The Old Long Tannery.—In 1856, B. C. Long erected in the northern suburb of the town a large building fronting on Main street, for tanning purposes. It was two and a half stories high, with a front of forty feet, and one hundred feet deep. In the basement was a large number of vats, all of which were so arranged that even the coldest weather in winter was no obstacle to the work hands to pursue that kind of labor which was customary to be done in the summer season in tan-yards out of doors. The first room on the second floor was a large dry room, being large enough to dry several thousand dollars' worth of stock at one time. The room adjoining this was for grinding purposes, and was also very large and convenient, and back of which was a space under cover, to contain over one hundred and fifty cords of bark. Tbe third floor was devoted to drying hair and material for making glue. The proprietor remarked, in 1856, that he was able to turn out $1,000 worth of finished leather per month. The building was erected by William Link, and was then considered the largest business building in the county.
This property finally fell into the possession of and was operated by a German named Zohlche, and was entirely destroyed by fire December 20, 1865.
The Weber Brewery.—The brick building located on Centre street, east of Main, was erected in the summer of 1862, by Peter Weber, for a brewery. It is a large two-story building, with a basement. Operations as a brewery were began in it February 2, 1863, and continued until in 1877. The brewery was destroyed by fire March 2, 1871. but was again rebuilt shortly afterward, and continued in operation until in 1877, since which period it has been idle.
The London Woven Manufacturing Company.—Foremost among the manufacturing interests of London was the woolen mill of the above named company, the history of which is as follows: On the 1st of January, 1800, a number of gentlemen of energy and capital met at the office of the Probate Judge for the purpose of forming a joint-stock company. A charter was immediately gotten up and filed at Columbus, and within sixty days from that time the erection of a building was under headway. The officers elected January 1, of that year, were C. K. Slagle, President; Stephen Watson, Treasurer; Oliver Single, Secretary; Directors—Stephen Watson, Jesse Watson, George W. Lohr, Richard Baskerville and C. K. Slagle. The site of the present grist-mill on South High street was purchased, and thereon was erected, by E. J. Gould and James Self, a brick structure four stories in height, covered with slate. The main building was 40x60 feet; on the first floor was the office, salesroom and finishing rooms; the second floor was devoted to weaving and making stocking yarn; the third floor to carding, and the fourth to spinning. In a side building was the dye-house and engine room. The mill had two sets of forty inch cards, capable of consuming one hundred and twenty-five pounds of wool per day, each, in the rough; two spinning jacks with two hundred and forty spindles each, and capable of spinning wool as fast as it passed through the cards; eleven looms, capable of turning out thirty yards of jeans per day each. The establishment gave employment to about forty hands, and in 1867 consumed over $17,000 worth of wool. The engine was forty horse-power capacity, and was furnished by I. & E. Greenwald, of Cincinnati, and the woolen machinery was purchased of E. C. Cleveland & Co., of Worcester, Mass., at a cost of over $15,000. The total expenditure in the construction and outfit for the establishment was about $50,000. The mill was superintended by Dennis Clark. On the night of December 5, 1871, the building, machinery, goods, books, and, in fact, everything, was destroyed by fire, making a total loss to the company of $50,000, on which there was an insurance of $10,000. On the night of this fire the weather was very cold, the mercury standing below zero. Thus ended an extensive enterprise, which was a source of profit to London and a convenience to farmers and the public generally.
London Agricultural Works.—In 1869-70, Messrs. Barnard, Dougherty & Stone, assisted by subscriptions from some of the enterprising men of London, erected the large two-story brick building located on West High street, just beyond the the I. B. & W. R. R. crossing, with a view of establishing machine shops. Mr. Barnard, who was at the head of the establishment, was believed by interested parties to be engaged in a swindling scheme by which they were to suffer, owing to which the enterprise was abandoned. The same year of the completion of the building, it was purchased by James Coultas and A. L. Mesmore, who fitted it up for a planing mill, sash and blind factory, and for the manufacture of the Bowman planter, which found ready sale, and under their management this projected home enterprise began to assume shape and proportions. They displayed tact and energy, and paved the way for a larger establishment, and in 1873 a company, composed of the following named gentlemen, was formed: Harford Toland, Haworth & Sons, J. R. Atchison & James Coultas; Mr. Toland was President of the Company; Mr. Atchison, Secretary, Treasurer and General Manager. The various agricultural implements manufactured by the company were the Haworth Check Rower, Bowman Planter, Dickey Drill and Haworth Planter. The various departments of the establishment were the machine shop, blacksmith shop, paint and woodworking departments, tarring and knotting department, storage rooms, and the department for setting up work. In December, 1875, there were in process of manufacture 1,500 drills, and 1,000 check rowers. Capacity of workmanship was then sufficient to turn out between one hundred and one hundred and fifty drills per week, and other implements in proportion.
The company was incorporated December 10, 1873, and commenced operations in January, 1874. The business was continued until in February, 1879, when the establishment was closed, and the result was anything but profitable to those concerned.
The London Flouring Mill.—After repeated efforts on the part of the citizens to supply a long needed want to the town, and the failure of parties from abroad who came with propositions to the citizens on the subject soliciting assistance for such an enterprise, the first grist-mill of the town was erected at the hands of Frederick Placier and Alvin Blue, of Pickaway County, this State. These gentlemen, in the spring of 1874, purchased the ground and ruins of the old woolen mill on South High street, for $3,000, and at once erected thereon a brick building two stories and a half high. The building was supplied by machinery brought from another mill in the vicinity of Canal Winchester; John Smith was the millwright, and James Self the builder of the brick work. The mill was completed and opened for grinding October 12, 1874, under the following circumstances, an account of which appeared in the Democrat of October 14, 1874: "One of the oldest pioneers of Madison County, being a resident of sixty-five years, says: 'I have watehed with much pleasure the progress of Placier & Blue's new mill to the present time. I was in the mill at my post of observation on Monday, the 12th of October, when it was announced: "The mill is ready to grind." Then one of the owners of the mill called on the old pioneer to put the first half bushel of grain in the hopper, as he was the oldest man present. I complied with pleasure, and then stepped back to look at the monster start. The steam being put on, the machinery took motion, and the buhrs commenced revolving, and down went the golden meal; I stepped to the stairway, and who should I see there at the spout, but another old pioneer, Col. J. H. ——, on duty, waiting for the sack to fill, so that he could have the honor of taking away the first sack from the spout; all of which he did with great pride.'"
The cost of the mill was $12,000; it is now owned and operated by Frederick Placier, it has a capacity of making from twenty-five to thirty-five barrels of flour per day of twelve hours, and from 300 to 500 bushels of meal per week.
The London Woolen Mills.—This important industry is the property of Dennis Clark, located on Water street, between Fourth and Fifth. In the spring of 1872, Mr. Clark erected the buildings, consisting of a main building, two stories in height and 60x30 feet in size, with a one-story dry- house and engine-room attached, 30x40 feet—all of frame. The mill is well equipped with excellent machinery, consisting of one set of spinning-jacks, with 230 spindles, three power looms and finishing machinery. Eight hands are employed, and the annual trade of the mills amounts to about $10,000 on an average. There are manufactured here all kinds of woolen goods, which are both retailed and wholesaled, the latter trade being confined chiefly to the cities of Columbus, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Steubenville. Mr. Clark is a man of large experience in this line of business, having been engaged in the different mills in and about London since 1850, and at one time owned and operated the old mill that stood about one mile north of London, and later superintended the mills of the London Woolen Manufacturing Company of this place.
The Planing-Mill and Lumber Yard of E. J. Gould & Co.—This mill, yard and wood-working establishment the largest in Madison County—is located on Main street, between the P., C. & St. L. and I. B. & W. Railroads. The planing-mill was erected in 1867 by Messrs. E. J. Gould and A. L. Brown, and the manufacture of doors, sashes and blinds commenced. A number of years prior to this, the lumber yard had been established by William Gould, a brother to Mr. Gould of the firm. Later, the Gould brothers became associated together in the lumber yard, in connection with which they carried on a carpenter and builders shop. The main building is two stories and a half high, and in size is about 100x40 feet; and the dry-house is about 20x60 feet, a one-story building. Mr. Brown, in the course of several years, sold his interest to Mr. Gould, who, in the spring of 1875, associated with him Gerald Fitzgibbons. The firm does an extensive business, and gives constant employment to nine or ten men.
The Lumber Yard and Wood-Working Establishment of J. F. Morgan.—The location is on High street, opposite the grist-mill. The business was begun by the Morgan Brothers, W. H. H. and J. F., in 1873. Since 1878, the business has been carried on by the present proprietor, J. F. Morgan. The mill is a two-story frame, supplied with suitable machinery for general wood-working. There are six or more hands employed and all kinds of lumber, doors, blinds and sash dealt in.
The Lenhart Carriage Manufactory, located on Oak, between Fourth and High streets, was established by Bush Paine in the fall of 1866, when the present building, a two-story brick and frame, about 140x28 feet, was erected. The factory became the property of the present proprietor, Samuel Lenhart, in the fall of 1868, and the business has since been conducted by him. He has on hand, at all times, a full stock of custom made buggies, carriages and springwagons, and manufactures and sells the Lockwood wagon-bed. He has employed ten hands.
Mr. Paine first engaged in the manufacture of carriages, buggies, etc., in connection with Samuel Roadhamer, about the beginning of the late war, having succeeded P. S. Fay, who was located on South Main street. This firm remained in that locality but one or two years, when they dissolved, and Mr. Paine removed to the north side of Second street, between Main and Union, and purchased a shop of that kind there carried on by P. C. Palmer, where he established himself, and remained until October 3, 1866, when his entire manufactory was destroyed by fire, and he sustained a loss of $4,000. He then built on Oak street, and was killed by lightning in 1867.
The Carriage Manufactory of B. Judy.—In September, 1871, Richard Acton, Tim Riordon and William Staley erected, on the corner of High and Union streets, a large brick building two stories high, and 133 feet deep, and in November following opened and established the above-named manufactory. Mr. John Duddy was taken in as an associate in the business. In August, 1873, Messrs. Riordon and Staley withdrew from the firm, and several years later the business ceased. In 1877, the building was rented and the business of manufacturing carriages, buggies and wagons, and doing general repairing, continued by the present proprietor. There are employed at these shops on an average, the year through, nine men, and the sales amount to about $6,000.
The London Marble and Granite Works were established in London in the neighborhood of 1853, by Samuel Minter. Mr. Minter died in 1861, and the business was carried on for about one year by the present proprietor, Jacob March. The works were then purchased by Messrs. Hutchinson & Reitzell, who conducted the business together for a period when Mr. Hutchinson became sole proprietor. In June, 1866, Jacob March purchased a half-interest of Mr. Hutchinson, and the two gentlemen operated together for about six months, when Levi March bought out Mr. Hutchinson's interest, and the firm name became the March Brothers. Six months later, Mr. Jacob March became sole proprietor and carried on the business until 1872, when he sold to James Self. About this time, another marble shop was started in town by Aaron Bentezell. Mr. March became associated in the business as a partner with Mr. Bentezell. These gentlemen after about one year together dissolved, Mr. March purchasing. About the year 1875 Mr. March purchased the shop of Mr. Self and consolidated the two. The works were destroyed by the fire of 1874, but immediately thereafter rebuilt where now located on West High street, where can be found anything in the marble and granite line, for monuments or tombstones, and a full supply of limestone and freestone for door or window sills, doorsteps, etc.
Grain Elevators.—Madison County has always produced more grain than was necessary for home consumption, and in the last decade three large grain elevators have been erected along the lines of the two railroads, and are now numbered among the important industries of its "seal of justice." The advantages over the old mode of shipping the surplus of grain are so many and great that the elevator has been brought into popular favor and encouraged shipment. The amount of grain received and shipped necessarily fluctuates, yet it is estimated that several hundred thousand bushels are handled annually. The largest of the three elevators referred to is the one located at the intersection of the I. B. & W. and P., C. & St. L. R. R., built by James Hamilton, the present proprietor, in the spring of 1876. This was destroyed by fire June 16, 1879, and with it burned two thousand bushels of wheat and four hundred bushels of corn, the total loss over insurance being $4,000. Mr. Hamilton rebuilt at once.
The second in size is the elevator located along the P., C. & St. L. R. R., near Water street, built in l878 by Messrs. William Farrar and Thomas Wood, who were proprietors until in October, 1882, when it was purchased by William M. Jones and R. H. Edwards, who are now carrying on the business. The capacity of this elevator is eight thousand bushels per day.
The last is the Cowling elevator, located at the flouring mill, built by R. B. Cowling, in 1876; capacity, from three thousand to four thousand bushels per day.
Burying Grounds.—Outlot No. 11, situated in the extreme northeastern part of the original plat of the town, was reserved for burial purposes, and was extensively used for such until the organization of Oak Hill and Kirkwood Cemetery Associations. Many of the pioneers of London were interred here. In 1873, resolutions were passed by the Council advising the State Senator of this district, and the Representative of the county, that a special act was needed authorizing the sale of this place of burial, and the purchase of a new lot outside of the corporate limits ol' the town. The bill became a law, and on the 19th of December, 1873, the Council passed an ordinance prohibiting the burial of the dead within the corporate limits. Ten lots were purchased by the Council, in Kirkwood Cemetery, for the interment of bodies removed, and early in January, 1874, the removal of the bodies was begun. This burying ground, from its close proximity to the old Methodist Church, probably, has been known as the Methodist Burying-Ground.
About the year 1830, a piece of ground located in the western part of town, along the P., C. & St. L. R. R., was set apart by James Mitchell, for a Presbyterian graveyard. The organization of the Cemetery Associations above named, and the subsequent action of the Council did away with both of these places of burial.