USA > Ohio > Lucas County > Toledo > Toledo. Its motto: ambition, preseverance and public spirit > Part 14
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T. J. Nesbit, Groceries, Etc.
One of the oldest and best of our retail grocery houses is that of T. J. Nesbit, who owns and occupies the commodious double ware- house, Nos. 512 and 516 Dorr street. The departments are grocery salesroom, 20x75 feet in dimension, and feed store of exactly the same area, making a combined front of 40 feet with the full depth of 75 feet, or a floor space of 3,000 feet, all of which is utilized for the storage, handling and display of a particularly fine stock of family groceries, comprehending all the staple and fancy articles of the line, such as teas, coffees, spices, canned goods, table delicacies, condiments, shelf goods, soaps, brooms and grocers' sundries generally, together with meats, provisions, cereal goods, flour, feed, baled hay and straw, and whatever articles are at all closely related to this branch of business, with fruits and vegetables in their season. This house has had a long and unusually successful career and has ever borne the reputation of
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being strictly and absolutely reliable. It was founded more than twenty years ago by the late Andrew Nesbit, father of the present pro- prietor, and by him the foundations of success were laid deep, sure and solid, resting upon strictest integrity and a rigid adherence to hon- orable principles. Mr. Nesbit conducted the business with unvarying success, until the date of his decease, some five years ago, at which time it devolved upon the son. Mr. Thomas J. Nesbit is following in the footsteps of his father, and is maintaining a high standard of ex- cellence in everything connected with his business and is not only holding the former patronage of prosperity of the business but adding to it, by reason of his activity, enterprise, liberal ideas and personal popularity. Though one of the youngest merchants in the city, he be- ing yet several years under thirty, he has already been chosen to the responsible office of Treasurer of the Toledo Retail Grocers' Association.
Garrigan Bros., Contractors.
Among the contractors who have been conspicuously connected with the public improvements, is the well-known firm of Garrigan Bros., Room 434 Valentine Building. These gentlemen among other works have built some twenty-five miles of macadam roads in Lucas county. They built the Wheeling & Lake Erie docks at Ironville, paved Western avenue and North Railroad avenue, Front street from the Rolling Mill to the City limits ; just completed large dredge ditch for the joint counties of Lucas, Wood and Ottawa, also large abutments for bridge over Ten Mile Creek. This firm was established in 1885 and in the years that have intervened between then and now, they have given employment to many hundreds of hands and have completed a large quantity of work. Their specialty is the building of macadam road, although they are general contractors and in the course of their operations obtain and execute contracts covering many and varied kinds and classes of public works. The firm is composed of Messrs. Phillip A. and Thos. P. Garrigan, both natives of this State and still quite young men for men who have been in business so long and . accomplished so much. Their success is but the culmination of high
character, sterling integrity, a complete mastery of their business in every detail, together with liberal enterprise and public-spiritedness.
The Lamson & Skinner Bending Co.
Toledo is a thoroughly up to-date American city. It owes much of its prominence to its excellent geographical location and superior transportation facilities by rail and water, by means of which its pro- ducts can be shipped direct to any part of the country. These advan- tages and the enterprising character of her business men have combined to build up her manufacturing establishments, the peers of any in the United States in the character of their operations. In this connection prominent reference is made in these pages to the progressive Lamson
THE LAMSON & SKINNER BENDING CO.
& Skinner Bending Company, manufacturers of bent and sawed felloes, etc., whose office and works are located on Broadway at the Wabash crossing. This extensive industry was established in 1883 by Brigham Lamson & Co., who conducted it till 1889 when it was incorporated under the laws of Ohio as the Lamson & Skinner Bending Co., with a paid capital of $60,000, Mr. John M. Skinner being president and general manager. The plant and yards have an area of three acres, and the works include a main brick two-story factory 80 by 160 feet stock house 46 by 120 feet, drying sheds 100 by 400 feet in area, etc.
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The different departments of the works are fully equipped with modern tools, machinery and appliances, operated by two steam engines of 400 and 25 horse power respectively. Here is also a 140 light dynamo and the yards are connected by switches with the Wabash, Michigan Central and Clover Leaf railroads, while 100 skilled hands are constanty em- ployed. The Lamson & Skinner Bending Co. manufactures extensively bent and sawed felloes, rough gearing, broom, pump and long shovel handles, and make a specialty of bent rims. These goods are recog- nized standards with the trade, being absolutely unrivalled for quality and uniform excellence, and are sold under a guarantee to give perfect satisfaction to the most critical customers, the patronage of the company now extending throughout the entire United States and Canada. They have just purchased some 8,000 acres of timber land in Arkansas for the purpose of supplying the works here with raw material and establishing a branch in that section of the country. Mr. Skinner the president, is a native of Erie county, Pa., and has had full control of the business since the death of Mr. Lamson in 1886 and has ever given an earnest support to all measures best calculated to benefit and promote the future welfare of the city.
Northern National Bank.
A time honored fiduciary institution of this city is the Northern National Bank, which was founded in 1865, and stands pre-eminent among the banks of Toledo as a most complete organization, possessing unsurpassed facilities for the transaction of all classes of business. The relations of the bank with commercial and corporative interests as well as with bankers and capitalists, furnish a volume of business probably not exceeded by any other local institution. Success as well as con- servatism has signalized its management, so that to-day its total resour- ses amount to $1,583,245. The capital stock is $300,000, all paid in, and the surplus and undivided profits are in the vicinity of $170,000. The bank was chartered 1865, and has thus been in successful opera- tion for about a third of a century. The character of its business merits attention, for it is one of the largest and strongest banks in Ohio, based mainly on a mercantile, commercial and financial connection
and custom. A feature of the bank's policy has been the maintenance of a large cash reserve. Traditions and inclinations have kept the management of the Northern closely within the conservative policy of legitimate banking business, in connection with the mercantile com- munity. Its Board of Directors constitutes a guarantee of strict adher- ence to these lines, composed as it is of foremost representative business and professional men. The bank is a member of the Toledo Clearing House Association, also the State Bankers Association, and its princi- pal correspondents are the Hanover National Bank of New York, National Bank of America of Chicago and the Merchants National Bank of Cincinnati. The following prominent citizens form the Board of Officers and Directors : President, I. E. Knisely; Vice President, F. B. Shoemaker; Second Vice President, James Secor; Cashier, A. E. Lawrence; Directors, F. B. Shoemaker, John T. Newton, W. H. Simmons, Leander Burdick, L. S. Baumgardner, A. M. Woolson, Robinson Locke, James Secor, I. E. Knisely, Edwin Jackson.
Mr. R. Hattersley.
Among the leading and ablest contractors whose excellent work is to be met with in all parts of the city, is Mr. R. Hattersley, whose office is located at 325 Chamber of Commerce building. Mr. Hattersley was born in Buffalo in 1851, and is a popular member of the Toledo Builders' Ex- change. He commenced business here in 1877; and has displayed in all his work such a practical and able knowledge of every detail, that he has been the recipient of an influential patronage. He built the Chamber of Commerce, Cheney Flats, Darst block, Shaw-Kendall build- ing, Bostwick & Braun building, Millikin Hotel, Bowling Green, Ohio, the Hattersley Flats at 18th and Monroe streets, and many other first- class structures in this city and its vicinity. Mr. Hattersley promptly furnishes estimates and enters into contracts of any magnitude, execut- ing all work in a superior manner, while he is noted for the accurate manner in which he follows plans and specifications, and for his care ful avoidance of extras. His buildings are highly endorsed by leading architects and experts for their stability, finish and workmanship, and his estimates in all cases are extremely just and moderate. He employs
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a large force of men according to the season, and is greatly respected by laboring men for his liberal and equitable methods, while he has be- fore him the prospects of the most favorable character for a rapid ex- tension of the business, now that the period of financial disturbances in this country has ended.
James Murray.
The vast amount of building operations constantly carried on in Toledo, together with the great improvements that are being effected on the older structures, have rendered the plumbing and steam fitting in- dustry an interest of steadily increasing importance here. One of the leading exponents of this craft is Mr. James Murray, whose office, store and workshop are at No. 88 Main street, East Side. He does a great deal of large contract work, and at present writing is working on five large houses for Mr. A. Chesbrough, the prominent capitalist, who builds extensive business blocks and residences for investments. All of Mr. Chesbrough's work is done by Mr. Murray. He executes all branches of plumbing, gas and steam fitting, makes a specialty of repair- ing pumps and windmills, and deals in all kinds of sanitary plumbing goods, such as closets, hot water tanks for ranges, bath, etc., etc., also gas fixtures. A number of competent workmen are employed and first-class service is assured in return for all contracts awarded the subject of this sketch. Mr. Murray is a native of Toledo, has grown up fully identified with this community, and he is very popularly known in business and social life.
Geo. M. Parks.
The Toledo funeral director is invariably a fully equipped and a fully qualified man of business, prompt and up-to date in his methods. These qualities are a marked characteristic of Mr. Geo. M. Parks, whose place of business is at 215 and 217 Main street, East Side. He has been established here for some seven years and his premises com- prise store, dwelling and stables, not his property. The store is of am- ple capacity and in it are displayed a full stock of coffins, caskets, burial cases and all the appurtenances of his branch of business. The
stable is the repository of hearse, wagons, carriage, buggies and his live- stock equipment, and in connection several hands are given constant employment at remunerative pay. Office and reception room are well arranged and in every way adapted to the practical uses of the busi- ness. The arterial and cavity embalming process are used in the estab- lishment. The store is kept open both day and night, and summons meet with the promptest response at all hours. Indeed promptness, thoroughness and skillful work are leading traits of the concern. Mr. Geo. M. Parks, the sole proprietor, is a native of this state, and a grad- uate of of the Oriential School of Embalming of Boston, Mass. He is a member of the Masons and of the Foresters in both of which orders he is well known and personally popular. By close attention to business, by a thorough knowledge of all its details and by. reason of pleasing personal qualities, he has built up an excellent business and one which bears all the evidence of having in it the germs of a much greater ex- pansion and increase.
Union Savings Bank.
There is no question of the usefulness of the savings bank, an in- stitution that has done more to encourage habits of economy and thrift, and to place its regular patrons on a footing of financial and personal independence than all others combined. Properly 'conducted, as are all Toledo Savings Banks, we believe they are an undisguised blessing to the community where located. One of the soundest and most pop- ular fiduciary institutions of the kind in the State is that of the Union Savings Bank, whose spacious, handsome, banking rooms are at No. 233 Summit street. This bank was chartered in 1888, under the State Laws of Ohio, with a paid in capital of $250,000, and its career from the first has been a history of business sagacity, integrity, plain dealing and conservatism, not unmixed with open-handed liberality toward de- serving public and private enterprise. Of the millions of dollars com- mitted to its custody, not one was ever lost to the owner ; on the con- trary vast sums have been returned to them in interest, and the older customers may be pardoned if they believe no safer or ultimately more profitable investment is possible than the deposit of a few odd thou-
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sands with the "Reliable Union." The statement issued in July, 1896, showed the undivided profits to be $7,975.76, and individual de- posits $601,006.09. The total liabilities amounted to $858,981.85. The bank's principal correspondents are the Western National Bank of New York and the Dime Savings Bank of Cleveland. The bank is a member of the Toledo Clearing House Association, also of the State Bankers' Association. The stockholders liability under the Ohio Laws is $500,000, and this is secured by the stockholders who are included among the most enterprising of Toledo's capitalists and business men. The president of the bank, Mr. James Secor, is also president of the Union Safe Deposit and Trust Company ; the vice president, Mr. Frank T. Lane, is secretary and treasurer of the Toledo Blade Company ; the cashier, Mr. Leander Burdick, is also cashier of the Union Safe Deposit and Trust Company. These and the following gentlemen comprise the board of directors : Orville S. Brumback, of Hurd, Brumback & Thatcher, attorneys ; Alvin M. Woolson, Manager Woolson Spice Com- pany ; Christopher Daudt, president Daudt Glass and Crockery Com- pany ; Adolph Brand, president of the R. Brand Company, wine and liquor merchants ; Wm. T. Carrington, of Carrington & Brigham, grain commission ; Benj. A. Stevens, manufacturer of refrigerators and butchers' supplies ; Milton Churchill, grain, seed and commission ; Schuyler C. Schenck, agent coal department, D., L. & W. R. R .; Wm. B. Geroe, of A. A. Geroe & Son, fruit dealers ; Thomas C. Rowland, president of the Mitchell & Rowland Lumber Company ; George W. Thomas, of the Toledo Wheelbarrow Company. and F. B. Shoemaker, vice president of the Northern National Bank of Toledo, O.
E. Aubin, Grocer.
The grocery and meat market conducted at No. 1501 Washington street by Mr. E. Aubin, who began business in the latter half of 1896, is worthy of our mention. Prior to this he had been engaged in the same line in Detroit, Mich., a number of years. Since his advent in Toledo Mr. Aubin has met with phenomenally excellent success and the extensive patronage now supplied by him demands the employ- ment of four clerks and a delivery wagon. The store occupied is
excellently fitted up and is filled with a choice, fresh stock of staple and fancy groceries, also fresh, smoked and salted meats of all kinds. Mr. Aubin is a native of Canada. He has long resided on this side the border and has become a thoroughly Amercanized, public-spirited American citizen.
H. E. Kuhlman & Co.
An industry which presents many points of interest and which is in many ways creditable to the business character of the city, is the ex- tensive hardware house of Messrs. H. E. Kuhlman & Co. This business has been in active and successful operation for nearly twelve years and has grown, under wise management, to be one of the most important in its line in this city. The premises occupied comprise the commo- dious two-story brick building No. 26 South St. Clair street. The sales- rooms occupy two floors and have a frontage on St. Clair street of 27 feet, with a clear depth of 90 feet, thus affording ample room for the convenient arrangement and pleasing display of the large and varied stock which is always kept on sale. This stock embraces an excellent assortment of builders' hardware, cutlery, edge tools, general tools, stoves, heaters, ranges, kitchen utensils, tin, copper, sheet iron, and gal- vanized wares, paints, oils, glass, varnishes, dryers, brushes, and in fact everything needed to make the stock an unusually complete one. Specialties are made of hot air furnaces and Wilson's air-tight heaters, which are very much in vogue in this city and vicinity. Estimates are cheerfully and promptly furnished on application. A number of hands are employed and an air of active business bustle seems to per- vade the establishment. The gentlemen composing the firm are Messrs. Henry E. Kuhlman and Henry F. Aufderheide, Jr., both of whom were born and reared right here in Toledo, where they are well known and their enterprise and liberal ideas of business have made them a host of friends as well as an army of patrons. Mr. Aufderheide is a son of Mr. Aufderheide, Sr., the well known president of the C. H. Schroeder Co., lumber dealers. These gentlemen possess all the qual- ities of pluck and energy essential to the continued and increasing success.
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Lenk Wine Company.
The Lenk Wine Company which was incorporated in 1873, and succeeded to the business founded by Mr. Carl Lenk, the president of
ment of this business to place upon the market only pure and unadul- terated wines, and as a result a national reputation has been acquired for the unvarying excellence and superior quality of the various brands
LAKE ERIE ISLANDS WINES.
5
36.000 GALLON CASK
C-ADAMS&CO. TOLEDO, O.
the company, thirty years ago, has grown from the smallest beginning until to-day it has become one of the largest producers of pure wines in America. From its inception, it has been the policy of the manage-
emanating from the establishment, and the name of the Lenk Wine Company has come to be everywhere recognized as a guarantee of purity and quality in native wines. The wines of this company have
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the most cordial commendation of connoisseurs, and the approval of competent judges throughout the country have been accorded them. The company's vineyards, cellars and offices are located in West Toledo on the banks of the Ottawa River, the grounds comprising 28 acres of fine, rolling land, splendidly adapted to the cultivation of the vine. Here are located the numerous spacious and substantial buildings devoted to the various departments of the business, and containing facilities and appliances for wine pressing, fermentation, storage, bottling etc. The main buildings are supplied with basements or cellars, where the wine is stored in huge casks varying in capacity from 1.000 gallons to 36,000 gallons each, the total capacity being the enormous amount of 850,000 gallons. While upon this subject, it will prove of interest to state that the company's cask having a capacity of 36,000 gallons is the largest one of the kind in the world in use, and is exceeded in size only by the famous Heidelberg Tun, which has not been used in over 100 years. This cask measure is 21 feet in length and is 20 feet in diameter. It is made of oak, weighs 40,000 lbs , and rests on a massive cradle of oak, underneath which is a solid stone foundation seven feet in thickness. Its top is reached by a flight of steps twenty-nine in number, where there is a platform for visitors to view the vault. Its cost was $3,500, and it was constructed to hold so large a quantity of wine that it might mix and become uniform in quality, color, bouquet, etc. The grounds surrounding the buildings are handsomely laid out and present a beautiful, park-like appearance with their shaded avenues and walks with verdant, well-kept lawns, embellished with shrubbery and flower gardens, and dotted here and there with rustic arbors and summer houses of unique design, and the establishment of the Lenk Wine Company has long been one of the principal sight-seeing attrac- tions of Toledo, and in this regard it has been greatly enhanced since the completion of that monster 36,000 gallon tun. The leading brands of wine produced by the company are their Dry Catawba, Sweet Catawba, Delaware, Iona, Norton's Virginia Seedling, Ives' Seedling, Claret and Port, all of which are standard and well known in every wine market throughout the United States. These wines are all made from specially selected grapes, unexcelled in quality, flavor and all
other essentials for producing a superior grade of wine. Long since the demands upon the company have outgrown the products of their own vineyards, and they purchase large quantities of grapes each year from the Lake Erie islands and other vineyards. The officers of the company are Messrs. Carl Lenk, President ; L. Franc, Vice-President, and Theodore Beckmann, Secretary and Treasurer.
Henry Dieckman.
One of the representative houses and one that ranks high in this vicin- ity is that of Henry Dieckman, who conducts a retail grocery in the handsome storeroom at 520 Galena street, keeping a full line of fancy and staple groceries, cigars, tobacco, confectionery, etc., also all kinds of vegetables and provisions in season. The business was first established in 1884, and has ever since had a profitable patronage, everything about the store having a neat and cleanly appearance, the arrangement being convenient and tasty in every particular. The trade is principally in the city and is among our very best people, and requires the service of several clerks and two delivery wagons, which are constantly on the go from early morn until late at night. Mr. Henry Dieckman is a native of Ohio and a young man of more than ordinary business ability, being a popular member of the Knights of Pythias, Knights of the Golden Eagle and an active member of the Toledo Grocers Association. He has ever been an active citizen, enjoying the high esteem of the entire community, and has ever shown a deep and public spirited interest in all matters which have at heart the welfare of Toledo.
M. M. Park, D. D. S.
A thoroughly accomplished member of the dental profession is Dr. M. M. Park, whose handsomely appointed offices are at the corner of Front and Main streets, Toledo, O. This gentleman was born in On- tario, Canada, 1864. Being the son of a farmer of limited means he had to work his own way through life. After receiving a common school education, at the age of nineteen he entered the Collegiate Insti- tute at Vienna, Ont., and after two and one-half years of hard study was graduated with honors. He then entered the preparatory course:
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at the Normal School at St. Thomas, Ont., graduating therefrom in 1885. After teaching school for three years he matriculated at the University of Michigan 1888, and after spending three years in that learned institution was graduated therefrom in 1891, receiving the de- gree of Doctor of Dental Surgery. In September of the same year he came to this city to enter upon his chosen profession, and he has since established a large growing practice through his integrity and the uni- form excellence of all his work. He is thoroughly up-to date in his methods; all branches of dentistry receiving careful attention, a leading feature being made of crown and bridge work and satisfactory services are assured in every instance. Dr. Park is a member of the North- western Dental Society of Ohio and many of the fraternal societies of the city.
H. M. Barfield.
That appropriate apparel is an index to the character as well as the taste of a community is a well attested fact, and judged by this standard the people of Toledo rank high in this regard. There is in- deed every reason why they should, for no city, anywhere in this or any other country can boast more skillful or expert makers of fine and fashionable clothing. In this line the establishment of H. M. Bar- field, No. 314 Madison street, ranks well in the lead of Toledo's fashion- able merchant tailors. This business was begun some fourteen years ago by the firm of Barfield & Atkin, and by them successfully until the year 1889, when, upon the demise of Mr. Atkin, Mr. H. M. Barfield be- came successor and sole proprietor of the business. He occupies a handsome, attractive and commodious three-story building at the ad- dress indicated, for the purposes of his business, the first floor being most tastefully fitted up for salesroom, and its 20x60 feet of floor space filled to repletion with the finest and choicest of fabrics of exclusive design and texture for gentlemen's garments. The stock embraces the choice imported cloths, cassimeres, worsteds, cheviots, etc., of the kinds most sought after by the best dressers of the city. None but the best expert cutters and tailors are employed by the concern, and the gar- ments turned out are marvels of fit, finish, trimming and beauty of
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