USA > New York > Bronx County > History of Bronx borough, city of New York : compiled for the North side news > Part 46
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ALEXANDER CRUICKSHANK. manufacturer, and a member of the Van Nest Woodworking Company, was born June 9. 1850, at Aberdeenshire. Scotland, where he recenul a common school education. When he was seventeen years of age, he came to America and located in the Bronx, where he immediately engaged in the building business on his own ac-
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HISTORY OF BRONX BOROUGH
count. Ile continued in this connection for sixteen years, when, in 1892, he became the partner of Mr. Muirison, a well known New York builder. Their partnership was continued until he became a member of the above corporation. Mr Cruickshank is not interested in politics and has never cared nor sought any political position, preferring to devote his time and attention to his extensive business affairs. He is a mem- ber of Marion Lodge, No. 278, F. and A. M. He is a typical self-made man, possessing all the sterling traits for which the Scotch race is noted. The extensive business of the Van N'est Woodworking Company, is largely due to the energy and push of Mr. Cruickshank.
M. E. WESTERGREN (INCORPORATED.)-The build- ing trades are at all times interested in knowing the advances that are being made in various directions, and the buyers in every line have more than a mere curiosity in the expansion and development of the firms in that particular branch. When a man knows that his work is being done under the best condi- tions -- by the employment of the latest approved appliances, by skilful hands in light and airy factories-he has a valuable guarantee that it will be well done. For these reasons a de-
M. E. WESTERGREN (INCORPORATED)
scription of the factory and plant of M. E. Westergren, Inc., at Nos. 433, 435 and 437 East 144th Street, will be acceptable read- ing to the building trades. Before describing the building and plant, it may be as well to say a word or two about the location. It is unquestioned that the upper part of New York, the Twenty- third and Twenty-fourth Wards, will in the near future play an important part in the Greater New York. Judging by the move- ment already begun, this is destined to be the manufacturing centre of the great city. It was in recognition of this fact that Mr. Westergren bought the site of his new works seventeen years ago, and after changing the grade and doing other things to make it suitable, erected his building, thereby creating an im- portant addition to this region. It is hardly necessary to say to the building trades of New York that the business of M. F. Westergren, Inc., consists in. manufacturing cornices, skylights, roofing and sheet metal work of every description, and they have put on the market a most perfect system of fireproof doors, kalameined windows and hollow metal windows on which the concern holds several patents. Large as their trade has been in the past they are now equipped so they can extend it almost without limit. The building, the design of which can be seen
from the illustration accompanying this article, covers the whole of a plot 65x100; it is five stories, and was planned and built by Mr. Westergren himself. Of the five floors, two are below the street level of 144th Street, but as they are open on the sides and rear they have ample light, and are as convenient for manu. facturing purposes as the three above. The only difficulty was the access, which was readily overcome by putting in an elevator of great capacity, 9 by 20 feet, large enough to hoist any truck with load to any floor in the building, thus avoiding the handling of materials. But convinced of the rapid growth of the business in this line, Mr. Westergren had the building built strong enough to carry two more stories, having the sixth story girders already in position. Having had experience with the ordinary factory building it was decided to build so strong that no danger of overloading could arise, and so material of unusual strength and size was used. Each of the five floors is open to its full extent, except in one or two minor instances, which will be described later on. The lowest floor contains two 45-horse power boilers with engine, etc., also 35-horse power motor; glass cutting facili- ties and a blacksmith's shop; the floor above that a machine shop, storage and stabling in one corner for eight horses. One part of the ground floor is divided off by hardwood and glass partitions, and handsomely furnished, to do service as an office and private room of the proprietor. The rest of the floor con- tains part of the fine machinery for cutting out and bending sheet iron and metal work. On the next floor the draughting room is located, where four draughtsmen are engaged preparing details for the various kinds of work; this draughting room also contains a fixed easel of large proportions with a sliding board and rule upon it, both very ingeniously contrived and designed to facilitate the expeditious preparation of plans. The balance of this floor and the uppermost floor contain a number of fine machines, including draw benches for kalameined work, circular saw, mitre cutters, and innumerable small machines in comnion use. When the building was provided, the question arose as to what course should be taken to properly equip it with machinery of a modern kind, in which consideration the prime object was how to avoid as much as possible the large number of joints that are necessary by the ordinary method of making sheet metal, this being the greatest drawback in regard to strength and beau- ty. Realizing this, it was decided to have a machine built to cut, bend and stamp sheet metal to a length of 13 feet, thus re- ducing the number of joints to one-half. The most important of these machines is a press of enormous size, 18 feet long and 12 feet high. The weight of this machine is some 50,000 pounds. and the pressing power 600,000 pounds, it being the largest ma- chine of its kind ever built. It will be seen from this description that this is a perfect plant for turning off cornice and skylight work in every detail, including not only the parts in zinc and copper, but those in wood and iron and glass also. The stock of these materials always on hand is very large. While this shows that they can execute work of any kind, their specialty will in the future, as well as in the past, be the erection of skylights, for which, perhaps, they have 100 different kinds of mitre cutters. by which they are able, besides turning out more perfect work. to also reduce the price 25 per cent. A prominent example of their work in this line is the skylight for the Siegel-Cooper Co.'s building on Sixth Avenue, covering some 14,000 square feet. with a dome forty feet square and thirty feet high. This, the largest structure of its kind in the city, was erected entirely by themselves, they having, as before stated, the facilities 10 con- struct their own wronght-iron structure, as one entire floor is set apart for that purpose. Next to their skylight business, they are How giving a great deal of time to their pew fireproof door and
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window business, especially their patented hollow metal windows, for the construction of which they have lately put in a number of new machines. The growth of this branch of the business has been so rapid that it will be necessary shortly to enlarge their already extensive facilities. Several of the largest struc- inres in the course of erection in the city are equipped with these windows, and shipments have been made as far as the Chy of Mexico. These being their specialties, it must not be inferred that they are in any way neglecting the other parts of their business, as the many large contracts lately executed by them will prove. For instance, the large gilded corona on the American Surety Building is their work; the St. Nicholas Skat- ing Rink; the Ayer Building; the large apartment house on St. Nicholas Avenue and Seventy-fifth Street; the Clarkson Mem- orial School of Technology in Potsdam, New York, as well as many important contracts now under way. It is very remarkable when we consider the amount of work that was formerly done in this line by any one firm, that this concern should be able to handle such an enormous amount of work, but by surrounding himself with a staff of able assistants, as clerks in the office, draughtsmen and forencn of unusual ability, and improving on the old way of working by hand, so that almost everything is done by steam and electricity, Mr. Westergren is able to under- take an amount and kind of work that would otherwise be im- possible. He further hopes that by honest dealings, prompt- ness and strict attention, to accomplish things in his line of business heretofore considered beyond reach.
BERNHARDT PETZOLDT, manufacturer of embroideries at 610 East 154th Street, in the Bronx, has been established here for fifteen years. and has built up, during that time, an extensive business. He is of German birth-born in Saxony in 1852-but
BERNHARDT PETZOLDT
has been identified with this district for nearly a generation. Mr. Petzoldt has a factory equipped with. imported machinery, both hand and shuttle machines, chiefly of German construction. le has engaged skilled operators, and employs many girls as helpers. lle makes his own designs, which the machine works rut automatically, and supplies the wholesale trade all over the cotintry. He has perfected special machines of his own to meet the wants of the trade, and works in twenty-five different colors.
Hle pays special attention to the matter of shipping, packing and incidentals. He is a thorough-going business man, in short, and a leader in this industry. Mr. Petzoldt married in 1886 Miss Katy Schotz. They have three daughters, Pauline, Lilly and Tilly.
GEORGE HEY, of the American Silk Label Works. 169th Street and Park Avenue, is a highly respected resident of the Bronx, estcemed very generally, both. as a business man and citizen. He is a manufacturer, employing nearly 200 hands in an industry which he himself created. He has been a school trustee, he was one of the organizers of the North Side Board of Trade and has been specially active in the work of upbuilding this section. Mr. Hey is a Bavarian by birth and is now in his 75th year ; but he has lived in this country, east and west, nearly sixty years. He came here in 1847 and crossed the plains on foot to California in 1850. He enlisted in the California Volun- teers in 1861 and was sent out from there to fight the Indians. He has been an enterprising business man of New York since 1866. Certainly, barring the accident of birth, he is entitled to call himself American. M :. Hey received his education in the schools of the old country. He was 16 when he came to Ameri- ca. He spent ten years before the war prospecting and mining in golden California, but the fortune he sought there was to be found later here. Returning from his frontier experiences, in which he served under Gen. Wright and Col. Fuhrman in war times, he first joined his father in the Goodyear rubber comb business. In 1875 he started the silk label works at 389 Broome Street, near Mott, with five looms. In 1884 he bought the ground and built his present factory, equipping it with twenty- one looms. It has more than 100 now, with trade all over the United States, in Mexico and Cuba. As to the quality of its product, medals have been won by it at the Centennial, the Chicago and the St. Louis Expositions, at the last named a gold one. Mr. Hey was school trustee in the Tenth Ward from 1881 10 1884. He belongs to Goethe Lodge, No. 629. F. and A. M., and to Colders Post, G. A. R., also to St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in the Bronx. His father, John G. Hey, a well known German-American, died at a ripe old age here in 18So; his mother died in 1869. Of his three sisters only one, Mariana, survives. The others, like his parents, are buried in Woodlawn.
VINCENZO PALUMBO .- Born in Venosa, Italy, on Au- gust 9, 1852, of wealthy parents, he at an early age showed mark- ed intelligence. His father was a lawyer and held responsible positions in the province of Potenza. At the age of four years the subject of our sketch demonstrated that his talent was of no mean order, for at the Good Friday celebration in the Cathedral Santa Andrea he delivered a lengthy oration, and again at the Feast of St. Rocco, September 19, 1856, at the instance of ilis Excellency the Archbishop of Venosa. In his fifth year he could read and write Italian fluently, and completed his clementary education under the instruction of Father Saveria Noon. In his tenth year he left school rather precipitately owing to unwar- ranted chastisement by his teacher, in return for which he in October, 1862, shot at him without inflicting any serious injury. He was apprehended by the police, and taken to his father, Gesualdo Palumbo, who insisted upon his returning to his teacher. who made life a burden to him. Again running away from school, he was placed under the instruction of a shoemaker, but the trade being distasteful to him. he again ran away. The indulgent father then put him to work minding his sheep. but pastoral duties were not to his liking and again he took French leave. llis mother's love finally overcame the father's will and
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Vincenzo being plead with selected a seminary where the more advanced studies were included in the curriculum, and having passed the preliminary examination in August, 1863, he was ad- vanced to a higher grade in November, 1864. The bent of his m:ind seemed to be the acquirement of knowledge, and no matter how difficult the problems that arose before him. he attained the end sought, and in November, 1865, he graduated with high honors in Italian, French, Latin, Greek, and mathematics. In January, 1866, he began to realize his expectations, for he re- ceived an important appointment in the seminary where he had been a pupil. The salary attached to the position he refused, preferring that bis three brothers. Theo. Nicola and Michael should have free tuition therefor. In 1868 he left the college and entered the pharmacy of Marangelli, the most prominent chemist in the eity, in order to perfect himself in chemistry. Ilere he remained until 1870, using every minute to acquire an intimate knowledge of chemistry, when he launched forth as a tutor,
VINCENZO PALUMBO
having sixty boys in his school. In May of that year he ap- peared before the educational authorities at Potenza, and har- ing undergone a thorough examination as to his qualifications and proficieney received his authorization to practice the pro- fession in any part of Italy. It must be stated here, that the police authorities doubting his having a lieense to teach, owing to his youth, visited the school where he soon convinced them that he was duly authorized to practice under his license. His first love affair was with his cousin, but the earnest opposition of the parents of both, after a courtship of five years, resulted in his leaving the city and beginning a pilgrimage which was quite extended, and ended at Rome. In 1875 he received the nomination of professor in the Viggiano College. In 1876 he was nominated professor at Laurenzian, with a larger salary. flere he materially improved the school facilities, and also
opened a drug store. In 1878 he taught school for six months in Barcelona, Spain, but the place did not suit his tastes, and he then went to Marseilles, France; from there he next went to Paris, then to Liverpool and London, and finally took passage to New York on the Imman line. He arrived in New York ou December 3, 1879, and began teaching at 42 Crosby Street. In 1880 he founded "Progresso Italo-Americano" and the Italian Political Independent Club. On September 1, 1882. he openco an Italian exchange at 54 Crosby Street, but was foreed to close it a short time later through the dishonesty of a clerk. After thi, unfortunate venture he was compelled to take up teaching again at 179 Marion Street, where American doctors, lawyers and other professional men sought his services in order to become pro- ficient in the Italian language. At this critical period Peter Cooper, the well known philanthropist, Cardinal MeCloskey, and General Di Cesnola, manager of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, rendered valuable financial assistance, and in 1882 he estab- lished "La Luce," which proved a powerful weapon against the dishonest, and rendered aid in saving Chiaro Cignerale from the gallows in 1894. In 1895 he exerted himself to save Maria Barbella from her doom, and collected a vast amount of evidence for a new trial which resulted in saving her. In Febru- ary, 1894, he waged a vigorous warfare on the padrones who were fattening on the toil of his ignorant countrymen, and en- gineered changes in the emigrant laws which put a quietus to this baleful practice. Then commenced, in 1896, his fight against the Italian money brokers who had been extorting sums in excess of the legal rate for acknowledging their signatures. His un- relentless warfare against the oppressors of his nationality re- sulted in his home at Mott Avenue and 149th Street being dynamited, and he then moved to New Dorp, Staten Island, where he speculated in real estate with success. Thereupon he called all his ereditors together and paid in full all elaims which he had incurred during his adversity. In 1902 he was selected by Messrs. Flagler and Goff to go to Florida in the interests of the East Coast Railway, and made a thorough exploration of the territory, establishing Italian colonies at San Augustine, West Palm Beach, Eden, ete. In August, 1902, he was selected by Messrs. Watson & Malone, proprietors of a gold mine in West Virginia, to develop the same. The labor troubles at Fairmont, Clarksburg, Gipsy, Morgantown, Thomas, and other places were settled through his judicious exertions; the men were reconciled and a better condition of affairs between laborers and capitalists inaugurated. The climate, however, not agreeing with him, he returned to New York, a victim of dyspepsia. Making use of his knowledge of chemistry, he studied the various herbs grow- ing about his place on Staten Island, which resulted in the manu- facture of "Sirena Cordial," to destroy this disease. By its use on himself he demonstrated its curative properties, and then sub- mitted it for testing by leading laboratories not only in Amerien but Europe as well. The highly flattering testimonials he re- ceived for its efficaey in dyspepsia, stomach troubles, and rheu- matism, induced him to manufacture it on an extended scale and consequently he formed the Strega Manufacturing Company, which now is engaged in supplying the leading pharmacists with this preparation which is devoid of all deleterious substances, and has proven a boon to those who have been afflicted with this bane to health. The success he has attained in this direction has been phenomenal, and hundreds in all walks and stations of life heap benisons upon its inventor.
JOHN LANZER .-- The subject of this sketch has long been a resident of Bronx Borough and has seen its development from a rural community into a thriving city. Born in Germany on An- gust 3. 1850, at an early age he came to this country, and has
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madde his home here since 1858. He received his education in the German- American School, and after he graduated he ap- plied himself to the cash and blind manufacturing business. In the year 1875 he started quite extensively in that line on Third Avenue near 149th Street, and later removed to more commo- cous quarters at Third Avenue and 151st Street. He also had quite a large establishment in Westchester for twelve years. Ile
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resides at 627 East 155th Street. In politics he is a Democrat, but never has held office. He is a member of the Schnorer Club, Union Maennerchor, Tallapoosa Club, and Harlem In- dependent Schutzen Corps. On October 29, 1872, he married Miss Wilhelmina Fuhr, of Manhattan, the result of this union being ten children, five of whom are dead and five living.
WILLIAM H. BRANDT, the veteran roofer and cornice manufacturer of the Bronx, was born in New York City, September 25, 1847. He graduated from the public schools, and at the opening of the civil war, enlisted as a drummer boy in the Fifth Regiment, N. G., of New York: During the threatened occupation of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, by General Lee, he served there with his regiment, of which he remained a member for fourteen years. Retiring from the army, he joined his father, who was also in the roof and cornice busi- ness, and learned the trade. On April 24th, 1869, he married Miss Louise Barth, of New York City, and started business on his own account at Crosby and Bleecker Street, and in 1883, he moved the business to the Bronx, where he has met with ex- traordinary success. In 1884 he built a home and place of business on the corner of Third Avenue and 140th Street, but sold this property in ISS8, and purchased No. 555 East 140th Street. Mr. Brandt's services as a roofer and cornice manu- facturer, has been engaged by the United States Government Light House Department on numerous occasions. lie superin- tended the roofing of the New York Post Office for his father. and a large number of government light houses. The public school house at Van Nest, the public school house at 176 Tremont Avenue, and over 500 of the most prominent residences in the ' Bronx, have been exclusively roofed and corniced by Mr. Brandt. He is strictly a business man, no affiliations with party affairs, clubs or organizations, though liberal in his views as to matters of State and nation; is a member of the Employers' 'Association. He lost his beloved wife August 22, 1899, and in April, 1904, married Miss Mary C. Warring, of Philippsburgh,
Pennsylvania. He has three children, Catharine, (now Mrs. Young ). William J., Jr., and John A. Brandt. In 1895 Mr. brandt built on his own account five houses at Fifty-third Street. Tenth Avenue, three houses at 148th Street, between Tenth Avenue and Western Boulevard, and 132d Street, between Fourth and Madison Avenues, and still continues on in the roofing and cornice business at 630 East 144th Street.
WHERE THE WORLD'S BEST INKS ARE MADE .-- One of the most interesting industries carried on in the Bronx, though probably unknown to the majority of its inhabitants, is represented by the plant of the Sigmund Ullman Company at 140th Street and Park Avenue, where the highest grades oi printing and lithographic inks known in the world are manu- tactured in astonishing quantities. This enterprise was founded by Mr. Sigmund Ullman, still the active head of the company, in 1870, when he began the importation of printing and litho- graphic inks from Germany, although he had for a number of years previously been an importer of bronze powders and metal leaf. being, in fact, the first one to engage in that business in this country. His great success in the introduction of German inks led to the formation of a partnership between Mr. Ullman and the German firm with whom he had been connected, and the German printing ink industry was thus transplanted to this country by the erection of an extensive plant in Newark, N. J. This partnership was dissolved in 1897, and Mr. Ullman erected the new plant at 146th Street and Park Avenue, which is con- sidered the model printing ink factory of the world. Though built on only ten city lots, every inch of space is so well utilized that the plant has double or triple the capacity of others covering a much larger area. It is astonishing to visitors to see the neat- ness and cleanliness for which this plant is noted, especially when it is taken into consideration that this line of industry is con- sidered one of the very dirtiest. One of the most remarkable facts in connection with this firm is that while Mr. Sigmund Ullman was the first to introduce German printing inks into the United States, he was also the first to introduce American printing inks into Germany. In fact, this firm has so revolu- tionized the printing ink business through the introduction of their doubletone inks and ullmanines that in every part of the civilized world wherever printing is done, Ullman's printing inks are known and recognized as a standard of excellence. The plant employs for power, steam, electricity and compressed air. It consists in not only of an ink grinding plant, but complete appliances for the manufacture of varnishes, dryers, dry colors, etc., which are the raw materials for the manufacture of print- ing ink, usually bought by printing ink manufacturers. The machinery has all been specially devised and manufactured for this plant, and is cooled by water procured from specially driven artesian wells, which have a capacity of 75,000 gallons per day. The Sigmund Ullman Company has branches downtown, Chi- cago, Philadelphia, Buffalo and Boston, with agencies in all the principal cities of the United States, as well as in all parts of the world, namely: London, Paris, Berlin, Stuttgart, Ham- burg. Brusseis, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Christiana. Milan, Lisbon, Barcelona, Madrid, Constantinople, Bombay, Cal cutta, Singapore, Manila, Shanghai, Tokio, Sydney, Melbourne, Santiago, Mexico City, Havana, etc. It is understood that this firm now contemplaites building branch factories m Loud m. Paris and Berlin in order to properly handle the ever-mercan ing European business. It is generally conceded that more printers through the world use Ullman's inks than any other brand.
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