Sonoma County CA Archives History - Books .....Manufactures 1877 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 25, 2006, 3:07 am Book Title: Historical And Descriptive Sketch Of Sonoma County, California MANUFACTURES. Within the past year Santa Rosa has largely increased her manufacturing facilities, displaying in this direction a liberality and spirit of enterprise creditable to her people. The most important of these enterprises is the Alden Fruit Preserving Company. It was incorporated September 29th, 1876, with a capital of one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars, divided into two thousand five hundred shares, par value five dollars each. S. T. Coulter is president of the company, and W. Coker is secretary. The main building is thirty by twenty-eight feet, three stories high, with an eight-foot basement. There is a wing to the main building thirty-two by twenty feet, and a one-story building sixty by eighteen feet for canning fruit. The works have a capacity for drying eight tons of green fruit, and canning one hundred cases of two dozen each a day. The works employ during the season six men and fifty boys and girls. The Santa Rosa Boot and Shoe factory is another very important enterprise. The proprietor is C. Lovejoy. The factory is situated on McDonald avenue—the building is neatly constructed, and is two stories high with a wing. The ground and upper floors are eighty by thirty feet; all the machinery is driven by steam, the factory is complete in all its appointments, and when run to its full capacity will be able to supply the local demand of the north-coast counties for boots and shoes. The Santa Rosa Wine Company was organized in 1876. Following is a list of the officers: Jackson R. Meyers, president, W. L. Knapp, vice-president, J. F. Boyce, treasurer, Rufus Murphy, secretary, John Taylor, superintendant. The lot on which the factory stands fronts two hundred and forty feet on the railroad, with a depth of one hundred and eighty-five feet. The building has a frontage of ninety-five feet, with a depth of one hundred feet, with wing fifty by twenty feet. It is one of the largest and most conveniently arranged wine factories in the State, with a capacity for working at least two thousand five hundred tons of grapes a year, of which one thousand tons are raised in the neighborhood of Santa Rosa, and any desired number of tons can be had by rail from the county north of the factory. They have now in casks about one hundred and fifty thousand gallons of wine. The Santa Rosa Brewery is situated on Second and Wilson streets. It presents a very neat and business-like exterior. It was started four years ago by Bosen & Metzger; now owned by Joost & Metzger. Many improvements have since been made in the original works. The capacity of the brewery is three hundred and fifty barrels, or ten thousand gallons a month. Two wagons and five horses are kept at work. The machinery is run by horse power. The Carriage Manufacturing Company of Baker, Ross & Mitchell, is situated on Main street between First and Second. It was established in 1874. The building is fifty by one hundred and fifteen feet, the main central front having two stories; six men are employed; Charles Bogart does the carriage painting. J. K. Smith Carriage and Car factory was first established in 1873 by D. C. Nicoll; is situated on Fourth street near the railroad depot. S. S. Nowlin purchased a half interest which he sold to J. K. Smith, and the firm took the name of Nicoll & Smith; J. K. Smith purchased Nicholl's interest, and became sole proprietor. John Miller is foreman of the blacksmithing department. The Santa Rosa street cars were built at this establishment. Smith & Gulkzes' carriage manufactory is situated on Main street. This firm do general carriage, manufacturing and blacksmithing business. Santa Rosa planing mill is situated on Wilson street, and was built in 1870 by H. T. Hewitt. It was afterwards sold to Mr. Arnold, and by him to F. Korbel & Brothers, who still own it. The engine is twenty horse power, and the daily capacity of the mill is from seven to twelve thousand feet of ordinary planing work. From eight to ten hands are usually employed about the mill. The marble works of Santa Rosa are situated on Fourth street near the depot. Fisher & Russell are the proprietors. They do excellent work, employing eight men, and have extended their business out of Sonoma, into Lake, Mendocino and Napa counties. A soap factory was started in 1872 by J. F. Filcher, who was succeeded by the present proprietor, J. H. Holman. They manufacture one hundred and fifty boxes of soap per week, and keep two teams employed selling soap in this and adjoining counties. The Santa Rosa Mills, situated on Santa Rosa avenue, south of the iron bridge, were established about fifteen years ago by William Hood. They are now owned by Baker & Shaw. The building is a large wooden one, the centre being two stories and a half, and having a wing on each side about seventy-five feet in length, with a basement story. There are three runs of stone—two for wheat, and one for making corn-meal, graham Hour, and ground feed. The mill is run by an engine of fifty horse power, and the capacity of the mills about fifty barrels in twelve hours. Five men are generally employed. Empire Mills are located on the railroad between Sixth and Seventh streets The mill proper is a three story brick building, and adjoining is the ware house a one story brick building, having a storage capacity of thirty thousand tons of wheat. This building was erected some years ago, at a cost of thirty-seven thousand dollars. It was built by Dr. Dobbins, and sold by him to Mr. John McIlmoil, and a half interest afterwards bought by Mr. Stoddard. S. S. Nowlin bought the interest of Mr. McIlmoil. These mills have three runs of stone for wheat, and one for corn, barley, etc., and have all the latest and best improved machinery for making "A. No. 1" flour. Their capacity is one hundred barrels in twelve hours, and six men are generally employed about them. The Golden Eagle Foundry and Machine Shops, owned by M. E. Shnlte, situated on Fifth street, west of the railroad, were established in December 1874. The buildings are plain but substantial, and suitable to the business. Here are cast all sorts of agricultural implements, irons for bridge work, and iron and brass castings; iron fronts for buildings, and stoves. In connection with the foundry and machine shop, there is also a shop in which patterns are made, and another in which general blacksmithing is done. An engine of forty horse power is used in these works. Mr. H. F. Shulte is foreman, and generally has employed about six men. Besides the manufacturing establishments we have enumerated, there is a furniture factory, candy factories, a soda water factory, a glove factory, cigar factory, a box factory, a tannery, a pork packing house, etc., etc. The machinery for a woolen mill is already here, a lot has been secured, and before this notice is put to press the mill will most likely be in operation, or at all events well under way. There is also an old established and successfully worked pottery, which we neglected to mention in the proper place. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE SKETCH OF SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, BY ROBERT A. THOMPSON, EDITOR OF "THE SONOMA DEMOCRAT." PHILADELPHIA: L. H. EVERTS & CO. 1877. 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