Chicago Businesses
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The largest independent lumber company on the North and Northwest side - located one block south of North and Sheffield Avenues, corner Weed and Kingsbury Streets.
To all residents of the North and Northwest Side the Adam Schillo Lumber Company is a source of pride, as it represents the largest independent lumber enterprise in this active community. The concern fronts Kingsbury Street, from Weed to Blackhawk Streets, and its dockage extends, to the bank of the canal of the Chicago River. This firm has trackage of the Chicago, Milwaukee St. Paul R. R. Co., running directly into its yard, thus affording the company the unusual advantages of receiving and shipping its commodity both by water and by rail. The Adam Schillo Lumber Company receive most of their large stocks of white pine and hemlock lumber by vessel from the North via the Great Lakes; yellow pine is received by rail from the South, and cypress and spruce lumber coming all the way from the Pacific Coast. The buildings hide spacious and well-lighted offices, and the mill equipment unexcelled, comprising several large planers, flooring matchers, band resaw, rip saws, siding and cross-cut saws. An exceptional vantage is that its own mill facilities connect with the yard, so that all orders for dressed and manufactured lumber receives absolutely prompt attention. The lumber yard proper covers approximately 25 acres of ground, and the stocks are very complete, including all the best grades of lumber and every class of lower grade that is required for any purpose. Two large storage sheds are kept for the better class of lumber, in which are piled grades of finished stocks.
A good idea of the size of the yard can be obtained stated that the capacity is 8,000,000 feet of lumber, which amount is nearly always carried on hand. The company not caters to the local trade, but its out-of-town shipments are extensive, the fact of it being able to load out a carload on its own track, on which cars can be loaded direct from pile, aiding in the quick and efficient handling of this business. The company employs over 100 men, and 20 heavy draft teams, a fast delivery wagon and a five ton truck for long distance orders are kept for delivery purposes. The business is largely with carpenter and general contractors and consumers of the North and Northwest Sides, but the business is by no means confined to these sections of the city, the downtown trade alone being a strong element of the firm's trade. As an illustration of the diversified stocks a modern pine yard must handle, this yard carries white and Norway pine, yellow pine, Washington spruce and fir, Louisiana cypress, Northern hemlock, oak, maple, birch and beech flooring, red and white cedar shingles, white cedar posts in all sizes, white pine lath, and cypress, white pine and yellow pine moldings. The business is one of the oldest established in its line in the city, being founded in 1869 by Adam Schillo, father of the present president of the concern, who is a young man, and a type of the alert, resourceful, widely acquainted and successful business man of the present day.
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To a representative of this publication, Mr. John J. Schillo said: “We do the business because we have the goods, in every variety and all grades, and because we are able to make deliveries to our customers on short notice, as we have the teaming and particularly the milling facilities to do so. We aim to please our customers, giving them a square deal and thereby retaining their trade. We not only solicit the wholesale class of trade, but gladly accept orders for any quantity, no matter how small.” The company maintains two telephone lines: Lincoln 410 and 411.
Mr. Adam J. Schillo, its founder, was one of the pioneer lumbermen of Chicago, conspicuous in this local industry until his death, which occurred in 1901. The direction of affairs is in the hands of John J. Schillo, President and Treasurer, having succeeded his father with a high degree of success. He is ably seconded by Adam J. Schillo, who is Secretary of the corporation.
John Jacob Schillo started in his father’s business in 1881, and in the early days, Niles Township will remember that this firm supplied practically all the lumber to Amos J. Snell for the toll roads. Since then Mr. Schillo has developed a specialty and a large trade in “Pecky Cypress” for greenhouse benches. He was really the introducer of this particular lumber for this special use; others have since followed. The first shipment came from New Orleans, and after demonstrating its imperishable qualities for use in making greenhouse benches, they are now shipping from Montana to Fork, Pennsylvania and Canada.
Florists and vegetable growers have found “Pecky Cypress” will last many times longer than pine and hemlock.
John J. Schillo is well known among the people of Desplaines, Wheeling, in Niles Township and Cook County generally. The business started by him is now represented by his son, Adam J., while his other son, Joseph L. Schillo, covers the city territory. The original business is continually growing and enjoying the era of prosperity which succeeds an honest start.
The Chicago Feed & Fertilizer Company is capitalized for $100,000. The President of the Company is Mr. John P. Bowles, who is President of the Bowles Live Stock Commission Company Manager is Mr. Frank S. Markey, who was connected with Swift & Co. for seven years. The Sales Manager is Mr. Guy Fridley, who has made a close study of fertilizers and their uses from a standpoint of the florists and truck gardeners. The company has made a specialty of the florists and truck gardeners for years, and their customers are throughout the United States with quite a number in Canada.
The factory is located at Osborn, Indiana. The company maintains a research department and information department and have their own chemist, who makes a specialty of analyzing soils.
The different bone meals are manufactured solely from animal matter, and the complete fertilizers are manufactured solely from animal blood, animal bone, manure ash and vegetable matter. Thus, every ounce of fertilizer packed in the Magic bags is guaranteed to be all fertilizer.
The company has an enviable reputation for honest fertilizers, prompt shipping service and co-operation to the customers at all times.
Tony Jacoby of the Gault House, has a large circle of friends in Cook County and Niles Township. His hotel and restaurant is opposite the Union Depot on Canal street, where he is assisted by his son, Edward, and his capable wife.
No wonder Mr. Jacoby has increased his patronage, for he is one of the most genial of hotel keepers. His restaurant is certainly one of the best places in Chicago to dine, for his storage pantry consists of the choicest, best and freshest. His hotel is a real home place and a good one for Niles Township people to stop at with their friends or when they miss a train. His rates are within the reach of all, from 75 cents up, and clean, neat, steam heated rooms. He is easy to reach, being one block south of the North-Western Depot.
The pioneer harness shop in Bowmanville was established by John N. Back in 1876, whose death occurred March 16, 1916, aged 69 years.
This harness shop, patronized by Niles Township farmers
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for over forty years, is well known to all for its good and lasting work.
The business is now in charge of his sons, John N. Back, Jr., and Henry A. They are controlling it for the benefit of their widowed mother.
Having grown into the work from childhood up, when it was a pastime for them to be harnessmakers, they are now carrying on the business uninterrupted by the loss of the pioneer harness maker, John N. Back.
Oscar Proesel of 5019 Lincoln avenue, son of John and Catherine Proesel, has been a horseshoer for the past eight years at the above number, gaining his apprenticeship with Frank Lenzen. On account of the large auto traffic on Lincoln avenue, Mr. Proesel has the past year merged into the auto repairing work and caters more to this class of trade now.
Mr. Julius J. Fleischmann, proprietor of the Lincoln Sheet Metal Works at 5072 Lincoln avenue, wishes to announce to the Niles Township residents that even though he started this year, it is his object to extend throughout Niles territory. He is an experienced man in his line and guarantees satisfaction. He does most of the Bowmanville work.
Stephen Losch, of 7519 Murphy Avenue, bought out the business of Alexander Strick some three years ago, who hails from Lublin, Wis. The business partner is Nicholas, his son.
The lumber — birch and hemlock — is shipped from their mills at Lublin, Wis., made into lettuce and all kinds of vegetable boxes, which they supply on short notice to hundreds of greenhouse, vegetable and lettuce growers surrounding Chicago. They have four teams working constantly and from 35 to 40 men making boxes during the busy season. They ship out as many as 10,000 per day at their busiest time.
The William Becker Box Co., at 5816 North Clark street, is owned by a young man originally from Niles Center, whose father is Nicholas Becker and mother (Miss A. Berringer) Becker, coming from Luxembourg, Germany, in the early forties. They are still alive and well.
The original Nicholas Becker greenhouse is being managed by his son-in-law, Michael Weber.
Mr. William Becker bought out Matthias Kolkes about four years ago, and his acquaintance among the farmers is well established. His plant is equipped with modern machinery and he runs eight nailing machines, operating four auto trucks in delivering the boxes, doing business within a radius of approximately 30 miles around Chicago. His mills are located in the northern part of Wisconsin.
The residents of Chicago and its suburbs, especially in the vicinity of Niles Township, are aware of the splendid values and general satisfaction derived from trading with the Stern Clothing Company.
The cut of the enclosed is at the corner of North and Larrabee Streets and perhaps is about the best known of its six large clothing stores.
That they have been in business for over twenty years and have increased in this time to the number of stores mentioned above, bespeaks the best kind of advertising.
Because of their great buying power, they can offer better values at lower prices, and a larger selection than would be possible elsewhere.
They are always pleased to welcome customers. They take a personal interest in choosing for them from their stock of high grade clothing, hats and furnishings.
Mr. Middendorf is well known for his geniality and sincerity.
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"There is no opposing the line of Rosing” and her middle name is service.
Astrid S. Rosing with a suite of well-appointed offices that any prosperous business man might be proud of, located in the Harris Trust building, Chicago, is the only woman who has had courage to engage in the business, of selling clay products.
Shakespeare says that "Brevity is the soul of wit.” Astrid S. Rosing is that soul personified. Her slogans immediately proclaim her in facts. She tells you that there "Is no opposing the line of Rosing” - a fact which she has successfully demonstrated. She also tells you that her middle name is “Service” — willing to serve you with the best.
Miss Rosing has material yards and warehouses with private railroad switches, from which she supplies the jobs promptly on the North Side and the South Side and the loop, handling both wholesale and retail. These yards are each managed by her local superintendents. She is able to make quick deliveries and take care of all orders in the loop and any part of Chicago and suburbs. On account of her equipment Miss Rosing has the ability to handle big jobs; of which she has had seven of the largest jobs in the city, some of which took five carloads of material per day. Her work averages from 15 to 20 carloads of material per day on one of her busiest switches.
With the number of teams and her five motor trucks, her business has grown because of her clean-cut honest dealing.
It has been said of Miss Rosing that whatever the work she would surely do it more conscientiously than an ordinary individual. With her wealth of fluffy hair, the quick, alert mind and eye, her responsive business sagacity and withal her innate womanliness, Miss Rosing would cause anyone to immediately
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acknowledge her superiority. Besides doing a large amount of business in and around Chicago, she reaches into Wisconsin and to more distant points.
While she is a successful business woman with a well-paid office and yard force, she never solicits a tithe of business just because she is a woman. Standing strictly upon business ethics and merits, she is quick, prompt, generous — lending her assistance to others whenever the opportunity presents itself. She was neither born with that proverbial "silver spoon” nor did she have a dollar left to her. Therefore it was a logical sequence in the ladder of advancement, having reached the highest rung, she stepped off into a business of her own. Miss Rosing has clearly demonstrated that "There is no opposing the line of Rosing.”