Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 45

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1086


USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th > Part 45


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J. W. Jenkins is interested in the quarry work near Durbin. Along the Dayton Pike, on this side of the railroad


crossing, is the old Paden Quarry. For a number of years past stone has been taken therefrom by Mr. Samuel Taylor. Not much is being done there at this time. On Mill Creek Valley, not far from what is known as the Rebert Pike, An- drew Rebert for many years was actively engaged in the stone business.


Quite an excavation was made in the stone ledge along the west bank of this creek. Some years ago this old aban- doned quarry was purchased by P. E. Montanus, a prominent manufacturer of our city, and an embankment was thrown up around the lower part of it, and it now furnishes a splendid lake.


In later years the stone quarries that were located along the railroads are most prosperous and no doubt will continue to be operated for years to come.


SPRINGFIELD BREWERIES.


About 1890, or within a few years thereafter, two old breweries went under English control. The Vorce & Blee brew- ery, located on East Columbia Street, near Spring, was established in 1840. The Engert & Dinkel brewery, which is on the corner of Penn and Section Streets, was established in 1849. All of the orig- inal proprietors of these institutions have passed away some years ago and they are now conducted by an English corporation. Lewis Phillips is secretary and treasurer.


The Home City Brewing Company was incorporated in 1905, with a capital of $100,000. The plant is located at the northwest corner of Main and Bell Ave- nue. J. L. Coleman is president and Jacob Solenberger secretary and treas- urer.


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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY


SUMMARY OF INDUSTRIAL MATTERS.


Under the above heading we have par- ticularized a considerable number of our leading manufacturing establishments. No doubt we may have missed some that deserve to be mentioned, but lack of space prevents us from going into further de- tail.


In the November number of the "Ohio Magazine" appears an article by W. S. their annual output is valued at $3,000,- Thomas, in which he has grouped and 000. mentioned the industries of this town. The first division he makes is that of ag- GAS AND STEAM ENGINE GROUP. ricultural implements, eleven in number, namely :


"Buckeye Feed Mill Company, Cham- pion Division of the International Har- vester Company, D. D. Funk, P. P. Mast & Company, O. S. Kelly Company, Foos Manufacturing Company, Superior Divi- sion of the American Seeding Machine Company, Mast, Foos & Company, Thomas Manufacturing Company, White- ley Co-operative Company, E. W. Ross Company.


"The foregoing factories employ 4,200 men and 200 women, using a capital of about $6,000,000, and with an annual product of about $8,000,000.


MACHINERY, MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES.


"The thirteen factories 'in this group produce gray iron, malleable iron and brass castings, machine and shop tools, emery wheels, steel wheels and nails. This group contains thirteen factories as follows :


"Nolte Brass Company, Springfield Brass Company, Corrugated Steel Nail


Company, Fairbanks Company, Owen Ma- chine Tool Company, Springfield Machine Tool Company, Springfield Malleable Iron Company, Safety Emery Wheel Company, Bettendorf Metal Wheel Com- pany, Western Manufacturing Company, Webster & Perks Company, Robbins & Myers Company, Webster Manufacturing Company.


"These factories employ 1,750 men and fifty women, use $2,100,000 capital, and


"Steam engines, portable, threshing and stationary, have been built here for some years, and engines of some kind are now made by seven different factories. This group comprises seven factories as follows :


"Miller Improved Gas Engine Com- pany, James Leffel & Company, Foos Gas Engine Company, Springfield Gas Engine Company, Superior Gas Engine Company, Trump Manufacturing Com- pany, Gearless Gas Engine Company.


"They employ 650 men, using $900,000 capital, with an annual product of $1,300,- 000.


IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTS.


"The twenty-four factories in this group make furnaces, stoves, iron work, bridges, iron fences, fire escapes, boiler cleaners, railroad frogs, switches, etc., clothes wringers, trucks, undertakers' hardware, electrical specialties, sheet metal work, plumbers' supplies, boilers, roller-bearing axles, wire bale ties, sad- dlery, hardware, etc. There are now


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twenty-four factories in this group as fol- lows :


"American Grain Meter Company, Bayonet Trolley Harp Company, D. L. Casey Machine Company, Consolidated Novelty Manufacturing Company, George G. Rogers, Springfield Heating & Ventil- ating Company, F. N. Sterling Novelty Company, Peet & Schuster Company, Electrical Construction Supply Company, R. W. Dixon Company, Progress Furnace & Stove Company, Indianapolis Frog & Switch Company, Lagonda Manufactur- ing Company, William Bayley Company, Hennessy Foundry Company, American Radiator Company, Shawver Company, W. C. Downey Company, L. Patric Fur- nace Company, Wickham & Chapman Company, W. F. Bauroth & Brother, Thomas Roberts, the Gray Iron Casting Company, National Motor Company.


"They employ 900 men, using $800,000 capital, and their annual product is $1,400,000.


MANUFACTURING PUBLISHERS.


"All business being so dependent upon some kind of advertising, it is quite natural to find here a group of enterpris- ing publishers, printers, lithographers, engravers, binders, etc., who are issuing three daily, five weekly, two farm papers, besides printed books and circulars by the million, to be sent all over the world, and every piece of which makes Spring- field known to some one. This group con- tains fifteen houses as follows :


"The Winters Company, Springfield Publishing Company, Transcript Com- pany, Springfield Bindery, E. L. Barrett & Sons, Barrett Brothers, Crowell Com-


pany, Sun Publishing Company, Spring- field Engraving Company, T. E. Harwood & Company, Gazette Company, Poultry Success Company, Simmons Publishing Company, Thomas Stationery Company, the Springfield Daily News.


"These establishments employ 450 men and 350 women, using $650,000 capital, and with $1,000,000 annual product.


MANUFACTURING FLORISTS.


"There are twelve of these houses in Springfield, with a growing trade throughout the country ; one of them alone is selling two and one-half millions of rose plants each year. The twelve firms in this trade are as follows:


"Highland Floral Company, McGregor Brothers Company, George H. Mellen Company, Goode & Reese Company, A. R. Aldrich, C. L. Reese, T. A. McBeth, J. L. Maxwell, John A. Doyle & Company, Schmidt & Botley, Leedle Floral Com- pany, Springfield Floral Company.


"They employ 300 men and seventy-five women, using a capital of $250,000, and their annual sales amount to $500,000.


MEDICINE, CHEMICAL AND COFFIN COMPANIES.


"This group comprises four medicine companies, one embalming fluid company and two coffin factories, making seven industries in all as follows :


"Springfield Metallic Casket Company, Springfield Coffin Casket Company, Cham- pion Chemical Company, Herb Medicine Company, Scientific Remedy Company, Higgins Drug Company, the Myers Com- pany.


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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY


"They employ 400 men and seventy- Houck Brick Company, Mills Brothers, five women, using a capital of $600,000, and their annual product is $1,000,000.


GENERAL FACTORIES.


"Springfield also has nine large fac- tories, each one having a specialty of its own. They consist of one gas plant, two electric light plants, one rubber factory, one rubber tire plant, two breweries, one road roller company and one automobile factory. The product of each is well in- dicated by its name as follows :


"Home Brewing Company, Springfield Breweries Company, Springfield Gas Company, the People's Light, Heat & Power Company, the Victor Rubber Com- pany, Springfield Rubber Tire Company, the Home Light, Heat & Power Company, the Kelly-Springfield Road Roller Com- pany, the Oscar Lear Automobile Com- pany.


"They employ 600 men, use a capital of $1,800,000, and their annual product and receipts are about $1,500,000.


MISCELLANEOUS FACTORIES.


"There are seventy-two of them as fol- lows :


"A Stelzer, Allbright Lamp Company, Beckley & Myers Ice Company, Bryant & Moore Company, Central Brass & Fixture Company, Compton Manufacturing Com- pany, Cottage Bakery, W. D. Follrath & Company, Hendrickson & Pettigrew, the National Biscuit Company, Champion Saratoga Chip Company, J. Redmond & Son, H. M. Balentine, Lagonda Box Com- pany, the Greene Manufacturing Com- pany, Springfield Planing Mill Company,


Springfield Mattress Company, J. W. Parmenter, H. V. Bretney & Company, Finch Shoe Company, H. Fehl, Buckeye Incubator Company, Fay Manufacturing Company, W. T. Parker Manufacturing Company, the Mentels, Springfield Coal & Ice Company, Garnier Brothers, Snyder Brothers, Ansted & Burk Company, Springfield Tent & Awning Company, Mark A. Smith, Moore Lime Company, Clark Paper Box Company, A. Grube & Son, the Reama Silver Plate Company, A. Kahrman & Son, Grube Brothers, Home City Planing Mill Company, John W. Jenkins, Kennard Manufacturing Com- pany, McCulloch Company, E. N. Miller, Standard Trimmer Company, Ohio Gar- ment Company, Reed Manufacturing Company, the Ridgeley Trimmer Com- pany, Select Telephone Manufacturing Company, the Sterling Manufacturing Company, Springfield Baking Company, Springfield Pure Milk Company, W. Z. Long, Kuqua & Sons, M. C. Russell Cement Company, E. Davenport, Wads- worth Engraving Company, Twentieth Century Novelty Company, John W. Col- lins, Henkie Manufacturing Company, C. B. Hutchins, C. F. Hutchins, C. F. Jack- son Stove Company, King Top Manufac- turing Company, C. M. Long Cement Company, H. H. Moores Company, Ed- ward Nelson, Pauly Brothers, Rat Biscuit Company, A. M. Rawlins Lumber Com- pany, R. D. Tittle Pattern Company, Henry Voll, Thomas Wall & Son.


"These factories employ 1,000 men and 300 women, use a capital of $1,400,000, and their present product amounts to $2.100,000, annually growing larger."


This same author sums up as follows:


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"Finally, to drive home the argument in favor of Industrial Springfield, I may cite these potent facts :


"Springfield makes more agricultural implements than any other city in the world, excepting only Chicago.


"Springfield has twenty acres under roof in green-houses and one of these is the largest rose grower in the world.


"Springfield produces more manufac- tured goods in proportion to its popula- tion than any other city in America.


"Springfield manufactures seventy-five per cent. of all the piano plates used in the United States and Canada.


"Springfield mails more second-class matter than any city in Ohio, except only Cincinnati and Cleveland.


"Springfield is one of the largest pro- ducers of gas and gasoline engines."


MERCANTILE AFFAIRS.


Springfield has never taken much of a position as a distributing center for mer- chandise; indeed, the commercial activity of the town is so over-shadowed by the manufacturing industries that all others appear insignificant. At this time, as stated by Mr. Sharpe in an article in the Ohio Magazine, there are sixteen estab- lishments in Springfield that may be classed as of a wholesale character. The principal of these are three wholesale grocery establishments, one notion house, one tobacco and cigar house and some commission houses.


In 1882 James Carson and D. Q. Fox came to Springfield from Xenia, and un- der the name of Carson & Fox purchased the wholesale grocery business that had been conducted for some years previous


to this time by Charles H. Bacon, and be- fore his time by Horr and Bacon. Their place of business was on the northeast corner of Washington and Limestone Streets. Carson & Fox continued busi- ness for fourteen years, having dissolved in 1896. Each partner established a new house of his own; one, known as James Carson & Company, is located in a build- ing which the firm owns immediately north of the Kelly Building, occupied by the "News."


D. Q. Fox formed a company, and this company now conducts its business in the Kelly Building before referred to.


In 1895 Steele, Hopkins & Meredith came to Springfield and purchased the establishment that had been run for a few years, owned by B. F. Funk & Company.


In 1901 and 1902 this firm purchased ground on West High Street, between Fountain Avenue and Center, and erected thereon their present commodious build- ing.


L. W. Bosart & Company have a whole- sale tobacco house located on East Main Street, near the first alley east of Lime- stone.


The Springfield Paper & Merchandise Company was organized about 1895 by David King. Its place of business is on North Limestone Street, in the Winger Building. Other wholesale houses in the tobacco field might be mentioned: Leo Bretzenfelder, Garnier Brothers, August Stelzer and others in that line.


The Springfield Confectionery Com- pany wholesales in its line. C. T. Crum is the moving spirit in this business. It is located on South Limestone Street, not far from High. A number of other firms may wholesale in a small way, but the


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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY


wholesale business is all of comparatively recent date.


RETAILERS.


It being impossible in a work of this kind to give all the present retailers, we will mention some few in the past who have transacted business in the city.


GROCERY.


Among the old established groceries was that of the J. D. Stewart Company. This grocery establishment existed in the city of Springfield from 1860 until the present year. The owner was quite a character in his time. He had an unfor- tunate habit of becoming intoxicated, but he was a shrewd business man, and it was a common saying that "Jim Stewart knew more drunk than a great many people did sober." The grocery was on the west side of South Limestone Street, where the Zimmerman Building is now located. After Mr. Stewart's death it was run by R. N. Stewart until this year, when he made an assignment and was wound up. Another old time grocery was that kept by Mr. Charles H. Shaffer at No. 51 East Main Street, and afterwards on South Limestone Street. Mr. Shaffer some years ago sold out his business and recently died (1907). Along in 1865 and '70 Frederick Zischler kept a grocery store about midway between High and Main on the east side of Fountain Avenue, and was very largely patronized. Other establishments have come and gone. To- day the town has what might be expected of it in this line for a city of its size. John . Funk, Sr., an active business man of this


city from 1850-1880, built the building on the southwest corner of Main and Center Streets, and with his sons, Henry, C. C. and John, carried on a grocery there.


DRY GOODS.


Twenty-five or thirty years ago three stores had the principal dry goods busi- ness of the city. Baldwin's was located on the northwest corner of Limestone and Main Streets. The principal proprietors were John H. Baldwin, who died in 1881, and Henry Baldwin, recently deceased, who was a son of Jonah Baldwin, a pioneer resident of this town. This house went out of existence shortly after the death of the senior Baldwin.


The Murphys had a store in Spring- field for a good many years. The senior, James Murphy, came here in 1844 and established the business, and upon his death it was taken up by his sons, Wil- liam R. and James W., and continued un- til 1895. It was a popular establishment and well patronized.


No house in the dry goods line is better remembered than that of the Blacks, Robert T. Black conducting a dry goods establishment in this city as early as 1847. At this date Andrew C. Black, who after- wards ran the store, came to Springfield and became a partner of Robert T., who was a brother. William M., another brother, afterwards became a member of. the firm. For some time the Blacks con- ducted a dry goods establishment in the old Trappers Corner, where Levy's Clothing House is now located. The busi- ness was continued as Blacks' Store for a number of years after William Black


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died, but the establishment has now gone out of existence.


At present the dry goods trade is large- ly controlled by two establishments. In 1873 the Kinnanes, father and sons, Ed- ward, John and James, and Edward Wren, a son-in-law, established a store in the Commercial Building. This was con- ducted for some years as Kinnane & Wren ; afterwards the partnership dissolved and Mr. Wren conducted the business alone at the old stand until the department house was erected on East High Street, now oc- cupied by the Edward Wren Company. After the dissolution of Kinnane & Wren the Kinnane brothers, John, Edward and James, moved into the new Bushnell Building, and although the two senior members of the firm have since died, the business still continues in charge of James, a brother, and John, Jr., a son of John, Sr., deceased. Both of these stores have a very large assortment of articles in the dry goods line.


In a smaller way Mr. Sullivan deals in dry goods on the northwest corner of Limestone and High, the location of the old Baldwin Store.


CLOTHING.


From the sixties to the nineties Abra- ham Lessner kept a clothing store located where the Springfield Hardware Store is now located, opposite where Jason Phil- lips, Sr., had a tailor store on East Main Street. About the same time a Jew by the name of Kauffman, designated as "Pop Eye," kept a clothing store on Main Street. Others of that period have passed away.


M. M. Kauffman, who recently died


(1907), had a large store in the Commer -; cial Building on South Limestone Street and was in the clothing business in this town for a number of years.


Another old establishment in the same line is that of M. D. Levy & Sons, located on the southwest corner of Fountain Ave- nue and Main Street. This firm has like- wise been in the town for many years. During the '80s and '90s the Remsberg Brothers conducted a clothing store on E. Main Street, two doors west of Limestone.


J. M. Knote has been in the business for a good many years. A present large establishment in that line, in addition to the Kauffmans and Levys, is the "When," which came here some twelve or fifteen years ago and located on the southeast corner of High and Fountain.


Kredel & Alexander conduct a very creditable establishment on East Main Street, near the Springfield Hardware Store.


DRUGGISTS.


Ludlow's Drug Store was one of the leading stores in that line for a half-cen- tury or more. The original founder, Dr. John Ludlow, was born in Springfield in 1810, and a long and active life identified him with many of the prominent interests of the town. In later years he was suc- ceeded in the drug business by his son Charles, and the store was located on East Main Street, not far from Limestone. It has gone out of existence some ten years.


For a long time William T. Smith car- ried on the drug business on Fountain Avenue opposite the Odd Fellows Build- ing. He recently (1907) died.


In 1868 Dr. T. J. Casper established his


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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY


pharmacy at No. 41 East Main Street and for a long time were engaged in this busi- for forty years has continued in business ness. John P. is still living. at that location. In 1869 the old building on the southeast corner of Fountain Ave- SHOES. nue and Main Street was torn down and subsequently a drug store was established by Ridenour & Cobelantz. Within a few years thereafter Mr. Theodore Troupe be- came the proprietor, and still continues to transact business there.


JEWELERS.


Forty or forty-five years ago A. Aron established on the north side of Main Street, not far from Fountain Avenue, a jewelry store. He continued in business there for some years and afterwards re- moved on the south side of Main Street, opposite the Bushnell Building, and con- tinued there until his death. The business is now run by his son. John H. Mulhol- land commenced the jewelry business in the city of Springfield in 1856 and con- tinued in that line until he lost his life by the burning of Black's Opera House in 1903. He had his store in several parts of the city and was a leader in his line.


Mr. C. C. Fried practically commenced the jewelry business in Springfield , in 1858, when he served an apprentice under a Mr. Grossman. Afterwards he worked for B. Allen and for John P. Allen. In 1872 he opened his own store and conduct- ed that until his death in 1907. The busi- ness is now conducted by his son and is located on East Main Street, a few doors east of Fountain Avenue. Other leading establishments in that line at the present day in Springfield might be mentioned as Hofman & Company and Margileth & Mc- Farland. Ben Allen and John P. Allen


Among the prominent dealers in shoes might be mentioned John A. Reifsnider, who came to Springfield in 1854, and about the time the Civil War broke out he established the business. In 1863 he was joined by his brother, and Reif- snider's Shoe Store was one of the best known in Springfield.


In 1868 Mr. E. S. S. Rouse established a shoe store on Fountain Avenue and con- tinued in that business until along in the '90s, when he was succeeded by O. O. Rouse and J. W. Parsons, and a few years thereafter this firm ceased to do business.


Herbert S. Huffman conducted a shoe store for a while on East Main Street, not far from the Kiser Building. After- wards Starkey & Scowden established a large shoe store in the Arcade. Mr. Scowden having embarked in other busi- ness, Starkey became the sole proprietor until his death (1905), when it was dis- posed of and is now owned by Mr. Nisley.


Among the old established and well known dealers in shoes the name of George Horner, father of Judge William R. Horner, should not be omitted, as he was in business for a long time in this city, latterly having a store on West Main Street, not far from Center. Among the present shoe stores are Oscar Young on East Main Street, Routzahn & Wright on Fountain Avenue and Horner Brothers, grandsons of George, conduct a store in the Bookwalter Building on Limestone Street. Stimmel & Powers conduct a


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store on West High Street, not far from Fountain Avenue. Ben Best for a time "cobbled" while not performing the onerous duties of city marshal.


MEATS, ETC.


The pioneers in this line were William Grant and John Leuty. William Grant was an Englishman and came to Spring- field in 1836 and established himself in the meat business. He continued here his en- tire lifetime. His sons, William and Martin, now continue the business in a store on West High Street, opposite the Arcade.


John Leuty was likewise an English- man and came to this city in 1833 and afterwards became a partner of William Grant, whose sister became his wife. They were partners for twenty-five or more years. The store is still continued by his son, James L., on Fountain Avenue, not far from High Street. Other persons in former times who engaged in this busi- ness, it being continued in some cases by their sons, were the Weigels, on East Main Street, and the Krausses on South Taylor Street, and John Swonger was in this business for a number of years and is still living, aged ninety-two years. Wil- liam Detrick was likewise for a long time engaged in the same business. Aaron Reeder was also in the meat business. Al- most all the large packing houses now have branches in this city.


The Leutys conduct an abattoir on North Plum Street; the Grants have one on North Bechtle Avenue, and Mr. Steve Huffman has one not far from the loca- tion of the Grants. No general packing business is done in this city.


LIVERY MEN. -


Among the livery men that may be mentioned who were prominent in this city twenty-five years ago was Benjamin Holloway. He commenced the business in this town in 1845 and continued until his death. He had a stable in various parts of the city; latterly it was located where Wren's Department House is now. He was succeeded by his son Christy, and after his death, which occurred about 1892, the business passed into other hands. Along in the '60s and continuing until the building of the Soldiers' Monument, Mr. Charles Cathcart conducted a livery stable east from the Court House. For a long time Nimrod and Edward Myers con- ducted a livery stable on North Lime- stone Street, immediately north of the St. James Building, which is still occupied for that purpose.


In 1865 S. and A. Deffenbaugh opened a livery stable on North Limestone Street, immediately opposite the Myers stable, and continued in that business until they sold out to Henry Erter some ten or fif- teen years ago. The building was sold to Captain Amaziah Winger, who tore it down. Mr. Erter continued in business in the new building, where the "Sun" of- fice is now located, until 1906, when this old livery site passed out of existence. Some ten years ago Isaac Johnson erected a livery barn on South Spring Street, where John O. Swords now conducts a livery barn. On the same street, a few doors north, Joe O'Brien has a livery barn. In 1898 the late John S. Foster built a livery stable immediately south of the Court House. This property after- wards was purchased by David Carter &




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