The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-01-10
MANUFACTURING.
some of the shops now in Operation In
Ottawa.

MANUFACTURING.
some of the shops now in Operation In
Ottawa.
PART
We began this week the work Of preparing an
article on Ottawa's manufacturing enterprises
delayed several weeks by the crush OF work in
our job rooms, which called all hands, "subs"
and editors to the lease" night and day. We
intended to make but one article of the business,
but find the subject considerably more extended
than most people imagine.
The subject is one of considerable interest, es-
pecially at this time when few people (who
persistently refuse to be sneered down laughed, or
ridiculed from their purpose or to consider them
selves abused for their palms, are making some
sort Of an effort to attract attention to the ad
vantages of Ottawa as a manufacturing point.
| The aim Of these articles (there will be two or
three il not more on this or kindred subjects) is
not to puff any particular establishment or to
paint them in glowing colors to humor our self
pride, but to show just what Ottawa has already
pointing out the diversity Of her industries as
index Of what could be done by increase of CAPT
tai of existing shops or by entirely new estab
| lishments.
We shall not attempt as we at first contem
plated showing what has been done during 1879,
for in most cases the work was unsatisfactory
And in describing the state of affairs now, Gudg
| ing from the establishments we have thus far
vistcd,) We shall more nearly arrive at the ca
pacity of our shops, since all are more or less
picking up" and getting back to where they
were in 1872 or 1878, say.
| GLASS MAKING.
| We believe it can be truthfully said that there
is no more Tavorably located city in the west for
the manufacture Of glass. The sand used, OBJ
tanned just northwest of the Fair Grounds, is Of a
superior quality, making a better colored glass
than the best Pittsburg product from any one Of
her POS acres Of glass factories. We have at hand
no data now on the subject, hut we believe it was
determined at the time the works were built that
the Ottawa sand was the best then known in the
United States, excepting that of one locality in
Massachusetts, 1t is certainly vastly better than
that used in Pittsburg. The La Sale works were
forced TO come to Ottawa for sand which is OBJ.
tanned on the north side of the canal, and the
New Albany, Ind, plate glass works haul from
Kendall county a qualityfor their use inferior to
this of Ottawa. The local supply is unlimited.
The fuel used is obtained in Streator--a most
excellent quality Of coal for glass making.
The Ottawa Glass Company was organized in
1867 on $4,000 capital with Hon. j. d. Cation as
PRESIDENT Thos. d. Catln is secretary and treas
urer II. A. Coles, book-keeper. The first batch
was blown in April 1868, there being then eight
pots, we believe. In 1873 the second furnace was
built, but in August the first, which was Of wood
and was burned, but rebuilt at once In the doubled
establishment Cat the crossing Of the c., b. Il Q
and r. l. roads) there were 1G pots until the furna
ces were renewed for this season when four more
were added. There are now 20 pots. The fac
tory employs about 140 hands, 20 Of whom ar,
blowers, the rest being helpers, pot makers
tlatteners, cutters, box makers, packers and la
borers of all kinds. To these men are paid mes ar
lily $4,000 per month in wages, aud as the blow
ing continues 10 months in the year, the money
poured into Ottawa merchants pockets by wa
ges of this one establishment is not less thar
100000 per annum.
The clay used for pots is brought from Nilsson
ri, but that used for furnace stones, &C. is had OF
the Vermliop, La Sale county.
The product of the factory is from 10000 tC
| iUUUU OUlctb DONtS. III Illus Il lSduy halt
as fast as it is made, although the factory
employs no traveller or agent 1t goes to the wes
and northwestern states, vast quantities being
used by sash makers, who now glaze sash before
shipping. Their old agent at Chicago is also q
heavy customer, and not long since sent in one
order of above 80 car loads--15, 600 boxes! Like
all other industries, this is much healthier
since the spring OF 1879 and the trade has been a
| brisk one.
STARCH MAKING.
We have but lately sketched the works of the
| Illinois Starch Company, but We will take space
| for a hasty mention now. The company was or
ganized in 1852, when the factory, located on the
| basin was built. The company is now differed
by Hon. J. d. Cation, president, l.. II. Eames
treasurer; c. A. Cation, book. keeper, and 7. and
| b. j. McGRnis, superintendents. The works,
with out buildings and yards, cover 10 acres; the
main building is 300x300 feet, seven stories high
| about $50 hands are employed, drawing above
s., 900 monthly in wages. Six water wheels
move the machinery, the power coming from the
hydraulic basin; the drying kilns are heated by
steam; while the water used (Which must be OF
the purest) comes from enormous spring in
South Ottawa. The product is 4 little over &c
tons daily of laundry and table starch. The goods
are known to the market as the Peerless Gloss
for the laundry and Peerless Corn Starch
| for table use.
OF late we have seen this item going the rounds
of the papers:
| The starch factory at Ottawa are buying their
corn in Iowa because Ottawa business men dc
not handle their starch. They now propose to
run a branch store to feed their employees.
| 1t was started by the assinine geniu. who pre-
sides over the columns Of our lilliputian cotemp.
known as the Times, who in a flaming article
threatened Ottawa merchants because they, as
ne claimed, did not sell Ottawa starch with the
establishment of truck store and Of the factory
buying corn in Iowa. Both these facts, as well
| as the statement that the Glass Factory would
also start truck store, were manufactured out
OF whole cloth false in every particular save this
The factory did this season buy 400 bushels of
corn IN Iowa-because it could not be obtained
al home. The roads were bad, the factory was