USA > New York > Onondaga County > Syracuse > Memorial history of Syracuse, N.Y. : from its settlement to the present time > Part 23
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Receipts from the sales of stamps, stamped envelops, postal cards, and newspaper wrappers, $174,010.77 ; number of carriers employed, 43 ; number of delivery trips daily,
S
616
MEMORIAL HISTORY OF SYRACUSE.
102 ; number of collections daily, 118; registered letters delivered, 16,474; ordinary letters delivered, 5.301,122 ; postal cards delivered, 999, 490 ; second, third, and fourth-class mat- ter delivered, pieces, 2,359,041 ; local letters collected, 470,410; outgoing letters collected 2,182,083 ; local postal cards collected, 223.113 ; outgoing postal cards collected, 42.1. 161 ; second, third, and fourth class matter collected, pieces, 231,488 ; outgoing letters distrib- uted and dispatched, 15.294.680 ; outgoing papers distributed and dispatched, 5, 205,059 ; number of postal notes and money orders issued, payable in fourteen different countries, 28,- 349 ; their value, $208 616.01 ; number of postal notes and money orders paid, 52.781 ; their value, $407,579.65 ; number of registered letters and parcels sent, 13,451 ; number of reg- istered letters and parcels received, 28,093 ; number of registered letters and parcels in transit, handled, 61,265 ; special delivery letters received, 9,574 ; special delivery letters sent, 6,167.
It is estimated that most of the figures of these statistics will be in- creased by at least five per cent. during the current year. They are in strange contrast with those of the days when Postmaster Wilkinson made quarterly payments to the Postoffice Department of about ten dollars. They show the activity of business men, and challenge those of any other city in the United State of the same population. The business of the office has already outgrown the space allotted to it in the Government Building quite recently constructed. The building is of Onondaga limestone, and in some respects of imposing appearance. Postmaster Carroll E. Smith is its present custodian.
The coal trade of the city amounts to at least 450,000 tons annually. Syracuse was formerly a point for transhipping vast quantities of coal, but by the construction of railroads through all parts of the country it is no longer necessary to make this city a depot.
The street railway system very fairly meets the public necessity, and yet its development is constantly going forward. It is well operated and pop- ular. Electricity will soon be substituted for horse-power on most of the lines. The Consolidated Street Railway Company owns thirty- four of the fifty-two miles of track in the city, and already uses electricity on its Third Ward line. The capital stock of this company is $1,250,000. It has a bonded indebtedness of the same amount. During the year ended July 1, 1891, it carried 2,200,000 passengers. Its rolling stock embraces about one hundred and forty cars, including many of the newest design. The People's Company, which operates about eighteen miles of track, has not furnished statistics.
The assessed valuation of the city as made by the assessors for the year 1890 was $43,187,269, which was an increase over the preceding year, 1889, of $2,306,514. At that time the city embraced eleven wards, the in- crease to fourteen wards having been made during the last winter. The assessment of real and personal property in Syracuse by wards is shown by the following statement :
Grange N. Grouse,
617
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
WARD.
REAL.
PERSONAL.
AGGREGATE.
1
$1,439.374
$ 85,000
$1,524,374
2,017,775
8,500
2,026,275
111
4.536,140
867,133
5,403.273
IV
5.582,875
226,000
5.808,875
6.025,335
111,000
6,136,335
9.700, 1 30
1,548,817
11,248,947
11.1
3.674.560
100,500
3.775.060
3,691,705
83.700
3.775.405
IX.
1,148,825
14,000
1, 162,825
695.875
7,500
703,375
1,575,325
47,500
1,622,825
$40,087,619
$3,099,650
$43.187,269
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
The following references to many of the more important business estab- lishments of the city conclude this chapter. The publishers derive no ben- efit from their insertion other than the satisfaction of adding much valuable matter to the business record of this city. The sketches are valuable for refer- ence to the business man, and with the other matter contained in this chapter will give the future historian an easy starting point. An effort has been made to gather such statistics as would represent the value of the whole volume of business ; but it was not possible to reach a conclusion which was satisfactory to the editor. The figures obtained, imperfect and incomplete as they were, indicated figures exceeding $100,000,000, but what the excess really is, is largely a matter of speculation. To secure accurate figures would involve the making of inquiries which few business men would be willing to answer.
Bradley & Company .- This manufacturing company is a direct de- scendant of one of the oldest establishments of Syracuse, it having been founded by Christopher C. Bradley, sr., in 1832. He had a comparatively small machine shop and foundry at 329 West Water street, where the Alexander Iron Works are now located. Mr. Bradley died in 1872, and in that year the Bradley Manufacturing Company was incorporated, which was changed to Bradley & Company in 1878. In 1872 about 100 men were employed. The buildings now occupied cover most of the block bounded by Wyoming, Marcellus, Niagara, and West Fayette streets, with the office at 106 Wyoming street. Part of the buildings are five and part four stories high. About three hundred men are now employed, and harvesters, mowers, reapers, the Bradley cushioned-helve hammer, and road carts and carriages are manufactured, all of which find an extended market. The officers of the company are C. C. Bradley, President ; O. F. Soule, Vice- President; W. C. Bradley, Secretary and Treasurer. They turn out an annual product valued at half a million dollars.
78
618
MEMORIAL HISTORY OF SYRACUSE.
Sweet's Manufacturing Company .- The beginning of this industry should date from October 1, 1858, when Anson A. Sweet, William A. Sweet, John E. Sweet, and Charles C. Bates (a brother-in-law of the Sweet brothers) established a business adjoining the Greenway brewery for manufacturing agricultural implements. In the fall of 1859 Anson A. and William A. Sweet purchased the interests of the other two and began manufacturing cutter knives for mowers and reapers. In 1860 they sold the property to the Greenways and established the partnership of Sweet Brothers & Co., by taking as partner William B. Cogswell, now of the Solvay Company. They purchased four lots on the corner of Marcellus and Wyoming streets, and continued their industry in a small way. In 1861 Mr. Cogswell sold his interest to George Barnes, but the firm namie was continued as before, and the works were named the " Ceresian Cutter Works." In 1863 they began the manufacture of cast steel, under the name of " Onondaga Steel Works," purchased more land in the same block, and erected a small steel works upon the corner of Wyoming and Otisco streets. A stock company was formed of Sweet, Barnes & Company in 1864, and the business was continued and enlarged, not only in cutting apparatus, but in the manufact- ure of fine steel direct from the best American and Swedish iron, by the converting process and melting in pots. The various processes and ma- chinery were invented and carried to success by William A. Sweet. The capital stock of this company was $300,000. In April, 1868, William A. Sweet bought the steel works part of the business of the firm, and began business in his own name. In October, 1868, he took as partner George WV. Harwood, forming the firm of W. A. Sweet & Co., which continued until 1871, when Sweet's Manufacturing Company was organized with a capital stock of $200,000. The works were almost completely destroyed by fire in 1870, but were rebuilt and started within sixty days, and em- ployed at that time about 150 men. The company has passed through various vicissitudes, but when death, disaster, dissatisfaction, delays, or dis- appointments have placed any of the stock on the market Mr. Sweet has purchased it, frequently at a heavy premium, until at the present time he owns a great majority of it, and Anson A. the remainder. In 1872 the company purchased the old distillery at Geddes, which was at that time a ruin, and began the erection of extensive steel works. The business con tinued until 1876, when the property was sold to a stock company (Sander- son Brothers Steel Company) with a paid up capital of $450,000. The lat- ter company was organized in 1876, and was a branch of a company of the same name in Sheffield, England, but in name only, as their works were managed by William A. Sweet for seven years. In July, 1883, the stock passed into the hands of the English stockholders, and Mr. Sweet withdrew
619
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
from the concern, and its subsequent history will be found on this page. In 1874 the Sweet's Manufacturing Company bought largely of property on the east side of West street and south of Jefferson street, and erected a new till. In consequence of the reduction of the tariff on wire rods the com- pany was obliged to hold that property without any remuneration, but at present they employ on the west side of the street 350 men and 150 on the east side, and the value of the yearly product is now $850,000. The present officers of the company are William A. Sweet, President; F. H. Nye, jr., Secretary ; Anson A. Sweet, Treasurer.
Syracuse Iron Works .- In the year 1858 these works were started by Howard Delano, on Magnolia street and the canal in Geddes, and covered about three acres of ground. In 1861 a company was incorporated with a capital of $30,000, which was gradually increased to $200,000. The prod- uct was merchant bar iron, horseshoe and rivet iron, rods, bands, and hoop iron, which was made from pig and scrap iron. Twelve men were employed at first, and the number increased to fifty, with a pay roll of $8,000 per month. R. Nelson Gere was President; Alfred and J. Forman Wilkinson, Vice-Presidents; C. D. Avery, Secretary and Treasurer. The works con- tinued in operation until in 1884, when they had a capacity of forty tons of merchant iron per day. In that year the company failed, and the works remained idle until 1890, when they were purchased by Giles Everson and Frederick W. Barker. Since then the rolling-mill machinery has been dis- posed of, and the land and buildings sold to the Paragon l'laster Company, who will locate their works at that place. About the year 1880 the com- pany built a horseshoe factory on the opposite side of the canal from the iron works, at a cost of about $50,000.
Sanderson Brothers Steel Co .-- This company was organized in 1876 as a branch of Sanderson Brothers & Co.(Limited) of. Sheffield, England, with a capital stock of $450,000. The officers were at that time Robert B. Campbell, President; Samuel W. Johnson, Secretary; William A. Sweet, General Manager. In the year 1883 there was an entire change in the Directors and management of the company, and C. H. Halcomb, of Sheffield, England, was elected General Manager. The works cover four acres of ground in West Fayette street, near Magnolia, adjoining the Erie Canal, and have branch tracks from the N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R. and the D., L. & W. R. R. The company employs about 250 men, and manufactures crucible steel, a specialty being made of fine tool steel. The annual product has a value of from $600,000 to $800,000. They have established branch houses at Boston, Chicago, and St. Louis. The quality of steel manufactured has a high reputation, and the business extends to every State in the Union. The present officers of the company are : C. H. Halcomb, President and Treas- urer ; W. F. Belknap, Secretary.
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620
MEMORIAL HISTORY OF SYRACUSE.
The Whitman & Barnes Manufacturing Company .- This company was formed by the consolidation of two companies, namely, the Whitman & Miles Manufacturing Company, of Fitchburg, Mass, and George Barnes & Company, of Syracuse. The original company of Syracuse was the firm of Sweet Brothers & Company, which, in 1864, was made into a stock com- pany under the name of Sweet, Barnes & Company. In 1870 the name was changed to George Barnes & Company, and in 1877 it was made a part of the present company, under the name at the head of this sketch. This company was organized under the State laws of Ohio, having, as it was termed, two parent houses, one at Akron, Ohio, the other at Syracuse, N. Y., with the main office at Akron. Their specialties consist of knives and sections for all reapers, binders, and mowers, made with such extras as are closely allied thereto; also the manufacture of spring keys, spring cot- ters, flat spring keys, etc. The plant of the company in this city covers an area of 256 x 150 feet, fronting on Marcellus and Wyoming streets, and the company at Syracuse employs about 275 men. The employees of the company number about 1,000 men, with works at Canton, O., and St. Catha- rines, Ont., Can., besides the so-called parent houses at Akron and Syra- cuse, and with branch houses at Boston, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Chicago, Kansas City, and San Francisco. The present officers are A. L. Conger, of Akron, Ohio, President ; George Barnes, Chairman ; George E. Dana, Vice-President ; Charles E. Sheldon, of Akron, Treasurer; William W. Cox, Assistant Treasurer ; James Barnes, Secretary.
The Phoenix Foundry and Machine Company was organized in the month of April, 1881, and the following officers were chosen : President, A. C. Belden ; Vice-President, Calvin Gould ; Secretary and Treasurer, Alvin J. Belden. The present officers of the company are: President, A. C. Belden ; Vice-President, M. A. Knapp; Secretary and Treasurer, Alvin J. Belden.
The old Phoenix Foundry, situated on the east side of Grape street, be- tween Water street and the Erie Canal, was built by Thomas T. Davis and David G. Stafford in 1843. It comprised a foundry, machine shop, and wood shop, and was used originally for manufacturing threshing machines. After running some time for this purpose it was closed up and the property, which appears to have been owned then by Davis, was leased in 1845 to Samuel Stapely, Alfred Dunk, William Jackson, and George W. Herrick, who carried on the business under the firm name of Stapely, Dunk & Com- pany. Early in 1846 Mr. Jackson retired from the firm and was succeeded by Alfred Cobb, the firm name, however, remaining unchanged. In 1847 . or 1848 Stapely retired, leaving Dunk, Herrick, and Cobb, who, under the name of Dunk, Herrick & Company, carried on the business, which con-
George & Dana
621
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
sisted mainly of engine and boiler making, mill work, and general jobbing. About 1850 or '51 Mr. Dunk retired, and the business was continued by Cobb & Herrick, under that name. About this time Mr. Cobb purchased the property from Davis and leased it to the firm. Mr. Henry H. Cobb also had some interest in the business, the precise nature of which does not appear, except that he acted as book-keeper, while Mr. Herrick took charge of the mechanical part of the business. Portable engines were manufactured during this period to a considerable extent. In January, 1859, Mr. Herrick died, and Mr. Cobb became sole proprietor of the business. About a year afterwards Henry H. Cobb died, and Alfred Cobb's health failing, the busi- ness languished until his death in August, 1860. Nathan Cobb, as execu- tor of Alfred Cobb's estate, then assumed management of the business, as- sisted by Henry C. Hooker, and they conducted it until 1864, when they formed a partnership with Charles P. Herrick, Calvin Gould, and Ralph Helm, under the firm name of Cobb, Herrick & Company. In 1859 this firm purchased the property at the southeast corner of Grape and Water streets, which formerly belonged to the Empire Wind-Mill Manufacturing Company. This property was used for their machine, pattern, and black- smith shops; the old building on the north side of Water street was used for their foundry and boiler shop.
The firm of Cobb, Herrick & Company continued here in business until May 1, 1881, at about which time Messrs. Cobb, Herrick, and Hooker sold their interests to Alvin J. Belden, who, at the time of his purchase, contem- plated forming a partnership with Mr. Gould and Mr. Helm. Instead of this, however, it was deemed best to organize as a manufacturing corpora- tion, and such an organization was thereby perfected, A. C. Belden and W. K. Niver also coming in as stockholders. The present force of employees numbers 150, and the annual value of the product is $175,000 to $200,000.
The Syracuse Chilled Plow Company was organized in 1876, with a cap- ital of $100,000, and had the following officers : President, James M. Ellis; Vice- President, Theodore F. Andrews; Secretary and Treasurer, Levi W. Hall; Superintendent, Harry Wiard. It began operations by leasing the Williams Mower and Reaper Works. In 1878 the company bought the property bounded by Wyoming and Marcellus streets and the D., L. & W. R. R. tracks, and the capital was increased to $300,000. In 1879 Levi W. Hall was elected President of the company, and held that office until his death, which occurred in April, 1881. George Barnes was then elected President pro tem., and held that office until June, 1882, when the following officers were elected : President, Austin C. Chase ; Vice-President, Francis Hall ; Secretary, Joseph C. Willetts ; Treasurer, James Manning ; Super- intendent, Harry Wiard. This organization has continued until the present
622
MEMORIAL HISTORY OF SYRACUSE.
time. It has been the policy of this company to produce a full line of high grade plows and cultivating implements, practically everything that a farmer uses in preparing his land for the seed. This factory is now turning out a greater variety of plowing and cultivating implements than any other sim- ilar concern, implements adapted to any soil in the United States or any agricultural country on the globe. The growth of the factory, which now has about five acres of floors, has been in proportion to its increased busi- ness, and has, among other novelties, a foundry on the upper floor of one of its large buildings. The firm employs 225 hands, and its sales reach nearly $500,000 annually. The improvements in plows and kindred imple- ments have led to many important inventions, and the possession, by the company, of a large number of valuable patents.
The Onondaga Iron Company was organized in 1869, with a capital stock of $150,000, which was afterward increased to $300,000, and later to $400,- . 000. The first officers were J. J. Belden, President ; R. N. Gere, Vice- Presi- dent ; and W. HI. H. Gere, Secretary and Treasurer. The plant is located in Geddes, in Orchard street, between the New York Central Railroad and the Erie Canal, and covers about ten acres. The ore used formerly came mostly from Ontario, Wayne, and Jefferson Counties, and the chief product was anthracite and coke pig iron, suitable for foundry and mill purposes. Owing to dullness in markets these works were closed for more than a year previous to April, 1890, when they were leased to the American-Scotch Iron Company, which began operations at the date just mentioned. The officers of the latter company are H. M. Warren, New York, President ; Lester E. Wood, New York, Vice- President; F. B. Hawkins, New York, Treasurer ; F. S. Gordon, Columbus, Ohio, Secretary ; F. B. Baird, Baird Furnace, Ohio, General Manager. The company rebuilt furnace No. I as a coke furnace, and the works went into blast in August, 1890. The ores now used are from Lake Superior, Lake Champlain, and Jefferson County. The capacity of No. I furnace has been increased to 2,500 tons per month, and from 75 to 100 men are employed. The annual value of the output is $350,000.
The Alexander Iron Works, William D. Dunning, proprietor, located at No. 329 West Water street, is an old established concern, dating back to 1833, when a part of the present plant was a mill pond. Its business is general jobbing, machine, and foundry work with several specialties, one of which is the Boomer & Boschert press, elsewhere described. About 100 hands are employed.
Special Machinery .- In 1880 Charles E. Lipe began the manufacture of the first broom-sewing machine ever made, his shop being in the Straight Line Engine Works. This machine is one of Mr. Lipe's own inventions, and
623
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
is a marvelous piece of work. Ile is the inventor also of several other val- nable devices, one of which is the Universal milling machine and gear cut- ter, which he sold to the Brown & Sharp Company, of Providence, R. I. He has had a large business in the manufacture of special machinery, and is now building the Engelberg rice and coffee huller, the first machine in this country suitable for plantation use. Mr. Lipe employs thirty men, and his sales annually are about $30,000. He is a graduate of Cornell Uni- versity.
Economy Foundry Company .- This company was organized in Septem- ber, 1888, by F. A. Austin, John Aldinger, William H. Brown, and M. C. Reddin. The works are located in Belden avenue. The plant of the Pease Furnace Company was leased, and general contract work is made a speci- alty. Their manufactures include builders' wrought and cast-iron work of all kinds, light and heavy machinery castings, ornamental iron work, ma- chine and pattern draughting and designing, and in fact every variety of work belonging to the general foundry business. Over 100 men are em- ployed, and nearly twenty tons of iron are melted daily. The members of the company are all practical workmen.
Tin and Sheet Ironware .- The business of manufacturing tin and sheet ironware was begun by C. H. Fisk, in 1874, in the First ward. He began in a small way with five men and ten peddling carts. He now has thirty carts, which travel fifty miles in each direction, and employs thirty - five men. His original building was enlarged in 1883 to a structure 65 x ISo feet and four stories high. He handles more than a thousand tons of mixed rags annually, employing in that work twenty- five women and four men.
Central City Bolt Company .- This company was organized July 1, ISSO, with a capital of $30,000. The first officers of the company were D. F. Hayden, President and General Manager; J. W. Walter, Secretary and Treasurer. The works are in the Penitentiary and employ sixty hands, ten of whom are outsiders and the remainder convicts. Carriage bolts and parlor-door hangers are manufactured,and the annual product reaches a value of from $75,000 to $100,000. The present officers are : E. B. Judson, jr., President ; J. W. Walter, Secretary and Treasurer ; W. S. Purrington, Su- perintendent.
Porter Manufacturing Company ( Limited) .- This company was incor- porated in 1877, and bought out the older firm of Porter & Co. The first officers were Barrett R. White, President ; Robert Townsend, Vice- Presi- dent ; D. H. Gowing, Secretary ; George A. Porter, Treasurer and General Manager. The capital stock was $60,000, and the works were in North Salina street between Turtle and Bear streets. About forty men were then employed. The business increased, and the capital was increased in 1878 to
-
624
MEMORIAL HISTORY OF SYRACUSE.
$80,000; in 1879 to $100,000 ; in 1880 to $150,000; and in 1888 to $195,- 000. In 1878 the buildings were enlarged by the addition of a machine shop and boiler shop, in the rear of the old building. In 1886 a new foundry was erected 72 x 120 feet, which occupies a portion of the block south of the machine shop, and between it and Turtle street. With the increase of business and the enlargement of the plant the number of men employed also increased, until now there are about 250, and the annual sales reach $300,- 000. The latest addition to the buildings was made early in 1890, and consists of a building on Salina street, 72 feet front and 128 feet deep, three stories high. This is to be used for offices, carpenter shop, and pat- tern-room .. The principal articles of manufacture are engines and boilers, ranging from 4 to 450 horse-power, which are shipped to all parts of the country and have a deservedly high reputation. The shops are all equip- ped with modern improvements, tools, etc. The present officers are: W. K. Niver, President ; Henry Lacy, Treasurer; Stewart Worden, Secre- tary ; Howard G. White, Lucius Gleason, August Falker, Stewart Worden, W. K Niver, F. B. Klock, and Henry Lacy, Directors.
Straight Line Engine Company -This company was established and in- corporated February 1, 1880, with a capital stock of $10,000, by the fol- lowing men: John E. Sweet, George Barnes, Anson A. Sweet, Henry F. Stevens, and David W. Hotchkiss. At that time the officers of the com- pany were : John E. Sweet, President ; Henry F. Stevens, Secretary ; Anson A. Sweet, Treasurer. The building formerly used by the Hubbard Har- vester Company, No. 208 South Geddes street, was rented for two or three months, and there six men were employed. About one engine per month was made and put on the market. In 18844 Smith & Warner's foundry was added to the engine business. At the Paris Exposition in 1889 the Straight Line engine was awarded the grand prize. The present building, which is 130 feet square, was first occupied on June 1, 1890. At the present time ninety men are employed and an average of fifty engines a year are turned out. Originally the engines averaged about twenty-five horse-power, while now the average is eighty horse-power. The capital stock has been increased to $100,000, and the engines made are sold in all parts of the civilized world. The present officers of the company are : Jolin E. Sweet, President ; H. M. Williams, Secretary ; Anson A. Sweet, Treasurer. These, with William T. Hamilton, W. B. Cogswell, Frank H. Hiscock, and Ira A. Place, are the Directors. .
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