History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 186

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1158

USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I > Part 186

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This corporation was continued until May I, 1914, when the Aldrich Pump Company was organized to take its place and has since con- ducted this large plant. H. W. Allison, of Al- lentown, was secretary and treasurer for many years until his decease, when he was succeeded by Horace Hudders. R. H. Aldrich is the general manager. The plant covers ten acres along the L. V. R. R., and gives employment to upwards of 200 hands. The trade extends throughout the United States and into foreign countries.

The Lehigh Iron Company was organized in the latter part of 1867. The works comprised two anthracite blast-furnaces. The furnace known as No. I was built in 1868, and that as No. 2 in 1872. The enterprise was projected by Hon. William H. Ainey, president of the Second National Bank of Allentown. After Mr. Ainey, Mr. E. J. Hart, a wealthy merchant of New Or-

leans and a former resident of Allentown, held the next largest interest. The balance of the stock was held almost entirely in Lehigh county. The first directors of the Lehigh Iron Company were William H. Ainey, Asa Balliet, Aaron Bal- liet, Thomas Barber, and Hiram Balliet. The works were located at Aineyville, on the west bank of the river Lehigh, and near the junction of the Lehigh Valley and East Penn Railroads. They were in operation until 1906 and are now dismantled.

The Wm. F. Mosser & Son Iron Foundry and Machine Shop, located at Second and Union streets, Allentown, was begun by William F. Mosser, in 1863, as the Lehigh Valley Axle Works, making wagon and carriage axles. A few years later Edwin F. Camp associated with him. They were then engaged as iron- founders, forgers, and machinists. In 1869 the firm consisted of Charles H. Ruhe, Benjamin F. Roth, and William F. Mosser. In 1872, Charles H. Ruhe retired. At some time (date unknown) Mr. John Neligh had also been a member of the firm, but later removed to Ohio. Benjamin F. Roth retired from the firm in 1880, after which William F. Mosser personally conducted the business until 1890, when his son, Charles, was admitted and it was known as Wm. F. Mosser & Son. In 1901, John Greenall associated him- self with the firm as a partner, but the busi- ness name was not changed.

The plant consists of one-story brick-build- ings with the exception of the storage and office rooms, which are two story, and employs from 60 to 120 men. A large amount of the business is devoted to the repairing of machinery. A specialty is made of repairing cement machinery.

In 1837 Joseph K. Saeger established a foundry and machine-shop in Allentown, which he carried on until 1853, when Thomas Barber became the owner. Later Edward Sherer became a member of the firm. Upon Mr. Barber's death, in 1879, his son, William H., became the sole proprietor.

Geo. W. Curtiss & Co. established a spike fac- tory in the First ward, about 1863, which sub- sequently was owned by Nathaniel Tay, who sold it to James W. Wilson & Son, in June, 1871. The product of the factory consisted of railroad and mining spikes, of which from five to six tons were made per day and shipped to points in the West and South.

BOILER WORKS.

In 1863, James B. Cole and Abiel Heilman started a boiler works at Front and Linden streets, for manufacturing boilers, tanks, gas ap- paratus and all kinds of plate work. Cole died in 1883 and Heilman carried on the plant as the

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Heilman Boiler Works until his death in 1892. A company with this name was then organized by Mrs. Mary E. Heilman, Samuel F. Jordan, and James N. Rhoda, who have since conducted the works and employed from 75 to 100 hands.

Matthew Rhoda and John T. Noble estab- lished a boiler shop in the Hope Rolling Mill, in the spring of 1865.

The Allentown Boiler Works is situated be- tween the L. V. R. R. and the Central R. R. of N. J., near Hamilton street.

It was founded in 1883 by Charles Collum. His only associate was John Allen, but at the end of a few months Joseph F. Barber was also ad- mitted to partnership. Both partners withdrew from the firm after several years. Mr. Collum successfully conducted the business by himself for several years, and erected a new shop at Third and Walnut streets, when John D. Knouse be- came interested, and together they built up one of. the leading industries of Lehigh Valley. Their business grew so rapidly that they were com- pelled to enlarge and they removed their shops to the present desirable site.

The plant under normal conditions steadily employs more than a hundred men, covers 31/2 acres of land and is thoroughly up-to-date in every particular and is equipped with the best modern machinery and is one of the few plants here that has had no strikes and shut downs. The products of the concern-including every- thing in the line of sheet iron and hot water boilers and drying kilns for cement plants-are shipped, not only to all parts of the United States, but also find a ready market abroad, in- cluding Cuba, Canada, and the Philippine Is- lands. It is worthy of note to state that this firm equipped such prominent buildings as the White House at Washington; United States Military Academy, West Point, N. Y., and the gigantic mercantile house of Siegel & Cooper, of New York City.

J. H. and T. J. McDermott began trading as McDermott Bros., at Bethlehem in 1895, and they conducted a boiler shop there for five years, when they removed to Allentown. They estab- lished their shop at Third and Washington streets and they have since carried on the manufacture of boilers, tanks, stacks, rotary kilns, dryers, cool- ers, and all kinds of wrought-iron and plate work. They employ 80 men.

P. F. and B. J. McDermott, who were identi- fied with the McDermott Bros. until 1908, em- barked in business for themselves and have since traded under the name of the McDermott Engi- neering Company, in the manufacture of similar iron work, including structural steel stairs, bridges, and ornamental fences. They employ

40 men. Their plant is situated at Jordan and Whitehall streets.

The cutlery establishment of C. F. Wolfertz & Co. was founded in 1862, by C. F. Wolfertz. In 1873 the firm became Wolfertz & Waldman, and in 1879 the sons of Mr. Wolfertz entered the firm. The business is now conducted by Charles W. Wolfertz.

AMERICAN STEEL AND WIRE COMPANY.

The American Steel and Wire Company, a subsidiary Company of the United States Steel Corporation, locally known as "The Wire Mill," is located at the foot of Lehigh street on the banks of the Little Lehigh river on a property comprising sixteen acres.

This plant is devoted to the manufacture of wire products and occupies a unique position in this community in that practically all of its product is exported. Its close proximity to the seaboard places it in an advantageous position for this purpose. It has been closely identified with the commercial and industrial history of Allen- town for the past quarter century and has a re- markable record for continuous operation.

The original name of the plant was the Iowa Barb Wire Company, which had its inception in Johnstown, Pa., in the early '80's. It subse- quently removed to South Easton, Pa., from whence it was removed to its present location in 1886. Operations were begun in Allentown late in that year and were principally confined to the manufacture of barbed fence wire, for which there was a productive capacity of 25 tons per 24 hours. The wire for this commodity was sup- plied by two departments: wire drawing and wire galvanizing. These operations required the service of approximately 200 men.

During the first year of operation the plant was dependent on outside sources for the supply of rods, from which the wire is drawn, consid- erable quantity of which was imported. After a steady and consistent growth in business it was decided to add a rolling or rod mill, which would enable the controlling of the source of rod sup- ply, as well as effect desirable economies. This important addition started operations early in 1890. The output at first was approximately 100 tons per 24 hours, and gave employment to 75 additional men. At this time the output was almost exclusively for domestic consumption and the rapid expansion of this trade made necessary frequent extensions to productive equipment, in- cluding the installation, in 1893, of a wire nail department. This increased the output to 150 tons per 24 hours.

In 1894 the company united with similar in- dustries, located in Pittsburgh, Pa., Cleveland,

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INDUSTRIES.

O., and Chicago, Ill., in the formation of the Consolidated Steel & Wire Co. The rapid growth of the plant continued so that by 1899 the output reached 300 tons per 24 hours. It was in this year that a further amalgamation of various mills brought the local mill into the American Steel & Wire Co., and later, in 1901, as part of that company, into the United States Steel Corporation.

This combination naturally resulted in the redistribution of business along geographical and economic lines, with the result that the output of this plant was set aside almost entirely for for- eign markets.

The various re-arrangements and extensions to power and productive equipment, combined with the most efficient methods and processes known, have brought the output up to 500 tons per 24 hours, or in excess of 100,000 tons per annum at the present time. This tonnage includes barbed wire, nails, galvanized wire, bright and annealed market wires, staples, hoops, etc.

These commodities have a very wide range of distribution, being sent to the United King- dom, the Orient, South America, and in fact, all parts of the civilized world. A shipment of barbed wire has been made to Iceland.

The magnitude of this yearly output will be better understood, perhaps, when it is stated that the nail machines alone produce over 100 kegs of 100 lbs. each for every hour of operation and this product requires over 600,000 kegs to con- tain it. The size of the nails vary from 1/4" X No. 22 Ga. to 95/8" x 3/8" Ga. The nails, in addition to being supplied in kegs of various sizes, are also supplied in paper packets, packed in wooden cases, kegs and bags. These packets con- tain anywhere from 14 lb. to 14 lbs. The same diversity is found in the packages of barbed and market wires.

An interesting exhibit is formed by the great variety of packages, units of weight, labels, etc., required for these commodities. The specifica- tions governing such orders are the result of laws and conditions existing in the countries from which they emanate. For instance, a large quan- tity of barbed wire on reels is furnished wrapped in straw and covered with burlap. This ma- terial is put up in this manner to facilitate trans- portation across mountains by muleback. Labels and markings are made to conform to customs regulations.

In order to give some conception of the evolu- tion of this plant and its present claim as the most important industrial factor in Allentown, it will be necessary to call attention to a few sta- tistics.

When the plant started in 1886, the annual

tonnage output was approximately 7,000, and employment was given to 200 men, whose wages annually aggregated $130,000.00. At the pres- ent time the plant is producing in excess of 100,- 000 tons per annum and employment is given to over 1,200 men, with an annual pay roll amounting to over $800,000.00. During the year 19II there were 13,413 loaded cars in- bound and outbound handled and during the same period over 90,000 tons of coal were con- sumed.

The plant is now equipped with modern steam and electric units which drive the machinery of the various departments and furnish illumina- tion.

The individual machines are the best obtain- able and it is the aim to keep them up-to-date and in first-class repair all of the time so that the highest efficiency may be obtained. The pro- ducing machines, particularly, are grouped and manned with this end in view. In this connec- tion it may be stated that the so-called "ef- ficiency" methods as applied to manufacturing, which have received so much attention in the public press during recent months have had the careful study of the company's experts and have been in practical application for years past, with gratifying results.

The auxiliary departments, such as machine- shop, carpenter-shop, store-house, etc., are in keeping with the rest of the plant in point of completeness.

A department of the plant, which is considered of as much importance as any of the depart- ments, is the volunteer fire department. This is composed of employes from the various depart- ments. These men respond to all calls for prac- tice, as well as fires. They have at their disposal a full line of equipment which is in strict ac- cordance with underwriters' specifications. A complete fire alarm system operates over the en- tire property and fully equipped hose-houses are located at short intervals. These men drill reg- ularly so that the danger of disastrous fires is reduced to a minimum.

One of the principal factors which has con- tributed to the success of this plant is the stable and contented condition of the labor employed. It is a remarkable fact that here are 247 em- ployes, or over 20 per cent. of the entire num- ber, who have been continuously connected with the plant for ten years or more, and that of this number 92, or 8 per cent., have been here 20 years or more. This condition is true through- out all departments, the average length of serv- ice being very high. This fact is the result of the consistent policy of the company to give every

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

consideration looking to the welfare of the em- ployes.

While insisting on a commensurate return, a high rate of wage is maintained. Bright and sanitary working quarters are provided. A fully equipped hospital, with a surgeon in attendance, to give prompt aid to the sick and injured is located on the premsies. Compensation is given employes or heirs for injuries, loss of life and time, as the result of accidents within the plant, under the provisions of a very liberal benefit plan. This plan, while entirely voluntary in character, follows the lines of the most approved Work- men's Compensation Acts in force in many of the states.

The cases of sick and needy employes are also carefully considered by committees and disburse- ments made as seems necessary.

There are regular and systematic inspections of the plant by various committees composed of workingmen and foremen, to locate and correct conditions where there is danger of accident. This is part of the general safety plans of the company and is under the general direction of a chief safety inspector. The completely organ- ized efforts of the company along this line are well known to those who are in touch with the steel industry, as the matter has been variously treated in magazine articles from time to time. The scope of the work done locally may be in- dicated by the fact that $30,000,000 was ex- pended during the last four years for this pur- pose and expenditures are being made currently at about the same rate.

Liberal pensions are provided under the Car- negie-Steel Corporation Pension Plan.

Since 1903 the corporation has annually of- fered stock to employes, payable on the install- ment plan. This plan provides for the payment of bonuses on each allotment annually for five years and an extra sum at the end of this period, as an incentive to continuous service. This pro- vides the employe, who is desirous of taking ad- vantage of it, with an additional source of rev- enue, which is virtually perpetual in character. The success of this plan is evidenced by the fact that 25 per cent. of all the employes here are stockholders of the Corporation.

One of the most successful institutions of the plant is the club house, where a first class dinner is served at noon every working day, to the heads of manufacturing and accounting depart- ments. This meal is prepared in a modern kitch- en, which is part of the club house, and is sup- plied at nominal cost. After dinner brief meet- ings are held, where there is an exchange of ideas in connection with the operation and welfare of the plant. This plan is common to all mills of

the company and is equally beneficial to company and men.

L. F. GRAMMES & SONS.

The firm of L. F. Grammes & Sons, Allen- town, Pa., was founded by Louis F. Grammes, in a small way, in 1876, in a room on the second floor of the old H. Leh & Co. building, 626-630 Hamilton street.

Although difficulties and deprivations were met during its earlier days, yet through the keen and persevering mind of its founder and the diligent co-operation of his sons, the business was successfully developed step by step until it became the most extensive of its kind in the world, its business extending into every country on the globe.

The condensed history of this firm is that of growth,-one place after the other was found in- adequate, until in 1907, the present modern mammoth brick factory was erected at corner of Jordan and Union streets, with a floor space of 100,000 square feet and employing more than 400 people. In this plant is manufactured a complete line of cigar-box machinery, wood- working machinery, wire nails, escutcheon pins, metal name plates, brass signs, stamped metal goods, metal advertising novelties, machinery guards, and hundreds of other articles. The method of business is unique, in that it is almost entirely conducted by mail, which gives this firm the distinction of being the largest customer of the Allentown, Pa., postoffice.

Lewis F. Grammes, deceased, founder of the firm of L. F. Grammes & Sons, was a son of Asa Grammes and Susanne ( Moser) Grammes, and was born in Heidelberg township, Lehigh county, January 30, 1845. He learned the trade of machinist at the old Barber foundry. He was a natural born mechanic, being able to do journey- man's work at the end of his first year of ap- prenticeship. Later he was foreman for three years of the machine-shop of Merrill & Co., of Brooklyn, N. Y.

He was an inventor of machinery, having numerous patents on knitting machines, wood- working machines, and nailing machines. The nailing machine, of which he is a patentee, is considered a great piece of workmanship and is used all over the world where boxes are made. In the mechanical world, this nailing machine ranks in the same class as the linotype machine.

Many of Allentown's leading machinists owe their excellence to the tutorship of Mr. Grammes. Among his pupils were Emil A. Hirner, in- ventor and head of the Hirner & Henninger Co., Lafenus Gift, and Charles B. Wanamaker.

Mr. Grammes was a representative in coun-

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INDUSTRIES.

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cils for two terms in the Fifth ward ; also school director in the Fourth ward and a member of the Board of Water Commissioners. He was a mem- ber of the Liberty Fire Company and also the Schwanewart Recreation Club and a charter member of the Greenleaf Lodge, No. 561, F. & A. M .; member of Allen Chapter, R. A. M. and Allen Commandery, Knights Templar. He was a member of Zion Reformed church for 47 years.

On March 13, 1868, he was united in mar- riage to Miss Eliza J. Weber, daughter of George Weber, of Easton. He passed away, April 26, 1911, at his home, No. 397 Union street, in his sixty-seventh year, of what doctors pronounced myocarditis. His wife and the fol- lowing children survive: Harry A., Charles W., J. Frank, Mrs. L. C. LaBarre, and Louis G. Grammes. Three children preceded him in death : Allen Grover, Elizabeth Marguerite, and an adopted child, Mamie Amanda Franks.

The only brother surviving Mr. Grammes is Asa P. Grammes, of New Hope, Bucks county, supervisor of the Delaware Division Canal. Three sisters remain : Mrs. Ellen J. Colle, Miss Amelia S. Grammes, and Miss Tevillia C. Grammes, of Allentown. Mrs. Henry T. Kleck- ner was a deceased sister.

Mr. Grammes was highly respected by all who came to know him or had any business dealings with him. He possessed strong and elevated re- ligious convictions, but at no time made any out- ward display of them.

After the death of Mr. Grammes, Harry A. Grammes became the senior member and man- aging director of this firm.

Harry A. Grammes was born in this city, De- cember 6, 1869. At the age of sixteen years he learned the trade of blacksmith, then machinist, and draughtsman, following them in different cities. These trades were not learned by him because of his choice; but because of his father's conviction of the value of a trade to all his sons. Harry A. Grammes' trend always was along business lines. Even in his boyhood days, before his apprenticeship, he made a specialty of supplying the neighbors with fresh produce di- rect from his grandfather's farm. He also sup- plied his "trade" as he termed it, with kindling shavings, at so much per bag. Later he equipped himself with a small hand printing press and printed visiting cards and, by advertising in the popular mail order magazines, found remarkable demand for them.

In 1891 he sought to work out higher ideals and became a salesman and traveled over the greater portion of the United States, continuing in this position until 1894, after which he en-

gaged in the manufacturing business with his father, and in which he has taken active part ever since.

He is a strong believer in printer's ink and because of this, and in the carrying out of the belief that anything that is worth doing, is worth doing well, and his inherited keen busi- ness instincts, his success has been such as has been unparalleled.

Harry A. Grammes was one of the organizers of the Citizen's Deposit & Trust Company and since that time has served as a director. He also served as a trustee of the Chamber of Commerce for six years. He is a member of Salem Re- formed church. Socially, he is a member of all the bodies of the Masonic fraternity, as follows: Greenleaf Lodge, No. 561, F. & A. M., of which he is a past master ; Allen Chapter, No. 203, R. A. M., Allen Council, No. 23, of which he is a .thrice illustrious grand master; Allen Commandery, No. 20, Knights Templar, and Lu Lu Temple A. A. O. N. M. S., of Phil- adelphia.

In June, 1900, he married H. Blanche Horne, daughter of the late Rev. Dr. A. R. Horne, of Allentown, Pa. They have these children : Lou- ise F., Harriet A., Lucile H., and Jermima E.

Equally associated with him are his two broth- ers, Charles W. and J. Frank Grammes, each performing an important office in the organiza- tion, the former being foreman of the Brass Name Plate Department and the latter foreman of the Machinery Department. Both learned the machinist trade under their father's instructions and, because of the inheritance of the valuable traits of integrity and inventive genius, are play- ing a most important part in the success of this enterprising firm.

BONNEY VISE AND TOOL WORKS.

The Bonney Vise & Tool Works, as its name implies, is engaged in the manufacture of vises, small tools, and drop forgings. Employees number about 150 men. The original shop was started in 1876, by Mr. C. S. Bonney, under the title of C. S. Bonney, in a small shop on Barker street, west of Sixteenth, in Philadelphia. At that time the line of goods manufactured con- sisted entirely of small vises and, as far as is known, C. S. Bonney was the first one to make this line of small vises in the United States. The factory employed about six people and occupied one room, renting power. From time to time the factory was enlarged and additional help was employed and many new lines of goods were added to the ones already put upon the market.

As the business increased in size, several other concerns were taken over and incorporated in

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

the Bonney Vise & Tool Works, the firm having continuously remained in Philadelphia until Feb- ruary, 1909, at which time the factory was moved to Allentown, and the plant formerly used by the Allentown Hardware Co. was bought and adapted for the usage of the Bonney Vise & Tool Works. A drop forging establishment was added and many new lines were started which have since contributed to the employment of many machinists. Goods are shipped from this factory to points all over the United States and to many foreign countries. All of the goods shipped out bear the name of Allentown and ad- vertise this city extensively. It may safely be said that nine out of ten hardware companies are now using or have at some time in their career been large buyers of the product of the Bonney Vise & Tool Works.

The officers of the Company are: President, J. E. Durham; vice-president and secretary, J. E. Durham, Jr. ; vice-president and treasurer, F. S. Durham, who have been for many years residents of Allentown and identified with its business interests.

MACHINE-SHOPS AND FOUNDRIES.

Henry Nadig, from Neffsville, an expert me- chanic, located at Allentown, at the southwest corner of Fourth and Court streets in 1869, and embarked in the manufacture of steam and gaso- line engines, which he carried on with his broth- er Philip, as Nadig & Bro., until 1899. They employed from ten to twenty hands, and their trade extended throughout Lehigh county into the adjoining counties. They were succeeded by Chas. H. Nadig, son of Henry, who still con- ducts the business. He also repairs auto engines.

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 186

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1158

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1158