others became interested with him, and in August, 1865, was organized the Des Moines Coal Company, consisting of Wesley Redhead, James M. Starr, William Vincent, B. F. Allen, William Phillips, Hoyt Sherman, John Teesdale, James W. Davis, L. W. Dennis, Frank Butler and E. Sandford. Wesley had been burrowing about in the north part of the city on the old Peet farm and when this company was organized work was carried on more extensively and systematically. A set of Fairbank's scales was procured and the first coal weighed in the city was done by Mr. Redhead. The coal was deposited in "pockets," so called, which quickly became exhausted, requiring frequent removals and changes of location, and in a short time the whole supply became so exhausted as to render further mining in that locality unprofitable.

The subsequent operations of Mr. Redhead have been detailed on page 275. He gradually purchased the interest of the other members of the company, and in 1874 constituted the sole owner. In May of the present year, James P. Clark was admitted as a partner, and the name of the company was changed to Pioneer Coal Company.

In the winter of 1867 was organized the Watson Coal Company, consisting of wealthy Boston capitalists, with Rufus Ford as president. Its capital stock is limited to $200,000. A shaft was sunk east of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad round-house, along beside the railroad track.

In 1867 the Iowa Central Coal Company was organized by A. Y. Rawson and Henry Wightman. A shaft was sunk on School street, West Side, between Fifth and Sixth, which was operated until 1879, when the shaft was abandoned.

In 1872 the Hawkeye Company was organized by W. W. Fink and A. G. Smith and a shaft sunk north of the city about one mile.

In 1873 the Eclipse Company was organized with T. D. Yoemans as manager. A shaft was sunk just outside the southern limit of the city.

In 1874 R. W. Sypher opened a shaft south of the city, which is now called Polk County Coal Company.

In 1875 Pleasant Hill Company was organized and a shaft sunk south of the city, on the line of the Winterset Railroad.

In 1875 the Eureka Coal Company was organized and a shaft ́sunk south of the 'Coon, near the school-house.

There are several other smaller mines operated in the vicinity.

The extent of the coal mining interest of the city has reached a point of considerable importance. The following is the estimated product of the various mines in tons per year:

The amount of capital employed is about $350,000. There are employed about five hundred miners. The bulk of coal now mined here is consumed

by the railroad companies, who find it to be of superior quality. The opening of railroad communication the present year direct with St. Paul, Minneapolis and Dakota will create a demand for immense quantities of coal, which will serve to further develop and bring to the surface the millions of wealth which lie buried beneath the soil of Polk county. The coal-measure which is now being worked is evidently the lower, which lies at a depth of one hundred and fifty to one hundred and seventy-five feet below the surface, hence it is quite apparent that the measures which crop out here are the two upper, and that the lower measure lies much lower than was supposed by the State geologist. In fact, explorations have disclosed a much broader extent of the coal-field, in a northerly direction, than is defined in the State geological report.

MANUFACTURES.

The natural facilities for manufacturing possessed by Des Moines are unsurpassed by any city in the West. Two broad rivers with ample fall, coal underlying the entire city and nearly the entire county, thus furnishing cheap fuel, inviting the intelligent, ambitious manufacturer who will keep pace with the rapidly developing country and the progress of the city which, within ten years has advanced from fifth in rank to first position in the State. It is foreign to the purpose of this book to enter into a detail of every manufacturing establishment in the city. Every branch of industry, nearly, is represented, and to individualize all would swell this volume beyond reasonable space. The leading and most important in point of product are herein mentioned.

Pork Packing. The packing of pork in Des Moines dates back to 1858, when Rollins & Winters, in a small way, killed about one thousand hogs. They were followed, two years later, by Albert Grefe, who erected a small packing house in the west part of the city.

The same season James Tuttle began packing in the cellar of Sherman Block, on Court Avenue, and in the winter of 1862 Dr. M. P. Turner, Jams Miller and Martin Winters joined him, and fitted up a packing house on Third street, which is now occupied by Smith & Rollins as part of their grocery. They killed about three thousand hogs, for which they paid $1.91 per hundred pounds, and sold the product at prices which cured all except Tuttle of afterward curing meats. The net profit of their business was $56, or $11.20 for each partner. Those who know Mr. Tuttle are aware that pluck is one of his predominant traits of character. The next season he with his son built a packing-house on Fifth street, on the lot adjoining the Methodist church. Prices for pork ruled low early in the season, but advanced rapidly, the war demand for provisions beginning to make itself felt throughout the country. They killed that season about 3,500 hogs. Simultaneous with them Getchell & Miller, Rawson & Harmon, and Rollins & Winter packed hogs in a small way. In 1863 B. F. Murphy, of Chicago, erected a packing-house south of the city, which for several seasons was used only for preparing dressed hogs for shipment. No packing was done. In 1867 General J. M. Tuttle and his brother Martin purchased Mr. Murphy's interest and made the necessary improvements for packing and curing meat. In 1870 Martin Tuttle retired from the business, and in 1873 Lewis Igo joined General Tuttle, the old packinghouse was demolished, and a new one erected, with a capacity for assassinating 1,500 hogs per day. In 1875 Mr. Igo retired. In 1871 the business

passed into the hands of the Stowers Packing Company, and in 1873 to J. H. Windsor & Co. Extensive buildings and improvements were made for winter and summer packing. The business is now done by the Des Moines Packing Company, with J. H. Windsor as manager.

In 1869 Murphy & Co. erected a small packing-house, and in 1872 the business was transferred to Joseph Shissler. He was succeeded by W. S. Elsworth, who has made large additions, and is now engaged in packing. The number of hogs packed in 1879-80 was about 100,000, of which the Des Moines Packing Company killed over three-fourths. The amount of money paid farmers for hogs was nearly one million, a large portion of which is a clear gain to the producer over the prices paid when hogs were bought only by shippers, as may be seen in the comparative price of $1.91 per 100 pounds in 1861 and $4.40 at the date of this writing, August 26, 1880.

Among those who early did a packing business was Capt. James Davis, who made a specialty of sugar-cured hams, which attained a high reputation from San Francisco to Boston for their superlative goodness. He was followed by Dennis & Keyes, who continued the reputation established by Mr. Davis, and in 1874 cured 25,000 hams, in a building erected for that purpose on the corner of Vine and West Third streets, now occupied by R. C. Webb & Son as a wholesale grocery house.

The Des Moines Packing Company and the Ellsworth Packing Company are the only houses now in the business, except F. Meek, who is doing an extensive business in curing hams on West Sixth street, and has established a reputation for a most excellent article.

Pork packing is becoming one of the most important industries of Des Moines, and during the packing season gives employment to a large force of men and boys. The boxes are made in the houses, the meats are packed, and mostly shipped direct to Liverpool, England.

The Western Newspaper Union.-Prominent among the business enterprises of Des Moines is what is known as the Western Newspaper Union. Its business is the printing of co-operative or auxiliary newspaper sheets, and the purchase and sale of printers' supplies. It was originally incorporated January 1, 1873, under the name of "State Printing Company," with Samuel Merrill, P. M. Casady, John A. Elliott, S. F. Spofford and B. F. Gue as incorporators, the limit of capital stock being fixed at $40,000. The first officers were: S. F. Spofford, President; A. R. Fulton, Secretary; John A. Elliott, Treasurer; and S. F. Spofford, J. H. Brooks, Wesley Redhead, Samuel Merrill and B. F. Gue, Directors.

The company commenced business in January, 1873, with a list of about twenty-five papers.

By a reorganization, February 15, 1876, the name was changed to "Iowa Printing Company." Up to February 15, 1877, the business management was successively in charge of B. F. Gue, H. B. Speed and E. T. Cressey. At the date last mentioned W. E. Andrews became the manager, which position he still retains. During the summer of 1879 the company erected a commodious and substantial business block on Fourth street, in Des Moines, known as "Printing Block," at a cost, including ground, of about $20,000.

On the 11th of June, 1880, the "Western Newspaper Union," with a capital stock of $100,000, became the successor of the lowa Printing Company, with the principal place of business at Des Moines, and branch

offices at Kansas City, Mo., and Omaha, Neb. The new organization is the successor of three auxiliary printing companies, viz.: Iowa Printing Company, of Des Moines; Kansas City Newspaper Union, Kansas City; and Omaha Newspaper Union, Omaha.

The company is now furnishing auxiliary sheets to about three hundred publishers in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. It uses an average of about four car loads of white print paper monthly, at a monthly cost for the same of about six thousand dollars. The Des Moines house gives employment to from twenty to twenty-five persons, as foremen, compositors, pressmen, etc. The daily transmission of packages from this establishment is no inconsiderable item in the business of the express companies. The product of its large steam-propelled printing presses is steadily increasing, and the "Western Newspaper Union" now ranks among the most substantial and prosperous business enterprises of Iowa.

Plow Factories.-The first plow factory was started by Stanton & Given in 1851, corner of West Third and Vine streets, where the Given House now stands; subsequently the firins became Stanton & Skinner, Skinner & Skinner and in 1859 the firm divided, Skinner Bro's going to Front street, where the American Foundry now is, and Given & Co. retaining the old place. The same year Skinner Bro's erected a large brick building on the corner of West Second and Elm streets, where the first drug store and the Star office stood. They did an extensive business for several years, and in 1879 removed to Second street, north of Locust.

In 1861 Mr. Given disposed of his business to a stock company, which had been organized for that purpose, with H. C. Hargis as president, and known as the Des Moines Plow Company. Increased facilities were added, the business greatly enlarged, and other implements added to the list of manufactures. When Skinner Bro's vacated the premises on Front street they were occupied by Platt & Speith, who still are engaged in the manufacture of plows.

In the fall of 1856 H. N. Heminway started the first iron foundry in the city, on the East Side, and shortly after, the same year, S. J. Loughran started a foundry on the West Side, on the river bank at Locust street, and still continues the business, under the firm name of Loughran & Hillis.

In 1863 Otis & Rollins established the American_ Foundry, on Front street, adjoining Platt & Speith. The next year Mr. Rollins was succeeded by Joseph Heimer; and in 1866 the foundry was sold to Brooks & Strawbridge; in 1867, Mr. Strawbridge was succeeded by George Lendrum, who, in 1873, was succeeded by William Stein. In 1879 Mr. Brooks died.

In 1872 a corporation was formed and known as the Eagle Iron Works, with George C. Lendrum, President, and D. E. Perkins, Secretary. The works are located on Court Avenue, corner of East Third. The capital stock is $30,000. The business of the corporation is the manufacture of machinery, engines and mill furnishing. One of the best specimens of a horizontal mill engine of 150 horse-power made at these works may be seen at the barbed wire factory on Front street, near Market, West Side.

The first steam boiler works was started by N. S. McDonald, in 1861, on Court Avenue, near the river, and he made the first boiler in the city, which was for the Heminway foundry. It was a hard struggle for the proprietor. There was but a limited demand for boilers, and most of his work was repairing, but as the surrounding country developed the business increased, and Mr. McDonald, being a superior workman, received his

full share. In 1866 he was joined by James Meara, since when the business of the firm has rapidly increased, enlarged buildings and new machinery have been added until the establishment has become one of the best in the State and is crowded to its utmost capacity. During 1879 Mr. Meara, while riveting a boiler, was struck in the eye with a chipping of iron which resulted in the entire loss of sight. He is now represented in the partnership by his wife.

The Des Moines Iron Works, now Capital City Iron Works, as has been stated, were first started by Mr. Heminway; subsequently they passed into the hands of Tidrick & Hippee, in 1860, and various other proprietors until in 1878, they were closed. During the present year they have passed into the control of a new company.

Oil Mills.-In September, 1866, W. R. & J. A. Ankeny started the Central Oil Works, corner of East Fifth and Vine streets, for the manufacture of linseed oil from flax-seed. The project at first met with limited success, owing to the disinclination of farmers to raise flax. The firm the first year, with much difficulty, loaned to farmers 450 bushels of seed, making at the same time a contract to take their entire crop of seed at a certain price per bushel, the farmer therefore running no risk except the uncertainty of the crop. The venture was a success, and now they have no trouble in finding customers for 40,000 bushels of seed. The business has increased each year, additions have been made until now the buildings occupied are 51x127 feet, three stories high, with basement. They consume nearly 100,000 bushels of seed annually, producing over 600 gallons of oil and over six tons of oil cake per day. The cake is principally sent to Europe, where it is used for feeding live stock, the superlative value of which Western farmers have not yet learned. The oil is shipped East and South, and sales are limited only by the capacity of the works. Experience has proved flax-seed to be one of the most certain and profitable crops cul

tivated in Iowa.

In 1873 works were started on the East Side for the manufacture of gunny bags, etc., from flax straw; but soon after, Congress abolished the duty on jute, so that Western manufacturers could not compete with those of the East, and the business was abandoned. Subsequently, in 1875, George W. Werum fitted the buildings for the manufacture of linseed oil, and has since continued the business, consuming about 35,000 bushels of seed annually.

Millwrights.-In 1879 Johnson & Jarrett started business as millwrights and contractors, on Court Avenue, between Third and Fourth streets, East Side, and are doing a heavy business in erecting mills and elevators, and furnishing the necessary machinery for the same, thus adding a new and important industry to the city.

Planing Mills.--The first planing mill was started by Gilcrest Bros. on the East Side, corner of First and Market, which was burned in 1869. In 1865 A. J. Jack & Co. started a planing mill on Market street, near West Fifth, which was sold to Carver & Young. In 1869 the mill was burned, and immediately was erected the present mill. New machinery was added and the business largely increased, extending over Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. The entire inside woodwork, windows, doors, etc., of the Union Pacific depot at Council Bluffs was done at this mill. Their business now embraces everything in the woodwork line, and has become very extensive.