The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-03-07

there are foundry and pattern building
and core shop 150x115 feet, making in
all floor area of nearly ten acres, and
lumber sheds covering a space of 30OX40O
feet The product for this immense cstab-
lishment for 1888 was 101 600 plows,
amounting to one and one-half million
dollars.
During that year ., 052 tons of wrought
iron, 1898 tons of steel, 1,45t tons of
pig iron, $500, 600 feet of hard wood
lumber, seventeen tons of emery. $40 tons
of grind stones, 200 tons of coke, 1000
tons of Lehigh coal, $50 tons of Bless
burg coal, 100 tons of slack, 1913 barrels
varnish, asphaltum and japan, twenty
| five barrels linsced oil, fifty-ninc barrels
lard oil, seventysiX barrels turpentinc,
| siXtytwo barrels benzine, were consumed
and eight hundred men employed. In 1868
the company started with paid up capital
of $3.50, 600, since then, year after year,
it has been increased, until in December,
1888, the paid up capital was a million
dollars.
This tremendous business is John
| Deerc's monument on the business side of
life. 1t is the result of quick foresight,
practical energy, great executive ability
and an almost rcsistlcss will, which are
the marked characteristics of the man.
1t is generally conceded that John
Deere is the originator of the steel pillow.
| When he manufactured his first steel
! plows, there were not only no steel plows
in America but no steel manufactured of
which to make them. The influence of
this improvement in the manufacture of
plows cannot be estimated. The name
! of John Deere is familiar one through
out the West, and his plows are sent to
South America, the West Indies, New
Zealand. the Sandwich Islands, South
Africa Australia, France, Germany,
Holland, Belgium, Russia, and the
British possessions in America. They
have been awarded medals at almost
numbcrless county. State and national
exhibitions in this country, and were re-
warded the same way at the Paris expo
sition in 1878 in field trial, in which
over fifty plows from all nations COM
Icted.
The principle upon which the business
has been conducted was well expressed
by gentleman long acquainted with the
establishment, when he suggested rs a
good motto, "Bound to make this pillow
better than the LAST All material is
submitted to inspection, and no nipple
mcnt is allowed to 90 from the shops if
known to be imperfect.
In personal appearance Mr.. Deere is
large, well proportional and strongly
built and has been blessed with strength
capable of almost unlimited endurance.
In his better days he would stand at his
anvil from five o'clock in the morning UNI
til nine at night, building plows, shooting
horses and constructing machinery for
saw-mills. His features arc strong, in
dicating great power and decision of char
acter His face is frank and open, and his
address generally bcspcaks him what he
is, Il man of tender social nature and
noble character. His feelings lie near the
surface and he is singulariy sensitive to
pathos, whether of sorrow or of Joy. His
sympathy and help quickly respond to
the call of trouble or of misfortune, and
he rejoices in the prosperity of all about
him. Absorbed in business he has not
had the desire nor time for public office,
which has at times sought his services,
He has, however, always been in syma-
thy with public interests, and has given
literally of his means to advance them.
He has been Republican in politics
since the organization of that party. As
an expression of the esteem in which he
was held by his fellow citizens, he was
elected mayor of Moline, in 1878; 70:
several years he occupied the position OF
president of the First National bank of
Moline; and is known as Il liberal con
tributor to the support of the pub
lie library of that city lie is an active
member of the Congregational church,
and generous contributor to local
and foreign objects of bencvolcnce. The
religious, moral and educational interests
OF society have had in him Il friend and
patron. \ generous hospitality is shown
at his comfortable home. and few men
are more entertaining in the social circle,
or have more friendly or happy faculty
of making every one feel at case.
His son, Charles H. Deere, now one OF
the largest owners, vice president and
manager OF the present Deere Pillow
works. has inherited the practical energy
and ability to manage and enlarge the
vast business built upon the foundations
that his father laid, ably assisted by
Stephen II. Nclie, secretary.
Mr.. John Deere is still active and
strong, and many years may he live to
enjoy his success and the friendships he
has made, and to do good and then may
he possess the immortality that comes to
those who have well done in higher
than material sense.
The Mexican Eprpnr