The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-10-11
Richmond as a Manufacturing City.
IRON WORK AND MACHINERY.
SNYDER &sIRBK ". B. COOK d CO., AND
JAMES D. BROWNE.


and public buildings in the southern States.
The establishment referred to claims our
attention first this morning. It is that of
Snyder & Irby, widely known as the
RICHMOND STOVE AND ARCHITEoTURiLw WORKS.
These works may be said to have had
their origin as far back as 1851, when A. j.
Bowers and Asa Snyder formed CO.
partnership, and commenced the manufac-
ture Of stoves in 4 building located in the
neighborhood of the Tredegar shops. Many
of the stoves made at this factory are still in
use, enduring monuments to the supe-
riority Of Richmond manufactures. But it
is not our purpose to relate in detail the
history Of the works from their foundation
through various changes Of location and
firm name to this date.
1t is sufficient to state that before the war
Mr.. Snyder had purchased q lot corner of
10th and Cary streets, and upon it had
erected a fine building for the manufacture
OF stoves, the proportions Of which were
not only Indicative of success in business,
but made it an ornament to the city. These
works included complete machine-shop,
10 by $50 feet, three and half stories high,
and a first-class foundry, whose dimensions
were SO by 90 feet. These were totally de-
stroyed at the great fire which swept
through Richmond ut the time of its evae-
uation by the Confederate troops. But
from the ashes OF these works arose in O
few months an editice on the same extensive
scale and with more complete appoint.
ments. The name Of the Richmond Stove
and Architectural Works was then adopted,
Captain Richard lrby, of Nottoway, former
president of the Petersburg Iron Works i;
Mr.. a. j. Bowers, Of the old firm of Bow
ers & snyder; Mr.. Alexander Delaney,
formerly chief engineer of the Tredegar
Works, and Mr.. Asa snyder, being the pro-
prietors. In 1867 this company gave way
to Snyder & 1rby, co-partnership which
still exists. f..f- ......
The manufactures of Snyder & Irby in
the stove department are first worthy Of
mention. They make thirty-six varieties of
cooking and heating apparatus, and the
patents OF Ill but twelve Of these are owned
by them. They embrace all the latest and
approved improvements and for elegance,
durability, and utility, their stoves have n
widespread reputation. Their superiority
in every respect is always demonstrated
when brought into competition with the
tlimsy affairs sent South from northern fac
tories andthe latter, when broken, cannot
easily be repaired or duplicated. The stoves
from these works are now distributed all
over the South, but particularly in Nir-
ginia, n. Carolina, and Georeia-the trade
in this line with these States having almost
u1adrupled within the last three or four
years. The favorites are the Southern Home
and Virginia Air-Tight. which may be fairly
said to have distanced all competitors. The
Virginia Air-right, as reimproved since the
war, challenges competition "either for
durability or certainty Of operation" The
Southern Home is truly model stove for
convenience, strength, and beauty. The
proprietors claim that it is the very best in
the market. North or South. With good
usage, it will serve twenty years, during
which time four or five ordinary stoves will
wear out. -ss-e
In fronts and CRATES also this firm does a
large manufacturing business. Before the
war ten or fifteen thousand dollars were an
nuallv expended at the North by Richmond
people for these articles. Now all used in
the city. and a large proportion of those in
Use further South, are manufactured and
bought here--a large amount of money be-
inc thereby kept ut home. Hollow-ware,
iron ratings, verandahs, brackets, drain
pipes, &C., are also embraced in the list OF
their manufactures, and all kinds OF tin,
copper, and sheet-iron work Is turned out
to order.
Pass we now to department more at
tractive to the general reader, and perhaps
of equal importance to Richmond as man.
ufacturing city. We allude to the archi-
tectllral shops. Here are turned out the
iron fronts and galvanized cornices, which
have gained for Snyder & lrby such celeb
rity throughout the South. A prominent
civil engineer and architect says Of the iron
fronts erected by them in this city that in
contrasting them with those from estab-
lishments of deserved reputation elsewhere,
the preference cannot be withheld from
SNYDER & Irby's for smoothness Of surface,
sharpness of finish, and correctness Of line.
That this opinion does not exceed the truth
is shown by the large and increasing de-
mand for these iron fronts, and they now
STAND to speak for themselves in nearly
every leading city South. Among others
we note nine on Main street and on Market
square, Norfolk the United States custom
house, Petersburg; tho Bank of Charlotte,
n. G.; the Williams Banking House at Ra-
leigh o largescotton warehouse at SaYan-
nah, and numerous other private and pub
lie edfices in Lynchburg, Norfolk, Dan.
vile, charleston, Goldsboro', Richmond,
and in other places Of more or less promi-
Hence, are thus adorned. Everywhere they
give satisfaction, and wherever one is IN
troduced orders for others are sure to fol-
low. J hey are equally artistic, more dura-
BILE. and sell Just as low as those Of north
ern manufacture,
SPACE remains for q notice Of but one
other leading product of the Richmond
Stove and Architectural Works. Snyder Il
Irby were the first persons south OF Baltl-
more to commence the manufacture Of the
galvanized cornices, which are destined
to save so much property hereafter
from destruction by fire. The old
wooden cornice may be called tinder-box,
as it is through its instrumentality ire
ouently that the flames, which might other
wise be confined to single building, are
enticed from house to house, until Whole
blocks Of costly stores, with their precious
contents, are reduced to ashes. On the
other hand, the flames rush as harmlessly
through galvanized cornice as through a
furnace of iron, and the building, which II
not only adorns but defends, stands like q
rock of ayes, defymg the most destructive
If elements. The eyes of builders are now
onenine to the Importance of this great i'm
movement, and soon we hope to be able to
saw not only that no capitalist who looks to
his interest will have anything but gall
vonized cornice, but that Common Councils,
taking the matter in hand, will not allow
any other kind to face houses in closely
huilt.uD cities. Meantime they are creep
inc into use everywhere, and as those manu-
faetured here are of as good quality, and
can be sold as low as elsewhere, we are In
duced to believe that this branch of manu-
factnres will soon be the means OF bringing
large amount of money annually to klch.
mond. TO Snyder & Irby will be awarded
the credit of their extensive introduction
south Of the Potomac.
puHNIx PoIySnRY.
The iron works of this significant name
were founded in 1853 by Lowndes d Cook
They have been three times destroyed by
fire-in 1856, in 1860, and Mt the evacuation
In 1sG5 BEFORE the war large bushes;