Historical and biographical annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania, embracing a concise history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I, Part 44

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846; J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1018

USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > Historical and biographical annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania, embracing a concise history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I > Part 44

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SPICE AND ROASTING MILLS :

George W. Moyer came from Easton, and in 1872 associated with John McKnight for the manufac- ture of spices of all kinds. In 1878 Mr. Moyer started for himself and carried on the business until his decease in 1889, when the mill at Rose and Elm streets was purchased by Kurtz & Mayers, whole- sale grocers, by whom it has been operated since. Employees, 4; monthly product, 30 tons, which is shipped to all parts of Pennsylvania. Large quanti- ties of coffee also are roasted in the establishment.

In 1861 Francis X. Blessing and John Shoemaker began roasting coffee on Carpenter street near Spruce. In 1870 they removed to No. 311 Chestnut street, and shortly afterward Mr. Shoemaker . died. Mr. Blessing then became the sole owner and he carried on the business until his death in 1902, when his son Henry succeeded him, carrying on business as the Reading Steam Coffce and Spice Mills. He employs 3 or 4 hands and roasts 1,500 pounds of coffee and peanuts weekly, which are dis- posed of in Reading and different parts of Pennsyl- vania.

Augustus C. Kleinschmidt was engaged in this business at No. 27 Peach street for many years, until his decease in 1904, when he was succeeded by his son Charles, and the son and son-in-law, Irvin Schick, have carried on the establishment since under the name of Kleinschmidt & Schick.

George Becker has also carried on the roasting of coffee and peanuts for some time, but in a lim- ited manner.

STAINED-GLASS WORKS:

J. M. Kase, trading as J. M. Kasc & Co., began making stained-glass work in 1885 at No. 511 Washington street, and has continued there. He designs and manufactures memorial windows for churches and artistic work for private residences, which he puts up in different parts of Pennsylvania. He employs 20 hands.

STOVE LINING:

The Terra Cotta Works of E. S. Fox & Co. pro- duce stove lining at their plant in large quantities.

TERRA COTTA:

Fox Works .- John Lotz carried on a hat factory at the foot of Franklin street from 1800 to 1824;

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then Riah Gillson purchased the property and con- verted the building into a general store for the pur- pose of supplying boatmen with groceries, provis- ions, etc. It was continued as a store for about forty years. In 1868 Eli. S. Fox, Walter K. Hagy and William Keely, trading as Fox, Hagy & Co., established a terra cotta works on the premises. In 1870 Hagy and Keely sold their interests in the business, and George K. Whitner became a partner, the firm trading as E. S. Fox & Co. Eli S. Fox died in 1890, and his sons, William, Benjamin F. and Eli W., succeeded him. In 1896 the interests of Mr. Whitner and the son William were pur- chased by Benjamin. The firm manufactures all kinds of terra cotta ware, especially stove lining, sewer pipe and vases, which are shipped to all parts of the United States, and they employ from 25 to 30 hands.

TOBACCO :

The following persons are engaged at Reading

in manufacturing shorts for chewing and smoking man has conducted the business for the estate. tobacco:

Breneiser Brothers, trading as the Atlas Tobacco Company.

George W. Green, trading as the Reading Tobac- co Manufacturing Company.

Morris Goldman.

Hantsch & Rhein.

George W. Lehr.

George Maltzberger.

Walter Orth, trading as the Pompey Manufac- an improved washing-machine called the "Printz,"

turing Company.

Charles Shirk & Company.

TRUNKS :

Joseph J. Weightman started making trunks at Reading in 1888 and continued for twenty years. His son Burt E. started for himself on Jan. 1, 1906. Besides making trunks of various kinds to order, he also manufactures suit cases.

UMBRELLAS :

Leopold Hirsch located at Reading about 1847 and manufactured umbrellas until 1860, when he removed to Philadelphia.

In 1869, August Rolland, a Frenchman, came to In the year 1893, the Reading Wood Pulley Company was incorporated and its factory was established at No. 247 Poplar street. In 1899, the plant was removed to Eleventh and Muh- Reading and embarked in the business and it was continued successfully by him, and afterward by his wife until her decease in 1902, when their sons Augustus and Charles carried it on together until lenberg streets, where it has continued until 1905, when they separated and established places of their own. Augustus J. Rolland is located at No. 722 Penn street and makes a specialty of a "brass- tip" umbrella, employing several hands. Charles L. Rolland is at No. 631 Penn street and makes a specialty of a "silver-tip" umbrella, employing 5 hands to meet the demands of his trade.

WALL-PAPER :

who organized a company which was incorporated under the name of Sun Wall Paper Manufacturing Company. J. W. Screven has been the manager of the plant. A large and successful business has been developed which extends throughout the coun- try.

WASHING MACHINES:

In 1894, James H. Knoll and Nathan S. Alt- house, associating together as Knoll & Althouse, designed and patented an improved washing-ma- chine which they called the "Queen", and until 1906 made large quantities of them, when Mr. Knoll became the sole owner and he has since carried on the business. He employs 7 hands.

In 1899, Augustus G. Christian designed and secured a patent for the "Royal" washing-machine, and large numbers of them have been made and sold throughout the country. He died in July, 1908, and since then his son H. Herbert Christ-

The Reading Manufacturing Company was in- corporated in 1904 for the manufacture of wash- ing-machines and since then has manufactured them in large quantities, known as the "Lehigh," "Five Arrow," "Big Five" and the "Reading Motor." The manager of the plant is James A. Kalbach, and the president of the company Paul K. Leinbach. The company employs 12 hands.

In 1907, Daniel F. Printz designed and patented

which is manufactured in large quantities at the Reading Wood Pulley Works.

WINDOW VENTILATORS :

In the

month of December, 1908, Wil- liam G. Hintz, William E. Althouse, and Howard B. Heath associated together under the name of Hintz & Althouse for the purpose of manufacturing win- dow ventilators out of wood and metal, after a spe- cial design of their own, and since then have manu- factured large quantities of them at No. 640 Cherry street. They employ 3 hands.

WOOD PULLEY WORKS :

the present time, manufacturing all sizes of wood pulleys, which have been shipped throughout the United States and foreign countries. The hands employed number 75. The officers of the com- pany are: Daniel F. Printz, president; Samuel H. Fulmer, treasurer; and Henry J. Glaser, manager. WOOLEN GOODS :

Robert M. Shouse, of Easton, Pennsylvania, came to Reading in 1859, and began the manu- facture of gingham and shirting check. Some months afterward, his enterprise was destroyed by fire. He then selected a lot on Fourth street

In 1905, a plant was established at Reading in one of the large buildings of the P. & R. R. Co. at Seventh and Chestnut streets, for the pur- pose of manufacturing a medium grade of wall- paper by a number of enterprising gentlemen beyond Elm as a suitable location and erected a

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

two-story stone factory with basement, where he dry-goods business at No. 522 Penn Square. Jer- resumed the manufacture of the articles mentioned, ome L. Boyer was a partner from 1865 to 1869 and and continued the same until 1864, when he con- Calvin K. Whitner from 1869 to 1877. In 1888 verted it into a woolen-mill for manufacturing

they enlarged their store, adding the greater part jeans, plaids, and doe-skin cloths. Jonathan G. of the adjoining building on the west, four stories Leinbach became the manager and in 1867 he was in height, and then it became a recognized depart- made a partner, the firm trading under the name ment store. In 1892, they re-organized the firm of R. M. Shouse & Co. They employed 50 hands, by admitting William W. Kline ( son of the senior and their annual production amounted to $100,000, partner), Richard Lenhart and Franklin Rieser as which was shipped to commission houses at New partners, and thence they traded as Kline, Eppi- himer & Co. York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. The firm con- tinued operations until 1875, when Mr. Leinbach In 1905, they made another enlargement of their became the sole owner. Shortly afterward he store by taking in the adjoining building to the formed a co-partnership with Aaron S. Leinbach and William F. P. Davis, who traded as J. G. Lein- bach & Co. In 1880 John Shadel became a part- ner. In 1887 Rev. Mr. Davis died and his interest was purchased by Mr. Leinbach.

In 1889, the senior member gave an interest in the business to his three brothers, Daniel, Albert and Mahlon; and in 1894, appreciating the long- continued fidelity of certain of the older employes who had worked in the mill from twenty to thirty years, he also gave them an interest. In 1896 Aaron S. Leinbach died, and the surviving partners (Leinbach and Shadel) purchased his interest. After the firm had organized in 1875, improve- ments were made to the plant, additional ground was purchased, and new machinery was introduced from time to time. In 1880, the manufacture of jeans was discontinued. The volume of business increased steadily, and with it the number of hands.

The plant is equipped with the best machinery, including four self-acting spinning machines with 1,508 spindles, and a 100-horse-power Corliss en- gine. The enterprise has been named the Reading Woolen Mill, and the manufactured cloths are so known in the market, having a superior reputation. This is the only enterprise at Reading in which the older and more experienced hands have been per- capacity. The firm traded as C. K. Whitner & mitted to share in the profits of the business. The Son until the son's decease in December, 1890. In generosity of the senior member has been appreci- 1891, Mr. Whitner added other lines of goods and ated and it has resulted in mutual benefits, as well to the firm as to the recipients.

In 1904, the company introduced the manufacture of pants and vests from their owns cloths, and has since been very successful. In all the departments of this enterprise, the employes number from 180 to 200.

The officers of the company are: J. G. Leinbach, president ; A. Ellsworth Leinbach, treasurer ; Samuel W. Reiff, secretary.

DEPARTMENT STORES .- The dry-goods merchants at Reading continued to handle distinct lines of merchandise in their respective stores until about the "Centennial" year; then the most enterprising proprietors began to add different lines of goods in order to satisfy the demands of their increasing trade.

west (excepting the first floor), which gave them superior accommodations for their rapidly increas- ing trade. At first the store employed 5 hands; in 1900, over 100, and in 1909, upward of 200; which shows the development of their business. Their trade extends throughout Berks and the sur- rounding counties.

C. K. Whitner & Co .- Calvin K. Whitner began his business career in 1861, in Oley township, Berks county, not far from the place of his birth, when he entered the country store of Jacob S. Spang & Son at Spangsville. He remained there as a clerk until 1865, when he went to Friedens- burg and with Edwin S. Bear as a partner, trad- ing as Whitner & Bear, carried on a store for two years. He then removed to Reading and was em- ployed as bookkeeper with Kline, Eppihimer & Co. for a short time, when he became a partner. After continuing in this firm until 1877, he started a dry- goods store for himself at No. 432 Penn Square, with six employes. By the year 1883, his trade had increased so much that he was obliged to obtain larger quarters, and in that behalf he removed to the commodious store building at Nos. 442-444 Penn Square. In 1887, his son Harry became a partner and the store was enlarged to twice its previous

he made his place a department store; and by way of anticipating additional facilities for his growing business, he purchased two properties on the west, Nos. 438 and 440. In 1896, a faithful employe for many years, John A. Britton, was admitted as a partner, and the firm name was changed to C. K. Whitner & Co .; and Jan. 1, 1907, Mr. Whitner's son-in-law, John Rick, became a partner. In April, 1898, the adjoining buildings, Nos. 438-440, were attached to the store as an annex, and an interior direct connection was made, evidencing the con- tinuous growth of the firm's trade. In 1909 they employed 175 hands and upward, and the stock comprises many lines of goods generally carried in a large department store. Their patrons come from all points in the Schuylkill, Lebanon and East- Penn Valleys.

J. Mould & Co .- In 1872, Jonathan Mould re- Kline, Eppihimer & Co .- In 1862, Amos K. moved from Newburgh, N. Y., to Reading, and Kline and Henry Eppihimer engaged in the general opened a general dry-goods store, which came

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to be popularly known as the "Bee Hive." He

IRON INDUSTRIES .- The industries at Reading en- then employed ten hands and did an annual business gaged in the manufacture of iron articles before of $40,000. As his trade increased he made several 1836 consisted entirely of blacksmith shops and they changes in location for enlarged accommodations. were limited in extent, like those we see still in the In 1887 his brother-in-law, George H. Bell, became country districts to-day, employing at most several hands; but the introduction of the railroad stimulat- ed iron works of various kinds. More and more from that time every year and for the past fifty years they have been the most prominent in the industrial life of Reading and have exceeded the other establish- ments in furnishing constant employment to the greatest number of working-people. The P. & R. R. Company works and the Reading Iron Com- pany works started practically together in the de- velopment of Reading and they are properly placed at the beginning of the description of the iron in- dustries. a partner and the business was thence carried on under the name of J. Mould & Co. In 1892 the firm erected a large four-story brick building at Nos. 647-649 Penn street and made it a department store to supply all kinds of articles, such as dry goods, notions, laces, furnishings, chinaware, jewel- ry, etc., and placed each department in charge of a competent manager. Shortly afterward, they added a wholesale department, and set apart the third and fourth floors of the building for this branch of their business. They have several travel- ing salesmen on the road, supplying many orders to merchants in Berks and the surrounding coun- ties. The employes number 100 hands and up- ward.

P. & R. R. Co. Works .- The extensive works of the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company at Reading deserve special mention at the head of this part of the chapter detailing the industrial existence here for the past seventy years, the large number of men constantly employed, and the im- mense amount of wages paid. The construction of the railway in 1836 immediately stimulated enterprises of various kinds, and caused large sums of money to be invested in manufacturing concerns. On that account not only capital but many mechan- ics concentrated here, and buildings multiplied rap- idly to answer the demands of the increasing popu- lation.

Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart .- Josiah Dives, affairs of the city, on account of their continued George M. Pomeroy and John Stewart came from Hartford, Conn., in 1876 and began a general dry- goods business at No. 533 Penn Square, trading as Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart. Their establishment was known as "The Globe Store." In several years they removed to Nos. 442-444 Penn Square, and the store at that place also becoming too small in a short time they secured the premises at Nos. ·606-612 Penn street in 1882 and established a large store there. From that time, owing to increasing trade, they have made enlargements in the various departments of the building, more especially in 1901, when they secured the adjoining premises to the corner at Sixth street and erected a large seven- story building as an extension. They employ 550 hands.

The first large shop was erected in 1838 on the half-block on the west side of Seventh street be- tween Franklin and Chestnut streets, where it has continued until now, and each decade found the company with additional facilities for the manu- facture and repair of engines and cars, and for the. Lord & Gage .- Charles Lord and R. B. Gage of New York City, trading as Lord & Gage (incor- porated), located at Reading in 1908, for the pur- pose of conducting a large and progressive depart- ment store in connection with a syndicate of high- grade stores, now numbering twenty-nine, which extend from New York City to Tacoma, State of Washington, and they established a superior place handling of freight not only in the vicinity of Sev- enth and Chestnut streets, but on both sides of the railroad, extending beyond Walnut street for nearly two miles. The total income to a large number of working-people of Reading from this source since 1836, exceeds $60,000,000, and it can be stated that a great proportion of the substantial growth of Reading in buildings, stores, factories, churches and of business at Nos. 422-426 Penn Square, in a schools is directly attributable to the company's commodious four-story brick structure whose di- disbursements here.

mensions are 60 feet wide and 230 feet deep, with a superficial area of 65,000 square feet. The store valued at an enormous sum; from which it is ap- was opened to the public in November with a full parent that a considerable part of its receipts was line of goods in twenty-four departments, and im- also expended here in making large permanent im- mediately attracted great public attention, and provements of the most substantial character. The though here less than a year has nevertheless de- principal office of the company at Reading is sit- uated in the main railroad station at the conjunc-

The possessions of the company at Reading are

veloped a large volume of business. The appur- tenances of the store are of a superior order, the tion of its several branches with the main line, and rosewood show-cases and the mahogany shelving costing $50,000. The store employs 350 hands and upward. Mr. Gage (the president of the corpora- tion) is general manager of this store, having moved with his family to Reading and made the city his wages exceeded $125,000, or a total for the year place of residence.

this has come to be the territorial center of the city. The aggregate number of hands employed in the offices and shops and on the railroads at Reading in December, 1908, was near 3,000; and the monthly exceeding $1,500,000.

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

The present locomotive shops were built during known as the Somerset Coal Department, which 1901 and 1902, and their capacity was almost dou- supplies the various departments with bituminous bled during 1905 and 1906. coal.

The company owns a large interest in the Penn-

At the passenger station there were 2,452 trains during December, 1897, which carried 66,650 pas- sylvania Steel Company, one of the largest inde- sengers to and from Reading; at the freight depots pendent steel companies in the United States. there were 4,193 trains which moved 167,700 cars; The many separate departments of the company enable the management to control the manufacture from the assembling of the raw materials to their and the aggregate tonnage directly affecting local interests at the several freight depots was 127,000.

The following statistics are supplied in this con- conversion into the finished article, the largest out- nection for the year 1897 to give the reader an idea put of which is tubular goods, consisting of wrought-iron pipe, plain or galvanized, for gas, of the wonderful extent of the business done by the company at Reading :- Passenger trains, 27,000; steam and water; charcoal iron and steel boiler passengers carried, 800,000; freight trains over tubes for locomotive and other uses; oil well cas- 50,000 ; freight cars moved, over 2,000,000; ton- ing and tubing; hydraulic and line pipe, etc., rang- nage, 1,500,000 ; excursion passengers, 80,338. In ing from 1-8 inch to 20 inches in diameter. 1908, these figures were exceeded.

Most of its mechanics in the several departments have been recognized during the last forty years, here and elsewhere, for their skill and efficiency ; indeed so widespread has their reputation become that a statement in applying for work that they served their apprenticeship with the company, worked in its shops, operated an engine, or con- ducted a train, has been regarded as a sufficient recommendation. This can also be said of its clerks, many of whom have begun as messenger boys, and risen to the highest positions of different departments. A considerable number of its em- ployes have been in continuous service for thirty and forty, even fifty years. This feature of the history of the company is particularly noteworthy.

Reading Iron Company :- The Reading Iron Com- pany was organized Ang. 12, 1889, and purchased from the assignee of the Reading Iron Works its various plants, consisting of the Tube Works, Reading Rolling Mill, Scott Foundry, Sheet Mill and Steam Forge, nearly all of which have since been rehabilitated, enlarged in scope, and vastly improved in equipment.

The Keystone Furnace was acquired in 1889, and the Crumwold Furnace at Emaus in 1895. The Oley Street Rolling Mills were built in 1896 and the Ninth Street Rolling Mill (formerly the P. & R. Rail Mill) was added in 1896, and re- modeled in 1899 and 1902. The Montour Rolling Mills at Danville (built in 1845, and where, in October of that year, the first T rails in America were rolled) were acquired in 1895, and rebuilt in 1901. The Danville Puddle Mill was purchased and repaired in the early part of 1905. The pres- ent forge on North Ninth street was built and equipped with powerful machinery and electric cranes in 1901-02, and took the place of the old Steam Forge, built in 1850. The Scott Foundry (originally built in 1854, and where guns were made during the Civil war, as well as several since, There has arisen from this modest beginning not only one of the largest independent tube works in the country, alone comprising nine mills, capable of producing 150,000 gross tons of tubular goods annually, but as well the many other important including the Brown Segmental Wire Wound Gun) was rebuilt in 1905-06 and equipped (as are all the other plants) with modern, up-to-date machin- ery and appliances. The company owns and oper- ates 7,538 acres of coal lands in Somerset county, plants or departments above mentioned, some of

The two Blast Furnaces have a total annual capa- city of 180,000 gross tons of pig-iron and foundry- iron of superior quality, and the five distinct roll- ing-mill plants have an annual capacity of some 200,000 gross tons of finished rolled products, skelp, bar-iron, etc., in the manufacture of which the mills consume over 170,000 tons of their own pud- dle-bar. Cotton compressors, sugar-mills, ordnance and general machinery are made at the Scott Foun- dry, and heavy marine, engine and general forg- ings, up to fifty tons, are made at the forge.

The Tube Works was the nucleus from which sprang this splendid aggregation of industrial plants. In 1836, Benneville Keim, George M. Keim, Simon Seyfert and James Whitaker, trading as Keim, Whitaker & Co., erected a rolling-mill and nail factory, known as the Reading Iron & Nail Works, at the foot of Seventh street, between the Schuylkill canal and the Philadelphia & Reading railroad (which had just been constructed). It was here that the first large stationary engine in Berks county was introduced for driving machin- ery. Bar-iron was made in large quantities; also cut nails by twenty-six nail machines. The em- ployes numbered 250. In 1846, the firm name was changed to Seyfert. McManus & Co. (Simon Sey- fert, and his son Simon; John McManus, a rail- road contractor, who had helped to build the Phila- delphia & Reading railroad in the early forties ; J. V. R. and Nicholas Hunter, Horatio S. Trexler, and a few others, were at various times members of the firm) and it so remained up to 1878, when the Reading Iron Works was incorporated. The first pipe-mill was built in 1848. Butt-weld pipe was made by the old tong process, drawing first one-half, and then the other, and lap-weld pipe was made shortly after, the edges of the skelp being then scarfed with sledge hammers; but these meth- ods have since been greatly revolutionized. Char- coal iron tubes were made a few years later.

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which comprise several establishments in them- been very prominently identified with the manufac- selves.

The products of the company have an unrivaled reputation at home and abroad, and there is a con- stantly increasing demand for them in all sections of the world. The utmost care is exercised to main- tain the highest standard of excellence in the vari- ous lines of manufacture. It is the largest indus- trial enterprise in Berks county ; in fact, one of the most important in eastern Pennsylvania, and it em- ploys in the neighborhood of 5,000 men.

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Historical and biographical annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania, embracing a concise history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I, Part 44

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846; J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1018

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846; J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1018