ails... mes NORWALK neon WORKS” (30., SOUTH NORWALK. CONN. Elia AND @As CITY NATIONAL BANK. 99 Washington street. Robert H. Ro- wan president, John H. Knapp vice— president, and Jacob M. Layton cashier. This is one of the comparatively new financial institutions of Western Con- necticut and yet in its sixteen years of business it has made a record that would be a credit to many of the much older institutions. From the very na- ture of things such a record was una- voidable, for the past and present offi- cers of the institution have been and are prominent in local business circles and keenly interested in everything bearing upon the welfare of the com- munity. New and elegant quarters were recently obtained by the erection of a new brick building in conjunction with the South Norwalk Savings Bank. The structure is one of the handsomest business blocks in the city, having a frontage of forty feet, and a depth of seventy, feet, and three stories high. Here, with nicely furnished quarters, and the most approved and modern appliances for protection against fire and burglars, they conduct a general banking business, receive deposits, col— lect drafts, discount approved commer- cial paper and give generally efficient service to customers. The bank was organized in 1882. It has a capital stock of $100,000. Its last published statement of December first. showed $250,247.58 on deposit subject to check, a surplus of $81,800 and undivided prof- its amounting to $21,434.43. the total assets reaching a sum of $564,260.57. Such a showing is indeed creditable to the newest bank in the county. The board of directors is composed of such well known business men and capital- ists as Talmadge Baker, R. H. Rowan, @ompiesssoas €. 51ml look is as bright as the past record is honorable. The institution was in- corporated in 1860 and now holds on deposit savings approximating a mil- lion dollars. It has as its chief officers and board of managers some of the most able business men of South Nor- walk, men who can always be relied upon to look after the best interests of the depositors. ’1 he actual deposits in the bank foot up $925,000. The surplus is $60,000, and the undivided profits amount to $15,000. The bank has ele- gant quarters in the new Union Bank Building on Washington street, of which it is part owner. They are light and roomy, neatly and substantially finished in oak and arranged to suit the convenience both of the bank and their depositors. The board of managers is comprised of such prominent business men as Alden Solmans, J. H. Ferris, John H. Knapp, Henry T. Smith, Ed- ward Beard, John H. Light, Josiah R. Marvin and George F. Bearse. Presi- dent Solmans has been an active busi— ness man in South Norwalk for many years. He is a native of the town and at various times has been engaged in bat manufacturing trade, in the whole~ sale oyster trade and the livery busi- ness. Vice-president Ferris is an ex- state senator. He is engaged in the coal business, is a director of the Norwalk Iron ‘Vorks, the Norwalk Look 00.. of the City National Bank and president of the Norwalk Hospital Association. Mr. Bearse has been the secretary and treasurer of the bank since last April. He was formerly teller of the City Na- tional Bank, which position he held for sixteen years. He was born in Chatham, Mass. and came to South Norwalk in 1870. He is a member of UNION BANK BUILDING, SOUTH NORWALK. Christian Swartz, John H. Ferris, John H. Knapp, Edwin H. Mathewson, Sam- uel Grumman, Josiah 'R. Marvin and Henry Seymour. Mr. Rowan, the pres- ident of the bank, is a retired box man- ufacturer. He has been the head of the institution since its organization. He isa native of Northern New York, but has lived in Norwalk for a long time and has been an active business man all his life. He is president of the Riv— erside Cemetery Association, a. director in the Norwalk Hospital Association, and has represented the district in the legislature. Vice—President Knapp has been on the board of directors of the bank since its beginning. He is also a. director of the South Norwalk Sav- ings Bank and one of the prominent manufacturers of South Norwalk. Cash- ier Layton has also been with the bank since its incorporation. He is a careful business man and a thoroughly experienced banker. A native of New Jersey he came here twenty—five years ago. He is superintendent of the Con- gregational Sunday school and is close- 1y identified with the church. He is also treasurer of the South Norwalk Union School district. THE SOUTH NORWALK SAVINGS , BANK, .97 Washington street, South Nor- walk, Alden Solmans president, John H. Ferris vice—president, George F. Bearse secretary and treasurer. The good done in our sister city by the South Norwalk Savings Bank during its nearly forty years of existence, is simply lncalculable and it is a pleasure to announce that the bank was never better prepared than now to continue its good work and that the future out- the I. O. O. F., and Royal Arcanum, and has held various chairs in these so- cieties. He is also treasurer of the Board of Street Commissioners of South Norwalk. NORWALK LOCK COMPANY. Manufacturers of Locks and Build- ers’ Hardware, corner of Marshall and Water streets, South Norwalk. Among the manufacturers that have given Norwalk so wide a reputation as a manufacturing city none stand more prominently than the Norwalk Lock Company. For over forty years the company has - been manufacturing hardware and during the most of this time it has been among the leaders of hardware manufacturers in this coun- try. Its goods are of a high grade and so varied are the products that of ne- cessity the company issues a very large catalogue—such a catalogue in fact as would furnish an interesting study to any hardware dealer or any builder in the land. The general run of the manufacturing is directed to the pro- duction of locks of all kinds and many designs and of a high class of build- ers’ lhardware of almost every descrip- tion, but in a special line of work, for which the company is justly renowned, the skill and energy of the institution is directed to the manufacture of artis- tic designs for house trimmings in brass, bronze and iron. They have of- fices in New York, 'Boston and Balti- more. The factory at South Norwalk is one of the largest manufacturing plants in Connecticut and covers with its mammoth brick buildings and Store houses an area of five acres, and their trade extends throughout the United States and to Europe. , GENERAL (DANAGER. g '9 OLD WELL CIGAR CO. Cigar Manufacturers, 83 Washington street. Cigar manufacturing is one of the most important industries of South Norwalk, and in the Old Well Cigar Co. the city can claim one of the best and most representative concerns in this line to be found anywhere. The business was established in 1868. The company was incorporated in 1880 with a capital of $10,000. The following of- ficers constitute the management: Reed Haviland, president, Christian Schwartz, secretary and treasurer, Matthew Corbett, superintendent. The company occupy a large building at 83 Washington street. From its inception the business has stood in the front rank and has maintained a reputation for first class goods. They use the best stock obtainable and employ only first class workmen. Fifty hands are kept busy turning out the various brands so well known to the trade. Probably no cigar con- cern in this section of the country manufactures a larger list of pOpular goods than this company. Among the popular brands made and distributed are the following: Imperials, Imperial Boquet, Old Well Perfecto, Perfecto Boquet, R. H. 10, Old Well Club, Old Well Ponies, Oaken Bucket, Old Well 5c, Hand Made, Competitor and Con— cha. Not only the smokers of the Nor— walks are perfectly familiar with these cigars, but their sale extends through- out New England. Mr. Reed Haviland, the president of the company, is one of the best known citizens of this com— munity and takes an active interest in everything that makes for the welfare and prosperity of the town. Mr. Swartz, the secretary and treasurer, is also one of the active and progres- sive men of the city and- is identified with many of its leading industries. Mr. Corbett, the superintendent, is well qualified for this position, having given many years of 'his life to this particular branch of trade, and knowing it in every detail. J. W. CRAW, Laundry Machinery Co., Manufactur- ers of Laundry Machinery, 40 Water street, South Norwalk. If a Norwalk ,.__ -s-shnnae“ . war stamp should be pr. on every manu- factured article slipped from the Nor- walks her fome would spread all over the United States, the whole of the Western Hemisphere and over Europe too. The people here, really, little realize the diversity of' the manufac— tured products of the town and the ex- tent of territory these products reach. Stepping into the Craw laundry ma- chine works one would scarcely expect that its products were being ShipD€d to South America or other foreign points. There is nothing very imposing about Mr. Craw’s establishment at 40 \Vater street, a building forty feet front by seventy—five in depth and three stories high, yet Mr. Craw makes a machine that is demanded in all civilized coun— tries, and some of the products of this unpretentious establishment are manu— factured for South American and En- ropean countries. Mr. Craw establish- ed his business twenty years ago and by industry, enterprise and business abil- ity he has built up a trade which in- cludes the greater portion of the United States and not a little for export. He manufactures everything in the line of laundry machines and makes a special- ty of “The Craw Extractor,” a machine of his own invention, which has given particularly good satisfaction and ex— cellent results wherever it has been used. Mr. Craw is an old time resident of South Norwalk. He was 'born here, has always lived here and naturally takes much pride in the progress and prosperity of the place. He is an. en- terprising and able business man, and is much esteemed as a citizen and a gentleman. GRAHAM — ERNST CIGAR COMPANY Cigar Manufacturers, 83 Washington street. South Norwalk, Ct. When a con- cern turns out an article of daily con- sumption that meets popular taste and that for material, quality, style and price satisfies in every particular, a successful business must be the out— come. Such an enumeration of excel- lencies as we have given above might seem to apply to other goods than ci- gars. But in the case of the Graham- Ernst Cigar Company and their pro- duct we cannot speak too highly. This concern was established in 1893. In 1895 it was incorporated with a capi— tal of $24,000. G. G. Ernst was elected president and A. A. Graham secretary and treasurer of the company. Their plant was enlarged and their manufac- turing facilities increased to meet the larger demands of their trade. They occupy two floors of the large building at 83 Washington street, South Nor- walk. Over seventy hands are employ- ed and upwards of three million cigars are turned out annually. Their trade territory covers six states, viz.: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Illinois. Their aim has always been to maintain the same de- gree of uniformity and excellence in every brand manufacturd. Their now popular brands are the “Epicuro,” “Seminola,” "Old Timer,” “El Protec- tor,” “Puritana,” “Club,” “Cuban Con- quest” and “First Electors.” The two latte-r are new brands just introduced. We have but to mention these names to recall to the smokers of this com- munity “favorites” which every man who uses tobacco instantly recognizes. Both :Mr. Graham and Mr. Ernst are natives of Ohio, 'but came to South Norwalk in 1893 to engage in this in- dustry. They have become not only leading representatives of an important branch of trade but are classed among the solid, substantial citizens of the community. THE WRIGHT’S REPOSITORY. It was twelve years ago last October that Mr. Luther -M. Wright embarked in business in South Norwalk. He is a practical carriage maker and secured LUTHER. for his first operations an old carpen— ter shop which he converted into a re- pair shop. This was the nucleus of what is ito-day one of the largest and most flourishing manufacturing and sales rooms for carriages, sleighs, har- ness and bicycles in this section of the state. His location on Franklin and Madison streets is near the central business section and here he has erect- ed a four—family tenement house that now stands on the corner of theinter- secting streets. Soon a shop, 60x25 feet and two stories in height, adequate for the requirements of a modest business, made its appearance. He worked dil- igently, early and late, with only such help as ‘he could not get along without, until his reputation as a first-class workman had spread far and wide throughout Norwalk and the surround- ing towns. Then it became necessary to enlarge the original building to 1.03 x40 feet in order to take care of the work that came to him as a result of his determination that no inferior job should leave his shop. To-day he gives employment to from twenty-five to N. \VRIGHT. O’Rourke, where he gained an enviable reputation as a maker of fine harness. The large patronage which this depart- ment has enjoyed since it was estab- lished speak volumes for Mr. Ganung’s work. His repair work shows no less care than does his custom work. Sup- plies for horse owners are kept in stock, and thus orders can be filled without any unneccessary delay. The sign and scene painting department is in charge of Franklin Homan, who is an artist with the brush. and all work leaving the shop bears the imprint of the skilled artisan and exhibits the most cultivated taste. He is assisted in this work by Robert Brotherton, of Nor- walk, who is also an expert carriage painter and sign writer. In the black- smithing and repairing departments the same thoroughness and care that characterizes the other workrooms of the factory is demanded of the men. Besides a large force on general repair- ing, Mr. Wright keeps two horse- shoers constantly busy and does horse- clipping in its season. He calls for and delivers work within a radius of ten LUTHER N. “’RIGHT’S REPOSITORY. thirty skilled mechanics in the various departments of his works and builds to order on demand any kind of vehicle desired. Probably the most attractive department of Mr. Wright’s shop is the carriage repository, which occupies the first floor and cellar of the Arion Hall building in Madison street, directly op- posite his factory. Here on a floor space 90x45 feet is displayed a large and handsome line of canopy tops, phaetons, buggies,‘runabouts; in fact, every style of wagon pertaining to a first-class repository. There is now in Norwalk and vicinity between 900 and 1,000 vehicles bearing Mr. Wright’s name plate. Connected with the repos- itory is a bicycle department in charge of Frederick H. Ganung, with Freder- ick Rogers as traveling representative. At their opening, March 18 of this year, they will show such famorrs makes as “Pierce,” “Wolf American,” “Dayton,” “Lyndhurst,” “Keating,” “Envoy and Fleetwing,” “Adlake,” “Luthy,” “Vic- tor.” and ‘Record.” They will also fur- nish to order any make desired and at prices to meet any competition. A more recent departure hos been a har- ness-making department which has proved no less successful than other experiments that have felt Mr. Wright’s magic touch. It is under the care and guidance of Mr. Henry S. Ganung, W‘ho for nearly twenty years was associated with the late Joseph miles of Norwalk, and his fame ex- tends even beyond that limit, for not infrequently he receives orders for wagons from New York and some of the cities of Connecticut. He leases a. shop in Darien, where he has built up a flourishing trade, and another in Norwalk that acts as .a feeder for his South Norwalk factory. Mr. Wright was born in the little village of White- stone, L. 1., about thirty-two years ago. People who remember him When he came to South Norwalk a lad of fifteen, ‘ to learn the carriage ima-ker’s trade, probably never conceived such an idea or even dreamed of seeing him today at the head of the largest establis- hment of its kind in Southwestern Con- necticut. But he was full of the still! that is best expressed by the word “hustle,” and when the opportunity arose, as it soon did after he had served an apprenticeship of four years, he purchased with the few hundred dollars he had saved the property up- on which now stands his factory. He has a handsome home on Cedar et, which is one of the most attrac o in our city. Mr. Wright 'has always paid good wages to his assistants and has the reputation of being fair and honest in all his dealings. He has become successful through honest- effort, un- tiring energy and a never tiring pur- pose of satisfying all who favor him with their patronage.
Norwalk Chronicler