Eau Claire County, Wisconsin - Chapter 34: Eau Clatre Industries, 1914

The man on the drive, the cruise or in the woods - the lumberjack - is the most discriminating person in the world about one thing. He is as exacting in that as the Beau Brummel of the boulevards is about his dress. That one thing is his shoes. The shoes of the lumberjack must fit comfortably, since the nature of his work demands foot comfort. His shoes must be made of the very best leather and fashioned in the very best way in order to stand the heavy strain. The lumberjack has his slioeninker just as the boulevard dandy has his tailor, and usually his shoemaker is the A. A. Cutter Company, of Eau Claire, Wis. Ask almost any lumberjack what make of shoe he wears and his answer will probably be "Cutter." The Cutter make means par excellence to the man with the ax and saw or the peavey, pike pole and cant hook.

Back in 1870, when Eau Claire was a great sawmill center, with twenty-two mills busy sawing northern timber, A. A. Cutter was the leading shoe retailer in town. The lumberjacks who occasionally came out of the woods in large numbers demanded a distinctive shoe. To meet this demand Mr. Cutter kept two cobblers busy making shoes that suited the lumberjacks. The lumberjacks, who were mostly of French or Irish nationality, demanded quality in their shoes and did not heed the cost. At that time it was customary for them to leave their measure in the fall before going into the woods and on their return the following spring their made-to-measure shoes would be ready. Mr. Cutter did not create a lumberjack's shoe. The lumberjacks created their own shoe. It was their criticism and their "kicks" that led to the making of a shoe that was the best of its kind, and today criticism and "kicks" are just as welcome with the A. A. Cutter Company as they were many years ago. The result is a perfect driving shoe.

For a few years making shoes for lumberjacks was only local in its extent. It was not until a lumberjack had left Eau Claire to become a foreman in the Pennsylvania woods that the fame of 17-1

Cutter begau to spread. He took two pairs with him and gave one pair to a fellow-woi-ker. The shoe attracted so much attention that several lumberjacks induced Joseph Lechner, a local shoe merchant at Emporium, Pa., to order shoes for them. That was the first outside order that the Cutter concern ever received. Later a lumber company, of Pennsylvania, sent a crew of forty lumberjacks to New Mexico. They had all been wearers of Cutter shoes and on reaching New Mexico found they could not get along without their favorite make. The forty sent an order to Eaii Claire. So the fame of Cutter shoes began to widen iintil tod:iy they are sold in every State except one, and the exception is Rhode Island. Rhode Island is not a State of Lumberjacks.

In 1892 Mr. Cutter discontinued the retail business and began manufacturing exclusively for lumbermen's needs. Today the concern is considered one of the leading manufacturers of higligrade footwear for lumbermen, miners, cruisers, surveyors, prospectors, rangers and sportsmen in the United States. The company has a model factory at Eau Claire. A force of nearly 100 are employed in making handmade shoes, and the output is from 200 to 350 pairs a day. Mr. Cutter died a few years ago and the following year the company was incorporated. Mrs. Belle V. Cutter is president, William P. Bartlett vice-president and W. J. Carpenter secretary and treasurer. Mr. Carpenter, who started to work for Mr. Cutter when a mere lad and Avho has been thoroughly schooled in every phase of the high-grade shoemaking business, is general manager.

The making of Cutter shoes is an interesting story. Only skilled custom shomakers - old-fashiond cobblers - are employed. These old-style cobblers call to mind the saying, "Let the cobbler sfck to his last." The tale goes that a cobbl(>r detected a fault in the shoe-latchet of one of Apelles' paintings, and the artist rectified the fault. The cobbler, thinking himself very wise, next ventured to criticise the legs, but Apelles answered, "Keep to your trade - you understand about shoes but not about anatomy." A proof that the cobblers employed at the Cutter plant do stick to their lasts and keep to their trade is found in the fact that one of their number, Halvor Johnson, started with JMr. Cutter when he established his cobbling shop in 1870. While Johnson has served the Cutter concern for fortythree years, ten others have been employed there at least thirty years. The Cutter cobblers certainly understand about shoes.

tlirougliout is used. No leather substitute ever entered the Cutter factorj^ Some leather reaches there that inspection shows can not be used, and in such case it is returned to the tanners. Onlj' the heart of the imported hide is used and the remainder is disposed of to other manufacturers or used in cheaper low-cut shoes. The cobblers employed are chiefly German and Norwegian, who served apprenticeships in their native countries. The only difficulty that the Cutter company experiences is in obtaining skilled workers. Since the introduction of machinery into most shoe factories of this country and Europe, fewer young men have been apprenticed to the cobblers' trade.

Only the best leathers obtainable in the world's tannciy market are lased. The French kip used in Cutter drivei's is tanned at the Simon Ullmo tannery at Lyons, France, and is imported especially for the Cutter company. It is considered the best leather that can be procured for this class of shoes, as French kip will stand the water as no other leather will. The French kip is used in the vamp of the Cutter shoe. A French kip tanned hide Aveighs from 5 to 51^. pounds and only the heart of it is used.

The Phoenix Manufacturing Company, one of the largest as well as one of the oldest industries of Eau Claire, now in the fifty-third year of its existence, stands out as a landmark marking progress in the manufacturing industries of the. city. I;i 1861 the business was organized for the purpose of building and repairing sawmill maeliinery, general millwright and machinist work.

The location selected at that time was on the bank of the Eau Claire river at a point now occupied by the Eau Claire Bedding Company. The present location was selected and the business moved to it in 1874.

In looking over the history of the Cliippewa Valley for the past fifty years, it will be found that the Phoenix Manufacturing Company played an important part in the drama of commercial life.

In everj^ sawmill could be found Phoenix machinery strictly up to the times. The band mill now used in all up-to-date mills was brought out by this firm as early as 1887, when the Empire Lumber Company was equipped with what was then known as the Esplin mill. A number of these were made and distributed. In 1890 a new style of band mill known as the Emerson type was constructed and a great number distributed through the States as well as Canada. Again in 1895 further improvements

-ivere made and another mill placed on the market, still further improvements were made and the famous Phoenix light band mill was produced, which is known from ocean to ocean and t'l'om gulf to northland as the mill making the largest cut of perfect sawed lumber for the least outlay.

Not only band mills but other sawmill machinery was developed and brought up to date as fast as the requirements and conditions demanded, until in every lumber state as well as many foreign lands machiiiciy and tools made by the Plioenix ^Manufacturing Company are to be found in use.

This company has made it possible for the lumberman to log by steam. The log-hauling engine, being a necessity, can now be seen at work in all the northern lumbering states and Canada, while in far-off Alaska one of these engines and a string of sleighs are to do duty. This engine has now been further developed so as to work on dirt roads as well as on snow and will be used in tlie west hauling wagon trains of ore from the mines.

A gasoline tractor of the centipede type is being perf('ct.-d and put on the market, which is another advance movement along tlie line of Iiauling either on dirt roads or ice and snow roads.

The logging sleighs, snow plows and machinei'y for makinii; logging roads; the car stake pockets that we see on all trains of logs on our railroads, are products of these works, having been developed by men who are in actual touch with this class of work and understand its needs.

A new machine for clearing land is now being built, capable of clearing from six to eight acres a day, pulling the stumps and piling them, leaving the land ready for the farmer or settler. The big waterworks pumps that supply water to the cities of Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls night and day are the product of this company.

This company began business in 1861 under the firm name of Graham & Tolles. In 1865 more capital was needed and two partners were taken in, the firm name being changed to <Traham, White & Company. In 1875 the company was incorporated under the laws of Wisconsin with a capital stock of $50,000. In 1893 this was increased to i|^l 50,000, and in 1909 again increased to i|!200,000.

Thus the Phoenix Manufacturing Company, which fifty-three years ago undertook to supply a need with a capital of less than !{!5,000, has grown to a concern doing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of business each year, at the same time keeping up to date in all the lines of manufacture, as can be seen by its correspondence, which extends to every state and territory. Germany, Italy, Russia, Finland, Siberia, Cuba, Japan, British Islands, Africa, Philippines, Mexico, Australia, as well as Alaska and Canada, are interested in machinerj^ tools and equipment made by the Phoenix Manufactui-ing Company.

The Chippewa Valley Casualty Company, of Eau Claire, was incorporated iu 1902, with the following oiBcers: J. T. Joyce, president; Charles W. Fiske, treasurer, and E. W. Heiss, secretary. This company is operated on the industrial plan, and has done a successful business since its organization, due largely to the assistance rendered by the local corporations who are interested iu having their employes carry insurance of this kind for the mutual benefit of themselves and their families.

The McDonough Manufacturing Company. In 1863, there came to Eau Claire a man by the name of Frank McDonough,'^*-^^"^ ' who, wlien still a young man, learned the trade of blacksmith and carpenter. For some time after his arrival in Eau Claire he followed the occupation of millwright, and finally became superintendent of the Eau Claire Lumber Company. In those days lumbering was the chief industry of Eau Claire and northwestern Wisconsin, and in order to manufacture lumber successfully it was necessary to have the right kind of machinery, being located in the heart of the lumber fields, with no institution for the manufacture of mill supplies. With the knowledge of the lumber business which he gained while associated with the Eau Claire Lumber Companj^, he conceived the idea of establishing a plant for the manufacture of sawmill machinery. Associating himself with Emmett Iloran and Peter John Holm, he organized the now famous McDonough Manufacturing Company in 1888, with Prank McDonough, Sr., president and treasurer ; P. J. Holm, vice-president, and Emmett Horan, secretary. The company commenced business with a capital of $100,000, was incorporated in 1889, and employed thirty-five men. The company manufactured then, as it does now, sawmill machinery, engines and transmission machinery. The first year the output of the factory amounted to $85,000 in finished product, which found a ready sale in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan. Mr. McDonough was the active manager and under his direction the institution grew to large proportions, and in 1892 sixty men were employed and tlie building had been enlarged. The main

This institution has continued to grow, the plant has been c-ousiderably enlarged, the capacity increased, and now (1914) the shops are equipped with the most modern, up-to-date tools in every respect. The capital has been increased to $150,000 and the company furnishes employment for one hundred and tAventy people. Mr. J. W. Hubbard is now the general manager, secretary and treasurer, and under his guidance the annual manufactured product amounts to $250,000, and is sold in all sections of the United States, Canada, Mexico, England, Russia, Australia, Holland, New Zealand, Bahama Islands and other foreign countries.

The Eau Claire Trunk Company, which is one of the important manufacturing concerns of the city of Eau Claire, was first established in 1890, and for eleven years did a successful business, but at the end of that time, in 1901, so great had become the demand for their goods, it was found necessary to increase the capacity of their factory and enlarge their capital. Accordingly, in that year incorporation papers were taken out aud the working capital increased to $75,000, with the following gentlemen as officers: W. E. Wahl, president; F. Hoeppner, vice-president ; G. C. Hoeppner, treasurer ; William II. Hoeppner. secretary and general manager. At this time (1914) thirty-eight people are employed in the manufacture of trunks, suitcases, bags, telescopes and all kinds of leather goods and general sample work. The annual output of this plant is at present, in dollars and cents, $80,000, while the capacity of the plant is $120,000. These leather goods are all up to date, manufactured from the best of materials by skilled workmen. A ready sale is found for their products in the markets of the United States and Canada. In addition to the factory, the company maintains a retail store on Barstow street, where a full line of leather goods is on display.

The Linderman Box & Veneer Company, one of the solid manufacturing institutions of Eau Claire, was organized in 1895 by A. T. Linderman, George S. Long, J. T. Barber and D. R. Moon, under the name of the Linderman Box & Veneer Company, with an authorized capital of $80,000. It started business with $40,000 of capital actually invested, which v/as increased in 1898 to $60,000 and was under the management of A. T. Linderman. It employed seventy-five men, and manufactured boxes, box shocks and crating lumber. Its output the first year was 5,000,- 000 feet of material, valued at $75,000, and the products were sold in the markets of Chicago and the middle west.

In a sale dated January 1, 1902, the old company disposed of its entire capital stock to a neAv company, consisting of T. J. Wilcox, R. P. Wilcox, George H. Chapman, S. G. Moon and D. R. Moon. The capital stock was reduced to $40,000 by the new company, which resumed business at the same location. Since that time the working capital has been increased to $70,000. The business has assumed such large proportions that from one hundred and twenty-five to one hundred and fifty people are constantly employed. T. J. Wilcox, who has been with the company since it began operations in 1896, has the active management of the institution, whose annual output is now about 12,000,000 feet of box lumber valued at $265,000. A ready market is found in Cleveland, Chicago, St. Louis, (Milwaukee and all the principle markets as far west as the Missouri River. The present officers of the company are : D. R. Moon, president ; T. J. Wilcox, vice-president and manager; George H. Chapman, secretary and treasurer.

The company was organized by Mr. Linderman with the idea of using the refuse from the sawmills which went into the burners for the manufacture of boxes. He had invented machines for handling and working this material, and it was with the idea of utilizing these machines that the company was started. The machine for sorting this material to length and width, as it comes from the mills, is in use by several box factories, with various alterations adapted to the several plants.

The sorter in use at the above plant is practically as lie designed it, with minor refinements which developed with time. Mr. Linderman left the company in 1900 to devote his energies to tlie manufacture of a machine for matching and gluing narrow strips automatically, which is in almost xmiversal use among furniture manufacturers of today.

The A. E. Burlingame Company, Inc., wholesale and retail dealers in tobacco and cigars, was incorporated April 24, 1907, with a capital of $24,000; A. E. Burlingame as president, treasurer and general manager; C. W. Fiske as secretary. Besides their store in Eau Claire, they have branches in Chippewa Falls, Marinette and Stevens Point, Wis.

The Hoeppner-Bartlett Company, building contractors, was founded in 1898 under the name of Hoeppner & Bartlett and was incorporated in 1906 as the Hoeppner-Bartlett Company, cap- italized at $50,000. The present officers are: F. J. Hoeppner, president; J. A. Davidson, vice-president; A. P. Johannes, secretary and treasurer. This company does a general contracting business, and are also manufacturers of sash, doors and blinds. Among the structures erected by them may be mentioned the Eau Claire public library, two additions to the Sacred Heart hospital, the International Harvester building, the Ninth and Fourth ^Yard schools, Phoenix shop and foundry, the Luther hospital, the John Walter brewing and bottling works, the Schlegelmileh building; remodeled the Armstrong hardware building, the Roberg building, the Julius Derge business building, the Fisk buildiug, the Galloway and Commercial hotels, besides which they have built many prominent residences of the city, and are now erecting the new State Normal school in Eau Claire.

Lange Canning Company, packers of corn, peas and pumpkin. One of the largest and most important industries in Eau Claire is the Lange Canning Company, incorporated. They are packers of corn, peas and pumpkin, shipping their output to points all over the United States and turning out an average of three million cans per year. Two hundred employees are kept busy throughout the busy season. No house in the city furnishes work for more people or does a more extensive business than this. Mr. G. J. Lange is the president and manager of this house and its success has been largely due to his unceasing efforts and constant application to the interests of the company. He allows nothing but first-class goods to leave his hands and the result is a constant accession of patronage. He is one of the leading business men of the city, lending his assistance to all worthy movements. Mr. F. A. Lange is the secretary and has taken general charge of the mechanical end of the concern.

The Drummond Packing Company, of Eau Claire, Avas founded in 1873 by David Drummond under the firm name of Brooks & Drummond, and was carried on as such until 1876, when Mr. Brooks died. From that time until 1881 Mr. Drummond continued the business alone and in the last named year his brothers, John and Duncan, purchased an interest in the business, which was conducted under the firm name of Drummond Brothers until it was incorporated in 1893 as the Drummond Packing Company, with a capital of $125,000. The officers for 1914 are: David Drummond, president; John Drummond, vice-president; F. W. Thomas, treasurer, and D. G. Calkins, secretary. The company does a business of $1,250,000 per year, and its packing house is an up-to-date institution. Tliey butcher and pack 150,000 hogs

The Northwestern Steel & Iron Works was incorporated under the laws of Wisconsin in 1905 with a capital of $200,000. The officers are Kim Rosholt, president; T. W. Rosholt, vice-president, and E. R. Hamilton, secretary and treasurer. They manufacture concrete machinery, gas engines and can machinery, and employ upwards of two hundred hands, and their products are shipped all over the United States and Canada. The plant, which occupies floor space of 125,000 square feet, is equipped with modern machinery and electric power, and during the year 1913 they did a business of $300,000.

C. W. Cheney Company, millers and gi'aiu dealers, was founded as the Northern Grain Company, business being continued under that name until 1908, when the C. W. Cheney Company, with a capital of $20,000, which was increased in 1911 to $50,000, took over the business of the above concern. The present officers are C. W. Cheney, president and treasurer; H. D. Davis, vice-president, and T. R. Kelly, secretary.

The company employs ten men and iises electric power in the mauufactuie, by the roller process, of wheat, rye and buckwheat flower. Their plant has a capacity of 100 barrels per day.

The Wisconsin Refrigerator Company Mas established in Eau Claire in 1886 by Hochis & Smith and was operated by them until taken over by William J. Starr, of Eau Claire. A stock company was formed and incorporated as the Wisconsin Refrigerator Company, with a capital of $50,000. The present officers are: William J. Starr, president; C. T. Bundy, vice-president; 0. L. Brice, general manager and treasurer. They employ approximately 200 hands and their annual output is about 40,000 refrigerators designed for use by hotels, florists, groceries, meat markets, the private home and restaurants. They also manufacture refrigerators and cooling rooms under special designs for any purpose, and their trade extends from the states of Washington and Texas to Maine and all the large cities in Canada. During the year 1913 the company did a large business in Argentine, Columbia, Peru and Brazil, South America; New South Wales, Australia, Japan and several of the most important cities in China.

The Eau Claire Grocery Company was founded June 1, 1883, as the Honer-Rowe Company. The members of the firm at that time were John Honer, ex-state treasurer; William Rowe, Byron

A. Buffiugton aud Johu Gilman. On November 7, 1883, thcy incorporated as the Eau Claire Grocery Company, with a capital of $40,000 and the follo-\viug ofSeers, who were all of the stockholders at that time : B. A. BufJington, president ; W. A. Rust, vice-president; William Rowe, treasurer, and John Iloner, secretary. In .1886 the capital was increased to $100,000, which at this time (1914) remains the same. The present officers are: C. M. Merrill, president; A. J. Marsh, vice-president; T. F. Branham, treasurer, and C. E. Shane, secretary. They do an exclusive wholesale grocery business and employ eight traveling salesmen in AVisconsiu and Minnesota, and twenty-four people in the house.

The Northwestern Lumber Company. A lumber business was founded by Porter and Moon in 18ti3. In 1870 this company was succeeded by Porter, Moon & Company, comprising Gilbert E. Porter, Delos R. jMoon and Sumner T. McKnight. Their sawmills were located at Porter's Mills and their lumber was rafted down the Chippewa and Mississippi rivers to Hannibal, Mo., where the same compauy conducted a wholesale.lumber yard under the firm name of S. T. McKnight & Company. In 1873 both of these companies were incorporated as the Northwestern Lumber Company in Wisconsin, with headquarters at Eau Claire, and sawmills at Eau Claire, Porter's Mills, and Stanley, Wis. By reason of the exhaustion of the timber supply, the company is now operating mills at Stanley only. The corporation owns large tracts of land in Chippewa aud Taylor counties which they are disposing of for farming purposes only. They own and operate a large general store at Stanley, where they do a business of over $300,000 per year. They own the Stanley, Merrill & Phillips railroad between Stanley and Jump River, a distance of thirty miles, M'hicli was originally constructed as a logging railway. It was incorporated in 1902 and in April, 1903 was put in operation fully equipped for passenger service at a cost of $600,000. Its present ofticers arc: S. G. Moon, president; C. D. Moon, vice-president: J. T. Barber, treasurer, and F. H. L. Cotton, secretary, with main offices at Stanley. The main office of the Northwestern Lumber Company is located at Eau Claire, with J. T. Barber, president ; S. G. Moon, vice-president and treasurer ; George H. Chapman, second vice-president; C. D. Moon, secretary, and F. II. L. Cottcn. assistant scci'ctary and treasurer.

The Eau Claire Cornice & Heating Company was founded in 1899 by John Panger, D. J. VauIIovenberg and E. Stockine, under a partnership arrangement, and was conducted until 1905, when they incorporated under the laws of Wisconsin with a capital stock of $25,000, with D. J. VanHovenberg, president; E. Stockine, vice-president; C Ehrhard, treasurer, and H. G. Ilelstrom, secretary. The present ofBcers are: Chris Ehrhard, president and treasurer, and 11. G. Helstrom, secretary. They employ an average of twelve men and do a yearly business of $40,000.

The Eau Claire Book & Stationery Company was incorporated under the laws of Wisconsin in 1885 by Henry F. Balcom, Mrs. Jane Putnam and H. C. Putnam, and was conducted by them until 1887, when Mr. George C. Witherby purchased the Putnam interests. The business was opened for the patronage of the people at 310 South Barstow street, and was there carried on for fifteen years, when they removed to the Drummond building at 135 South Barstow street, where they remained for nine years, and then purchased the Brooks building and other property and erected their present building, which has a frontage of 75 feet on South River street and 25 feet on South Barstow street. The building being of "L" shape has a depth of 175 feet on Main street and is of red brick, three stories and a basement and contains 17,000 square feet of floor space. The company employs fifty people, and besides doing a general book and stationery business, has one of the largest and best equipped pi'inting plants in the city, where they manufacture all kinds of legal blanks and publish their six different catalogues. The company does an extensive wholesale business through their traveling representatives, as well as in the mail order department, and this establishment is one of the three largest book houses west of Chicago and is the official book store of Wisconsin. The walls are covered witli the finest collection of up-to-date literature from the Avorld's best markets.

The Eau Claire Bedding Company was incorporated in 1902 with a capital of $5,000. Its present officers are R. A. Loether, president; E. J. Loether, vice-president; J. II. Aluckerheide, secretary and treasurer. This company gives employment to fifteen hands and are manufacturers and jobbers of mattresses, pillows, cushions, iron beds, springs, cots, cribs, go-carts, etc. Their goods are of superior quality, and rank among the best manufactured in the world.

Bark River Bridge & Culvert Company. The business of this concern was started as a partnership between E. J. Bergman and Ole Harstad, at Bark River, Michigan, in 1906. After three years of successful business there, a branch house was established in Eau Claire, Avith Ole Harstad as proprietor and general manager. The company have plants in both cities each covering about an acre of ground with side track and railroad facilities.

Until the latter years of the 19th century, wood had been the commonest material for bridges and culverts. Its cheapness and general availability had recommended it to road superintendents with scanty appropriations and long miles of roadway. Frequent repairs and renewals had of course been necessary, but until the sharp rise in price and decline in quality of lumber, which were attendant upon the depletion of the forests, these expenditures had been little regarded. Now, however, it came to be recognized that a bridge or drain made from a material which would last only five or ten years, was a poor investment ; and road builders turned to other forms of construction, and the corrugated culverts are now fast taking tlie place of all other material.

In 1906 there was placed on the market a product which chemical analysis showed to be of a purity never before attained. It was given the name of American Ingot Iron. This metal combines the best quality of steel and wrought iron, and avoids the imperfections of both. It is ductile and tough and will stanJ the most severe bending and manipulation M'ithout a flaw. It will weld readily, and has a high degree of electrical condin-tivit}'. It has a homogeneous and finely crystalline structure, and its deusity is slightly greater than that of either wrought iron or steel. Practical experience has shown it to be resistant to corrosion to a greater degree than any commercial metal of which iron is the base. ^Vjiother consideration of scarcely less practical importance, is the fact that American Ingot Iron takes a heavj' coat of galvanizing and retains it tenaciously. Pure iron dissolves in molten zinc very much less than does steel. For this reason, the spelter coating applied to it contains a minimum of dissolved iron, and resists disintegration to a remarkable degree. It is doubtless if in the progress of time and invention, two discoveries were ever made which so exactly supported and completed one another as those of the corrugated culvert and American Ingot iron, of which the Bark River Bridge & Culvert Company have the agency in northern Wisconsin and upper Michigan.

The Fanners' Co-operative Products Company was organized in 1910. Tlie officers are S. S. Wethern, president; C. 0. Fischer, secretary and treasurer; Robert H. Manz, manager. This company handle Seal of Minnesota and Mother Hubbard flour.

cement, feed, salt and coal, and do a general custom grinding at their large mill in Eau Claire. They have branch places of business at Caryville, Union and Brunswick townships.

Northwestern Flour & Grain Company was incorporated under the laws of Wisconsin in 1907 with a capital of .^!25,000.00. They occupy a building 122x30 feet located on Railroad street. They are sole agents in Eau Claire for Gold Medal and flour of the Ihibbard Milling Company, of Mankato, Minnesota, and do an extensive business in their line. They erected their own building, and besides their Eau Claire business, have a branch warehouse at Allen, this state, 40x100 feet, and another at Cleghorn 40x100 feet, where in addition to flour and grain, they deal in coal and cement. The officers of the company are A. J. Branstad, president; Frank Harrion. vice-president, and George Tliorson, secretary and treasurer.

The Union Mortgage Loan Company is a Wisconsin corporation with a paid-up capital of $100,000.00. It is OAvned and eontrolled by bankers, capitalists and business men well and favorably known throughout the state. The business of the company is to loan money on first mortgages secured b.v improved real estate. They make no other investments, place their own money. and accept only the very best loans. Lands and loans are carefully investigated, abstracts examined by experts and papers carefully executed and recorded. They make loans in Wisconsin. Minnesota and the eastern and northern parts of North Dakota, and guarantee the collections on securities sold.

Phoenix Furniture Company. Among the foremost manufacturing institutions of Eau Claire is the Phoenix Furniture Company, manufacturers of bank, office, store and church furniture and fixtures. This company was organized in 1899 and incorporated under the laws of Wisconsin with a capital of $40,000.00. Their factory which contains about 42,000 square feet of floor space is located on 9th avenue and Broadway, where they have shipping facilities for all the railroads entering Eau Claire. They employ an average of fifty hands, and their products are shipped throughout the United States and Canada. The afl:'airs of the company are guided by R. J. Kepler, president; T. A. Hobbs, vicepresident, and S. Damm, secretary and treasurer.

National Granite Company, of Eau Claire, P. C. Magadanee, mauager and proprietor, was started in Eau Claire April 1, 1913, with a capital of ifi500,000.00, and is one of the largest and best eoncerns in northwestern Wisconsin engaged in the manufacture and sale of high grade and artistic monuments, mausoleums and large granite work, in the manufacture of which only the best granite to be obtained from the well known quarries is used, and thirty men are required in the production of these finely cut mo2iuments, etc., which are sold direct to the public in this and otlier states.

The Paper & Pulp Industry. This industry had its inception in Eau Claire in 1882, in which year it was incorporated as the Eau Claire Pulp & Paper, and was formed by citizens of the city of Eau Claire. Its officers were H. II. Hayden, president ; William Carson, vice-president ; S. H. Wilcox, secretary and C. F. Mayhew, treasurer.

In 1890 the mill was giving employment to about forty men, but soon thereafter passed into the hands of a receivership. In 1894 this property was purchased by 0. H. Ingram and the present company, The Dells Paper & Pulp Company, was organized with a capital of $75,000, and was officered as follows : President David K. Davis, Vice-president 0. II. Ingram, Secretary C. A. ( 'hamberlin. Treasurer C. H. Ingram. This new company tlioroughly remodelled the i)lant in the fall of 1894, at which time the capacity of the mill was about 60,000 lbs. per day of 24 hours. The plant has since that time been enlarged and improved, until tJie average per day now is approximately 170,000 lbs. In 1900 the Ingram interest was sold to the Davis Brothers. The company employs between 350 and 400 hands, and the pay roll amounts to about $250,000 per year. The capital of this company was increased July 31, 1894, to $125,000; Febuary 12, 1895, to $150,000; January 31, 1898, $250,000, and December 31, 1908. to $1,000,000.

In the manufacture of raw materials, that is ground wood pulp and sulphite pulp, about 35,000 cords of pulp wood are used lier annum, using Spruce, Hemlock, Balsam, Pine and Poplar. The product of this plant being News Print paper, and Fibre and Manila Wrapping paper.

The present officers of this company are W. L. Davis, president; S. R. Davis, vice-president; J. A. Stilp, secretary; J. T. Joyce, treasurer.

Horn & Blum Manufacturing Company was established in Januaiy, 1911, and incorporated under the laws of Wisconsin with a capital of $25,000.00. Their main factory 48x110, of which they occupy two floors, is located on Dewey and Bridge streets, and they also occupy two floors of the Heubs Laundry building. They employ on an average of seventy hands and manufacture overalls, jackets, shirts and extra heavy and durable clothing for lumbermen. Their plant is equipped with the latest and best machinery. They turn out a completed garment every forty seconds, and their product is sold by their eight traveling salesmen in the states of "Wisconsin, Michigan, North and South Dakota, Montana, and Minnesota.