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Sanford’s Cooper Shop
O. B. Sanford & Co.
1858
1858, Young Men’s Assn officer, OB Sanford
02
03 O. B. Sanford & Co. wants saw logs
at their establishment on the east side of Rock River. They wish to purchase a large number and pay
the highest cash price. If we should have
a run of sleighing, all who have any of the timber for which they advertise in
another column, they cannot do better than bring it along and get their money
for it. WD
Sanford & Co
New Manufacturing
Establishment
03
17 Ours
is not a commercial city and we have no ocean or lake coast to give us the trade
of a continent or a world. But we have
unsurpassed manufacturing facilities, by the improvement of which our place can
become populous, wealthy and prosperous.
Looking with peculiar favor upon every effort to build up our home
interest, we notice with pleasure the new establishment which Sanford & Co.
have just put in operation for the manufacture of lumber and flour
barrels. It consists of a mill with
circular saws, which cuts all kinds of logs into every variety of building
material in the shortest space of time, of a stave saw which makes 3,000 staves
a day, a heading machine which turns out, all fitted and ready for use, 1,500
barrel heads a day, of a planer of the stave as it is first roughly shaped, and
of a jointing machine—in short every necessity to make a good barrel as it
exists in the timber until it comes out ready to be packed with the staff of
life, to be used at home or sent a thousand miles off to a distant market. This establishment gives steady employment to
some fifteen men and consumes annually large quantities of raw material now
standing in our forests. It is well
organized and everything about it goes on with the regulation of clock
work. All the different pieces of
machinery are carried by a water power, which, since the completion of the new
dam, is reliable and unfailing. A few
more such establishments will do a great deal towards increasing the business
of our city, furnishing a permanent home, and bringing among us a large number of
industrious and intelligent artisans.
The enterprising proprietors have taken the right step to advance their
own interests and that of the community where they live. WD
1860 Sanford Fire
01
12 Two stave dry houses in the Sixth Ward
belonging to Mr. O. B. Sanford, filled with barrel staves, were entirely consumed by fire last evening. There was no insurance on them and their
destruction will involve an entire loss of three or four hundred dollars. The fire was accidental and is the more to be
regretted as Mr. Sanford was just getting in good working order an
establishment for manufacturing a first rate quality of flour barrel staves
that promised to be successful and extensive.
WD
06 07 To his already extensive arrangements for the
manufacturing of staves, Mr. O. B. Sanford is now adding a new Cooper Shop for
making flour barrels, the construction of which he commenced last week. The new building will be one story high and
15 feet by 24 in dimensions. This
establishment already furnishes regular employment to over fifteen hands and as
all its machinery and material are the best that can be procured, the article
he furnishes for market is of the first class and finds ready and extensive
sale in most of the neighboring towns.
Everything necessary to make a strong and safe flour barrel is made by
machinery, so that all the cooper has to do is to put it together. Mr. Sanford’s barrels
are generally used by our millers, who find them fully equal if not
superior to any they can get. Home
institutions like this should be encouraged by all who take an interest in the
growth of our city. There are a hundred
branches of industry that might just as well be carried on here as not, and
better too, if there was only someone to give them a start and a willingness on
the part of the people to give them the preference over rival articles brought
from abroad. WD
1861
02 06 Stave manufacture -- Mr. O. B. Sandford's extensive stave manufactory is now in full
operation. He advertisers for a large
supply of bolts, saw logs and hickory poles, for which he will pay cash. Every
day loads of his staves may be seen passing through our streets to the railroad
depot, to be sent abroad. He makes a first rate article, and has the best
machinery for doing it. WD