Santa Clara County CA Archives History - Books .....Chapter XXX 1922
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Book Title: History Of Santa Clara County

CHAPTER XXX.

The Banks and Industries of San Jose-An Incident in the Life of E.
McLaughlin-New Corporations Help to Build Up the City-Some of the Leaders of
Industry.

  The oldest banking institution in San Jose is the Bank of San Jose, now
located at the northeast corner of First and Santa Clara Streets. It was opened
for business in the Knox Block in March, 1866, by William J. Knox and T. Ellard
Beans under the firm name of Knox & Beans and was conducted as a private banking
house until January 31, 1868, on which date it was incorporated as a state bank.
It was the first bank incorporated in Central California. The first officers
were John G. Bray, president; T. Ellard Beans, cashier and manager; C. W.
Pomeroy, secretary. In 1880 John T. Colahan, former city clerk, was appointed
assistant cashier. In 1870 Mr. Bray died and T. Ellard Beans became president, a
position he held until his death in 1905. Henry Philip succeeded Mr. Beans as
cashier, acting in that capacity until 1875, when he was succeeded by Clement T.
Park. W. V. Dinsmore was Park's successor. He resigned in 1912 and V. J. La
Motte took his place. On the death of T. Ellard Beans, his son, William Knox
Beans, became president. In 1871 the Bank of San Jose block, at its present
location, was begun. It was completed in 1872. In 1906 the building was damaged
by the earthquake and in 1907 it was torn down and a new five story, reinforced
concrete building was erected on the site. The present officers are William Knox
Beans, president; Victor J. LaMotte, vice-president and manager; A. B. Post,
cashier. The capital stock is $300,000; surplus and reserve, $358,000.

  T. Ellard Beans, one of the founders of the bank, was born in Salem, Ohio, and
his early life was spent in mercantile and banking pursuits. He came to
California in 1849, mined for a time and then went into mercantile business in
Nevada City. He nearly lost his life in the great fire in that place in 1856.
Ten years later he removed to San Jose. His death was generally regretted for he
was one of the city's most reliable and competent business men. His son, William
Knox Beans, entered the bank in 1878 and was vice-president before he took the
higher office so long held by his father.

Bank of Italy

  The Bank of Italy, a branch of the main institution in San Francisco occupies
the three-story building formerly the home of the San Jose Deposit Bank of
Savings, presided over by the late E. McLaughlin, who founded the bank in 1885.
When the Bank of Italy took possession the operating space on the lower floor
was greatly enlarged and remodeled. Capital paid in $9,000,000; surplus,
$1,500,000; undivided profits, $1,924,959.37. A. P. Giannini is president and W.
R. Williams is cashier. San Jose officers are N. R. Pellerano, vice-president
and W. E. Blauer, manager.


It was while the Safe Deposit Bank of Savings was in existence with E.
McLaughlin as president and John E. Auzerais as cashier that it was the scene of
one of the most daring robberies ever perpetrated in California. It was over
thirty years ago and at that time the banks of the city and state had inside
approaches like grocery and dry goods stores. There were no cages, not separate
departments with either wooden or steel divisions. The gold was stacked
generally at the end of a long counter and could easily be reached or handled by
any customer. But the day came when the banks ceased to keep "open house." The
cages and the steel safeguards came in to prevent any attempt on the part of the
evilly inclined to steal the gold. The change was made after the robbery at the
Safe Deposit Bank.

  The robbery, shrewdly conceived, was the work of three men. One was detailed
to enter the bank and engage the cashier in conversation while a second man was
to do the actual stealing. The third man was to station himself on the outside
near the door to prevent, if possible, any bank customer from going inside, and
if not possible to do this, to give confederates warning that there was danger
in the air. A moment for action was to be selected while the bank was free of
customers and while the cashier (who was also the teller) was at some distance
from the stack of money which reposed on a mahogany tray near the street end of
the counter. Luck favored the robbers. With one man on guard at the door, the
other two men entered the bank and successfully carried out the program agreed
upon. While no unfriendly eye was upon him and while the cashier's attention was
being diverted by robber number one, the second robber quickly seized the tray
with the money-$10,000 in gold twenties, carefully stacked-concealed it under
his overcoat and substituted for the tray of money a tray of gilded dummies. It
was the expectation of the lawless trio that the substitution would not be
discovered until the cashier had occasion to go to the tray to get gold for a
customer.

  Having performed the most difficult part of the program, the second robber,
with his haul, passed out of the door. Following closely upon his heels went
robber number one, his talk with the cashier having abruptly come to an end.
Then the last member of the trio left his station at the door and joined his
confederates. It was some time before the robbery was discovered. As soon as
discovery was made there was a hurry call for the police, but when the officers
arrived there was no trace of the robbers. The city was combed but nothing had
been left behind to serve as a workable clue. Not one cent of the money was ever
recovered.

Garden City Bank and Trust Company

  The Garden City Bank and Trust Company, formerly the Garden City National
Bank, is located on the lower floor of a seven-story concrete building, on the
southwest-corner of First and San Fernando Streets. The National Bank was
chartered and organized in 1887 with Dr. C. W. Breyfogle as president and Thomas
F. Morrison as cashier. In 1893 it ceased to be a national bank and became a
state bank. Until the erection of the new building in 1906, it occupied quarters
on the northwest corner of First and San Fernando Streets. S. B. Hunkins became
president after the death of Dr. Breyfogle and held office until death claimed
him in 1914. Then Thomas S. Montgomery took the presidency. Mr. Montgomery is
the only one living of the original directors and stockholders. The capital
stock is $500,000; surplus, $625,000; deposits, $8,005,984.59. The present
officers are T. S. Montgomery, president; Dr. J. J. Miller, John F. Duncan,
vice-president; W. G. Alexander, secretary; C. J. Tripp, cashier. The bank has
branches at Campbell, Gilroy, Santa Clara and Saratoga.

  Dr. Breyfogle, the founder, was a native of Columbus, Ohio, and a graduate of
the Ohio Wesleyan University. The same year he left college he entered the U. S.
Army, rose to the rank of captain and was compelled to resign on account of
failing eyesight. After a partial recovery from his affliction he studied law
until his eyes again failed. Homeopathic treatment cured him and then he
resolved to become a homeopathic physician. Entering a medical college, he
graduated in 1865 and in 1870 came to San Jose. In May, 1886, he was elected
mayor of the city. In 1885 he organized the San Jose Building and Loan Association.

Security State and Savings Bank

  The Security State Bank and Security Savings Bank occupy cosy rooms in a
concrete building on First Street, opposite Post Street. It was organized as a
savings bank in July, 1891, with Frank Stock as president, L. G. Nesmith,
vice-president, and Paul P. Austin, cashier and manager, in the rooms adjoining
the First National Bank. In 1900 W. S. Richards obtained control of the stock
and moved the business to East Santa Clara Street, between First and Second
Streets. In 1902 the Security State Bank was organized as an adjunct of the
savings institution. In March, 1909, the business was removed to its present
quarters. E. T. Sterling was cashier under Richards until his resignation in
1907. He was succeeded by Wilbur J. Edwards. Mr. Richards died in 1915 and Mr.
Edwards succeeded to the office of president, and George B. Campbell became
cashier. The vice-presidents were C. M. Richards and W. A. Johnston. The
combined statement of the condition of the two banks, issued June 20. 1920,
shows the following: Resources, $4,687,924.59; capital, $100,000; capital,
surplus and profits, $492,646.81; combined deposits, $4,175,277.78.

First National Bank

  The First National Bank of San Jose was organized July 11, 1874, with a paid
up capital of $500,000, with John W. Hinds as president; W. L. Tisdale,
vice-president, and G. P. Sparks, cashier. On July 6, 1875, the office of
assistant cashier was created and L. G. Nesmith elected to the position. In 1880
W. D. Tisdale became president and L. G. Nesmith cashier. Tisdale was succeeded
by George M. Bowman, who held office until 1903. On his death the presidency
fell to J. D. Radford. In 1907 he resigned and W. S. Clayton was his successor
and is still in office. In 1910 a new, up-to-date finely appointed concrete
building of nine stories, the tallest building in San Jose, was erected on the
site of the old building on the southwest corner of First and Santa Clara
Streets. The capital stock of the bank is $500,000; surplus, $200,000; deposits,
$7,108,100.83; undivided profits, $171,742.62. The present officers are W. S.
Clayton, president; S. F. Leib, vice-president; Paul Rudolph, cashier.

The Growers' Bank

  The Growers' Bank, a new institution, was organized in May, 1920, and opened
for business in July of that year, in the Rea building, on the northwest corner
of Santa Clara and Market Streets. It is purely a county bank, with its stock
broadly owned within the district. The capital stock has been placed at
$300,000; surplus, $60,000. The officers are: V. T. McCurdy, president; S. E.
Johnson, vice-president; Fred W. Sinclair, cashier and manager.

  The banks have a Clearing House Association and weekly reports are made. The
officers are W. R. Beans, president; Paul Rudolph, secretary.

The Leading Industries

  Chief among the leading industries of San Jose are the canneries and packing
houses. They cover thousands of acres of ground and are mainly in the suburbs.
Mention of their importance and activities has been made in the chapter covering
the fruit industries of the city and county.

San Jose Foundry

  Of the other industries-and they are many and are well sustained-the San Jose
Foundry is the pioneer. It was first established in 1852 by Pomeroy and
Mackenzie on the corner of First and San Antonio Streets, where it remained
until 1871, when a larger building was erected by Donald Mackenzie, then the
sole proprietor. Here, in addition to a general moulding and casting business,
machines of many kinds were made and repared, the facilities for such work being
complete. The iron work for the court house, county jail and other prominent
buildings of San Jose was supplied by the San Jose Foundry. After the death of
Donald Mackenzie the management passed into the hands of Andrew Mackenzie and
was continued until his death in 1918. In 1905 the lot on which the foundry
stood was sold and the plant was removed to Vine Street, near Santa Clara
Street. The business is now in the hands of the Misses Mackenzie, Frank
Cavallaro and Oscar Promis. Cavallaro is the superintendent and O. Promis is the
secretary. The lot where the old foundry once stood is now occupied by the
Montgomery Hotel and the building of the California Prune and Apricot Growers,
incorporated.

The Bean Spray Company

  John Bean, the inventor of the Bean Spray Pump, began his work in the early
'50s and enjoyed the distinction of being the inventor and patentee of the first
double-acting force pump for well purposes. On account of ill health Mr. Bean
moved to California in 1883. He bought an orchard and soon found that it was
infested with scale. Only little squirt gun pumps were then on the market, so he
put his ingenious mind at work and soon had built the first high-pressure spray
pump with air pressure ever made. This pump was exhibited in the California
fairs of 1884 and created such a demand that Mr. Bean formed a company and
started a factory. D. C. Crummey, son-in-law of Mr. Bean, has been president of
the company since 1888. Mr. Bean's fertile mind continued its work of inventing
and perfecting spray pumps and spray nozzles until his death in 1908. Members of
the third generation of the family are now actively engaged in the business and
they, together with several of the trained experts who now form a part of the
larger organization, have actively continued the work. The first factory was
located in Los Gatos. It was moved to San Jose in 1903 and in 1908 there was
built on Julian Street the largest exclusive spray pump factory in the world.
Since that year several important additions have been made. In 1909 the company
established a factory in Berea, Ohio, with branch offices at Cleveland. The
business grew rapidly and in 1914 the Berea factory was discontinued and a new
and up-to-date factory was built at Lansing, Michigan. The outfits of the
company can be purchased anywhere in America. In San Jose, where the largest
plant is located, the company not only makes everything for spraying, from hand
spray pumps, power sprayer, light weight nozzles and accessories, high-pressure
spray hose and spray guns, but also a deep well turbine pump for which the claim
is made that there is an absence of all valve and priming troubles, that there
are sanitary precautions and that it is adaptable to direct connection with
vertical motors. J. D. Crummey is general manager of the company.

  The company started a new industry in 1922 in the manufacture of single
cylinder engines, this representing an expenditure of $100,000. It is the first
factory of its kind to be established west of the Mississippi.

Anderson-Barngrover Manufacturing Company

  Twenty-five years ago W. C. Anderson started in business as a manufacturer of
canning machinery. About the same time the Cunningham factory was established. A
few years afterwards the Anderson Prune Dipping Company was organized. The
Cunningham factory consolidated with Barngrover and the Enterprise Foundry under
the firm name of Barngrover, Hull & Cunningham. Anderson and the B. H. & C.
Company were rivals for a few years and then came together as one company under
the name of the Anderson-Barngrover Manufacturing Company. The first factory was
on Santa Clara Street, but for over ten years it has been located on Julian
Street, near the Guadalupe River. The buildings cover five acres of ground close
to the tracks of the Southern Pacific Railroad and with patented devices it
turns out a line of high-grade automatic canning machinery which inclues exhaust
boxes, graders, peelers, washers, slicers, canning tables, scalders, washers,
blanchers, syrupers and fillers for fruit; sorters, pan and bucket tables,
peeling tables, pulpers, finishers and fillers for tomatoes, cap markers, fish
canning machinery, green prune dipping and grading machinery, grape scalders and
dippers, continuous agitating cookers, and many other useful and labor-saving
devices. The plant is one of the largest of the kind in the world. Most of the
larger plants and practically all the smaller plants on the Pacific Coast have
been equipped by the Anderson-Barngrover Company. .The largest and finest fruit
canning plant in Australia, owned and operated by the Government, is equipped
throughout with the company's line of machinery. The business has been developed
solely by local men, and shipments to all parts of the world are made. Three
plants in Australia were supplied during 1919. Three hundred men are employed
and the sales for 1919-20 amounted to over $2,000,000. The officers are W. C.
Anderson, president; F. L. Burrell, vice-president and manager; B. D. Hull,
secretary, E. B. Weaver, treasurer. Directors-W. C. Anderson, F. L. Burrell, F.
E. Weaver, G. H. Lyle, H. C. Minker, T. C. Barnett.

Smith Manufacturing Company

  The Smith Manufacturing Company, consisting of father and son-J. S. Smith and
Chas. O. Smith-the former the president, the latter the manager, was formed in
1902 and has a large plant on Stockton Avenue, near the Alameda. The company
makes exclusively fruit machinery for the fruit grower, canner and dried fruit
packer. The implements turned out are a combined dipper, grader and automatic
spreader; a power cylinder spreader; a combined dipper and spreader; a combined
dipper, rinser and spreader; steel tanks, dipper basket, field car, transfer
car, turn table, dried fruit grader, dried fruit receiving car, standard fruit
barrow and box truck. The company does not claim any special dexterity or secret
methods, but it does claim that its machinery is made with that care and honesty
of purpose which produces a uniform quality unexcelled by other makers.

Sperry Flour Company

  The first flour mill in San Jose was erected by R. G. Moody in 1854 on the
banks of Coyote Creek about the spot where Empire Street ends. Here the
propelling power was water, procured from an artesian well. The business was
transferred to Third Street, near the corner of Santa Clara Street, in 1858,
where steam instead of water was used to drive the machinery. The improvements
consisted of a mill and warehouse, the latter with a capacity for the storage of
40,000 sacks of flour. The mill fronted on Third Street, the warehouse on Fourth
Street. Mr. Moody put in porcelain rollers soon after their introduction to this
Coast and manufactured the once celebrated "Lily White Flour." He retired from
business in the early '60s, and was succeeded by his sons, Charles, Volney and
David B. Moody. After a few years Volney Moody sold out his interest, removed to
Oakland and became a banker.

  In 1887 the Moody brothers sold out to the Central Milling Company, which soon
took in all the mills in Central California. C. L. Dingley was president, and D.
B. Moody secretary. For a number of years the company used for manufacturing
purposes the mill in San Jose, but the time came when the Santa Clara Valley
ceased to be the grain center of the state. Grain fields everywhere had been
converted into fruit orchards, and fruit culture became the great industry of
the valley. In 1892 the Sperry Flour Company absorbed the Central Milling
Company and W. G. Alexander was appointed manager. Through his activity and
sound business sense the company extended its operations until it had
practically covered the entire state. Now its tentacles have reached out to
include Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Utah. Mr. Alexander continued in office
for twenty-three years-until he went into business for himself. He was succeeded
by his brother, Howard Alexander, who died in 1912. E. B. Devine is the present
manager. The main office of the company is in San Francisco. David B. Moody
retired from the secretaryship many years ago. He is now one of the directors of
the San Jose Keystone Company, of which W. G. Alexander is president.

The Globe Mills

  The Globe Mills opened in June, 1920, a branch office and warehouse in San
Jose to care for their rapidly growing business in Santa Clara County. The
opening of this enterprise indicates the belief on the part of one of the
largest manufacturers on the coast that San Jose is destined to become an
important factor in the commercial and industrial development of California. The
Globe Mills is an old California concern with mills and warehouses in many
cities on the coast and in Nevada and Utah. The local branch is under the
management of J. W. Hollister, formerly of San Francisco. A complete line of the
Globe Mills products is carried, and sales in San Jose, on the peninsula and on
the coast north of and including Santa Cruz, are handled by this officer. A
delivery system will be inaugurated operating as far north as Palo Alto.

The American Can Company

  The American Can Company, a branch of the great New Jersey Company, has a
plant on Martha Street, which takes in an entire block. This company is now
employing 450 men and women. Foreseeing difficulty in obtaining the amount of
help they needed should other industries locate in San Jose and give regular
employment throughout the year, and also anticipating the continued growth of
the canning industry in this section of the state, the company early in 1919
completed plans for enlarging its business.

  These plans have been developed so far that warehouse facilities to store
32,000,000 cans and track facilities for loading and unloading 50 freight cars
at a time are the result. This storage capacity is now being added to the
present plant in a warehouse 200 by 600 feet being built adjoining their
original plant of 225 by 500 feet, making a plant covering an entire city black
bounded by Martha, Keyes and Fifth Streets, with the Southern Pacific railroad
on the Fourth Street side.

  In making these additions to its plant the company intends to start year-round
work for its employees. None but adult help will be employed and except in case
of emergency all night and overtime work will be done away with. With the
greatly increased storage capacity there will be enough room to care for the
needs of the company's customers with the constant shipment of those concerns
operating throughout the greater portion of the year. The plant was located in
San Jose in 1912. In 1919 the company's output was over 10,000,000 cans. John S.
Reed is the superintendent.

Security Warehouse and Cold Storage Company
  The spacious mansion occupied first by Mrs. Sarah L. Knox-Goodrich and
afterwards by Capt. C. H. Maddox and family on First Street, opposite the
Southern Pacific depot, has been removed and now the grounds covering nearly an
acre and extending from First to Second Streets, holds the large and costly
concrete buildings of the Security Warehouse and Cold Storage Company. The
improvements were started in the spring of 1920.

  The enterprise is the result of a determination on the part of local business
men who decided that the time had come when the Santa Clara Valley would support
such a plant. They organized a. $500,000 corporation, all' local capital,
secured the desired site and started operation. The building is of concrete,
except a small portion of the roof over some dry storage rooms, and is the most
modern in every particular that the directors could find in visits to like
plants throughout the country. There are in reality four distinct buildings,
each accessible to the other and separated by double fireproof doors. Floors are
all of concrete as are the supports in all-the main parts.

  The location of the plant is ideal, facing both First and Second Streets, and
adjoining the main line of the Southern Pacific. There are two side tracks at
the railroad site with a storage capacity of twelve cars for either loading or
unloading. The fourth side is a very wide drive for the use of teams and
unloading auto trucks.

  The building is 145x275 feet, of two-story and basement design, and is
equipped with an elevator of great capacity for the purpose of getting goods to
the upper story and to the basement, all goods being unloaded on the main floor,
to which the platform from either drive or railroad give direct access. Also
there is a driveway for trucks or teams leading onto this floor that full loads
intended for storage above or below may be placed directly on the elevator
without trucking.

  There are three distin storage system being installed to care for the
different classes of goods expected to be handled: Direct cool air for the care
of fresh fruit; a brine storage system for egg-keeping; and a direct expansion
of ammonia system for the freezing of fresh fruits and meats. By the latter
means it is said fruit may be frozen and kept for a period of several years,
coming out with all the appearance and taste as if freshly picked.

  The fresh fruit storage will be invaluable to growers and canners of this
valley in case of an abundance of fruit ripening at once or in case of railroad
trouble in shipping, as it can be placed here and kept until conditions for its
use are right.

  The company is also installing an ice-making plant and already has contracted
for a part of the capacity of the plant to local concerns. This plant will be
equipped with the latest apparatus for purifying the water before it is frozen
and for the sanitary handling of the product.

  The whole plant has a capacity of about 10,000 tons of storage besides the
room being given up to storage of heavy vehicles, such as autos, tractors, and
the like, of which there are many already in the building. This latter space is
easily convertible into the other varieties if it is found there is demand
enough to warrant such an alteration. E. E. Chase is president of the company,
and J. Q. Patton is secretary.

Garden City Manufactory

  This concern, started in 1919 at the corner of Willard and San Carlos Streets,
specializes in women's and children's garments. Thirty competent women are
employed and great bolts of muslin, percale, gingham, crepe, flannellette, satin
and silk dominate the shop, housed in a large, modern cement building. The
electric cutting machcine cuts 600 garments at once and there has been a rush of
orders ever since the opening. S. C. Kimball is the proprietor.

Tile Company

  The S. & S. Tile Company, located at Fourth and Lewis Streets, began
operations in 1920. The claim is made that it is the only place in the United
States where tiles are made by hand. The company's specialty is the manufacture
of mosaics and the tiles of the ancient Moors, reproduction of the work done by
the hands of skillful potters. A. L. Solon is the president of the company.

Spray Manufacturing Company

  A new enterprise entailing the investment of $50,000 in perfecting the fruit
spray was removed to San Jose from Hood River, and started in 1921 with a fine
factory at Stockton and Emery Streets. The name is the San Jose Spray
Manufacturing Company. J. C. Butcher, head of the firm known as the Butcher
Company of Hood River, is the director of the research department, and D. L.
Currier, entomologist, is the director of field work. At all times throughout
the year the service department will be open for advice and consultation.

Artificial Leather Factory

  In the winter of 1921-22 a company, consisting of local men, was organized to
take up the manufacture of certain chemical products, the principal one to be
that of artificial leather, of which the coast uses upwards of 200,000 lineal
yards per month for automobile tops and upholstery, furniture upholstery, book
binding and novelties. This product will be followed by an exceptionally
beautiful silk manufactured under a patented process owned by the company. Other
products will include non-inflammable moving picture films, lacquers, enamels
and celluloid materials. An ideal factory site has already been secured just
north of San Jose. The officers are: President, D. J. Conant; Zeno Ostenberg,
vice-president and chief chemist; secretary-treasurer, J. A. Naismith; auditor,
J. G. Shaw.

Manufactured Products

  Figures received from the bureau of census by the local Chamber of Commerce in
1921 show San Jose to have produced in 1920 manufactured products valued at
$25,000,000, nearly a five-fold increase over the 1910 total. The average number
of wage earners employed is shhown by the new census at 3,100, while in 1910
only about 1,340 were employed. The margin between raw material and finished
products is placed at $10,628,000 over a total of $2,368,000 in 1910.

  The canners do an annual business of $49,236,750; gross annual payroll,
$4,837,102. In San Jose there are 73 purely industrial concerns.

Wholesale Grocers

  The Walsh-Col Company is the pioneer wholesale grocery firm in San Jose. In
1898 P. M. Walsh and P. E. Col formed a copartnership and started the business
in a small store at 20 North Market Street. Business rapidly increased, and in
1901 the Walsh-Col Company was incorporated. In 1906 the present large and
commodious building on North Market Street, near the Southern Pacific depot, was
erected. It covers 400,000 square feet of ground. The building is of brick and
concrete with entrances on Market and San Pedro Streets. The company deals in
staple groceries, spices, extracts, and tea and coffee and the business extends
from South San Francisco on the north to Paso Robles on the south. Forty persons
are on the pay roll in San Jose and eight traveling salesmen are employed every
month in the year. The capital stock is $100,000. P. M. Walsh died in 1912. The
present officers of the company are P. J. Foley, president; P. E. Col,
vice-president; J. J. Shaw, secretary.

  The Keystone Company of San Jose was organized by E. H. Renzel in September,
1905. It occupied a small building and did a small business until August 19,
1909, when it was reorganized by W. G. Alexander. Today the buildings occupy 178
feet on North Market Street, running back to San Pedro Street. They are of
concrete with all the modern appliances and equipment. The company keeps on hand
as assorted stock of staple groceries, teas, spices, and extracts, and has
recently added a coffee roasting apparatus for the preparation of the popular
Keystone Coffee. The business extends from San Jose to Los Angeles on the south
and to Portland, Oregon, on the north. W. G. Alexander is president, E. H.
Renzel is vice-president, and P. D. Durling is secretary. The other directors
are D. B. Moody, S. M. Vandervoort, W. H. Ledyard, Mrs. W. G. Alexander, J. E.
Alexander and Merle Elliott. Proof that San Jose is the natural distributing
center of Central California is given in the rapid growth and large volume of
business of the Keystone Company. Pride is taken in the organization; there is
cheerful cooperation and good fellowship among employes and officers, and every
one labors heartily and efficiently for the success of the organization. The
business done in 1919 approximated $2,000,000.

The Oliver Company

  One of the comparatively new interests of San Jose and one which gives great
promise of becoming a large factor in the fruit industry is that of oil burning
equipment for heating of houses and for prune dipping and evaporating of other
fruits. The Oliver Oil Gas Burning & Machine Company has located its western
branch in San Jose, the work being carried on from the plant of the State
Foundry & Pattern Works on the Alameda where patterns are made and the castings
for the burners turned out. An oil-burning prune dipper has been on the market
for some time, but in 1919 the Oliver Company placed a number of these machines
throughout the valley, all giving satisfaction. While the company is at present
installing the prune dippers, the evaporating business is receiving a large
share of attention. These evaporators have burners which are claimed to be
superior to those burning either coal or wood. The company is also making a
variety of cook stoves, heating stoves and other house heating burners. They
have burners in this line up to a capacity of a fifteen horsepower boiler. The
main factory is located in St. Louis, Mo., and the San Jose factory is expected
to develop into a large concern.

National Axle Corporation

  The National Axle Corporation was organized in 1920. It purchased twelve acres
on the Berryessa Road, in what was formerly known as Luna Park, and proceeded to
erect a large one-story building at a cost of $68,000. The cost of the equipment
was $110,000. Fifteen mechanics are now employed, but the expectation is that in
the near future the force will reach the one hundred mark. In 1921, a new
corporation obtained control of the plant. S. C. Kyle is president, and Earl C.
Fancher and H. W. Smith are vice-presidents. Smith is the manager of the works.
Axles form the main output, though the factory is prepared to do all kinds of
contract work. The building is 360 feet long by 90 feet wide. One hundred feet
east of the National Axle building is located a branch of the Smith
Manufacturing Company. The building is 75x60 feet in size and here is
manufactured everything in the line of boilers and sheet metal work.

Plow Factories

  H. G. Knapp & Son, in business in San Jose since 1900, have two large plants,
one on South First Street, opposite Willow, the other at the corner of Fourth
and Margaret Streets. Their products go to Honolulu, the Philippines, Oregon,
Washington, Nevada, Utah, and all parts of the state. They manufacture plows,
tractors, side hill plows, whip saws, subsoilers, and gopher plows. A specialty
is made of the Knapp tractor disc plow and the Knapp power lift. During the
business season, the company employs forty-five men.

  In 1919 the California Plow Company located in San Jose, having secured a
four-acre tract on the old Polhemus estate, with close shipping facilities. C.
B. and E. R. Polhemus comprise the company. A number of implements, including
plows for tractors, horse-drawn tools and several kinds of harrows, are made.
Besides the main shop, which is already equipped with the latest drill presses,
lathes, punches and slicing machines, the company has started a casting foundry,
operating on a small scale.

The Farmers' Union

  The Farmers' Union was organized by Valley farmers on May 11, 1874, for the
purpose of buying and selling groceries, produce, hardware-everything, in fact,
save clothing- and maintaining stores. Besides the large store on Santa Clara
Street, corner of San Pedro, it operates a store in Central Market and another
at the town of Campbell. The capital stock when the company was organized was
$100,000. It has since been increased to $200,000. The value of the stock on
hand amounts to about the same figure. The first president was William Erkson.
In 1878 he was succeeded by C. T. Settle, who continued in office until his
death in 1900. W. C. Andrews was then chosen for the position, and he has held
it ever since. He is also the manager of the store and his assistant is A. O.
Matthews. Dr. W. C. Bailey is the secretary of the organization.

Granite and Marble Works

  Schuh & Vertin have the only granite and marble works within the limits of the
city of San Jose. Their establishment is at the corner of Santa Clara and Vine
Streets, and like the other works on the outside they do all kinds of marble and
granite work, special designing, etc. Near the city are located three other
establishments, the Oak Hill Granite & Marble Yard, on the edge of the Cemetery,
Monterey Road; the San Jose Granite and Marble Works, corner of First and
Alameda Streets, and the Western Granite & Marble Company's works on Stockton
Avenue.

  The marble business was established in San Jose in 1870 by J. W. Combs, and in
1178 W. W. Blanchard and Timothy O'Neill opened the first granite works. In 1883
a partnership between the three men was formed and the two interests were
combined under the firm name of Combs, Blanchard & O'Neill. The name was
afterwards changed to the Western Marble and Granite Company, and for many years
business was done on First Street near the Southern Pacific railway tracks. At
last, being cramped for space, the establishment was removed to Stockton Avenue.

  Other industries are potteries, brick yards, machine shops, broom factories,
box factories, refineries, book binderies, creameries, dairies, feed yards,
sheet metal, wagon, mattress. shingle and pump factories, lumber yards and
planing mills, rug works, macaroni factories, violin makers, well works, welding
works, paste makers and coffee and spice mills. This does not include the dozens
of garages, auto supply companies and auto repair shops.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY CALIFORNIA
WITH
Biographical Sketches
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth
and Development From the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
EUGENE T. SAWYER

ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 
1922


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