The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-11-12
LETTER FROM INDIANAPOLIS,
History of an Old Foundry.

Correspondence Richmond Palladium.
INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 9th.
In 1851, D. Root and j. B. Root
came from Cincinnati, and estab-
lished a Foundry on the classic
stream of Pogues Run, near the
old Gas Works, about one square
East of the Union Depot. The
| difficulties to be encountered at that
time in such an undertaking, are
known to but few Indianapolitans
of the present day. Note shaving,
and apeculations in real estate alb :
sorbed the bulk of the local Capt.
tai. Very few citizens lad any
thing like proper appreciation Of
the Importance of manufactures
Richmond, at that time, the first
industrial city Of the State, held
the trade. Good Moulders and
Machinests, were hard to get, and
still harder to retain, even at their
own wages. The people of Indi-
ana, aot yet freed by Railroad in
fuence from their local ideas and
their time-honored prejudices,
were exceedingly slow to patron
ize anything new under the sum-
And, finally, Pogues Run the wild,
the savage, the merciless Pogues
Run-had not yet, been reco ociled
to State of civilizstion. Many a
time have I seen that historic
stream, which, when reduced TO its
channel, is little more than a
spring branch, rise in its swollen
rage and overflow If 1 were wri-
ting for New York pap er, /
would say "inundate," for over
fow would be vulgar in Gotham
half indianapolis, and that half, as
you will readily understand from
the location have assigned it, in
Guided Roots Foundry, which,
standing in on Of the lowest spots
near the South bank, was not I'M
frequdntly for days at time, ten
feet under water. or course, such
overflows subjected the Root Broth
ers, with all others similarly sItu-
ated, at the time, to losses, incon-
venienees and reverses, of which
few of their follower knew any
thing Eventually, however, mat
tiers changed. The bold, sturdy
pioneer mechanics of the Hoosier
capital, who, instead of being en-
couraged by liberal donations. as
are those who now locate here,
had almost every conceivable
hindrance to remove, gradually ed
ucated public sentiment up to a
full acknowledgement Of their
worth. BY degree of applica-
ton, of energy and of perseverance
rarely equaled under the circum-
stances, they ultimately surmoun-
ted all obstacles, not the least
among which was Pogues Run,
laid deep and broad on the SUBJ
stratum Of real merit, the founda-
tons of success, and are to-day
making a progress Of which they
and all their friends have just rea-
son to be proud.
Prominently visible among these
pioneer mechanics are the Root
Brothers, or d. Root & Co, as
they are styled, whose establish
meat has risen from a small shop
with q mere handful OF men to a
great factory with a complem emf
of nearly two hundred men.
Visiting this factory the other
day, and being placed by j. B.
Root, who has grown gray in its
management. under the conduct OF
Superintendent T. S. Peck 1--WE
used to call the cuss Tom. Peck,
when he wrs boss Pattern maker,
and governed lazy cubs with I'M.
mixed profanity }, I made the
rounds Of the departments, inclu-
ding the Stove Casting rooms, the
Architectural Moulding rooms
the Dog Iron rooms and the gen
eral finishing rooms.
Barring the dust and smoke
which of course, are not to the in
initiation, the most enviable luxur.
les, this visit was TO me most
pleasant and instructure. OF al
the little squatty old shop that my
boyhood knew, only a part Of one
wall, including four windows, re
NAMED. Instead Of the quail