Newspapers / The Raleigh Times (Raleigh, … / June 18, 1896, edition 2 / Page 7
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AN INDUSTRIAL SUPPLEMENT. Philadelphia’s Textile Works machinery, and the equipping and main taining of electrip systems, new trades and avocations have been created, while the furnishing of electrical supplies has established a new business. Inc City Leads the World in Carpets, Bugs and Other Textile Branches. THE COTTON LINE, ^^If of the entire country’s c ^ ets can be claim ed by Phil- A ? le 1111113 here are the largest in the country and it would take a visitor many days to visit them all and obtain t ldea ° f their immense possi bilities. All the standard grades of car- p etins ' are turned out in the mills of this city and the industry stands at the head of the list with iron and steel, cot ton and other manufactures. A 11 . t hr f u = h the .great manufacturing district of Kensington mills for the mak ing of carpets, rugs, curtains, table cov- S g °ods, hose, cotton fab- a ^ d a hundr ed and one 116 grades are found in abund- ance. Many thousands of busy workers are employed and the amount of capital Invested would sum far up in the mil lions ot dollars. h^rain carpets in the world are Produced, rugs of beautiful design b re turned out by the carload, while an attempt to estimate the amount °r value in dollars of chenille and curtains, table covers, heavy and light woolen and cotton goods an nually manufactured would be almost useless. There is not a chance to doubt the maim that as a woolen and cotton goods manufacturing center Philadelphia stands absolutely unrivaled among the cities of the world. No English city ap- proaches it; no German city produces one ‘h al f as much, and no three cities in the United States average a com bined amount that is equal. All grades of carpets, rugs, curtains, table covers, laces and cotton and wool en goods are produced, but each grade will average better in quality of ma terial and labor employed than so-called corresponding grades made elsewhere. Despite the fact tpat the goods are gen erally of better material, prices do not appear to be higher than elsewhere. This is owing undoubtedly to the immensity of the output. In all these goods are shown the pro ductions of the best designers of this country and Europe, and no expense Is .spared by any of the manufacturers to lead the market both in design and fabrics. Most of the mills are equipped with th* ^te«t and most improved ma chinery, ana every effort is made to produce results equal in every respect with goods of a similar character man ufactured anywhere in the world. Few industrial processes among the thousands of this city afford the visitor who is permitted to inspect them so much to admire .as those incident to the making of the various fabrics destined to embellish the homes of America. The scores of monster factories are controlled by men of great public spirit and enterprise. The thousands of em ployees are honest, industrious, well paid and happy. Altogether, these industries are the pride of Philadelphia and Phila delphians. Electrical Supplies. Many establishments in Philadelphia are devoted exclusively to the business of electrical supplies, and cover all branches of the business pertaining not only to the electric lighting system, but all other requirements of modern elec trical science. The concerns employ skilled and experienced workmen, and 1 their service in the matter of supplies I is all that could be desired. Philadel phia is to be the "electric city” of the future, and of course her electricians and those who deal. In the necessary supplies are thoroughly up to date and' keep in line with the constant progress and development of all branches of ap plied electric science. output reaches millions of gallons. The beer of our breweries and the liquor of our distilleries finds its way to hundreds of places without the State. Indeed, sev eral Philadelphia brands are well and favorably known all over this country and Europe. The business of brewing and distilling are such as demand the investment of large capital. The buildings are expen sive and large, and the machinery used js very costly, an ice-making plant is now a part of the equipment of every brewery and this alone costs a large amount. The beer brewed In Philadelphia Is second to none in quality. The best ma terials are used in its manufacture. Most of, if not all, the Philadelphia brewmasters learned their art in Ger many where the brewing of beer has about reached perfection. reason to believe that it will grow less in future years. The companies have extended their mains beyond the city limits proper and several of the suburbs are supplied. Satisfaction with the treat ment at the hands of the various com panies is expressed by patrons. A Perfect Light. There is probably no invention of recent years which promises so much for the comfort and luxury of the home as the Welsbach light. Comparatively few persons are familiar with this won derful invention. They may have seen it in the show window or heard someone speak of it, but beyond this they know nothing. Briefly summed up, the case for the Welsbach light consists in claim that it more than doubles illumination from an ordinary gas while, at the tame time, reducing gas b^l by about one-half. the the jet, the Drugs and Chemicals Some of the World’s Largest Bru; Manufactories Are Located in This City. FAMILY MEDICINES. demands of suffering humanity in all parts of the earth. Homeopathic remedies are also largely manufactured and in all the drug stores, dispensaries and hospitals of the United States they take rank among the bet ter and purer articles compounded for the relief of man’s many ills. The Philadelphia medicines are com pounded in the best laboratories of the city and under the direct and constant supervision of men proficient in the science. Materials them sent abroad to compete with the output of New York and New England paper mills. The wholesale dealers of this city handle immense quantities, and the trade has so enlarged of late that the output of many mills is sold long in ad vance of its being in the hands of the dealers. Telephone Manufactures. Owing to the expiration of a good many telephone patents that were con trolled by monopolies, a number of new companies have sprung up and are man ufacturing telephone instruments upon a very large scale. While the products of their manufacture embody the main fea tures of the old patents, they are enabled to make them much cheaper, because they are not burdened with the expense of paying royalties. The organization of companies for the manufacture of tele phones has made it possible for people to have them in their homes, as well as in their offices, and the number in use has wonderfully increased lately. The menufacture of telephones in this cit?/ is being conducted very extensively, and adds an important branch to the manu facturing industries. Telephone Construction. In the matter of telephone construc tion, Philadelphia is not behind any of the cities of the world. To say nothing ^ If K®/^#*^ Brewers' Dried Grains. Not one person ten could give an intelligent answer to the question “What is brewers’ dried grain?” A few words will explain. About four years ago a system of drying' was dis covered by which refuse grain from breweries could be dried without sacri ficing the gluten properties and thereby leaving the grain still valuable instead of being an almost total loss, as before. The nevi process is certainly a very valuable one. There is only one plant in the State for the drying of the grain, and it is located in this city. Its capacity is one ton of dried grain per hour. For milch cows there is nothing better in the world than this saved product. Some Interesting feeding experiments have been made recently with horses at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station here by Acting Director James Neilson, Professor Edward B. Voorhees and Louis A. Voorhees. The experi ments were to compare the results of Aecetylene Light. The Acetyline light is not a globe nor a lamp, but a power itself, combining cheapness, perfection and freedom from injurious gases. The light has been tested by scientific experts and pro nounced one of the most successful achievements of the age. The Philadel phia proprietors are meeting with un usual success in the handling of this new light, and the reward attending their efforts in this city promise to be large. Gas and Electric Fixtures. The progress of civilization has been marked by rapid advancement in im proved methods of artificial illumination, until from the flaming torch of the sav age the world has arived at the grand culmination of gas and electric lighting. The settings and fixtures, from which the various classes of light shed their brilliancy, are equally essential features of progress, and are of direct interest to the publio at large. The Philadelphia Drug Exchange was organized in January, 1861, and became an incorporated body April 5, 1862. It ranks as second, in point of age, among the numerous commercial bodies of that .character now in active existence in Philadelphia. Previous to its organiza tion a class of merchants, representing a very large invested capital, and doing a business of millions of dollars annually, were deprived of the facilities now af forded for the purchase and sale of drugs, chemicals, etc., and the more intimate personal contact of the trade now enabling them to work systematical ly for the protection of the individual and united interests of the drug trade. Wholesale Drugs. The wholesale drug trade of this city is in way. an excellent condition in every There are here some of the largest houses in the country, embracing the manufacture of standard preparations and drugs. The trade of Philadelphia drug houses is widely extended, one firm, which employs some 200 hands, and hav ing twenty-five traveling salesmen, doing a business which extends to every part of the United States. The grinding and manufacture of drugs is an important local Industry, and involves a large bus iness. The business connections of the Philadelphia drug houses extend to Eu- rop^and Asia, the West Indies, the isles of the Mediterranean Sea and to Africa. The trade done by these houses is not confined to any section of the Union. In fact, just about as many orders, in pro portion, are received from the country west of the Rocky Mountains as east of it. Drugs and chemicals put up by local houses are recognized as standard in purity and strength. They have such a high reputation that large exportations are made to foreign countries. In this way South America, Africa and other countries consume large quantities of drugs and medicinal preparations which are made in Philadelphia. Medicinal Bitters. The manufacture of bitters for me dicinal purposes is carried on quite ex tensively in this city, and the goods have achieved a high reputation. Car- loads of the various makes of bitters are annually shipped out of Philadel phia and help, like other goods of fine and honest quality, to maintain the city’s reputation as a manufacturing place. Some of the brands of bitters are indorsed by physicians, which of course adds to the extent of their sale. Taken altogether, it is an industry of much importance. Brick, Terra Cotta and Other Ma terials for Building Exten sively Made. A COMPLETE OUTFIT. Root Beer. In the Summertime especially, when the sun pours down its shimmering rays, a cool drink is very refreshing, people—and they are entitled to opinions—believe lager beer is not Others—and they have a right to so—believe it a waste of time to soda. But they are perfectly at Some their good, think drink home with a glass or two of the delicious root beer made in Philadelphia. The indus try, an infant one a few years ago, has grown wonderfully and now a large cap ital is invested by several well-known firms. The product is not only consumed extensively in this city, but reaches wholesale and retail dealers all over the State, Delaware, New Jersey and Mary land. Some of it, indeed, is found in Kentucky. It is not quite so popular there as are certain other beverages, but that is saying nothing against its good qualities. Soda Water Apparatus. The pretty girls of Philadelphia, as well as the druggists of this and other cities, should know that the manufac turing of soda water apparatus is carried on extensively in this, city, where soda water and such drinks" are very popular. Philadelphia will not lay claim to hav ing the largest manufacturing establish ment of this kind in the country—for Philadelphia only bases claims of such a nature on facts—but she does turn out some ■ of the best soda fountains now made. Not alone soda fountains such as the general public understand the term, but all manner and style of apparatus connected intimately or remotely with the business. Building materials are turned out in large quantities every day in this city. Perhaps to a far greater extent than elsewhere, for the very good and simple reason that there is a constant call for them. Vacant lots in the city are fast building up, while on the outskirts and in the ,suburbs whole rows of houses— hundreds and hundreds of them—are in course of erection. All manner and kind of building mate rials may be found in this city at prices that compare very favorably indeed with the prices in vogue elsewhere. Paper Box Makers. A very neat and profitable business which is carried on to quite an extent in Philadelphia is the manufacture of paper boxes. Of course the industry is not an extensive one, as compared with many of the other industries of the city, but many a large town throughout tho United States would flourish if the en- -P a P er box making industry was lo cated in its midst. P a Pp r boxes made here range from the tiny boxes used by jewelers to the very common looking shoe boxes which are used by the hundreds of thousands here at home. Of course, included in the list are the dainty, handsome and soine- ve F y cos tly confectioners' boxes in which the gallant young man sends sweets to his lady friends. Cotton Merchants. ; There was a time In the not very dis tant past when a very large share of the immense cotton crop of the Southern States was carried from New Orleans, Mobile and Savannah direct to Liverpool, and thence shipped 'back to New York. This is only true to a very limited ex tent at the present time, as New York, Boston and Philadelphia cotton mer chants have gone into the business of buying direct from the plantation own ers or agents and selling direct to the great consumers. Philadelphia has a very shrewd, ener getic and enterprising lot of men en gaged in the cotton trade, and our home manufacturers obtain all the benefits of dealing as directly as possible with the raisers of cotton. The cotton merchants of this citv have large capital, and are thus enabled to buy large quantities, and, when required, to give time to those who are purchasing of them. SPo % Manufacturing Chemists. There are firms in Philadelphia of man ufacturing chemists, whose names are known far and wide throughout this land, not alone’ to druggists and chem ists, but to the great mass of the peo ple. One of the Philadelphia firms is the Tin Plate Industry. In the manufacture of tinware Phila delphia stands in the front rank, and has within its borders several of the largest tinware manufactories in the United United States. The entire product of Philadelphia manufacturers of tinware, Engineers and Contractors. The engineers and contractors of this city—which, under this head may Include electrical, consulting and civil engineers and contractors—are like the lawyers, professional and business men generally of the Quaker town. No engineers ort contractors in the entire country have a better reputation. For originality, beauty and thoroughly artistic as well as prac tical designs, they are not surpassed. This is evident when comparisons are made between their work and the work of’ similar craft in other places. All classes of engineering work is figured out and put through in the offices and shops of Philadelphia engineers and contrac tors. And they are at all times willing to and capable of furnishing estimates for all classes of engineering construc tion. In this and other cities of the Un ion their work and ability are known and appreciated, which is saying a good deal in this age of competition in the arts, sciences and professions. A majority of the contractors are of course engaged in the erection of business buildings, churches, bridges, etc., but there are other firms who take large railroad con tracts. Some of the contracts—for the building of railroads in the Western States and in South America—are now being carried out. Mantels and Tilings. Philadelphia uses thousands of man tels, of stone, of wood and of brick, but only a few of them are brought from abroad. Nearly all the stone and wood mantels are made in the city by our own skilled workmen. The work of placing the mantels is done by men who must have a pretty good idea of what is needed, and there are probably several hundred men engaged in that business alone. Under this industry comes the floor-tiling business, which has been revolutionized somewhat of late by the introduction of mosaic in place of tile floors. Mosaic requires more care and skill than tiling, as the pieces are smaller. The work is artistically done in this city, and no matter how particu lar the plan, the Philadelphia dealers are equal to the task of carrying it out in competition with all outside bidders. Terra Cotta. In the present age manufacturers of terra cotta are Increasing, and that ma terial is much more used in building than it ever was before. The industry in Phil adelphia is quite old, and employs quite a large number of men. The product is used almost everywhere. The drain tile are sent throughout the country, be ing used chiefly in country districts, while the Are clay chimney pipe and stove lining are used almost everywhere Glazed pipe from Philadelphia terra, cot ta works was given the highest award at the Centennial Exposition of 1876, thus testifying to their excellence. The prod uct of Phlla-delphla terra cotta factories is a standard in the trade, and is used with satisfaction by builders everywhere. The Paper Warehouses. The fine paper business is one of the most important of the mercantile inter ests of this city. It cannot be accurately estimated just how much fine paper of var k°« 9 grades is used, but a fair idea can be had from the figures given by the principal warehouse men. A con- f- Iv lestimate is 250,000 tons. Added ther ® 19 a large quantity sold to f^l ers . a ^ d ° th ers by representatives from outside firms. • Burial Casket Manufacture. Although, as figures go to show, Phila delphia is one of the healthiest cities in the world, people very often die here. 13 n ° Potters’ field and depart ed citiens are accorded all the ceremon- a£ c °^ tr ^ of decent burial. Philadelphia factories turn out the neat est and again the most elaborate burial caskets. So well known have they be come that large shipments are made to ^ hei z> clt 4? s ° f the country and even abroad. Every style is made from the plainest and cheapest to the handsomest and most costly. Wooden Pipes and Conduits. Wooden pipes, steel pipes, lead pipes and conduits of all descriptions are an important requirement of almost every community in the land. If they are not P sed . to carry water, or to connect build- communication, they are used to hold telegr ph, telephone and other elec trical wires under or over ground A hundred varieties of pipes and conduits a E e made by the manufacturers in this city-Special attention is devoted to spe cial lines and in a majority of cases the work is extremely well done. Ventilators. There are a thousand sorts and styles of ventilators made in the world and an attempt to describe even a small propor tion of them would be useless. Indeed it would be quite impossible within the of an article five times the size of this one. However, it remains simply to be said that there is hardly a ventilator in existence which is not made in Phila delphia. Several good sized firms are en gaged in their manufacture and the va rious up-to-date and thoroughly first- class ventilators made in the 'Quaker City are legion. Many are shipped abroad and especially since Philadelphia has come into closer contact with Central and South America. Calico Printers. Every woman in the land whether she trails her silken skirts upon Pennsyl vania Avenue, in Washington. Chestnut Street, in Philadelphia, or Fifth Avenue, in New York, or her home spun woolen skirts among the briars of the back country districts will be interested in a very short chapter on calico prints. This is certain, for at some time in her life she was proud of a neat calico wrapper or a natty calico dress so much suited for outing. These women know more about calico than one could tell them in a column of newspaper space, but perhaps it would be news to most of them to say that Philadelphia mills are to-day turning out the neatest and most delicate calico prints in the wide, wide world. There was a time—only a short time ago, too— when calico prints were high in price. They came across the ocean from the mills of .Hamburg, Marseilles and Birm ingham" But American brain and capital took hold of the business and the Phila delphia girl to-day may look as pretty as she pleases in the fine calico prints made by the thousands of yards within the limits of her own city. Philadelphia calico prints are recognized by women everywhere as pretty and substantial goods, and as a result the business in this city is one of much importance. Artificial Stone. While Philadelphia has a large number of big firms who deal in natural granite, marble, etc., she has also several thor ough-going establishments that make stone, asphalt (ready for laying in blocks), concrete and artificial marble. No city, perhaps, in the United States has a like number of firms doing a de servedly prosperous business. The asphalt paving of the city is as good, if not better, than that found else where, and it is gratifying to note that nearly all the stone, asphalt, cement, concrete, artificial marble, brick, etc., used in this big city is either made with in the city limits or is handled through Philadelphia concerns. Typewriters and Supplies. Everybody knows what a typewriter is. Not the pretty typewriter who is every where admired and who always looks so neat indoors and out; but the other typewriter—the machine—which has come to be such a great necessity in this modern day. Tn Philadelphia thousands of the best typewriters are made and sold every year. The greater number are sold at home, but still a very extensive busi ness abroad is carried on. Besides the manufacturers there are several big firms handling the article in a wholesale way. Typewriter supplies of all kinds are made here also, and the Philadelphia young man or young woman who like the work may use a Philadelphia-made machine, supplied by Philadelphia arti cles, and may print on Philadelphia pa per. Warehouse Companies. It is one thing to buy goods, another to ship them, and another—very import ant it is, too—to keep them where it is either Impossible or undesirable to ship The warehouse business has ON THE my£fi V^ 1 Brick Renovating. Brick renovating is an art all by it self and consists not of painting or of cleaning bricks, brick walls or brick houses, but a combination of the two whereby the brick is not only made brighter and cleaner but stronger and better. There are several concerns en gaged exclusively In the business and several others who combine it with their business of painting, or even of brick manufacture. grown wonderfully within the past de cade and warehouse companies are very important concerns. Quite a number of warehouse com panies do business in this city. Their warehouses are, of course, built for vari ous purposes and are fitted up thorough ly. They are safe, clean arid drv, and goods stored in any of them are not liable to suffer. Every style of warehouse is represented in Philadelphia. Instruments of Precision. From the beginning Philadelphia has been pre-eminent in the arts of peace and the advancement of the humanities. Fore most in medical science, her citizens re nowned in the fields of useful research, the chosen home of philosophy in a new land, it seems natural that this city should become and remain the center of skilled work in the manufacture in Amer ica of scientific instruments of precision. There are four concerns in Philadel phia engaged in the manufacture and sale of scientific instruments, a term now covering a wide variety of beautiful mechanisms perfected for a great num ber of uses. Scientific Instruments. The Quaker City has a big home de mand for nearly every article produced within its limits, and scarcely at any time have manufacturers feared to de pend almost entirely upon home demand. Of course, this is not true with reference to the greater industries, such as oil re fining, iron making, carpet manufacture, etc., whose trade extends far and wide all over the world. But with articles like scientific Instru ments, for instance, in this city of schools, colleges, hospitals and dispen saries, there is a big and constantly in creasing home demand. The scientific instruments made here equal those of Paris and Berlin, formerly the two homes of great scientific research and study. Of recent years Philadelphia made in struments have been in considerable de mand, and orders from Europe for large consignments are not unusual. Optical Goods. Somebody said "he who runs read." Some people could not read may with- out glass and, indeed, it would appear that during these later days of hurry and bustle, of hard work and close study the number of people whose eyesight is poor has immensely increased. But there are good opticians in Philadelphia and good goods here to-day.. The making of optical goods has reached a state almost of perfection in this city, and immense supplies are an- i nually shipped abroad. The optical goods which are a product of Philadel phia factories are as carefully and scientifically made as any in the world. 'The latest and finest machinery is used, the glass is of the purest quality, scien tifically ground and other branches of the trade are of equal quality and hon- jesty. ' Manufacturing Electricians. j Philadelphia was first in peace and first In war. Here was the banner of liberty first thrown to the breeze, and here as well was each new art, industry ci- science unfurled and made known to the World. Benjamin Franklin discovered electricity and since then mankind has been in many ways blessed by the dis covery. With the discovery of elec- tricity as a lightin agent and a motive Power, new trades, businesses, industries and professions have sprung up. First and most important of all Is the elec trician or electric engineer. He is a product, and a very necessary one, of this age of electricity. The building of electrical machinery is a vast industry which has been born to these new con ditions, and has new become one of the most important of all mechanical industries. In the manufacture of this THE WiSSAWem X ’ about the telephone service of the city, it is worthy to remark that the tele phone, telegraph and such' construction companies, with their headquarters here, have every facility for doing rapid and first-class work. There is not a modern appliance but which is at hand and a large force of men can be placed upon a work within a few hours. The proper construction of a telephone line, with the putting in of instruments, etc., is an art in itself, and deserves the attention it has received within recent years. Association American Inventors. In many cities there are associations of Inventors established for the purpose of assisting each other in the securing of patents. They have filled a very use ful capacity and in no place more than in Philadelphia. The association in this city has been very prosperous and the membership increases with each month. Manufacturing Jewelers. Philadelphia has not always been fa mous as a center for the manufacture of jewelry, but within the past score of years, more especially, perhaps, during the past decade, some of her jewelry manufacturing concerns have come to occupy a front place in the ranks of the best jewelry makers of the world. Our jewelry manufacturing establish ments are very complete, and the vol ume of business is of large proportions. Some of the finest watches, watch cases, rings and other costly articles of use or ornament, are turned out here in wholesale quantities. The trademarks of some of the firms are famous the world over, and this one fact is suffi- ient testimony of the regard in which the Philadelphia manufacture is held. Brewing and Distilling. Through various causes the consump tion of bottled beer has increased within recent years, especially by families. Lager beer, in all its varieties, has grown steadily in favor with the Ameri can people. Within a comparatively re cent period the sales have increased from almost nothing to the enormous quantity now disposed of. Before the war there was nothing like the quantity consumed that there is to-day, and this has been true in Philadelphia, as well as elsewhere. In this city there are numerous big breweries and distilleries, whose annual feeding dried brewers’ grains and oats. The experiments proved, it is said, that the brewers’ grains furnish a more economical food with equally satisfac- tory If into results. Incandescent Light.. one should travel through Mexico, the Central American States and thence down the Isthmus of Panama into the ten republics of South America he would find everywhere the incandes cent light manufactured in Philadelphia workshops, by skilled Philadelphia labor working for Philadelphia capital. The industry has experienced a won derful growth during the past few years and the Philadelphia manufacturers are coming to the front in all the countries south of us. English and German firms are not “in it,” to use a phrase of the street, for the Philadelphia article is superior ip every way except as to price. Gas Companies. While electricity has in recent years come to the fore as the great illuminat ing agent, it must be conceded that gas is still a very important factor in the lighting of houses, business establish ments and communities. Especially is this true of Philadelphia, for while the electric spark is found on every hand there are but few residences or mer cantile establishments irom which gas fixtures have been removed. The gas companies of this citv have always treated their patrons in a most fair and honorable manner, thereby encouraging the use of their lighting agent. The gas made has always been first-class in quality, while prices have been considerably less than those charged by gas companies in other cities. Therefore the use of gas continues large in >his city, and there is no GLIMPSES OF FAIRMOUNT PARK. Some of the companies have interna tional reputation for producing the finest work extant in brass, bronze and crystal, while they are continually advancing in the line of artistic'progress. Their speci alties for the drawing room, library and all parts of a private mansion are un rivaled for excellence of design, fine fin ish. novel features and artistic elegance. The chandeliers and electroliers for churches, theatres, hotels and public buildings are unapproached and unap proachable by foreign makers. Arc Light Manufacture. In this city where electricity is so much in use and where its great bene ficial powers were first thoroughly real ized and appreciated it is natural to find the greatest perfection in the making of all kinds of electrical appliances. Prominent among the electrical manu factures of Philadelphia is the arc light, now used so extensively in every quarter of the civilized globe. Large capital has been employed in the business in this city and a degree of perfection has been reached in the manufacture of the arc light that has not been surpassed, if equalled, elsewhere. oldest in the United States, as it is also the largest. Indeed the history of manufacturing chemists in this city includes all the early history connected with the art in this country. The Philadelphia exhibits at the World’s Fair were far ahead of those of other cities and even the larger exhibitions from Germany, Belgium, France and England were small in com parison. Proprietary Medicines. The people of Philadelphia are happy in the fact that they live and enjoy life in a healthful-city. They look upon the yearly mortality rates of other cities compare it with the official figures of their own and are glad that they are alive—and in Philadelphia. But in a city of colleges like this where thousands of medical students are annually enrolled and where the science of medicine has reached its highest estate it is only natural that family and proprietory medicines should be manufactured on a large scale. And so it is. Philadelphia turns out hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of such medicine annually to supply the cans and similar ware, amount to sev eral millions. Over 2000 hands are em ployed in the industry, and this repre sents a vast business when it is remem bered that nearly all the work of making tinware is done by machinery. The capi tal invested in the factories mounts up to the millions. The largest factories in the city were originally established as small concerns, but the excellence of their product soon created a demand out side the city, and the manufacturers were compelled to enlarge their plants. Gradually large factories were built up, and the number of hands employed was constantly increased. Anatomical Shoes. This is rather a special industry, and while it might be included in a general article on the making of boots and shoes in this city it deserves a special place and mention because the shoes are de signed for a special purpose. The name itself is to the reader sufficient explana tion of the character of the goods. The business of making this class of goods is comparatively new, but the de mand has been large, the satisfaction of wearers complete and the business is steadily growing. Brickmaking. Tradition, which frequently tells us things which are far from true, says that many of the earlier brick buildings erected in Colonial Pennsylvania were built of bricks brought over from Eng land. This statement has generally been accepted as true, but lately some careful students of American Colonial history have questioned it. The work of the brickmaker has been a constant one, for upon him, primarily, has devolved the work of housing t^e people. From these brick manufactories day after day long trains of carts haul their burden of newly-made bricks, to be used in the manifold building operations of the city. Carload after carload of these bricks are shipped elsewhere, to be used in the building of other cities and towns. Not only is plain building brick made by these factories, but fancy work as well, the latter comparing favorably with such work anywhere on the con tinent. Portland Cement. Philadelphia has some of the largest dealers in Portland cement in the whole world and their annual shipments amount to thousands and thousands of tons. Both the American and foreign cements are handled and perhaps, the sale of each is about equal. There are two Philadelphia concerns in the business and their output is equal if not superior to that of other factories in this country. The ce ment made at these factories is on the latest and most approved prescrip tions and retailers and wholesale deal ers in all parts of the United States, and some in Canada and Mexico, have ex pressed their great satisfaction with the results from its use. The cement industry in this city is an important one and growing constantly Large capital is invested and an impos ing array of labor is used. One or two big houses deal almost entirely In the imported article, and they have a trade through the State and many of the nearby States that is worthy of their enterprise. Street Paving Companies. Very often cities pave their own streets—that is do the work by appoint ing their overseers and foremen and Slaving laborers for so much a day. Again it is the rule to make contrats with street paving companies that the streets may be covered with stone, as phalt or macadam at a certain rate per foot. In Philadelphia there are several large companies who take contrats of any size and are able to complete their work within a specified time, good work has been done these companies and .still For the city fulfilled satisfactorily large other cities. by some of others have contracts in Sewer Pipe. in Philadel- A large business is done phia in the manufacture of sewer pipe of all dimensions. Several big plants, employing a large number of men, and having an extensive capacity, have flour ished for several years. All kinds of pipe, from the steam dressed and glazed, to the vitrified drain pipe, made. Manufacture of Paper. Thousands of tons of paper—from salt the cheapest brown article to the best glazed book paper—is turned out in Philadel- phia mills annually. It is handled by wholesale dealers here in the ,ty and by Manufacturing Lasts. This little chapter is devoted to what the shoemaker threw at his wife, but it would take a good many shoemakers and a good many wives to use up the lasts that are yearly turned out by sev eral firms of this city. The great home manufactories of shoes use a vast number of lasts each year, but the home market is not alone the one supplied by our Philadelphia last factories. Large shipments are made abroad and the superior quality and. style of the Philadelphia last continues as an inducement ta foreign shoe mak ers to purchase thSr lasts and pat terns here. If the style of the last is not good, the style of the shoe will be poor. Mercantile Agencies. In every large city there is use for the mercantile agency to protect the inter ests of all business men who have trans actions with people at home and abroad. In this city there are several first-class agencies which employ a corps of ener getic and hustling men to look for the interests of their clients. They are thoroughly up-to-date, business-like and honorable in their dealings, and no firms in the country have better reputations for the transaction of “business affairs than city. One the mercantile agencies of this Glue and Curled Hair. might possibly think by reading the headline of this little chapter that \ it referred to two separate industries---^ one of making glue and the other of curl ing hair; but it does not. It simply re fers to that -very important ingredient for the making of mortar that holds tho bricks and stores of our immense build ings together and render them safe for all time. The glue and curled hair part of building is one to which Philadelphia builders and contractors devote special attention. The materials *in any quanti ties are furnished by several well-known local houses. Fire-Proofing. Great conflagrations have in the past ruined great cities, but in a hundred years from now the full value of fire proofing will have been thoroughly recog nized throughout the world and fires by which whole cities are swept out of ex istence will be unknown. It is not meant that the shrewder business men of to day do not know and appreciate the value of fire-proofing, for they do, and tho fire-proofing business has grown won derfully during recent years. Several firms in Philadelphia furnish ail sorts of fire-proofing and the business handled by them is large. But the gen eral public has not yet learned its true value. But in a.hundred years from now scarcely a house will be erected in the construction of which fire-proofing is not extensively used. Electric Automatic Knitter. A chapter has been devoted to knitting and textile machinery generally, but the electric automatic knitter, made in this city, is something new in the line of these machines. It has not been in use as yet to a great extent, but the results thus far attained show the machine to be an exceedingly valuable one and a great boon to knitters generally. It works with great rapidity and is very accurate. Being of simple mechanism, it does not easily get out of repair, and is very popular with operatives. Steamship Supplies. In the Philadelphia ship-building yards, of course a cruiser, a battleship or an or dinary trading steamer is fitted out com pletely, but there are other conerns in the city whose specialty is the furnish ing of steamship supplies, in the nature of engines, boilers, tanks, anchors, chains and a thousand and one other things that are necessary aboard ship. These firms are among our most prominent ones, and they do a good business be cause of the big commere of the port. They are thoroughly up to date in all their materials, as well as in their deal ings, and ship owners find in this good reason for supplying their vessels at this port.
The Raleigh Times (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 18, 1896, edition 2
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