The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-02-20
MANUFACTURING MEDICINE
Indianapolis Has One of the Most Com.
plete of Pharmaceutical Plants.
Eli Lilly ( Co.'S Big Observation-Disclosures
Outlook for WoOlen Mills-Slow Move
ment Of Frsights-- Shop Notes.

indianapolis has one industry which is
better known and better appreciated ont
side Indianapolis than at home; that is the
mandatory of Eli Lilly & Co.. pharma-
ceutlcal chemists. At this establishment
are manufactured medical fluid extracts,
pills and granules, elixirs, syrups and
wines for medical purposes. The extent OF
the works is shown by the size of the build
ings, every foot of which is now utilized,
and the firm contemplates making extern
sive additions. The buildings are in the
shape of hollow square. two of the build
iDgs being each les feet In length by 80 feet
In width END four stories high. On each
snd of these buildings Is a middle building;
on the front forty feet wide by fifty deep;
In the rear forty feet wide by thirty deep,
the same height az the main buildings.
The first floor of one of the main build
ings is full of large watts, in which the fluid
extracts are prepared; the second floor 10
used as the sboiling-room and shipping de-
partment; the next floor is occupied by
women labelling and preparing goods for
shipment. and the entire leDgJh of the room
are numerous lines of shelving filled with
the goods which are to be shipped. There
Is seldom day that goods are not shipped
from this room TO 100 points or more In the
United States and the Canadas. In the
fourth floor are kept supplies such as bot
ties, pill boxes, paper of all kinds. even to
the stationery ueed by the establishment,
and nothing is taken from this room unless
on an order signed by the superintendent
of the works. One part of this room Is set
aside for q vault, in which all poisons are
kent each In q case by itself, and looked,
each with different key. so that no mis-
take can be made when either OF the polsons
Is used.
The other main buildings first floor is
filed with barrels of elixirs. cordials. etc..
of che different kinds which are manufac-
tured, and which 1t is necessary to
"age" The second floor 10 utilized as
O storage room. Here will be found some
$4,000 worth of stock, including quinine.
of which a stock of ten thousand ounces Is
always carried. cascara sagrads, forty
thousand pounds; mandrake, thirty thou
sand pounds; yerba santa. twenty thou
sand pounds, and numerous other herbs.
drugs, etc., on an equally extensive scale.
The third and fourth floors are occupied
by mills mixing machines. etc., and ap-
parstus for preparing pills OF the various
kinds manufactured. In the short build
ing in front the first floor is used for offices,
which are convenient and handsomely
fnirhed, room being set apart for the
women to sit down in and remain until the
hour TO begin work. or In which to meet
the officials II applying for work. In the
second floor is the scientific department..
where are employed experts in this line.
Here the asssylng OF crude material Is
done. On the next floor Is a printing office
and book bindery, where several women
are employed and two Campbell presses
kept busy. On the next floor is the drying
room. which is kept day and night
Rt summer heat. In the basement story
of the building are seven distilleries.
occupying but part of the room. the other
part of the building being occupied by two
one-hundred horsepower boilers, two
Atlas engines and the dynamo which
furnishes light for the buildings, which
lighted by SEQ incandescent lights. The
smaller building in the rear Is but two
stories high, and the lower floor Is a
machine shop and the upper floor O carpen-
ter shop. The buildings are heated by
steam and in each room are two lines of
bose TO be used in case of fire.
One of the most interesting departments
Is the herbarium. where are found over
ten thousand specimens OF the herbs. ber-
ries. fruits and woods from which medi-
cInal preparations are manufactured.
Some OF the specimens. however, are IN an
experimental stage. the chemists endeavor-
ing 10 ascertain what Ingredient part OF
any OF the articles the works manufacture
can be utilized to advantage. Seldom does
one 90 through an establishment where so
much com pleteness and system of opera
el0nS 10 the prominent feature.
manufacturing Interests Suffering.
Manufacturers in nearly all lines are
complaining bitterly of the trouble they
are experiencing in getting freights moved.
In some departments some of the manu-
facturers have been Obliged to shut down
for want of raw material. This is the case
with the stave and heading manufacturers.
sawmills and plants where stone is
sawed and put in shape to go into build
e -. II. - 4.
that the manufacturers have been the most
seriously dIscommOded. Freight shipped
TO Chicago has been three weeks getting
there and freight shipped East six weeks
or more. The manufacturers are beginning
to threaten suits for damages, so serious O
matter has the slow movement OF freight Is
become. One case is mentioned where an
Indianapolis shipper forwarded goods to n
point in Pennsylvania. At the expiration
of thirty dave he drew on the company for
pay for the goods and they had not arrived
and on Saturday last. fifteen days later,
the shipper received notice that his goods
had just arrived. This state of affairs is
costing the city thousands Of dollars q
day so much does it demoralIze business.
Loohing Brighter for the Wooden Mills.
Last week Merritt & Co. started mp about
one-half of their wooden mill. and goods
are moving out so well that Mr.. Thalman
thinks that the Geisendorff mill will be
started up April 1. There is an unusual
demand for wooden goods. and the market
Is very firm indeed. and prices advancing
The gr sater cost of woods. and the tremen-
dous advance IN oils Of oil sorts are making
manufacturers strenuous that agents must
obtain better prices on goods. These man
ufacturers are pretty we'll sold up on
hoavy- weight goods. and the season is
proving to be very prosperous one. Thew
are also preparing samples of lightweight
goods for the coming light-weight season.
though these samples are not TO be shown,
except to agents. for some months. Bnt
the question of cost Is very important
one. and if wool and oils. with some other
Items entering into the cost, continue as
firm a. to-day. then the prices of the goods
Will have to be advanced.
Industrial Notes.
The ID. T.. Stone Furniture Company has
been reorganized and Charles 4. Clark,
formerly the secretary. has been elected
president of the company.
Chandler X Taylor are pushed with OF.
Gers. This establishment is now shippin q