its dimensions being 62 feet wide. 155 feet long and 35 feet high. There are two 300-ton and one 500-ton refrigerating machines of the De La Vergne double- acting type, with the well known oil injection, all furnished by the De La Vergne Refrigerating Machine Co., of New York City. The steam ends are of the cross-compound type, provided with registers between high and low pressure cylinders, and situated under the engine room floor. The above company also furnished the general outfit for ice-making, ammonia condensers, etc. These machines, while of an enormous size, are so well pro- portioned that they fully harmonize with the building, and pre- sent a beautiful sight with their nickel plated laggings. There is enough space left for two more 500-ton machines, which may be added shortly, as also additional freezing tanks and cold storage rooms. Next to the wall between the boiler room and engine room is the 3,000,000 gallon pump. This pump, of the crank and flywheel type, is constructed with three single-acting pumping cylinders, each connected to a Corliss steam cylinder. The middle steam cylinder is the high pressure, the two outside ones the low pressure cylinders. A reheater is placed under the steam cylinders. The water is supplied to this pump through a 16-inch cast-iron pipe connected with the wells, which are located under the western part of the ice storage room, the water of which is used for ice making, and also a third connec- tion to the hydrant system. This refers to the two pumps under the boiler room. It was necessary to put in these connections in order to be protected against any possibility of being shut off from water supply, which would mean a total shutting down of the factory, with all the losses connected therewith. Every practical ice man knows that there is nothing so important for the proper running of an ice plant as the water supply, and for this reason still an additional safeguard, in the shape of a 3.000,000-gallon pump, was installed in this plant. All these pumps are of the compound condensing type. In front of the refrigerating machines and alongside of the south side of the engine room are the two dynamo .. Both dynamo, are connected to a mutual switch board arranged in a very tasteful manner. It may be mentioned that the building is provided throughout with electric lights. There are in use 500 incandescent lights and 65 arc ligiits. The dynamos also furnish power for two passenger elevators, each requiring about fifteen horse power, and furthermore, the power for the coal crusher, fifteen horse power. and the conveyor. eighteen horse power. Like the rest of the machines, the engines driving the dynamos are compound condensing. In the southeast corner of the engine room is the air compressor, furnishing the compressed air for the pneumatic hoists. On the fourth floor are the two skimming tanks, from which the water passes into the reboilers, and from there to the storage tanks, all in the usual manner. The ammonia and oil forecoolers are also erected on this floor. The freezing tank rooms in the northern part of the build. ing. facing 133d Street, are accessible from the different parts of the engine house building, as well as from the boiler house. These rooms are 170 feet wide and :33 feet long. There are three such floors. Two are completed and in full operation ; the third is ready to receive the six additional tanks which are
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necessary to complete the 1,000 tons per day outfit. Each floor contains six tanks of fifty-five tons capacity each. The ice cans are of standard size, 11x22x44, producing 300-pound blocks. The ice storage room is very spacious, being of the same dimensions as the room above, and fourteen feet high; still it is none too large, since its capacity of 3.500 tons is only three and one-half days' output when the plant is running at its full capacity. The storage roomn is provided with six small outlets, and two doors to the loading platform, which extends over the entire length of the storage room and faces 133d Street. Here again Mr. Rup- pert's foresight manifested itself very plainly, since in spite of the enormous length of the platform it is not one foot too large to handle the trade during the early rush hours of hot summer days, where the ice wagons form a line, extending over many of the adjacent streets. The spectacle presented by the distribu- tion of from 1,000 to 1,200 cakes of ice per hour is a sight to gladden the heart of any ice man accustomed to the slow and time-honored method of loading ice from the barges and docks around the city. Here we see the result of modern engineering, art and enterprise, in the transparency, purity and uniformity in weight and size of the hygienic ice, contrasting very plainly with the natural ice, nearly always opaque, and very often from sources of doubtful purity. While this busy scene may be ob- served on the front platform of the building, at the same time railroad cars are being loaded on the rear platform, adjoining the engine room, to supply the out-of-town customers. By means of a simple device using compressed air. ice is delivered into the cars at the rate of one ton a minute. Some idea of the size of this great plant may be gained from the initial charge of ammonia required to start it. For primarily charging the plant 30 cylinders of anhydrous ammonia were required. All other supplies were of proportionately stupendous quantity. The plant is well supplied with thermometers throughout. The busi- ness end of the factory is being attended to by Mr. George Kinkle, Jr., who has been identified with many highly successful enter- prises in Montana, and who for a number of years was manager of the Manhattan Malting Co. of Manhattan, Montana Mr. M Karlstrom, the chief engineer of the plant, has spent most of his life in connection with the manufacture of ice. He is thoroughly efficient in his work, and is a valuable acquisition to Mr. Rup- pert's forces.
PETER KIRCHHOF was born March 20, 1813. to Peter Caspar and Anna Maria (nee Miller) Kirchhof at Neider- weisen, Kress Alzai, Grossherzogthum, Hessen-Darmstadt, Ger- many. Peter was the youngest of six children and but nine days old when his father died. His mother had a severe strug- gle to provide for her family. and he was therefore early com- pelled to seek his own livelihood. He was educated at a small village school and at the age of twelve years apprenticed him- self to the brewing and distilling business in the town of Wen- delsheim. Through strict attention to business, he advanced to a foremanship in the craft at the age of eighteen. From Wen- delsheim he travelled to Wellstein, Saxe Meiningen, Strassburg. Munich, Wurzburg and Paris, always following his trade and increasing his knowledge and experience. On September 5, 1837, he arrived in America by the ship Wildilion, after 33 days sali. 1837 being the year of our first serious panic, he found it difficult to find any occupation. Ilis first work here was breaking stone along the line of the Eric Canal. Some weeks later he obtained work at his trade in Easton, Pennsylvania, then at Nazareth, but through duillness of business had to seek another field of labor. He then went to Charleston, South Caro- Ima, where he found employment in a chair factory at good
wages for the time. In 1839, with his savings, he came to New York and started a small brewery on Seventh Avenue, between Eighteenth and Nineteenth Streets. He was the third German brewer in the city, and the first to malt his own barley. In 1840 he married Elizabeth Berringer, to whom two sons and three daughters were born, Barbara Von Hortig, Maria Manck, Eliza- beth Roland (deceased), Peter J., and Ferdinand (deceased. ) November 5, 1854, his wife died, and on November 28. 1855. he married his present wife, Mary Elizabeth Korrel, to whom four sons and four daughters were born; Phillip (deceased), Anna R. Betzeg, Charles G., William B., Catherina Elsenba-t Wilhelmina Ruehl. Otto E., (deceased), and Miss Mathilda Kirchhof. Mr. Kirchhof had thirty-nine grandchildren, of whom thirty-three are living, and has three great-grandchildren also living. While living in Manhattan, Mr. Kirchhof was very active in the Democratic party in the Sixteenth Ward, and never left that party. Ile was a member of Co. B, Third Hus- sars of New York, from 1845 to 1857, doing duty during Astor
PETER KIRCHHOF
Place riots. Ile was also. an active member of the Order of the Sons of Herman, the Deutsche Brueder and Sons of William Tell, besides other German social societies. In 1864 he came to the Bronx, where he bought the brewery of Chas. Deiderman at Westchester and Third Avenue. In 1866 he built Central Hall, famous for many years as headquarters for many politi- cal associations. Here he established a German theatre, which flourished until the seventies. Hle assisted in organizing the two great Turner societies of the Bronx, the Melrose and Ger- man-American. He was an honorary member of the Arion Live. ortafel and an honorary member of the United States Brewing Association. He was an active member of the Harmony Bowl- ing Club and bowled every Tuesday night until he passed his Bist birthday, when through an attack of rheumatism, he had
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HISTORY OF BRONX BOROUGH
to give up this sport. Since the above was put in type Mr. Kirchhof died, on December 5, 1905. at the age of 92 years, 8 months and 15 days, the day following his golden wedding celebration. His funeral obsequies were attended by delegations from all the organizations with which he was connected, and many were the expressions of regret at his demise, even though at such an advanced age.
WILLIAM P. SCHMITT was born in New York City, January 25, 1862. He was graduated from Grammar School No. 59, and subsequently pursued a course of study with the view of entering the Naval Academy at Annapolis. At the age of 17, he entered the employ of the Central Park Brewery, at the solicitation of his father, who was then largely interested in that concern. Having served an apprenticeship of three years, during which time he thoroughly mastered the business in (the first institution of its kind in this country), and in 1881 became its first graduate. It being an old German custom for parents to send out their sons, after serving their apprentice- ship, to make their own way in the world, Mr. Schmitt's father adopted this course, and the son was, accordingly, sent out to earn his own livelihood. After five years of varied experience, during which time he traversed the United States from the At- lantie to the Pacific, and from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico- having been in alinost every state and territory-he returned home, at the request of his father, to become brewmaster in the establishment of Schmitt & Schwanenfluegel, his father be- ing senior partner. In 1892, Mr. Schmitt became largely in- terested in a brewery in the West Indies, where he filled the position of general manager for a number of years. On his return to New York, his state of health precluded the resump- tion of his former position of brewmaster, and he therefore became interested in other ventures, notably the management of his tobacco plantation of 600 acres in Florida, and later be- came proprietor and editor of the Eufaula "Sun," a daily and weekly publication, at Eufaula, Alabama. He was also active in local politics. The death of his father, which occurred on May 4, 1897, closely followed by the death of his brother, neces- sitated Mr. Schmitt's return to New York to take care of the former's valuable interests in the business. He became vice- president and brewmaster of the concern, in which capacity he is still actively engaged, also affiliating with the Brewers' Board of Trade, the American Brewing Institute, the United States Brewers' Association, the Union Brewers' Association (of which he was treasurer and a director), the Brewmasters' Association, the Original Brewers' and. Coopers' Benevolent As- sociation (an organization which was called into existence by the old brewers, in the 60's, and which then included among its inembers some of our old-established and most successful brewers of the present time), and Mr. Schmitt succeeded his father as treasurer of the last-named association, serving seven years-his father having served 17 years as its first incumbent -- and is now an honorary member and trustee. His business training is evidence of his qualifications as chief executive of the Department of Parks of the Borough of the Bronx. So- cially, Mr. Schmitt was connected for years with the German . Liederkranz, and is a member of the Arion Society, the Demo- cratic Club, the Wyandotte Club (of which he is vice-presi- dent), the Irish Athletic Club, the Central Turn Verein ( where lre was active in the fencing section), and other associations. Fle has been a tireless worker in local politics, and an ardent admirer and loyal supporter of Senator Victor J. Dowling.
FRANCIS CRAWFORD was well known in the Bronx not only on account of his wealth but because he took a humane interest in everything pertaining to the progress and development of the region he loved so well. He was gifted with unusual foresight and it was evident from the result of his life wor !: that he had shown good judgment in developing and improving Williamsbridge and other sections of the Bronx. He worked indefatigably to secure schools, fire-houses and other public utilities, and was the one individual most active and instrumental in the building and equipping of the Olin Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the finest church edifices in the Bronx. Mr. Crawford was of good Scotch-Irish ancestry; he was born in County Fermanagh, in the North of Ireland, on January 15, 1810. and was the only child of George Crawford and Ann Little Crawford. His education and early training were received i :: his native place. He learned the grocery and leather business under the watchful and careful eye of his uncle, Francis Little, after whom he was nanted; for seven years he served that relative faithfully and well, and, in 1863, he entered into business for himself, conducting it for three years; but not being satisfied with the success he attained, he concluded to sell out and go to America. He arrived in New York City. September 1, 185 ;. where in a short time he obtained a position in the office of a real estate operator with whom he remained for two years. becoming expert in that line. In 1869 Mr. Crawford entered into the real estate business for himself, not merely as an oper- ator and speculator but as a builder as well. In his commercial ventures he met with extraordinary success from the start and erected many of the finest private dwellings in New York City. Mr. Crawford was one of the pioneers in the building up of that portion of the city west of Central Park, erecting as many as twenty-six large and costly private houses on West Seventy- second Strect alonc. He was a generous, philanthropic and Christian man, fond of church and home, and always a friend of the needy. He enjoyed reading. and was particularly well informed on the Bible, a book he always loved. He was fond of travel and made many trips to Europe, the Bahamas, Bermuda and other places of interest and recreation. Mr. Crawford hated strong drink in any form, and practised what he preached. His teachings on the temperance question were well known among his friends and acquaintances and were not without marked influence in his community. In politics he was an uncompromis- ing prohibitionist : he was a member of the National and Stare Committee of the party, and. in 1896, was the Prohibition party nominee for State Treasurer; in the year preceding his death he was that party's candidate for Comptroller of Greater New York. He was a member of the National Temperance Society and chairman of its finance committee. He was President of the Board of Trustees of the Olin Methodist Episcopal Church. and for twenty-six years was the Superintendent of the Sunday school of that church. He was a member of the Board of D's- trict Stewards of the New York East Conference and of the City Church Extension Society. He also served as meather of the building committees of the Sixty-first Street and the Olin Methodist Episcopal churches. For several years he was a member of the Board of Education in Wakefield. He was a member of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. the Museum of Natural History, the American Geographical Society, the New York Zoological Society and the Bronx Botanical Society, and other associations. Mr. Crawford resided in the Bronx since IS-A, and bis late residence on 2320 Street is one of the most beautiful in that vicinity. The house and grounds show me artistic nature and affirm the love that he possessed for his family, whose happiness was always his first consideration During the last years of his busy life he suffered from a compli
SIGMUND FEUST
FRANZ FREDERICK LAWRENCE KIRCHOFF
WILLIAM R. STRICH
PAUL M. ZEIDLER
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HISTORY OF BRONX BOROUGH
tion of diseases, which eventually carried him away. He Reported this life May 31. 1902, beloved and respected by all sho lanew him. Mr. Crawford was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Coalter, daughter of James and Mary Coalter, of : man-killen, Ireland. on February 5. 1864. Nine children blessed the union, of whom are now living four daughters and two was. Their names are Elizabeth A. wife of William E. Diller. M.D .: Mary Emma, wife of Wilbur L. Varian; Frances L., wife of Robert M. Lowitz: Sarah G., wife of Daniel M. Hop- wing: James C. Crawford and Francis G. Crawford. Mrs. crawford survives her husband and resides at the family residence.
SIGMUND FEUST, one of the active and enterprising citizens of the Bronx, who has figured conspicuously in the advancement of great public improvements in the Great Borough. was born in Bavaria 61 years ago, and came to the United States in 1863, during the progress of the civil war. In 1886 he came to the Bronx. and has been one of its most foremost citizens ever since. After acquainting himself with the most needed requirements for the benefit of the people, he identified himself with every movement that had a tendency to increase public improvement and benefit the people at large. His efforts were so zealous, that his spirit of enterprise was acknowledged by the public men of the borough, and he was made secretary of the Twenty-third Ward Property Owners' Association, and afterwards President of the South Bronx Property Owners Association. While occupying these positions, he did herculean work for the Bronx people. Senator Guy and Assemblyman Butts had passed through the Legislature the 5-cent street car fare bill for the Bronx, and as there seemed to be some doubt whether the Governor ( Roswell P. Flower) would permit the Lill to become a law, Mr. Feust called for and had a large public meeting held, in which he advocated that the people of the Bronx should petition the Governor to sign the bill, notwith- Manding that Grover Cleveland. the former Governor, had vetoed a similar bill during his administration. Mr. Fenst, w! this meeting, succeeded in getting up a monster petition, which was sent to Governor Flower, and he made the 5-cent bill a law. Transportation facilities at this time were entirely inadequate, and in order to secure through trains for the Bronx, Mr. Feust caused the Property Owners' Association of the Twenty-third Ward to retain as counsel the Hon. A. (. Hottenroth, and pay him a retainer to fight the roads, and compel them to give the Bronx through trains. Hon. Geo. F. Grossman was the plaintiff for the people, but the suit was won by Mr. Hottenroth. Before one of these meetings he also moved and caused a resolution to form a taxpayers' al- liance, to which he was appointed a delegate. Thus was formed the first nucleus of the famous Taxpayers' Alliance of the Bronx, which has developed itself into one of the strong- est and most influential public organizations in the Borough. It was Mr. Feust who made the first move to have the surface cars run through Morris Avenue, with the aid of that public spirited citizen. Capt. Charles G. Baxter. Mr. Feust is the champion and energetic agitator at present to compel the surface railroads to charge but one fare (5 cents) through Manhattan oxid the Bronx. Successful in all his public-spirited enterprises, he feels assured that in the near future he will secure for the people a 5-cent fare throughout Manhattan and the Bronx. The gentleman has won his laurels as one of the most public-spirited utilvens in the Bronx; and for his gallant work he has the high- " I approbation of his fellow citizens.
STRICH1 & ZEIDLER .- To those intimately acquainted with the history of American piano manufacture, the achieve- ments of the New York house of Strich & Zeidler partake of the phenomenal. To the outside world, and even among those who should be more or less familiar with the true state of affairs as related to the manufacture of pianos, the various members of the piano manufacturing industry are, as a ru'e classified in one heterogeneous whole. In other words, a piano- maker is a piano maker, regardless of the precise status of chi -- ification of this specific product. As a matter of absolute and ascertained fact, however, the widest kind of chasm meta- phorically exists between piano makers who confine their en- ergies to the production of ordinary or everyday pianos-com- mercial or medium grade pianos as they are technically desig- nated -- and those makers who, imbued with high ideals, bend their energies and talents in the direction of producing instru- ments of the highest possible distinction. This latter condi- tion has been singularly and most successfully demonstrated by the members of the distinguished house who forin the sub- ject of this sketch. To the initiated, the rise and progress . : the house of Strich & Zeidler appears almost in the light of a romance. Starting in to manufacture pianos in the year 1889. equipped by natural talents and training of the highest possible nature, the firm of Strich & Zeidler astonished the most expert authorities in the American piano manufacturing industry through their successful efforts to manufacture pianos that would stand critical comparison with the leading makes in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. In all cardinal features of scientific and successful piano construction the Strich & Zeid- ier instruments are noteworthy to a degree bordering on per- fection. These points include a correct scale of marvelous evenness and uniformity, as exemplified in both Strich & Zeid- ler upright and grand pianos, ornate and symmetrical case de- signs, classic in outline, and individual in conception, a sym- pathetic, refined, rich and musical tone-resonant to a degree- a tone that is the accepted standard of many of the best judges of piano tone in the country, together with a rich internal and external finish which has proved the envy of scores of piano makers, who have striven religiously to attain that potent de- sideratum of high grade piano manufacture-a superior finish Much could be said and written relative to the rare individu- ality and singular excellence of construction attained in the manufacture of the Strich & Zeidler product. Suffice it to say that both in cultured homes and in musical salons, also in the wider domain of concert work, the Strich & Zeidler piano has been the recipient of countless endorsements, many of which have emanated from some of the most noted musicians in the country. In the Strich & Zeidler factory a special department is devoted to the production of grand pianos, and another de- partment is given over to upright and grand pianos of special designs and artistic finish. In both these important branches of specialized piano making the firm of Strich & Zeidler has achieved results of the most praiseworthy and far reaching nature. It is well within reasonable bounds to state that in the production of wood sculpture, as applied to piano case decora- tion, Strich & Zeidler have created a series of chef d'oeuvre that have not been surpassed, if indeed equaled, in the whole range of effort made in that particular department of work. Regard. ing one of these beautiful instruments, a celebrated art dritte wrote as follows: "As a specimen of what can be seeny . in wood sculpture in the decoration of a musical instrument. 1 believe the equal of this work has never been seen in this country, and I think it sets a price for a new era in piano deco.
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