Special thanks to Bonnie Blau for transcribing and submitting this section to our project.
GALVANIZING
A Lincoln FRAME, who started in the foundry business in 1903, trading under the name of the Gray Iron Foundry Company, adding a galvanizing department to his works in 1907.and has since employed 12 men in this branch of work. It is the only individual enterprise of this kind at Reading (galvanizing by the Reading Hardware Works, the Penn Hardware Works and the P. & R. R. Works being done for their own specialties).
GLOVES
The Reading Glove and Mitten Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1889 for the manufacture of silk gloves, and its large plant has been carried on successfully at Tenth and Spruce streets until the present time, employing 60 to 100 hands.
E. Richard MEINIG & Co. was organized in 1905 for the manufacture of silk gloves , became incorporated in 1907 and employs from 500 to 700 hands. Its large plant is located on North Front street, beyond the Lebanon Valley railroad.
GREENHOUSES
STECKLER Brothers (B. Franklin and Leo), 1907 (succeeding their grandfather, Michael HAUSER, who started in 1840 and continued until 1873, when he was followed by his son Francis and his son-in-law, D. H. STECKLER).
H. J. HEUSSMAN, 1901 (succeeding John C. HEPLER, 1875-1901).
G. H. HOSKIN Company, 1905 (succeeding HOSKIN & GILES, 1875-1905).
John H. GILES, 1905 (having been associated with G. H. Hoskins from1875 to 1905).
G. W. BEEARS, 1890.
J. C. BAUDER, 1903.
Alexander BURNETT was prominently engaged in the business Reading from 1850 to 1880.
GROCERS BAGS
The Hercules Paper Bag Company was organized in 1891 and incorporated in 1906 for the manufacture of grocer's bags, which are produced in great quantities and shipped to all parts of the country.
HARNESS
The manufacture of harness has always been connected with the saddlery shops of Reading. In 1909, there were 5 shops carried on actively; H. Luther FREES, with 6 hands (succeeding his father and they together carried on the place for upward of sixty years); Samuel HARTMAN, with 2 hands; Reading Harness Company, with 4 hands; Joseph H. LUTZ, and J. A. TICE.
HORSE-COLLARS
Horse-collars were made in connection with saddlery at Reading from the beginning. Gideon WEISER was engaged at it before the city was established in 1847 and he was succeeded by an employee, Samuel DONAHOWER, who carried on the business for many years. Upon his decease, his widow continued the business with an employee, L. KANTNER, trading as DONAHOWER & Co., and they traded until her death, in 1905. KANTNER then purchased the business and he has carried it on since with a saddlery.
George FREES carried on the business from 1848 for upward of twenty years, when he was succeeded by his son Luther, who has since continued at it.
Nathaniel GERY was engaged at it for many years until 1870. He was succeeded by Christian GRUNDER, and Grunder by John M. KANTNER. Samuel HARTMAN, Joseph LUTZ, and Adam OESE have also followed it for thirty years.
HATS AND CAPS
The manufacture of wool and fur hats at Reading is the oldest prominent local industry, starting with the beginning of the town. They were hand-made until 1852, when machinery was introduced.
Fur Hats. In 1860 John HENDEL and brother George engaged in the manufacture of wool hats at Adamstown, and continued there until 1864, when they located in Exeter township, near Black Bear. They carried on the business there for years, when they located at Reading. In 1871 they purchased the Wyomissing woolen-mill at Fifth and Willow streets and operated a large and improved plant until 1895, when they were succeeded by John HENDEL's Sons (Daniel, Edwin and Harrison). In 1897 they started making fur hats.
They carried on the business in a very successful manner as John HENDEL's Sons until 1907, when Harrison was killed in the Honda wreck in California, and his interest was purchased by his brothers, who have continued the business until the present time. They employ from 400 to 500 hands, depending upon the condition of the trade.
Charles W. HENDEL started making fur hats on South Third street in 1889. And has continued a large plant until the present time.
Reading Hat Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1905 for the manufacture of stiff fur hats at Reading and has been in the business since, employing about 100 hands. This plant is the successor of G. W. ALEXANDER & Co. at Twelfth and Muhlenberg streets.
Wool Hats. The manufacture of wool hats has been continued without interruption from the beginning of Reading.
J. G. MOHN & Bros. Started in 1871 and have continued until the present time, employing about 300 hands and being one of the largest plants of the kind in Pennsylvania.
John R. MILLER and brother Henry began at Reading in 1879 and continued until 1905, when John R. retired. Since then the business has been carried on as Henry R. MILLER & Co, with about 200 hands.
C. F. KESSLER began in 1876, and for upward of thirty years has carried on the plant successfully under the name of C. F. KESSLER & Sons (William and George, who were admitted as partners), employing from 70 to 100 hands.
HENDEL Hat Company is composed of George HENDEL and sons, John and William, and Harman HAIGH; organized in 1901 for the manufacture of wool hats. They employ from 125 to 150 hands, having succeeded WETHERHOLD & Co. Previously W. H. REINOEHL & Co. had carried on the plant for twenty years.
Caps. The Reading Hat & Cap Company has been engaged in making cloth hats and caps since 1897, employing from 10 to 20 hands.
HAT BLOCKS
In 1888, Matthias C. SIGMUND engaged in the manufacture of hat blocks of all kinds and has continued until the present time. He employs 6 hands.
HOOKS AND EYES
John W. GRANGER, who was employed at Philadelphia for twenty years in the manufacture of hooks and eyes, located at Reading in 1908 and incorporated a company for their manufacture, besides other metal goods,, with a capital of $30,000, which started a plant in January, 1909. Hands employed, from 25 to 30. The officers are John W. GRANGER, president; J. B. KAIGHN, vice president; F. A. VON BOYNEBERGK, treasurer; and John FARRINGTON, secretary.
ICE AND COLD STORAGE
The business of supplying natural ice at Reading by the construction of a dam, erection of an ice-house and the cutting and storing of ice in the winter was begun by Abraham VIVENS before 1840 and he carried it on successfully for many years.
William L. CLOUS was also active in it for a long while before 1855. The dams were within the city limits. Since then numerous persons have come to engage in the business, but they secure their supplies elsewhere.
The Mt. Penn Ice Company is extensively engaged in supplying natural ice which is secured and stored in Cumru township.
Artificial ice was first made at Reading in 1892 by the Reading Cold Storage Company, which erected a large plant capable of producing sixty tons daily, and of storing 100 cars of materials such as apples, eggs, butter, etc., and has operated it since very successfully. Other plants were established subsequently and carried on for a time. Its use is becoming more general annually on account of its recognized purity.
The brewing companies have also equipped their plants with machinery for producing artificial ice in great quantities for their own use, and also for certain private customers according to demand.
ICE CREAM
Ice cream was made in limited quantities in the early history of Reading. For forty years before 1876, Alfred M. SOUDERS and his brother George were active and successful in this business, besides making different kinds of candies and chocolates. During the past thirty years the following persons have been prominently identified with its manufacture in large quantities throughout the year, most especially in the summer season: J. R. SHARMAN (succeeded by A. M. KERSHNER), C. M. GROFF, John M. FRIES, J. O. KOLLER, D. E. HOUCK and Isaac BARRETT.
JEWELRY
The jewelers at Reading always manufactured various articles, but almost entirely to order, and they were mostly dealers. After members of different secret societies began to make frequent demands for badges, charms and emblems of various designs, the business of manufacturing them was established. Thomas W. SWENEY was the first to engage in it extensively, having started about 1865, and continued it for forty years.
Charles G. WILLSON engaged in the business since 1887, being the successor of his brother, Thomas A. WILLSON, who started in 1868. He manufactures many articles to order and employs 6 hands.
G. A. SCHLECTER has been in the business since 1870, and beside conducting a large jewelry business, carries on manufacturing quite extensively, more especially of badges and charms for secret societies, which are forwarded to all parts of the country.
ANDERSON Jewelry Company was started in 1903 by D. L. ANDERSON and J. H. SNYDER for manufacturing jewelry of various kinds, but mostly badges, charms, rings, pins, wire-work, etc., and the employ from 12 to 18 hands. They are successors of C. T. ANDERSON, father of Mr. ANDERSON, who began at Reading in 1886.
Upward of thirty persons are engaged in the jewelry business as dealers and they manufacture articles to order.
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