page_title: Arthur Schoellkopf
section_title: Business career
hierarchical_section_title: Arthur Schoellkopf / Career / Business career
caption_attribution_description: English: International Hotel that later was destroyed by fire in 1918
context_page_description: Arthur Schoellkopf was an American industrial leader who helped develop the hydroelectric resources of Niagara Falls and served as the fifth Mayor of Niagara Falls, New York.
context_section_description: In 1873, upon completion of his studies, he went to work for the "North Buffalo and Frontier Mills" in Buffalo, operated by "Thornton & Chester", and afterward, "Schoellkopf & Matthews." He worked at Frontier Mills for four years, and in 1877, became a part owner of "Niagara Flouring Mill" at Niagara Falls. By 1908, Schoellkopf was president of "Niagara Falls Milling Company," which included the "Central Mill" and the "Niagara Flouring Mill."
  In 1877, his father purchased the Hydraulic Canal at Niagara Falls and in 1878, they formed the Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing Company, Arthur became secretary, treasurer and general manager of the business.
  In 1881, along with his father Jacob and Charles Brush, they founded of the "Brush Electric Light Company of Buffalo" which built an electric generator that operated by mechanical power, supplied by the canal water, which used 16 carbon arc lights to illuminate Niagara Falls at night. The Brush Electric Light Company of Buffalo" and the "Thomson-Houston Electric Light and Power Company of Buffalo" later consolidated into the "Buffalo General Electric Company" on August 1, 1892
  In 1882, Schoellkopf constructed the first horse-drawn street car system in Niagara Falls (known as the "Niagara Falls and Suspension Bridge Street Railway") completed July 4, 1883, and was manager of that company until 1890 when he sold his interest as it became part of the International Railway system.
  Schoellkopf was also on the Board of Directors of the "Niagara County Savings Bank" (which was acquired by Buffalo Savings Bank in 1981 and dissolved in 1991), the "International Hotel Company" (which operated the International Hotel, built in 1853 by B. F. Childs at the corner of Falls Avenue at Main Street in Niagara Falls, and was destroyed by fire on January 3, 1918), and the "New York Mutual Savings and Loan Association." He was founder (in June 1893) and president for 17 years of the "Power City Bank," president of the "Gluck Realty Co." which built the Gluck Block on the site of the burned "Spencer House, president of the "Cliff Paper Company" (which manufactured wood pulp and news paper and owned the "Cliff mill", the first development to harness Niagara Falls' water power of over 100 ft.) and the "Park Theater Company."
caption: International Hotel in Niagara Falls
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