The Indiana State sentinel., 1878-01-16

commenced the manufacture of wagons az
South Bend, Ind. They had learned from
their father, the venerable John Studabaker,
who was laid to rest on the 18th of December
last in the beautiful cemetery at South Bend,
Full of years and crowned with honors, the
details of wagon making as he made the first
Studabaker wagon, at Gettysburg, Penn, i'm
the year 1918. They were vigorous, enterprfs-
ing and determined, and late and early toiled
and struggled against almost insurmountable
difficulties. The entire capital possessed by
the firm at that time was SIS, backed by strong,
robust constitutions and indomitable VIII.
The amount of work done at that time was
very limited, and would scarcely supply the
demands of single township. An old fash
ioned bellows kept the Goals alive on the forge,
and sturdy blows cut and welded the IRON
Early and late they worked, gaining little by
little the long arm of the lever which has COM
pletely overturned the process of wagon man
ufacture in the world.
In 1857 Henry retired from the business and
purchased a farm near South Bend, upon
which he still lives. A younger brother took
his place, and the firm became Z. & j. NJ. Stu
dabaker. In 1865 two other brothers We're ad -
mitted to partnership-Peter E. and ]. F.-and
the style OF the firm again changed to the
Studabaker Brothers. In 1869 stock compa-
ny was formed, and the name it now bears
adopted, ~Studabaker Brothers Manufacture
ing company" From these humble Begin
nings has grown the grandest, largest and
most complete wagon works in the world en-
ploylng over 200 hands, with a mandatory
covering acres of ground with floorage Of
over nine acres, and turning out wagon
every ten minutes, and doing an annual busi-
ness of more than s2OOO,O10 The success OF
lar,f
is only the result of persistent untiring in
dustry, and mutual cooperation for the ac-
complishment of a common aim. The result
has not been achieved by spasmodic nor fortu-
nate venture or speculation, but has
been the natural outgrowth Of pluck
and intelligent management on the
part of these truly representative
American manufacturers. While these
brothers worked with their hands, their
thoughts were busyAwi schemes and plans
for the advancement OF their financial inter-
ests, as well as to extend their bounds. and
make a demand for their work beyond the
limits of their own township. If they heard
of a machine that economical labor, it was
investigated, and, If found to be of utility,
bought. They improved old processes and
invented new ones; they welcomed labor-sav-
ing machinery as a boon TO humanity; they
sought 10 cneapen productlon, ana succeededs
they went out into the world for a market, and
found it; and the present magnificent factory,
coupled with the demands OF the whole civil
nzed world for these wagons, attests that they
worked and thought to a purpose. Success
has crowned their efforts, and to-day they
stand at this head of the wagon manufacturers
of the world. This may seem TO be an extray-
agant expression, but the fact remains the
same, nevertheless.
To bring the facts within the reach of all who
can read and estimate, we give below the IRE
sistible logic of figures, showing the compara--
give increase of production since 1872: