History of Springfield, Illinois, its attractions as a home and advantages for business, manufacturing, etc. Pub. under the auspices of the Springfield board of trade, by J. C. Power.

ITS ADVANTAGES FOR MANUFACTURING. 101
SPRINGFIELD BOARD OF TRADE field Watch Company, which was organWas organized July 13, 1869, with the ized directly through its influence. The
following well known business men and establishing and success of the Alexander
firms as members: corn planter factory is largely due to the
Melvin & GlidJen, Robinson & Bauman, workings of the Board of Trade also.
Noite & Walther, F. George & Son,
Ackerman & Nolte, F. Reisch & Son, January 11, 1870, Mr. W. B. Cowgill,
Ensel & Mayer, J. S. Vredenburghe Board,
First National Bank, Latham & Co., the secretary, the
prJohn Wildiams a Co., B. F. Hayes & Co. embodying the result of his investigations
Springfi'ld Savi'gs B'nk, B. F. Haynes & Co.,
S. Rosenwald. Dickerman & Co., with reference to manufactures in the
Smith & Brother, James Conkling, Jr.,
J. D B. Salter, Schuck & Biker, city. He reported $350,000 as the total
Butler, Lane & Co.,.1. B. Fosselmn,
J. Thayer & Co., Van Ness & Ferguson, capital invested in manufacturing enterT, S. Lttle, He. C. Myert s Son, prises, giving employment to about three
G. S. Dana, H. C. Myers & Son,
J. M. Fitzaerald, Wm. Lavely & Son, hundred men. The corn planter factory
Woods & Henkle, Geo. W. Schroyer & Co.,
C. A. Gehimann, H. Bedlich, was then in its infancy, and the watch
C. A. Helmle, HI. E. Mueller,
Staley Troelle, E. Muers, company was not organized. With these
J. Bonn, J. C. &OC. L. Conkling, additions, and the increase of capacity in
Thomas Brady, C. H. Flower.
W. B. Miller, the woolen mill, and some other improveS. H. Melvin was elected President, J. ments, the capital now invested must be
S. Vredenburgh, Sr., First Vice Presi- near three quarters of a million dollars,
dent; A. Nolte, Second Vice President. and the hands employed about five hundDirectors-A. Mayer, H. Post, W. Lave- red.
ly, F. Smith, G. N. Black, W. B. Miller, The sewing machines sold at three
F. W. Tracy, Treasurer; W. R. Cowgiil, agencies in this city, for the year 1869,
Secretary. he reported at 1750, amounting to about
The following committees were ap- $145,000.
pointed: Of the sale of agricultural implements
On Trade and Commerce —W. Lavely, he had reports from but two agencies,
H. S. Dickerman, S. Rosenwald, Jacob giving sales to the amount of $45,000.
Bunn, B. H. Ferguson, B. F. Fox, Frank From my own observations, and what I
Reisch, Jr. believe to be reliable data, I think $150,On Arbitration-J. S. Vredenburgh, 000 a very moderate estimate of the retail
Sr., John Williams, J. D. B. Salter, C. A. trade in agricultural implements, annuHelmle, E. R. Thayer. ally, exclusive of what is manufactured
On Railroads-G. N. Black, W. Baker, in the city.
G, S. Dana, J. C. Henkle, J. W. Lane. It would be well here to enumerate
J. S. Vredenburgh ceased to be a vice- some of the branches of manufacturing
president before the close of the first year, that it is thought would be particularly
and was succeeded by W. B. Miller. inviting. I have just estimated that the
With that exception the officers remain retail trade at this point, of agricultural
unchanged, and the present directors are, implements shipped from all parts of the
Isaac A. Hawley, A. Mayer, C. A. Gehr- country, is about $150,000-it may be
mann, G. N. Black, W. Lavely, and Her- nearer $200,000. If those implements
bert Post. were manufactured here, the trade could
As soon as the organization was effect- be very largely increased, as the railed, the Board fitted up a large and con- road facilities are now such as to be revenient room on South Fifth street, which markably favorable to the wholesale
it occupies at the present time. trade.
The beneficial effects of the Board of By referring to the article on the AlexTrade has been felt in many ways, but it ander corn planter, it will be seen that
may be seen in the works of the Spring- sales for the season just closed amount
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