USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th > Part 44
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TRICYCLE FACTORY.
About the year 1885 the manufacture of tricycles, boys' wagons, and similar ar- ticles, was started in this city, a shop be- ing built on Park Street north of Colum- bia. This plant was afterwards sold out to the Springfield Gas Engine Company and the manufacture of tricycles was abandoned.
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PRESENT INDUSTRIES.
INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER.
Among the present industrial establish- ments of Springfield the Champion divi- sion of the International Harvester Com- pany is no doubt the most extensive. This firm occupies and is the owner of what was formerly the plant of Warder, Bush- nell and Glessner Shops on Buck Creek, in what was called Lagonda. The plant is the successor, through various muta- tions, of the plant established in Lagonda in the beginning of the century. In 1850 Benjamin Warder was the moving spirit, and in '56 or '57 he became associated with Ross Mitchell and afterwards with Asa S. Bushnell. When Mr. Mitchell re- tired, George B. Glessner of Chicago be- came active in its operation. Towards the latter part of its existence Mr. Warder was not actively identified with its busi- ness affairs, he having moved to Wash- ington, D. C., where by wise investments in real estate he accumulated great wealth. Governor Asa Bushnell stayed with the firm until it entered the trust, when he, too, retired. Mr. Glessner remains an officer of the trust company known as the International Harvester. This firm em- ploys from 1,500 to 2,000 persons and does not confine itself to the manufacture of reaping-machines, but manufactures also hay-rakes, hay-teders, mowing-ma- chines, hay-presses and articles of a like character.
P. P. MAST COMPANY.
This is one of the old firms of the city, and was organized in 1856 by P. P. Mast, . lately a resident of Champaign County, and John H. Thomas, a newly fledged
lawyer, whose ancestry came from Mary- land. They began the manufacture of cider-mills and grain-mills, where the shops of the firm are now located, on Warder Street east of Limestone. The firm of Thomas & Mast continued until 1871, when Mr. Thomas withdrew and es- tablished the Thomas Manufacturing Company. The firm was reorganized as P. P. Mast Company. From that time on until his death, Mr. Mast was the con- trolling spirit in this enterprise. In 1860 Charles A. Gardner, who died some twen- ty years later, became identified with this firm and in 1862 William C. Downey, and in the same year A. W. Butt. These men retired in the eighties and afterwards en- gaged in other enterprises. Both are now deceased.
After Mr. Mast's death Mr. Charles R. Crain became the president and man- ager of this establishment and so con- tinued until 1905, when the controlling in- terests passed into the hands of other parties. This company was organized in 1871, with a paid up stock of $500,000. Howard D. Maize is now president, P. A. Lewis, vice-president, and H. H. Sellers, secretary. In 1895 this firm purchased what was formerly the private residence of James D. Stewart, on North Lime- stone Street, north of the Soldier's Monu- ment, which they converted into an office building and now occupy it for that pur- pose. This firm is largely engaged in the manufacture of the Buckeye Grain Drills and Corn Plows, etc., employing from 250 to 350 men.
AMERICAN SEEDING COMPANY.
The superior division of the American Seeding Company occupies the buildings
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that were formerly the property of the Champion Machine Company. This divi- sion, however, is the successor of the old Thomas, Ludlow & Rodgers firm which did business for a number of years, where the Union Depot is to be erected, and which afterwards became the Superior Drill Company. A number of persons have been actively identified with this in- dustry. In the old Thomas, Ludlow and Rodgers firm, Abraham Ludlow, a native of this place, was the moving spirit. He afterwards became largely identified with the Springfield Malleable Company; he died in 1906. Alfonso Ferrell was a brother-in-law of Mr. Ludlow. The Thomases that were in this firm were Charles E. and Joseph W. Charles E. Thomas is still a resident of this city. Joseph W. lives in California. When the Superior Drill Company was organized Captain A. M. Winger, lately deceased, E. L. Buchwalter, and Robert Johnson became the moving spirits of the new con- cern. When the Superior Drill Company was taken into the trust and became a division of the Champion Seeding Com- pany, these three men, with Charles S. Kay, became members of the new firm. Captain E. L. Buchwalter became presi- dent of the American Seeding Company. In a short time Mr. Winger, Mr. Kay and Mr. Johnson retired from the active operations of the firm, Mr. Frank C. John- son, Robert Johnson's son remaining as an official. The old Superior Drill Com- pany was a very successful firm, having a large foreign market for its products, notably in Australia. The firm employs from three hundred to five hundred men.
THOMAS MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
This company exists as the result of the efforts of John H. Thomas, after he severed his connection with the firm of Thomas & Mast. It was incorporated in 1886. The stock is largely, if not all, held by the Thomas family. This firm origin- ally made lawn-mowers and cider-mills and afterwards branched out into the manufacture of bicycles and portable en- gines, grain-drills, hay-rakes, etc. Will- iam S. Thomas, a son of the original founder, is now president and treasurer, Charles E. Thomas, vice-president and H. H. Bean, secretary. The plant is located on South Limestone Street, immediately south of the Panhandle Freight Depot. It employes from 250 to 350 men.
SPRINGFIELD METALLIC CASKET COMPANY.
In 1876 Boyd Hotsenpiller & Company began the manufacture of cloth-covered caskets on Washington Street, east of Limestone Street. Afterwards this firm manufactured burglar-proof vaults. When the Driscoll carriage shop, located on W. Columbia Street, was for sale, it was pur- chased by the then members of the Spring- field Metallic Casket Company. This cor- poration was formed in 1886 with a capital stock of $200,000 and has been a growing concern. C. E. Patric is president, Paul A. Staley, vice-president, E. N. Lupfer, secretary, Charles S. Kay, treasurer, and Charles H. Heiser, superintendent. From 150 to 200 persons are employed.
CROWELL PUBLISHING COMPANY.
This firm is the successor of that which was at first. Mast, Crowell & Kirkpatrick
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and afterwards Crowell and Kirkpatrick, and is engaged in the publishing and printing of the "Farm & Fireside" and afterwards the "Woman's Home Com- panion," in the plant located on the north- west corner of High & Factory. Upon Mr. Kirkpatrick's retirement Mr. Crowell became the sole proprietor until the stock was disposed of to parties in New York. It was incorporated in 1906 with a capital stock of $1,750,000. George H. Hazen is president, J. S. Crowell, vice-president, Fred L. Collins, secretary. In the neigh- borhood of 300 persons are occupied in the business of this firm.
GOOD & REESE COMPANY.
This company is engaged in the floral business, and it is said that it is the largest rose house in the United States, possibly in the world. It was incor- porated in 1890 with a capital stock of $20,000. It is located on South Lime- stone Street near the south corporation line. J. M. Good is president, Frank E. Good, vice-president, and Harry F. Good secretary and treasurer. About 150 per- sons are employed.
JAMES LEFFEL & COMPANY.
This firm was originally established by James Leffel in 1862 and engaged in the manufacture of the celebrated turbine water-wheel. They purchased shops on S. Limestone Street, immediately north of the Big Four Railway Company on the west side and continued there until the early eighties, when the present plant was built on the Big Four Railway, south of Lagonda Avenue. Mr. Leffel died in 1865
and the business was continued from that day up till 1878 by William Foos and Mrs. Leffel, the widow, and John W. Book- walter. At this time Mr. Foos retired and Mr. Bookwalter became practically the sole proprietor. The present com- pany was incorporated in 1890 with a capital stock of $250,000. John W. Book- walter is president, F. M. Bookwalter, vice-president and treasurer, J. A. Book- walter, secretary, and A. F. Sparks gen- eral manager. It employes in the neigh- borhood of 250 persons and has been a very profitable establishment for a num- ber of years.
WICKHAM PIANO PLATE COMPANY.
In 1889 there was organized by Mr. William Irwin, John W. Chapman and Henry Wickham, the firm which was known as Irwin, Chapman & Wickham, and which engaged in a small way in the manufacture of piano plates. Mr. Irwin died a few years afterwards and the other members purchased his interest and con- tinued to run the establishment until a few years ago, when Mr. Chapman retired. The plant is located in the eastern part of the city along the Big Four Railway, and is doing a very extensive business, Henry Wickham being president, and James Johnson, Jr., vice-president. It employs from 300 to 400 men. Mr. Wickham died in November, 1907.
BETTENDORF METAL WHEEL COMPANY.
This firm is a branch which came here from Iowa in 1890. It is engaged in the manufacture, as its name indicates, of metal wheels. The plant is located at the
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corner of Wheel & Larch Streets. G. similar products. It employs from 100 to Watson French is president, J. L. Hecht, 200 men. general manager, Nathaniel French, vice- president, Thomas B. Carson, secretary SPRINGFIELD MACHINE TOOL COMPANY. and treasurer, and H. J. Rober and W. H. Stackhouse managers. It employs from 200 to 300 men.
ROBBINS & MYERS COMPANY.
This firm was established prior to 1879, for in that year they removed from the old Kills Paper Mills, to the plant which they now occupy on the Big Four Rail- way, south of Lagonda Avenue. The firm was incorporated in 1889, with a paid up stock of $50,000. Chandler Robbins and J. A. Myers were the principals in this original concern. Mr. Robbins retired retired some ten years ago and Mr. Myers died in 1904. C. F. McGilvary is vice- president and superintendent and H. E. Myers secretary. From 250 to 300 men are employed.
Foos MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
This company was incorporated Janu- ary 1st, 1884, with a capital stock of $115,- 000. The original proprietors were Gustavus Foos and his sons Robert and William Foos. After Gustavus' death the business was continued by the brothers until 1904, when the sons of the late Charles Bauer became the owners of the majority of the stock. Charles L. Bauer is president, L. E. Bauer, vice-president, W. A. Bauer, treasurer, and W. E. Copen- haver, secretary. The plant is located on the southeast corner of Burt and Sheridan Avenue. This firm is engaged largely in the manufacture of grinding-mills and
This firm was incorporated in 1891, with a capital stock of $50,000. The principal moving spirit was P. E. Montanus. It is located on the southwest corner of South- ern Avenue, and the Pennsylvania Rail- way Company's line and is engaged, as its name indicates, in the manufacture of machine tools. P. E. Montanus is presi- dent and treasurer, Paul A. and Edward S. Montanus, vice-presidents. From 100 to 150 men are employed here.
O. S. KELLY COMPANY.
This company was incorporated in 1890 with a capital stock of $350,000. At that time Oliver S. Kelly was the principal owner. It was the successor of the Rhein- hart, Ballard & Company. This plant was located on N. Limestone Street im- mediately north of Buck Creek. For some time this firm continued in the manufact- ure of threshing machines. This was afterwards abandoned and grinding-mills and articles of that character made. At present it is engaged largely in the manu- facture of piano plates. O. W. Kelly is president, E. S. Kelly vice-president, both sons of Oliver, and A. L. Kelly, son of O. W. Kelly, secretary and treasurer. This firm employs from 200 to 400 men.
SPRINGFIELD MALLEABLE Co.
This company was organized in 1878 with a capital stock of $50,000. The large number of establishments in Springfield
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using various parts made from malleable iron encouraged the founding of an in- dustry of this kind. The plant of this establishment is located in the west part of Springfield and covers considerable ground. The business of the company is entirely to make malleable iron castings to be used by other firms in the manu- facture of their product. For a number of years it has been the property of the Ludlows, A. R. Ludlow being president until the time of his death (1906), and T. R. Ludlow, secretary and superintendent. It employs from 300 to 400 men.
MAST, Foos & COMPANY.
This company was incorporated Janu- ary 1, 1880, with a capital stock of $300,- 000. The moving spirits at that time were P. P. Mast and John Foos. It is engaged in the manufacture of wind-wheels, iron fence, lawn-mowers, force-pumps and ar- ticles of that character. Its plant is lo- cated on Isabella Street, between Main and Columbia. Richard H. Rodgers is now president, W. H. Rayner, vice-presi- dent, C. A. Harris, treasurer, and F. R. Burton, secretary. It employs from 100 to 200 men.
INDIANAPOLIS SWITCH & FROG COMPANY.
This company was incorporated in 1892 with a capital stock of $300,000. It is en- gaged in the manufacture of railroad sup- plies and also makes piano plates. The firm recently occupied the large malle- able iron foundry erected in connection with the East Street Shops. This was burnt down in the last year and rebuilt. N. H. Fairbanks is president, M. L. Milli-
gan, vice-president and E. C. Price, sec- retary. In the neighborhood of 100 men are employed.
MILLER IMPROVED GAS ENGINE COMPANY.
This company was incorporated in 1898 with a capital stock of $60,000. The com- pany formerly did business in the East Street Shops. When those shops were burned they erected their present plant on the southwest corner of Plum and Fair Streets. They make gas engines. Charles A. Miller is president, C. H. Over, vice- president, and .A. J. Smith, secretary. Fifty men are employed.
PATRIC FURNACE COMPANY.
In 1872 Louis Patric & Company be- gan the manufacture of hot-air furnaces on South Center Street. Afterwards the plant on Washington Street was pur- chased immediately west of the Palace Hotel. There the business was conducted until 1905 or '06, when the firm purchased the plant formerly belonging to the A. C. Evans Company on the corner of Dibert and the Pennsylvania Railway Company's line, which they occupy at this time. The company was incorporated in 1900 with a capital stock of $40,000. Isaac W. Rod- gers is president, Louis Patric, vice- president, and R. R. McGregor, is treas- urer. From fifty to seventy-five men are employed.
TRUMP MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
This firm was incorporated in 1890 for the purpose of manufacturing turbine water-wheels. It is located at the corner
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of Greenmount Avenue and the Big Four Railway. John Hoppes is president, Paul A. Staley, vice-president, and Fuller 'Trump general manager. This firm like- wise employs in the neighborhood of 100 men.
SPRINGFIELD GAS ENGINE COMPANY.
This company was incorporated Feb- ruary, 1890 with a capital stock of $100,- 000. Until some four years ago. they transacted their business on Washington Street at the former plant of the Patric Furnace Company. Afterwards they pur- chased the old tricycle works on Park Street, in the western part of the city. As the name implies, gas engines are the principal products. Richard H. Rodgers is president, Addison S. Rodgers, secre- tary and William B. Rodgers, treasurer. Fifty men are employed.
THE E. W. Ross COMPANY.
This firm moved to Springfield from New York State, E. W. Ross and his father-in-law, Mr. Fitch being the prin- cipal parties interested at that time. It was incorporated in 1890 with a capital stock of $100,000. The firm is engaged largely in the manufacture of ensilage and feed-cutters; it also makes a popular manure spreader.
M. L. Ross is president, John L. Zim- merman, vice-president, J. B. Cartmell, treasurer, and E. W. Ross, secretary. The shops are located at the junction of Warder Street and the Big Four Railway. They employ from 100 to 150 men.
Foos GAS ENGINE COMPANY.
This firm takes its name from John Foos, he having been largely interested
in its original establishment. It was in- corporated in 1897 with a capital stock of $150,000. It is located now in what were formerly the Bar & Knife Shops, used in connection with the Champion Ma- chine Company, on the northeast corner of Linden Avenue and Monroe Street. As the name implies the firm is engaged in the manufacture of gas engines. Scipio Baker is president, C. E. Patric, vice- president, Randolph Coleman, secretary and Harry F. Snyder, treasurer. Em- ployment is given to about 100 men.
LIGHTING & HEATING PLANTS. GAS.
The improved system of lighting the city with gas dates back to 1850. The Springfield Gas, Light and Coal Company was then organized, with Mr. E. C. Gwyn, Sr., as superintendent. The price was $6.00 per thousand. The Springfield Gas and Coke Company was chartered in 1849, with a capital of $5,000, increased now under the name of the Springfield Gas Company to $420,000. The original officers were Charles Anthony, president, and James S. Good, secretary. Afterwards John Kinsman & Co. purchased the business, and later Governor Bushnell became a very large stockholder. Finally the stock was pur- chased by eastern parties, who were like- wise the owners of the natural gas fran- chise. The plant for the manufacture of artificial gas was formerly on North Fountain Avenue, near the creek.
In 1903-4 the new plant was erected in the western part of the city near the junc- tion of the Indianapolis and Cincinnati branches of the Big Four Railway Com- .pany.
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Natural gas was introduced into Springfield about 1888, the original source of supply being in the gas fields of Mercer County. This supply became insufficient, and a line was extended to the Fairfield County fields. The price to private con- sumers is twenty-five cents a thousand, with a meter rent of $3.00 per year. Artificial gas is $1.00 per 1,000. The sup- ply has remained reasonably satisfactory.
ELECTRIC LIGHT.
. William A. Scott, Theodore Troupe, Charles Pierce and others established an electric light plant in 1882 in the old Driscoll Carriage Factory. The original price was $150 per year for street arc lights. This has been very substantially reduced. An old church was purchased on the south side of Washington Street, east of Center, and a plant installed there. This plant was afterwards sold to the Peoples' Light, Heat & Power Company, . and by them dismanteled. The franchise was first sold to the same parties that own and control the street railways, and then to the Peoples' Light, Heat & Power Company.
HOME LIGHTING, POWER AND HEATING COMPANY.
This corporation was established in 1901, with a capital of $175,000. It has for its purpose the furnishing of heat, power and light to private individuals, as well as to the city. E. S. Kelly is presi- dent and general manager. Alfred Cava- lier, recently deceased, was secretary and treasurer. This plant is located imme- diately north of the passenger depot of the Big Four Railway.
THE PEOPLES' LIGHT, HEAT & POWER COMPANY.
This body was incorporated in 1905, with a capital of $2,000,000. Its object is the same as that of the Home Lighting, Power & Heating Company. John L. Zimmerman is president, L. M. Ferguson is vice president, W. W. Keifer secretary and Charles S. Kay general manager. At present there is considerable rivalry be- tween these two heat and power com- panies. This firm purchased the plant and franchise of the Springfield Electric Light Company.
ANSTED & BURK-BARNETT FLOURING MILLS.
The Barnett flouring mills constitutes one of the oldest of the present industries of this city. At one time it might have been justly termed the leading and biggest of the establishments of our growing town. In 1841 Samuel and James Bar- nett, brothers, bought from Joseph Per- rin, Richard Rodgers and Jeremiah Warder the land and water power for the mill they immediately thereafter erected. In 1847 Samuel bought out his brother James and conducted the business himself until 1859, when he was succeeded by his son W. A. Barnett and William Warder. The firm of Warder & Barnett ran the flouring business until it was sold in Ansted & Burk in 1897. Mr. Willianı Warder died some ten years previous to this date, and Mr. Barnett having passed the allotted three score and ten years, the business has been allowed to decline; probably the general depression in busi- ness from 1892 to 1897-8 had something to do with the matter. Colonel J. W.
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Burk, the junior member of the new firm, good building material could be secured is a hustling, stirring business man, and today this is one of the leading flouring mills of the state. Mr. Burk is now serving his second year as president of the United States Millers' Association. When the present firm purchased the plant it had a capacity of 150 to 200 bar- rels of flour per day. Now it has a daily capacity of from 800 to 900 barrels and. gives employment to fifty men.
Three steel tanks were erected in 1903, each having a capacity of 25,000 bushels. In this latter year a new warehouse and an office building was added to the old mill, and all together constitute a very fine plant. The water power is one of the best in this part of the country.
STONE AND LIME INDUSTRIES.
The splendid ledge of rocks of a lime- stone formation along the banks of Buck Creek and Mad River has made the stone and lime industry one of importance to the city of Springfield. The stone quar- ried is of excellent quality and is ex- tensively used for building purposes, mostly for the laying of foundations. However, when dressed, very handsome structures are made of this stone. The lime that is made from this rock forma- tion is not only of good texture, but pos- sesses a whiteness that is surpassed by none. Springfield lime is universally rec- ognized as being made from the best pos- sible formation of limestone rock to be found anywhere. This industry may have had more to with the early progress of the city of Springfield than we are now aware of. In the days before the advent of the steam railway the ease with which
would naturally be an influential factor in the growth of a new community. While the quarries now located within the cor- porate limits of Springfield are worked, if at all, to but a limited extent, they earlier formed quite an industry of our growing village. It is not possible now to name many of the persons who were engaged in this industry, but in the '50s and early '60s we know that David Shaffer, who was then one of the enter- prising and thriving citizens of our town, ran the quarries on North Limestone Street, and possibly some on the west side of Fountain Avenue. After him came Christopher Thompson, another prominent citizen, who was for a time president of the Lagonda National Bank. He was succeeded by his son, William S. Thompson, who afterwards retired to a farm now owned by the Country Club and who, for many years, was a director in the Lagonda Bank.
Mr. George H. Frey, Sr., who for a long time was active in many of Spring- field's important business enterprises and who is still living, being now past four-score years of age, for a time man- aged these quarries, which are now entire- ly abandoned.
As early as 1850 J. L. and Ambrose Pettigrew, brothers, began the stone busi- ness by opening up a quarry on North Plum Street, which is still slightly used. For many years they were actively en- gaged in the stone and lime business. During the time that these quarries were in operation, four and six-horse wood- wagons could be seen almost daily in various parts of the county, each with a four or five-cord load of wood, pursuing
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their way toward Springfield. This wood was used in the burning of lime and these lime manufacturers became pur- chasers of much of the surplus wood that was cut away in making clearings to ac- commodate the growing community.
The Pettigrew brothers died some ten years ago and very little has been done in this direction since that time. Going west from the city we find an old quarry down the river immediately west of the old Rubsam Mill. This quarry has been worked for a good many years, latterly by J. W. Rubsam, but it is only operated to a limited extent at this time. In the vicinity of Durbin the industry has had a more vigorous growth than in any other part of the county ; in fact, practically all the stone and lime business is conducted now by three firms at this place, to-wit, the Mills Brothers, the H. L. Moores Company and the Moores Lime Company. Formerly a man by the name of Digan conducted quarries in this vicinity, and for a long time A. L. Holcomb was the owner of the quarries now operated by the Moores people. Mr. Holcomb for many years was active in this industry. He has been dead some eighteen years. The Moores Lime Company at present does considerable business, principally making lime and shipping it, employing seventy to eighty men. The Mills Brothers, William, Jr., and R. R., owned a quarry situated where Limestone City is now located. Their business is quite extensive, employing from eighty to ninety men. George Sintz was for a time in the busi- ness here.
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