The History of Louisville, from the Earliest Settlement till the Year 1852 Part 16

The publishing house of Peters, Webb & Co., perhaps the oldest establishment of the kind, and certainly the most favorably known in the West, employs one t.i.tle engraver, three music engravers, and about six printers. They keep three copper-plate presses constantly employed, and issue from seven to ten thousand pages of music per week.

The piano-forte manufactory of Peters, Cragg & Co., was organized only a few years ago, but its success has been so constant and rapid, that they are not now able to supply the demand for their instruments. They have embarked a very large capital in this business, and are now erecting a large three story factory on Main Street, where they will be enabled to do a still greater amount of work. They are prepared with all the most recent useful improvements in manufacture and will employ in their new factory about thirty hands. This firm is ready at any moment to duplicate any bill of wholesale prices, which may be had from any respectable eastern house, either in sheet music or pianos.

P. W. & Co., in company with J. Wekerle, a practical organ builder, commenced the manufacture of these instruments in Louisville a little less than three years ago, since which time they have built several instruments for western churches, in Louisville and elsewhere. These have been p.r.o.nounced by competent judges equal to any made in the country. Five workmen are constantly employed in this department.

CHARLES DUFFIELD & CO.'S HAM CURING ESTABLISHMENT, Water Street, between 5th and 6th, Entrance on 6th.

This is the largest establishment exclusively devoted to the curing of hams, not only in the United States, but in the world. The buildings are of brick and are three stories in height. The curing-house is 66 feet wide and 350 feet long, embracing over 52,000 square feet of floor. The smoking house is 35 feet in width by 65 in length, and will hold 40,000 hams at one smoking. One to two hundred thousand hams are cured here in one season, and thirty to fifty men are employed nearly six months in the year in preparing the hams for market and summer keeping. The details of the curing process are not made public.

Mr. Duffield was the _first_ to establish and make permanent the business of ham curing, as a separate and distinct branch of the provision trade, which he did by _persevering_ in making fine hams for years without profit--and he has thus became the PIONEER in giving character to our western hams, which now stand unequalled in the markets of the United States. It is to this perseverance that we are indebted for all the fine hams, by whomsoever cured, that now fill our markets.

Mr. Duffield was the _first_ to cure in Cincinnati, in 1835, as many as 20,000 hams, and from this _beginning_, the business is believed to have now reached the grand aggregate of from six to eight hundred thousand hams, cured in an _extra_ style, in all the western cities. Mr. D.'s hams, however, still stand pre-eminent. The demand for them increases yearly.

His brand is, "DUFFIELD'S AMERICAN WESTPHALIA HAMS." The reason for the term "American Westphalia" is contained in the fact, that the only hams celebrated in the United States markets, when Mr. D. commenced curing, were those imported from Westphalia, in Germany, (which were then and still are sold at 25 and 30 cents per pound,) hence the propriety and boldness of the term "_American_ Westphalia." It is certain that Mr.

Duffield's cure will not be found _inferior_ to the best _imported_ from Westphalia, and will not cost the consumer one-half the price of that article.

The following list of diplomas, medals, &c., which have been awarded at different times to the hams cured by Mr. Duffield, will corroborate this opinion. By Ohio Mechanics' Inst.i.tute, in 1844; by Hamilton County Agricultural Society, in 1846; by Ohio State Fair, held in Cincinnati, in 1850; by The London Industrial Exhibition, and World's Fair Prize Medal, in 1850. We are proud of Mr. D.'s reputation, and glad to be able to say that Louisville has _the largest ham curing establishment in the world_.

A. McBRIDE, MANUFACTURER OF PLANES AND EDGE TOOLS, No. 69 Third Street.

The manufacture of Planes and Edge-Tools in Louisville is not and has not been considered a very prominent branch of trade. It is well known that the skillful manufacture of these articles has long been a difficulty hard to overcome. Mr. McBride, who has been a practical workman with the plane, has successfully combatted all the difficulties in the way of producing a perfect article. Wherever the tools from this factory have been used, they have achieved that most difficult of results, the entire approbation of the mechanic. Mr. B.'s business is one of those the steady growth of which indicates real merit and ultimate success. Every article produced is made by the hands of skillful workmen, and under the immediate eye of the proprietor; hence all may be sure of procuring a far more valuable article than can be had from the steam factories. Mr. McBride has in addition to his manufactory, a fine stock of Hardware and Cutlery.

HENRY HUNTER, GLa.s.s CUTTING ESTABLISHMENT, No. 69 Third Street.

This useful establishment is one of those minor factories which are indispensible to a great city. Necessary of small extent as compared with many other branches of manufacture, it is yet an important and useful concern. Mr. Hunter is the foreman of his own factory, and is a thorough and accomplished workman. It is at his shop that those elegant cuttings on tinted and white gla.s.s, which adorn the windows of our southern steamboats, and add so much to their magnificence, are done. In this department of his business he is without a rival in the city and, it is believed, in the West. Beside this, Mr. H. is a fitter of gla.s.ses for jeweller's work, such as rings, breast-pins, miniatures, &c. He also replaces parts of broken sets of gla.s.s and performs, in a superior manner, all the work done at the gla.s.s cutters. A good stock of cut gla.s.s-ware is also to be found at this factory.

KENTUCKY LOCK FACTORY.

HARIG & STOY, MANUFACTURERS OF SAFE, BANK, VAULT, JAIL AND DOOR LOCKS.

No. 97 Third Street.

The Kentucky Lock Factory is another establishment deserving especial notice. The work made at this factory is surpa.s.sed in quality by none in the West. Locks of every description from those of the prison, the Bank and the safe, to the smallest mortise latch, are manufactured with equal care and fidelity. The Fire-Proof Safe, which has a well established reputation everywhere, is also made here. Iron doors and frames for bank vaults and prisons us well as sliding door locks and tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs also form a part of the daily work of the factory. This concern, under the charge of Mr. Aug. C. Harig has for a long time enjoyed the confidence and patronage of this community, and it will doubtless, under its present management, continue to increase in public favor. In addition to articles of their own manufacture, Messrs. H. & S. offer for sale an excellent a.s.sortment of Builders Hardware.

A. TIENSCH, Manufacturer of Mathematical and Philosophical Instruments, NO. 97 THIRD STREET.

In the same building with the factory noticed above, may be found the instrument shop of Mr. Tiensch. In this exceedingly complex and scientific manufacture, this gentleman is very eminent. The most delicate manipulations of his art are performed by him with singular accuracy and facility. Manufactories of this kind are rare in the American cities, nor is the demand for these articles very great. Mr. T. is therefore able to furnish the proceeds of his manufacture to buyers who are scattered ever a large surface of country. He keeps on hand a stock of the instruments in most common use and is thoroughly competent to the successful manufacture of any article in his line which may be desired by the scientific man. His factory will doubtless grow with the growing wants for articles of this description in this great city. The curious in such matters will find his shop well worthy of a visit.

HULL & BROTHER, Book & Job Printers, Binders, AND PUBLISHERS, 83 & 85 Fourth Street, between Main and Market.

This firm commenced business in this city in the year 1844. It has gradually grown, from a small beginning, until it stands second to no establishment in the West, either for facilities or workmanship. Although its princ.i.p.al business is that of Book, and the finer kinds of Job Printing, yet at this office are issued two weekly papers, and three monthly periodicals--making an average of over _ten thousand periodicals weekly_.

The Proprietors being both practical men, (having been all their lives engaged in the business, and understanding thoroughly every department of it,) they have been enabled to carry the Art of Printing to a perfection that would surprise and astonish the spirits of Faust and Guttemberg, were they to arise from their graves, as much as it pleases and attracts the lovers of the beautiful of the present day.

In connection with this establishment there is a well a.s.sorted Bindery, under the direction of Mr. J. A. IRWIN, who, in this department, is connected with the Messrs. Hull. He also is a practical workman, well acquainted with every part of his business.

Every branch and variety of the business is here carried on. From the mill, the paper pa.s.ses to the wetting trough, thence to the printing press; from the press to the drying boards, then into the hands of the Folder, and so successively, to the Forwarder, the Embosser, and the Finisher, until the perfect book is produced.

The Messrs H. employ about forty hands in their Establishment and are supplied, both in their Printing and Binding departments, with the very best materials and machinery that have been invented.

Altogether it is an Establishment that does credit to our city, and gives additional evidence of its increasing prosperity.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Campbell had been taken prisoner by the British and Indians and was then in captivity in Canada.

[2] MARSHALL, Vol. I, p. 104.

[3] Directory for 1832.

[4] Western Review for January, 1830.

[5] This incident is by some accredited to William Creasy, a bargeman of the James River.

[6] Morgan Neville, in Western Souvenir for 1829.

[7] PERKINS' Annals, pp. 280 to 282.

[8] John A. McClung in Collins' Kentucky, p. 57.

[9] This statement is given on the authority of Major Quirey's own son.

[10] This prediction, as is well known, has been verified.

[11] This gentleman was one among the most distinguished of the early citizens of Louisville. His untiring energy, his inflexible honesty of purpose, and his fine mental ability, all contributed to render him conspicuous in every position to which he was called. An excellent epitome of his character is contained in a remark made by him upon the occasion of his resignation of the Presidency of the Bank referred to. The directory of the Bank having determined to stop payment, Mr. Prather resigned his seat with these memorable words:--"I can preside over no inst.i.tution which fails to meet its engagements promptly and to the letter." Mr. Prather was long connected in business with Mr. John I. Jacob, whose recent death has been so much deplored; and the firm of Prather & Jacob is one of the best and most favorably known among the early merchants of this city.

[12] This census does not include the residents in Preston's or Campbell's enlargements, nor does it refer either to Portland or Shippingport.

[13] This is extracted from Mr. Maum Butler's account of the Ca.n.a.l.

[14] Gallagher's Review of Amelia in the Hesperian for 1839.

[15] This hope is now destined never to be gratified, for, since the above was written, this accomplished poetess and estimable woman has been called away to join her voice with the angelic choir, whose harmonies are the delight and the glory of the celestial world. On a bright May morning, such as her own songs have taught us to love, when the earth was redolent of beauty, and the flowers were sending up to heaven the incense of their perfumes, when all rejoicing nature was pouring out its mourning orison to its Creator, the angels sent by her Heavenly Father, came and bore her spirit to its home in the skies. And so

"She has pa.s.sed like a bird from the minstrel throng, She has gone to the land where the lovely belong."

[16] Haldeman's Directory for 1844-5.

[17] These gentlemen having recently resigned, the chairs so vacated are now occupied by Drs. Palmer and Austin Flint, of Buffalo, N. Y.

[18] "In this year, a line of 46 hhds brought $3,390 84, averaging $73 73 per hhd. The crop was short, and speculation ran high. Dealers in the article were heavy losers."--_Directory for 1845._