The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-11-02
UTICA.


there one day this week, We made few notes of
its progress since then.
The leading business at Utica continues to be
the manufacture of water lime or hydraulic &C.
ment, which is still carried on by James Clark g.
Son. The extent and Importance Of the business
may be estimated by the fact that except small
establishment at Louisville, Utica is the only
place west of the mountains where the article is
manufactured, while it is one of indispensable
necessity in all masonry in low, damp places, or
under water, and in the building of aqueducts,
culverts, water tanks, csterns, &c. 1t is not
strange, therefore, that, although Messrs. Clark
Il Son do no advertising and make no effort to
get custom, their works are kept running to their
full capacity, which is equal to about $50 barrels
per day, or $4,000 year, and that, of late. the
pressure upon them has become SO great that they
have determined, during the coming winter, to
increase their manufacturing capacity about one
third. They give, at present, constant remuner-
alive employment to from - to 100men, of whom
20 are coopers but who, though supplied with
the best machinery, are able to manufacture but
about half the barrels that are needed OF the
inexhaustible quarries from which the crude ma
terial of this water lime is taken, the monster
kilns in which il is burnt, the titanic mills in
which it is ground, and the whole process of its
manufacture. We spoke SO fully in our former ar
ticle, that We shall not stop to repeat it.
Next in Importance to the manufacture of &C.
ment, in which some $3.50, 900 to S2O0.OOO year
are expended at Utica, is the grain interest
Two years ago Utica had two warehouses or eel.
svators" engaged in this business one owned by
Mr.. Clark and the other by Mr.. Dimmck A
third, however, was in process of erection by
Mr.. Harvey Void, much larger than either of
the others, and supplied with all the most mod.
ern and improved machinery and appliances of
such establishments. The result of the erection
| of this new elevator was such rs shrewd men
had anticipated. The grain business which the
| year before had reached q little over 300 900
| bushels, the next year went up to half million,
and during the past year, in spite of last year s
short crop, will more that equal those figures
The three warehouses are now "run" as follows
The old, or stone warehouse, by JAS. Clark &
Son the Dimmick warehouse since the death of
Mr.. Franklin Dimmick, by Messrs. Hossaek Il
Geggie; and the new warehouse, by Mr.. J. d. G..
Weld.
! The large sums paid out for all this grain at
Utica, as well as in the manufacture of cement,
naturally make a profitable opening for merchan.
dising. Two years ago we found two stores at
Utica, dealing in dry goods, groceries, &c. Now
we find four there. The oldest and largest Of
these is still owned by Mr.. Z. Z. Taylor, who we
find has considerably enlarged his quarters since
our last visit. His stock Of dry goods is about
equal in quality and extent to that of the COM
mon run of dry goods stores in Ottawa, while in
addition he keeps heavy stock of groceries, pro-
visions, hats and caps boots and shoes. crockery.
hardware, &c. We found this notable fact in
the case Of Mr. Taylor, tina. in his determination
to keep a stock equal to every demand in town
| where there are naturally no stores devoted ex-
clusvely TO boots and shoes, or hardware, &C. as
| in cities, he is obliged to carry heavier stock
than ordinary city retailers, and also, to get the
home trade, is obliged to sell closer, which he is
able TO do on account Of the lower rents he pays,
less taxes, &c. Mr.. T. commenced in Utica sew
| en- years ago, with small stock and the present
extent Of his business shows that he has been
prosperous.
The other store in Utica two years ago was
that of Mr.. T. Lockwood--now owned bv A. C.
Misunderstanding in the same general stock as
Mr.. Taylor, with the addition of clothing This
store also shows signs of having done a good
business. .f..-.r ..sa f...
| Adjoining the store of Mr.. Lockwood we found
a new store, and in it our young friends Messrs
Phelps Il Shafer, as proprietors They also deal
in dry goods, clothing boots and shoes, hats and
caps, &C., and from their throng of customers
and CHEEKY countenances we judged they were
also doing a coed business. II
The other new store. also dealing in dry goods,
groceries, boots and shoes, &c, has been opened
within few weeks by Messrs. Lynch e. OSulli-
van. They are fine appearing, we'll spoken
young men, and though commencing with a COM
paratively small stock, we shall be greatly de-
ceived if they don't do prosperous business. ~
Besides the new warehouse and stores we also
found new planning mill and lumber yard at
! Utica. These have been started within few
months by Mr.. f. L. Dimmich The machinery
in the planning mill, which consists of Wood
worth planer, rip saw, resawer, Nc, is propelled
by a 20 horse power engine, and is doing an e.
cellent business. Mr.. ID. manufactures siding.
frames, doors, &c, and sells sash. blinds, glass
nails, all kinds of lumber and building materials
generally. His interests in the planning mill are
safe in the hands of his foreman, Mr.. Luke Rugg