The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-26
PROGRESS In MANUFACTURES

We are living in n fast age. The slow coach
of the last century has been superseded in the
present by lightning speed. Whether we apply
this rule to our rapid means of travel and tele-
graphic intercourse, the acceleration of great
public events, or the achievements OF indi-
vidual enterprise. the truth of 1t is equally ap.
parent. Time was, when to establish large
and successful manufacturing business of any
kind was labor of years, and even OF sue
ceeding generations; but In this age of Ideas
and Printers Ink, the step from conception to
contamination is reduced to a matter OF months
Less than three years have elapsed since the
great enterprise of which we are about to speak
was born. To-day it boasts manufacturing
edihce second to but few in this country,
either in magnitude or financial success
or the extent of its popularity as public bene-
ft In April, 1865. its proprietor, ]. b. Dobbins
Esq, commenced the manufacture of his now
widely.known and justly celebrated Electric
Soap" in a cellar in the vicinity of Fifth and
Market streets, on small scale. Confident
that his discovery only needed an introduction
to the public to become q general favorite with
the people, in three months from the time no
commenced manufacturing he removed to the
DullulDB az ElBuJn ana IaSKer StreetS, where
he had facilities for turning out 100 900 zone
hundred thousand) pounds of soap per month.
Al length, however, the unparalleled demand
for his article rendered additional facilities
necessary, and 1t was to meet this necessity
that MIR. Dobbins erected, and has now in COM
plete operation, his immense new building at
Sixth street and Germantown avenue.
The capacity of his present edfce is 500 900
give hundred thousand) pounds of soap per
n, i
already attained the enormous sum of 200 900
two hundred thousand) pounds per month.
The structure is substantially built, and com.
modlously arranged in every part for the saving
Of labor, the lower walls being twenty-five
inches thick, and the floors throughout the
three stories of the best quality of heart pine.
The lot upon which the building stands Is Ii3
feet, by an average depth of l20 feet and has a
triple frontage-on Germantown avenue Sus-
quehanna avenue, and Marshall street. Alto
gether it is one of the most imposing improve
ments in that rapidly growing section of the
city, being no less conspicuous architectural
ornament to that vicinity than are Jayne's
building, the Continental Hotel, and other
noted structures to Chestnut street.
! The routine of operations observed in this
| establishment, from the point where all the ma
terials are received, through the various inge-
! nieus processes, until the completed article Is
ready for hpment, are exceedingly interesting,
| and prove that the in ventor and manufactures
| Mr.. Dobbins (who, by the way, superlntends in
! person the operations of his entire establish
ment, even to the minutest details), is singu-
larly qualified to conduct so vast, aud, in mea.
/ sure, mysterious enterprise. The secret upon
which his great invention rests, while it is worth
thousands to him, is worth millions to the
world, a fact which bids fair at no distant day
to render the production of his article one OF, If
not the largest item of American manufactures.
| without consulting Mr.. Dobbins we will here
take the liberty OF exposing what we deem a
| chief secret of his wonderful success. Hitherto
| 1t has been the policy and aim of soap manu-
facturers to ascertain ho1U chedplu it was posi-
BILE to produce lump of soap of a given size
| Mr.. Dobbins set out with a determination to
demonstrate hO,0 much ,OaShin0 property could
| be put into piece Of soap Of the same size. The
result, as we are forced TO admit from our own
knowledge, has been marvellous. From Maine
to Mexico the high claims that are made for
Dobbins' Electric Soap are gratefully acknow-
lodged in thousands of families and hundreds
/ of public Institutions.
No better evidence could be given that this
! greatsuccess will be permanent and progressive,
than the fact that Mr.. Dobbins is, and means to
continue, personally the sole manufacturer of
the article.
One singular fact in the history of this soap
/
demand for it has been steady and gradual. No
one month during the whole period has fallen
behind the preceding month, and in some in
stances the monthly increase has been astOnsh-
| ingly large. In September of this year the de.
mand in this city alone exceeded by 10000
Cten thousand) pounds that of any previous
month in its history; and with the present
enlarged facilities for its manufacture, and the
great name the soap is acquiring wherever 1t is
| introduced, cannot fail TO render the ratio OF
increase even greater than this throughout the
| country at large.
AS adulation always follows success, we m ay
mention in passing that Mr.. Dobbins is now
the subject of general congratulation, some OF
his former critics even going so lar as to rate
him "prophep'-on these grounds:-Some
months before Mr.. d. erected his present edi-
flee, his large delivery wagon had painted upon
tory. This was while he was yet operating in a
comparatively small building down town
Those who knew the facts laughingly remarked
| "Ihdt was a cheap mode OF building big fac.
tories" Now that his new structure not only
equals the pictorial representation on his
wagon, but greatly excels IL in magnitude and
appearance, these knowing ones give Mr.. ID.
credit for having simply, in modest way, dis
counted the future Our own judgment how.
ever, Is, that Mr. Dobbins has some ambition OF
being among the proftSi Whynot? With the
facilities now possessed by Mr.. Dobbins and
his practical ingenuity, we are not surprised TO
learn that he contemplates shortly bringing
out new aTticle-Blaoking for Boots-that is
likely to create as profound sensation as his