Ann Arbor's Industries

The Register takes pleasure in aying before its readers today a brief description of the majufacturing industries of Ann' Arbor. Although the showing is not as large as in many cities of thia size that depend more exclusively upon manufacturing, and have not the great educational instituíons that are a source of considerable ncome and furnish a living to many shopkeepers, boarding house keepers and people of that class, yet it is very creditble, and a fair start for the better advantages in thia line that the city will soon have if the business boom that is now 8tarted continúes to grow as it should. One of the noticeable features of the manufactures is that they are all in a healthy and growing condition. With the showing made below, and the very fiattering prospect for the future, Ann Arbor will soon be the leading macufacturing city in southeastern Michigan. The natural facilities which the city offers to those seeking locations are attracting a large number of people here, and it can be tairly sairi that Ann Arbor is entering a new epoch in her history. One of the largest institutions in the city, and which our people justly take pride in showing to their friends, 3 the MICHIGAN FüRNITURE COMPANY. This company occupies four large buildings on the south-east corner of Williams and West Fourth-st?. The business was started several years ago by John Keek, which he run uutil about seven years ago, when a stock company was formed and the Keek Manufacturing Company succeeded him. The business was continued under this name until a year ago, when the name was changed to the Michigan Furniture Company. Their works consiats of four large buildings, one 40x80, three stories high, which is used as a store :oom, and for packing and finishing. Another one, also a three-story building, is 40x70, which is used for manufacturing the furniture. Two other buildings, 30x40 each, two stories high, are used for store rooms. All of the modern improvements for manufacturing furniture are used by this company. They confine themselves to making bedroom suits, nothing but the very best material is used and they are finished in the latest style. They employ 75 men, tnd their pay roll amounts to $800 per week. Tiuee men are kept on the road, selline goods, and occasioual trips are siso made by'the superintendent, Paul Snauble and Meivin Bliss. Their business last year amounted to over $54,000, and they expect to exceed this amount the present year. AKH ARBOR AGRICULTÜRAL WORKS Is another institution which is numbered among the prosperous ones in the city. The company dates its origin from ltíCO, when Lewis Moore & Son commenced the manufacture of wheat drills, plows, etc. The business continued this way until eight years ago, when a stock company was formed, the capital stock being fixed at $"5,000. The works were enlarged, new machinery put in, etc, and mowing machines, hay tedders, hay rakes, strawcutters, etc, were added to the list of implements manufactured. The company occupy four large buildings, and employ 50 men, which requires about $300 every oaturday to pay them off. The wood vork and painting is done in a three-story building 40x100 feet ; the plow depart■nent occupies a building 40x00 feet ; for e machine shop a three-story building 30x113 feet is required ; for the foundry a building 55x103 feet is used. Besides the ur large buildings there are two large sneds used for storing lumber, a store room and an office. They ship their goods to all parts of the United States, the state w Missouri being their best market. A arm in Philadelphia, however, is their best customer, their accounts, in the course of e year amounting to about $20,000. ineir business is constantly increasing, wflich is due in a large measure to the Wterprise of the superintendent, Eli Moore. Last year a dividend of eight per Cont, was dAnlflrpH wnipVi etif-iwo if tr Ka m a growing condition. Another institution which the people of Aun Arbor point to with considerable Pnde is the FERGUSON SPEEDtNG CART MANUFACTOBY, '"ch is of a recent date in Ann Arbor. "" Ferguson a the patentee of the oart, Mch he manufactures in the two buildlas formerly occupied by B. F. Arksey, ?n Detroit-st, and is today one of the lead'"Rcarts on the market. He began to ganufacture them in September last, in Ueter, but his business room outgrew "8 facilities, and in March of this year he oved to this city, where he has met with cellen t suocess. At present he employs lJ men, who draw $175 every Saturday a'8bt, 9 of whom are in the blacksmith jP, S in the paint shop, 1 each in the ood wofij an(j trimming departments. rom 12 to 15 carts are turned out per . y.i and Mr. Ferguson expects to make, ucg the present year, at least 3,000. f i ?st twiee this number could be sold r , ad the room and facilities for manul'c'u "Qg them. Today he is 150 orders I nmd. beaides s large number which he received early in the spring which he does not expect to fill. The carte are shipped to all parU of the country, frotn the Atlantic to the PaciSc, and from the lakes to the gulf. THE ANN ARBOR TAXNING COMPANr Is a company composed of energetic men, which is making rapid strides towards the front rank in its line of goods. They are constantly increasing their business and adding new machinery, which shows that they are puahing ahead. They are noi running tneir iull capacity, at present, which is 3,000 hides per year, but expect to in a very short time. At present they are turning out 100 sides per week (50 hidef), for whieh they find a ready sale at the highest market price, owing to the superior quality of their leather. Ten men are employed in the departments and the treasurer has to come down every Saturday night with $100 to pay them off, in order to keep harmony in the camp. KUEBLER k GRÜNER is another firm who commenced the manufacture of bed room sets in this city about four years ago. They occupy a two-story building, 40x80 feet, at the corner of Madison and Fourth sts. They are well Drovided with 11 t.h mnilsm machinery, which requires the services of a 40-horse power engine. They employ nine men, besides two men on the road, to whom they pay $100 every week. Their business has steadily increased from the start. They are goiüg on the "slow but sure" policy, and every dollar they make they add to the business. THOMAS RAUSCHENBERGER & CO. is the came of a firm that manufactures furniture on Wines-st, in the Second ward. The business was numbered among the early manuíactones, of Ann Arbor, but it has been conduoted by the above named firm since 1878 They confine themselves mostly to making furniture to order. Their specialiy, however is book cases and side boards. They occupy two large buildings and employ eight men at an expense of $80 per week. ANN ARBOR ORGAN WORKS. If there is any one particular business in Ann Arbor which needs the attention and encouragement of our citizens, it is tbe above works. The proprietor, D. F. , Allmendinger, is an industrious and hard working man. He first commenced to manufacture organs in this city in 1872, and since then been constantly but slowly increasing it, until now he employs ten men, at a weekly cost of $100. Mr. Allmendinger expects to manufacture at least 100 oreans the nresent vear. He is stantly behind on his order?, which fact, itself, speaks volumes for the superior tone and quality of his organ. We know of no better method to further increase the manufaciuring industries of Ann Arbor, than for capitalista to form a stock company and push tbis business for all there is in it. Mr. Allmendinger has reeen tly made a few pianos which have been highly spoken of by musicians as having a very fine tone. WALKEB BROTHERS, is the name of a firm which commenced to make carriages in this city, about twecty years ago. Today they are one ot íhe manufacturing firme "of the city. In 1871 they erected a Jarge three-story DncK ouiiaing on west Liberty-st, where they are now located and doing a fine busiae 8. They are supplied with all the latest improvements for manufacturing carriages, and all the material used in them is of A. No. 1 quality. A water motor is used to run their machinery, with which they do all their polishing and filing. Their business has steadily increased for the past few years, which is a testimonial that the carriages they manufacture are of a superior grade, and today they are 50 orders behind. They employ 19 men, seven in the blacksmith shop, three at wood work, four trimmers, and five painters. From 15 to 20 carriages are manufactured each week, and the firm expect to largely increase their business for next season's trade. F. WAGNER k BROTHERS. This enterprising firm began the manufacture of carriages, in this city, in 1873. Their present location is a two-story brick building at No. 37 and 39 Secondst. Besides turning out a large number of carriages each year, they do a large amouQt of custom work. They are continually behind with their orders, and the probabilities are that next summer an addition will be built to their works which will enable them to employ more help, and thua largely increase their business. At present they have 10 men in their employ ment, at an expense of $150 per week. FLOURING MILIS. Few citie8 in the state have Gner or larger ílouring milis than has Ann ArbDr. Not a car load of wheat is shipped out of this city m the course of the year, but instead several thousand bushels are shipped here f rom points on the Michigan!Central, and Toledo & Ann Arbor railroads, to be ground into flour. Ann Arbor flour is becoming quite famous as an A. No. 1 quality, and it is now shipped to nearly every eastern and southern state. Swathel, Kyer & Petergon are the largest millers. Their average is about 1,300 barrels per week. Their business is steadily increasing and this year it will be over $400,000. It takes 13 men to carry on their work in the mili, which makes a pay roll amounting to $130. Tbey also have a cooper shop in connection with their mili, in which they employ eight men at an expense of $80 per week. Allmendinger and Schneider ture about 900 barrels of flour per week, besides a large amount of mili feed. They run their mili to ite fullest capacity, and had they the room their business would far exoeed what it is at present, as their flour finds a ready sale in aoy market where it has ever been used. They employ 13 men in the miil and nine in the cooper shop, to whom they pay $200 of their profits every week. J. M. Swift & Co., proprietors of the Sinclair Mills furnish about 1,000 barrels of flour conaumed in the United States every week. Like the other m:Ils they find a ready sale for all of their flour, and the want of room is all that keeps them trom inoreasing their business. They have 20 men in their employ to whom they pay about $200 per week. 8A?H, DOORS AND BLIJÍD3. There are three plaining milis in Ann Arbor, all of which manufacture sash, door?, blinds and other material used in building houses. There are none of them very large nor employ a great many men. The latest and most improved machinery has been placed in all of them which has reduced the manual labor so much that a few men are able to turn out a large amount of work. Luick Bros., on Fifth st, have been in the business for a number of years and by their courteous manner and fair dealing have won the confldence of those who do business with them. They employ eight men, at an expense of $75 per week. Herman Krapf has been running the Detroit st plaining mili for about eight years, and probably will for many years to come, He employs only four men and his pay roll amounts to only $40 per week. John Armstrong, with the aid of six men, does his share of the work. He purchased the plaining mili on Depot-st about three years ago, and since that time his business haa ateadily increased. His pay roll amounts to about $00 per week. Besidfjs the forgoinjf industries, there are the pulp mili, the capsule faotory, two cigar faetones, two breweries, and several smaller concerns which employs cumerous hands.