History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 70

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1302

USA > Ohio > Crawford County > History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 70

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the most modern office appliances and is di- vided into several departments, conducted under a well organized system. From this of- fice a large amount of correspondence and ad- vertising is sent out to all parts of the world. The manager and sole owner of the business is Mr. E. M. Freese, who has been intimately connected with it from the beginning. He is a practical mechanic of many years' expe- rience and has invented and designed all of the variety of improved and patented machinery that the works manufacture, and also made the plans from which the present works were erected. Beginning this business on a very small scale, his struggle for success was long and severe, but persistent effort and careful at- tention to the wants of the trade, have estab- lished it on a permanent foundation.

The Galion Brewing Company represents the development of a business that was estab- lished just west of the city as far back as 1854 by John Kraft, a German, who conducted the business for some time with fair success. He was succeeded in 1866 by his son, John Kraft, Jr., who enlarged and improved the plant, but was unsuccessful in making the business pay. It subsequently passed through other hands, for a time-about 1880-being conducted by Daniel Roth. It was purchased in 1896 by Henry Alstaetter, who operated the brewery until his death in May, 1900. He made many improvements and under his management the enterprise proved a lucrative business concern. In 1901 the plant was purchased by the Galion Brewing Company and is now owned by Mr. Frederick K. Berry, his wife, and a sister of the latter, Miss Emma Altstaetter, of Waynes- ville, N. C. A large force of men are employed and the output amounts to about 15,000 bar- rels a year.

One of the best known among the smaller manufacturing industries of Galion are the monument works of Thomas W. Longstreth, who has carried on the business at his present quarters, No. 134 West Main street, for the last 43 years, commencing in 1869. In 1880 Mr. Longstreth introduced the first granite monuments into Galion and he is a man who has always kept up with the demands of his trade. His stand is one of the landmarks of the city.

The Henry C. Sponhauer Boiler and Ma- 26

chine Works, located at No. 316 E. Main street, were established in 1882 by Henry C. Sponhauer, who carried on the business suc- cessfully for almost thirty years, during this period frequently expanding and improving the works. In 1911 he retired in favor of his son William, who is the present manager of the business. In addition to boiler and machine manufacturing, a general tinning business is carried on, and about a dozen skilled workmen are employed.

The Perfection Road Machinery Company, one of the successful industries of Galion, was organized in January, 1898, being incorpo- rated with a capitalization of $200,000. The officers were Ernest Klopp, president; J. A. Petrie, vice president; W. T. Resch, treasurer, and E. G. Hartle, general manager and secre- tary, all Galion business men. The concern is engaged in the manufacture of road-working machinery including three styles of road scrap- ers, seven styles of roof drags and several styles of road dump boxes and land pulver- isers. Mr. Hartle is the draughtsman and chief engineer of all the machines of this company. Employment is given to about 30 people, and the business is in a prosperous and flourishing condition.

The Cleveland-Galion Motor Truck Com- pany, recently established in Galion, controls an important industry in the manufacture of the Dynamic Motor Truck, the invention of John McGeorge, chief engineer of Cleveland. This truck is a powerful warehouse truck, in- tended for general use in railway freight houses, express depots, warehouses, terminals, factories, foundries, mines, stores, mail ser- vice, etc., and is manufactured only by this company. The company is a merger of the Howard Motor Company, of Galion and the Cleveland Motor Truck Manufacturing Com- pany, of Cleveland, Ohio, the present company buying the business of the other two. It was incorporated under the laws of Ohio in the present year, 1912, with a capitalization of $100,000, and took up its present quarters on Primrose street, Galion in May, 1912. The company owns fourteen acres in the southwest part of Galion, near the Big Four and Erie tracks and will soon begin the erection of a modern plant there. Their factory on Prim- rose street, near the Big Four tracks has been

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY

put in good condition for present use, several improvements having been made. The pros- pects of this company are exceedingly bright and they expect to build 1000 warehouse trucks by July, 1913. The company has offices at Cleveland, Ohio. The following are its offi- cers: H. W. Woodward, president; A. W. Johnston, vice president; H. Gottdiener, vice president; W. H. Hager, secretary and treas- urer, and F. W. Biehl, assistant secretary. J. W. Wilson is production manager and H. B. Greig, superintendent, in Galion.

This truck is built in general, after the style of the present hand-power express truck, with

State of New York and capitalized at $3,000,- 000, the stock being divided as follows: First preferred, $500,000; second preferred, $550,- 000; common, $1,950,000. The president is F. C. Stevens, of Washington, D. C .; vice presi- dent, Merton E. Lewis; secretary, V. B. Dey- ber, of Washington, D. C. This company, the establishment of which in Galion is one of the best advertisements the city could receive, is organized for the purpose of absorbing, tak- ing over and developing various companies engaged in the manufacture of telephones, call-meters, switchboards, automatic and semi- automatic equipment and all other appliances

THE

OME

A.E. 1192

HOME OF THE AUTOMANUAL, MANUFACTURED BY THE NORTH ELECTRIC COMPANY FOR THE TELEPHONE IMPROVEMENT COMPANY

a low loading platform, for heavy or light loads, and is power-driven. It may be run in either direction, and the mechanism permits of steering either front or rear wheels-or both- at the will of the operator, enabling him to control the truck absolutely in any position, no matter how closely confined the space, since either pair of wheels may be set at a sixty- degree angle. The truck may be driven, fully loaded, up a steep platform grade right into a car and to any point in that car. The com- pany appears to have in their hands an enter- prise bound to achieve success.

The Telephone-Improvement Company, soon to be established in Galion, Ohio, is a corpora- tion organized in 1910 under the laws of the

incident to the telephone business. The com- pany has up to the present time taken over and absorbed the following companies: The North Electric Company, of Cleveland, Ohio, capitalized at $2,250,000; The Telechrono- meter Company, of Rochester, N. Y., capital- ized at $600,000, and The National Engineer- ing Company, of Baltimore, Md., previously taken over by the North Electric Company. This merger is effected for the purpose of economy by centralizing the output in the es- tablishment of one large manufacturing plant. The Telephone-Improvement Company owns the patents covering the Automanual System, which system is a wide departure from its predecessors and possesses advantages in

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economical operation and service quality that have been heretofore unattainable in telephone operation. This system received the official stamp of approval of The Bell Telephone Company, which stamp was placed only after a most exhaustive examination upon the part of their most competent engineers, and nego- tiations between the two companies resulted in the Bell Company paying the Telephone- Improvement Company a consideration of many hundreds of thousands of dollars for a non-exclusive license to use the Automanual System, the possibility of any future patent- interference war being thus obviated before- hand. The Telephone-Improvement Com- pany has a license to use all patents and pat- ent applications owned by The Western Elec- tric Company, which is the manufacturing plant of the Bell Telephone Company.

The Telephone-Improvement Company con- templates the immediate erection of a most modern manufacturing building, having 30,000 square feet of floor space, and when running at its full capacity. will employ from 300.to 500 hands. It will also give employment to young men desirous of fitting themselves for a mechanical or technical career and also to stud- ents from the commercial department of the public schools. It is estimated from past busi- ness and prospects in view that the company will do not less than one and one-half million dollars gross business per annum and that within from six months to one year it will be found necessary to build additions to and en- large the capacity of the plant. The location of this plant in Galion will stimulate industry in various directions and will bring visitors to the city from all parts of the world represent- ing telephone interests, to investigate and in- spect the Automanual system, thus advertising the city in a manner that cannot but redound to its future benefit.

The Market Street Mills, Galion, were es- tablished about sixteen years ago, and are do- ing a general milling business in the manu- facture of flour and feed, etc. For the last six or seven years they have been conducted by C. H. Evans, a practical miller, who keeps his plant up-to-date and turns out a first-class product, with the result that he is doing a pros- perous business. This is a modern steam mill

and turns out about 65 barrels of flour per day.

In addition to the industries already men- tioned as existing in Galion, and aside from stores and the ordinary commercial houses, of which there are a large number, there are some others doing a prosperous business, among which we may mention the following :

The Galion Monument Company, conducted by Gwinner & Sons, with location at 203 So. Columbus street, are manufacturers of and dealers in artistic monumental work. The Galion Cement Block Company, Henry Monat, proprietor, is located on the Hosford road, southwest of the city. The Galion Creamery Company, makers of creamery butter, is con- ducted by Hugh Lisse, with location on W. Church street. The Peoples' Pure Ice Com- pany, ice manufacturers; W. H. Bessinger, 125 So. Market and F. Kuhn, 217 So. Market, harness manufacturing ; J. W. Dukeman, bug- gies and carriages; The Weavers Bros. Com- pany, drain tile; the H. F. Kile Mills, on So. Market street; and the Unckrich Knife Com- pany, makers of knives to order and also en- gaged in general repairing business.

An important industry of Galion for many years were the Galion Machine Works, which were established in 1854, on a small scale, the original factory consisting of one frame build- ing, which was devoted to the casting of small articles used by the Baltimore & Ohio Rail- road. The building was destroyed by fire in 1856, but the proprietors, Messrs. Squier & Homer, soon rebuilt. In 1858 another ma- chine shop was erected continuous to the works, of which William Holmes was proprietor for eight years, being succeeded by J. B. McClin- ton, and later, on the latter's brother becom- ing a partner in the concern, the style was changed to McClinton & Co. Afterwards this shop, with the original plant, was conducted as one institution by Squier & Homer. Henry Lanius was connected with the plant for a time, running the machine shop established by Mr. Holmes, but he later removed his plant to South Market street. Squier & Homer con- tinued the original business for many years, until Mr. Squier's death, which took place about seven years ago. The factory was then continued by Mr. Homer until two or three

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years ago, when it was taken over by the E. M. Freese & Co., as an adjunct to their Clay Working Machinery plant. Mr. Homer died in May of the present year ( 1912).

The Farmers Manufacturing and Milling Company, of Crestline, is the outcome of a milling industry which was established in 1856-57 by Matthew Reed, and which was originally known as the Continental Mills. After a number of improvements they finally came to be regarded as one of the best in the state. In June, 1880 they were burned to the ground, the proprietors, L. G. Russell & Co. losing heavily. They were rebuilt by Sam Robinson and subsequently passed through several other hands, for about ten years being conducted as an incorporated concern, among the officials at that time being J. W. Pond and son and F. D. Lewis. In 1903 Messrs. Musselman, Brandt, C. R. Coon and R. M. Taylor organized the present company, which is a co-partnership concern, the business being owned by farmers in Crestline and vicinity, among whom are some Richland county resid- ents. Carl L. Otto, a practical miller, for- merly of Michigan, has general charge of the plant, which gives employment to about six men. A general milling business is carried on, the special products "Sweet Home" flour, which has attained a wide reputation for quality. Under its present management the concern has been very successful.

The large and flourishing Crestline industry known as the Burch Plow Works is the out- come of a business established many years ago by Nicholas Burch, who sold to the Burch Plow Company in December, 1897. The concern was then incorporated with a capital- ization of $50,000, the original officers being Jacob Babst, president; C. P. Frank, vice president; J. M. Carlisle, secretary, and Charles E. Stine, treasurer. Since that time but one change has been made in the official board, J. L. Morrow being now secretary. In 1907 the capitalization of the company was increased to $75,000 and in 1910 to $100,000. Since the original invention by Nicholas Burch, the Burch plows have been improved from time to time and today rank among the best in the market, and to this cause may be ascribed their wide popularity. As shown by the company's catalogue. they are made in

various styles, including the New Burch Sulky and wood and steel beam walking plows. They also manufacture several styles of har- rows, pulverizers and crushers, and the New Burch Steel Roller, the New Burch All Steel Cultivator, in several styles ; single and double shovel plows, etc. Another important branch of the business is the manufacture of sewer inlets, of which they make a large variety, together with manhole covers, and the Burch Expansion Cast Iron Culvert Pipe. About 40 men are employed in this industry and the plant is large and thoroughly up-to-date.

The Phoenix Milling Company, of Crest- line, was established about a year ago, by W. H. Heath, of Shelby. The mill is located at the corner of Bucyrus and Pierce streets. A general milling business is done in flour, feed and grain.

The Gledhill and Kime Lumber Company of Crestline, is engaged in the production of lumber and building material. The present company purchased the business three or four years ago from John W. Ross, its founder. The office and yards are located at 215 Pierce street.

The Weaver Bros. Company, dealers in hay, grain and stock, was incorporated in 1900 with a capitalization of $100,000, and with officers as follows: Charles Kindinger, president; William H. Weaver, secretary, treasurer and manager ; and Peter Hutt, vice president. The main plant of the company is located at Crest- line, and they have also two others-one of good size at Galion, with J. J. Patterson as manager, and one -the original plant-at Vernon, which is managed by John B. Weaver. The company does a large business, their buying extending over both Crawford and Richland counties.

The Crestline Manufacturing Company now known as the Crestline Pump Works, was incorporated about seven or eight years ago by George A. Musselman, Jacob Flowers, R. M. Taylor, C. E. Stetter, and Jacob Babst, with a capital stock of $62,000. It is engaged chiefly in the manufacture of pumps, making as many as 250 different kinds for all sorts of purposes. Judge Daniel Babst is president of the company, the other officials being James Sowash, mgr., John Warden, secy. ; and Jacob Babst, treasurer and managing director. The

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company is in a very prosperous condition and the concern is one of the important business enterprises of Crestline.

A few years ago H. E. Bormuth estab- lished himself in business in Crestline as a manufacturer of cement blocks and as general cement contractor, and dealer in building ma- terial. His business has gradually increased and is now in a prosperous condition, with good prospects for the future. His location is on So. Pierce street, near the Pennsylvania tracks.

The Holcker Bros. Buggy Company, of Crestline, one of that city's most important and prosperous business enterprises, had its origin many years ago, when Lewis Holcker established a factory at New Washington, this county. He was later joined by his two brothers, Charles and Jacob, who came here from Germany, and the three brothers became associated together in the enterprise. In 1873 the concern removed to Crestline, starting here in a small way. The business gradually in- creased and it was soon found necessary to en- large and improve the plant, the original frame building being replaced by a substantial one of brick. In September, 1902, they incorpo- rated as The Holcker Buggy Company, with a capital stock of $50,000, and since that time the capacity of their plant has been doubled, their present plant on Seltzer street comprising half a block of brick buildings, thoroughly equipped with all modern appliances. They turn out about 1200 jobs a year in buggies and carriages, and give employment to about 65 people. Their product, the quality of which has always been kept up to the highest degree of perfection, is sold all over the country, their largest trade being in the states of Ohio, In- diana and Pennsylvania, with large sales throughout the South and West. The present officers are: Charles Holcker, president and treasurer; Jacob Holcker, vice president ; William Monteith, secretary, and B. C. Vog- ler, superintendent.

The Schill Bros. Company, of Crestline, manufacturers of ranges, stoves, heaters and laundry stoves, was established in 1892, as a partnership concern, the partners being John, Joseph and Peter Schill. In 1900 they incor- porated with a capital stock of $250,000. The business has grown to large proportions, the

plant now covering five and a quarter acres, and about 150 men are employed on an aver- age. The business done per year amounts to $200,000. Starting with the "New Idea," they have advanced until they now make six different styles of furnace, besides quite a large variety of ranges, heaters and laundry stoves. The officers of the company are as follows : William H. Weaver, president; Frank Miller, vice-pres. and treasurer; W. D. Cover, secretary and manager ; E. E. Meister, assistant secretary, and C. A. Simonton, super- intendent. The directors are C. F. Frank, John Schill, W. H. Weaver, C. A. Simonton, J. M. Martin, J. A. McCallum and Frank Miller.

The New Washington Flouring Mill, at New Washington, now owned and operated by George Siefert, is the outcome of an old established industry. The mill was erected in 1859 by Johnston & Crouder, who subse- quently sold it to Joseph Galancie. The latter, after running it awhile, sold to Robert Hill- borne and J. H. Miller. Later Mr. Hillborne sold his interest to A. W. Dennis, the firm taking the style of Miller & Dennis. In the fall of 1873 new machinery was installed, and in the following year Mr. Dennis sold to T. B. Endslow, the firm becoming Miller & End- slow. Two years later Mr. Miller retired and Mr. Endslow managed the business alone until 1879, then taking as partner C. K. Heb- ler. Subsequently Endslow & Hebler sold to John Scott of Cleveland, and the latter rented the property to Rhinehart & Meyers for two years, after which the mill stood idle for a year. Mr. Endslow then returned to the busi- ness and purchasing the mill of Mr. Scott, remodeled it in 1890, and conducted it till March II, 19II, at which time it was pur- chased by Mr. Siefert. This mill turns out a high grade of flour and has a capacity of 60 barrels a day.

The New Washington Lumber & Manufac- turing Company, manufacturers of and deal- ers in lumber and mill work, was organized in 1905, the original founder having been A. G. Eckstein. The officers of the company are : S. J. Kibler, president; J. W. Derr, vice presi- dent; J. H. Sheetz, treasurer; J. H. Donald- son, secretary and general manager. The board of directors, in addition to the above

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officials, include J. W. Kibler, Jefferson Mar- quart and Frank Derr. Twelve people are employed, all the men being residents of New Washington.

The firm of Seitter & Brown of New Wash- ington, manufacturers of brick and tile, build- ing blocks, etc., was established in March, 1907, by C. T. Seitter and H. L. Brown. A two- story building, 40x130 feet, was erected, and in 1909 an additional two-story building, 30x 50 feet was built. The entire plant covers about eight acres of ground. The value of the yearly output amounts to about $10,000, and employment is given to from four to six men. A specialty is made of drain tile, which is made in various sizes.

The Kibler Tannery, New Washington- This concern was originally about 1834, when Robert Robinson, a shoemaker and tanner, be- gan the manufacture of shoes here. He pre- pared his own leather, and for this purpose sunk five or six vats, making more leather than he required for his own use, sold the surplus in Bucyrus. His tannery was purchased about 1845 by Matthias Kibler, who had started in the same business about ten years before in a small log building a mile or two south of New Washington, where he had sunk four vats. Mr. Kibler was a first class tanner and gradually enlarged his business into an im- portant enterprise. His leather was of the best quality and commanded a ready market in Bucyrus and other places. The old tannery was subsequently torn down and removed to its present site in the southeast part of the town corporation, between the Northern Ohio and Pennsylvania Railroad tracks. S. J. Kib- ler, who succeeded Matthias later took in J. W. Kibler as partner, the firm then becoming S. J. Kibler & Brother, and it was thus con- ducted until May 2, 1902, when the style was changed to S. J. Kibler, Bro. & Co. It was

then incorporated with a capitalization of $5,000, all paid in, the officers being: S. J. Kibler, president; A. G. Kibler, secretary; L. M. Kibler, treasurer. The tannery consists of four buildings, 160x100 feet, 60x45 feet, 80x 50 and 45x30 feet. Twelve men are employed in the tannery, and seven traveling salesmen, with a bookkeeper and stenographer in the office. In 1902 Mr. J. W. Kibler retired from active service with the company.

The concern now deals also in hides, tal- low and sheep, skins, wool and furs, wholesale. The company owns 90 per cent of the Lake Erie Hide and Leather Co., of Sandusky, O. Their annual sales ending in May, 1912, amounted to $2,000,000.

The Crawford County Nursery, at New Washington, is an infant industry which gives promise to develop into one of the county's most important commercial enterprises. The prime mover in its establishment is Mr. W. H. McCormick, who has devoted the greater part of his life to the study of horticulture. This nursery, although covering only 5 3-4 acres of ground contains no less than 32,000 young apple trees, 16,500 plum trees, 4,000 cherry, 1,000 pear, 15,000 strawberry plants, 1,000,- 000 catalpa. 4.000 peach, 4,000 currant, and 4,000 gooseberry plants, besides 1260 ever- greens. The soil of this nursery is ideal and the greatest care is exercised in planting and caring for the young trees, shrubs and plants. No person is allowed to buy more than $25 worth of stock in the company, the directors wishing to distribute the stock widely among fruit growers. The official board and direc- torate are as follows: E. F. Ulmer, presi- ident; John Donnersbach, vice president; H. L. Hammer, secretary; W. H. McCormick, man- ager. Directors-A. P. Miller, secretary, G. H. Kichline, secretary, John Willacker, W. J. Harris, J. E. Wells and I. P. Spillette.

CHAPTER XXVII

THE PRESS.

The Modern Newspaper-Scarcity of Newspapers in Early Part of 19th Century-The News- papers of Today the Reflection of Contemporary Life and History-The Rural Press- Character of Crawford County's Newspapers-Early Specimens-Lack of Local News in Early Papers-The Scissors Succeeded by Stereotype Plate-A Case of Mixed Fiction- The First Printing Press in Crawford County-The County's First Newspaper-The Western Journal and Bucyrus Advertiser-Specimen Advertisements-The People's Press -The Ohio Intelligencer-The Crawford Republican-The Bucyrus Democrat-Dem- ocratic-Republican and Its Regular Publication-The People's Forum-Journalistic Success in Crawford County in Early Days Dependent on Politics-The DemocraticPioneer and Its Peculiar Origin-Editorial Amenities-Career of Tom Orr-First Steam Newspaper Plant in Bucyrus-The Crawford County News-The News Forum-The Daily Critic- The Daily Forum-Establishment of the Bucyrus Journal and Its Career-The P. V. Nasby Articles-Carriers' Addresses-The Journal Under the Hopleys-The Evening Telegraph-Consolidation of Journal and Telegraph-The Temperance Ballot or Crawe- ford County News-German Papers-The Crawford County Demokrat-The Deutsche Courier-The Bucyrus Evening Times-The Daily Critic-Other Journalistic Enterprises of Bucyrus-Galion Newspapers-The Galion Weekly Train, Later "Times," now the Ga- lion District Democrat-The Ribletts and Matthias Brothers-The Weekly Review-The Galion Sun-The Public Spirit or Leader-The Sun-Review-The Galion Inquirer- The Crestline Express-The Crestline Advocate-The Crawford County Democrat-The Crestline Democrat and Crestline Vidette-The New Washington Herald-The Tiro World-Old Time Part Spirit-A Change for the Better.

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 70

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850- Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1302

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1302