The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-05-30
RICHMOND MANUFACTURES.
Phoenix Foundry-william b. Cook.


of gravity, of chemistry, of botany, and
the other natural laws, are not more fixed
and certain in their operation than those
which push their way up to the plane Of
social and rational life, and there develop
their influence in the struggle which every
man makes in life, from the boys game OF
play to the browning act of individual
achievement in work. The sublime faith
that believes in the stars-that looks up
and out upon the deep-vaulted night, and
tries hard to formulate faith that all men
can accept as nationally founded-may be
admired by us for the grandeur and vast
ness of the problems it seeks to solve but
a little reason, not too shallow or superb
cial in quality, will soon bring us back to
the more rational basis of cause and effect,
the true arithmetic OF which may be as
accurately computed as the threads of an
even web. Law is the basis of everything,
and although it works by invisible hands
and feet, it treads steadily in one path, and
brings out the uniform result. The lucky
man is the one who perceives the chance of
success, and seizes it at the right moment
to make the success his own. lie may be
thwarted time and again by adverse or UNI
foreseen contingencies, such as no proper
forecast can effectually guard against; but
resolute faith in cause and effect-in the
industrial dogma that something comes. from
something and nothing from nothing-will
bring him out successfully in the end.
The owner of the PHOENIX FOUNDRY,
Mr.. William B. Cook, is happy exempli-
fication of the correctness of these reflec-
tons. He is a hard worker, and has had
some hard rubs with adverse and unfore-
seen contingencies" He has been burnt
out no less than three times in twenty-five
years, but by dint of perseverance and the
best of all personal qualities-phtck-he
has risen each time, if not, Phenix-like,
from the ashes of previous establishment,
yet like resolute and determined man,
who, when one chance fails him, is ready,
nothing daunted, to strike for another.
With him, aco,k is victory. He takes no
chances at luck, and consequently draws no
blanks. Each blast of the forge, and each
blow Of the hammer, is what he has faith
| in, and he leaves the rest to fortune. There
are larger and more imposing establish
ments in Richmond; but his political econ
omy is not to cut the throat of their compe-
tition, but to establish his own. No man
is prouder of the prosperity of Richmond,
arising from other and larger establish
ments, than the energetic and public-spirited
owner of the Phoenix works. He seeks tc
share only in the general prosperity, ant
demands patronage only as he may show
himself worthy Of it.
The Phoenix Foundry is on the south
side of Eighth street, between Franklin and
Main. Prior to last November, it was rur
by Messrs. Cook & Viles, but since tina
time Mr.. Cook has been the sole proprie
tor. He employs force of about twent.
men, and turns out large variety of gen
eral castings, besides manufacturing irol
ratings, balconies, verandahs, columns
caps, stills, vault doors and frames, celia
doors, window guards, iron sash, awning
frames, and all kinds of iron work fol
buildings. In fact, about everything in thu
line of architectural iron work is successful
ly turned out at his establishment. Hi
building is large three-story brick one
with the foundry in the rear part of it, ant
two stories above for machinery, WOO
work, and pattern loft. He has recent,
completed and put up the large and com
modious burglar and fire-proof safe vault
in the new banking house of Messrs. lsaacs
Taylor & Williams, on the corner of Thn
, teenth and Main streets, which is said t
be the largest safe ever manufactured sout
of "Mason and Dixon's line" Wheth
er this be so or not, it is certainly larg
enough to satisfy any one that what GU
home institutions can not do in the way
. manufacturing mammoth safes, need not b
, sought for elsewhere.
Il Mr.. Cook is also constructing iron front
, for buildings, and doing not little to ad
10 Tile afCIlteCtuFdl taSIc duu pCduty "a w
city. The iron work for st. Mark
! church Episcopal) is from his establish
a ment, as we'll as numerous handsom
! verandahs, balconies, ratings, etc., OF irol
, put up during the past year in dtferel
. parts of the city. The iron front To Il
: new building of Mr.. j. II. Boschen, Q
/. Broad street, between Second and Thrt
: will be entirely from the Phoenix Foundr.
d The work for this building is being rapid
got out now, to meet the demands Of Il
structure as it shall rise from story
n story to its completion. The iron work
h the new office building Of the Gas Worl
s at Rockets, with fine iron yarandah al
s steps, is also furnished by Mr.. Cook. I
is filling orders for Norfolk, for points
r North and South Carolina, and other par
r of the south, and he is confident he CT
$ compete, in quality and style of work,
r well as in price, with any similar esta
n lshment in this or any other city, no ma
y ter how extensive its capital or ample
D capacity as compared with his own. The
d superior advantages may enable them
l L. l.. - al tx..fr