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ST. LOOTS cfc ILLIWOIS STKKL BKXX>OK.
Total Length of Bridge 2,087 ft. 1 at Arcli 497 ft., 2d Arcli 515 ft., 3d Arch 497 ft. Height of Arches above low water mark 90 ft.
Total Cost of Bridge will he 6,000,000 to 8,000,000 Dollars.
MAMFAGTDRES 01 ST. LOUIS.
Future Opportunity—Present Enjoyment
Of St. Louis prospectively—her miner
al wealth, manufacturing facilities, and
central locality, much has been written,
and a possible bright and prosperous fu
ture is generally conceded her. But, of
accomplished facts, her every day actual
work, less is written and less known
than of any other city of equal importance.
Mountains of iron, coal and limestone in
exhaustible, accessible by river naviga
tion from every point of tlio compass, and
the length of her rivers counted by thou
sands of miles: midway on the great na
tional central highway from the Atlantic
to the Pacific, which here crosses the
’ “ Father of Waters ” — itself reaching
from the Northern to the Southern bor
ders of the Union; all these, without
reference to minor railroads and facilities
innumerable captivate the pencil when
employed in sketching St. Louis, and by
them is eclipsed her every dayhvork. But
beautiful and inviting ns are ner advan
tages to the live appreciating man of
business, there is a beauty and invitation
in the work accomplished by her pioneer
merchants and manufacturers that we
propose to show in the light in "which we
have been privileged to seeit.
On an eligible site near the bank of the
great river, in the northern part of the
city, are located the works of the
EXCELSIOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
Entering this establishment from Main
street, wo first notice in its center area
huge piles of pig metal, chiefly Missouri
iron, but in stacks, of less than one-fourth
the size of others, is Scotch pig and Ten
nessee metal, used for the purpose of giv
ing to Missouri’s greater strength a
smoother surface. The quantity con
sumed or utilized, is from thirty to thirty-
five tons daily. And it is believed that
there is here melted a greater quantity of
metal than at any other stove foundry in
the country.
In one large pile wo noticed a relic of
the past in the shape of shells of every
description. No longer of use to the gov
ernment, they have been sold and are
here for verification of the symbolic trans
lation of weapons of war into implements
of industry and peace. In another local
ity is a pyramid of coal, of which fifteen
hundred tons of anthracite and about
twenty thousand bushels bituminous are
consumed here annually. This immense
amount of raw material which finds daily
ingress and egress from this area is con
veyed hither in crude form and removed
in its utilized or transformed state to the
wharves and depots for transportation, by
the Company’s own drays; and to tne
right of the entrance ana on the south
side of the area, we noticed comfortable
stabling for their entire cavalcade of
mules and horses.
Of the manufacture of stoves and stove
utensils an exhaustive treatise might bo
written by describing in detail the daily
work of over three hundred persons here
employed, beginning with the draughts
men’s department, and following their
sketches into the pattern room and from
the hands of the pattern maker through
all the departments of the foundry into
the mounting, finishing and finally*sales
rooms, but it is our present purpose rath
er to mention the capacity and product
of this hive of industry, than to detail
the manner of its work which, enpassant,
is so systemized ns to work with all the
regularity and freedom from friction of
the finest mechanism. All is under the
general superintendence of Mr. E. C.
Little, assisted in several departments
bv Messrs. L. B. Trafton, Henry
■\Veigand and \V. Little. "
The center area is enclosed by buildings
covering about three acres of ground, to
which have been added by recent pur
chases. with a view to a necessary exten
sion, about one and a half acres, making
together four and one-half acres of ground
embraced within the limits of Florida
Btreet on the north to Smith street 6outh,
and from Main street on the west to Lewis
street cast.
Entering first the moulding room, and
passing through five apartments, cover
ing thirly-scven thousand square feet of
moulding floor, wo get the first compre
hensive impression of the capacity of the
works, and after passing through tho
buildings covering the entire front on
Lewis street, four stories high, and with
several parallelograms projecting into the
interior area, all occupiecl for cleaning
castings, mounting stoves, storage, &c.,
we are prepared to hear that the capacity
of the works is upwards of forty thousand
stoves per annum. Deducting the time
necessary for repairs, in July, and that
consumed for taking stock account in
January, the number of its working days
in the year last past was two hundred and
eighty-eight. The number of stoves manu
factured was forty-one thousand six hun
dred and twenty-five—thus producing one
finished stove every two and a half minutes
during the entire year! Upwards of two
hundred varieties of 6toves are made here,
but the celebrated
Hew Mon To; (Mr Oak
Is made a specialty, and its deserved
popularity is best told by giving the
figures which tell the large and increas
ing demand for it. It was introduced in
1852, and 2,619 stoves sold that year. The
sales increased each year until 1857 in
which 10,801 were sold. After the finan
cial crisis of that year, the sales were each
year as follows: In ’58, 6,505; in ’59, 7,144 ;
In ’60, 7,306. The war began in 1861, arid,
unfortunate as St. Louis then was in being
located on the border between the contend
ing armies, and difficult as it was to pro
cure labor or make shipments, the sales
of Charter Oak Stoves during that year
numbered 3,183, and eacli year increased
until the sales of the year last past reached
21,106; and the aggregate sales from 1852
to Jan. 1st, 1871, foot up one hundred and
seventy thousand, nine hundred and fifty-
four, (170,954). A greater celebrity 7 , sure
ly, than can be^claimed for any other
stove extant.
Before making our exit from the foun
dry, we take a look into the bath-room
where are twenty-one bath tubs, provided
with appreciating care for the comfort of
employees. The water in each may be
heated by the steam from the boilers; and
to the heated, toiling men these baths
must be a great luxury. Of the engine,
machinery, cupola, &c.. all in keeping
with the magnitude of the work they are
intended for, we cannot give detailed de
scription without extending our sketch to
too great length.'
The Excelsior Manufacturing Company
has been incorporated. Its capital stock
represents a very large sum of money.
Its stockholders, however, are very few
in number, being only three. The offl-.
cers of the company are Giles F. Filley,
President; James W. Bell, Secretary;
and E. C. Little, Superintendent. The
foundation of the establishment was laid
by Mr. Filley, in 1849, and it has barely
attained its majority. Congratulations
upon judicious management, intelligent
. attention, and honorable conduct to vigor
ous manhood are evidently now in order.
Tiie establishment, it is true, may now
speak for itself; and it, perhaps better
than our feeble pencil, can by its every
day performances ao the greater honor to
its officers and owners. It is an institu
tion that accomplishes its work withc.it
ostentation. In the employment it gives
to over three hundred persons ii proviies \
food and raiment for nearly 7 two thousand '
souls. Its pay-roll for labor alone foots
up over twenty-two thousand dollars per
month.
The business department and sales and
storage rooms are located on Main str=et,
immediately north of the great steel bridge
which will here soon span tho Mississippi.
Tho buildings here occupied by the Com
pany are 612 and 614 North Main Street,
40x120 feet, and 012, 614, and 016 Commer
cial Street, 60 feet front and extending 120
feet to levee or river front. The present j
stock on hand ready for the fall trade is
twelve thousand stoves with all their ap
purtenant trimmings. The customers of
the house are found in twenty-two States
and' Territories. The first car load of
stoves to cross the Union Pacific Railway
was a load of Charter Oak from Excelsior
Manufacturing Company, leaving St.
Louis June 12th, and twenty days cn route,
and to day (July 26tli,) is receivod an or
der from Locke’ & Montague, San Fran
cisco, for one hundred and five stoves.
The largest order pro’^blv ever given or
received for any 7 particular stove, is ad
dressed to Excelsior Manufacturing Com
pany 7 , St. Louis, bears date of New
Orleans, Juno 2nd, 1871, and is drawn by
Rice Brothers & Co., for three thousand,
two hundred and seventy-two Charter Oak
Stoves. [See Order on 3d page.]
You Will Blnvo
A SURE THING
IF YOU BUY AN
Hivening Star
OF GETTING THE VERY
iii
It will give a more'uniform and
pleasa-it heat;
Requ'.es less fuel and the doors are
more carefully fitted;
The fire is under more perfect con
trol, and it has a better draft
—TUAN ANY
Sleet Iim Parlor Sieve iii tie MaM
(t Is a SURE THING that any person,
who has ever used tivr
mwENim* SfABj
would not exchange it for any other
Stove.
No. SO, Is used for Small Olliers and Chambers. ,
Nos. ‘.'4 and 2S, for Parlors and Large Chambers.
No. 30, for Stores, Churches and Halls.
CALL ACT CIS CHI EVENING STAR AT
612 & 614 N. Main Street, ST. LOUIS,
SALESROOMS OF TIIC
Eteoslsior Manufacturing Co.