The Escanaba Daily Press from Escanaba, Michigan • Page 110

£aturrUty, Juno 20, ESCANABA DAILY PRESS, Escanaba, Michigan Fifteen Bark River Culvert Century Of Growth The Bark River Culvert Equipment had its origins in the activities of Henrv P. Riemenschneider. who came up from Lower Michigan in the fall of 1905 to sell the patent rights to manufacture and sell corrugated metal culverts in the Upper Peninsula. asking $500 for the P. rights He traveled from Escanaba to Menominee in his sales effort, interested E.

J. Bergman and Ole Harstad. partners in a flour mil! and sawmill at Bark River and the Bark River Bridge Culvert resulted, with the Bergman interest representing two-thirds and the Harstad interest one-third. Peter LaCount, sawyer in the mill, was put in charge of culvert manufacture in a small lean-to addition to the flour mill building. Two men hand-hammered rivets at every second corrugation in culverts of all sizes.

The company was in business in Harstad Is Leader Ole Harstad, who had come to Early in 1909 Harstad established a plant at Eau Claire, and total sales of the branch in its first year were Ben Douglas, present secretary of the company, became bookkeeper at Bark River in 1918, later became a stockholder and then an officer of the company when it was incorporated in 1920. Expanded After World War I many new lines were added to the road machinery division, and the fall of 1926 saw construction started on a new building for the Eau Claire plant. W. H. Lange, present manager, of the Milwaukee branch joined the company as a salesman in 1928 and Wilmore Berglund, treasurer of the company since 1946 became its bookkeeper in 1929.

That same year saw entrance of the Linder family mto the Bark River Culvert Equipment Co. John Lindner of Eau Claire, 1 became sales manger and has been successively vice president and the United States from his native general manager and since 1950, US UUUM Il- in Royce Is Called City Founder; Helped Name It -v Norway in 1889, was manager salesman and bookkeeper of the new enterprise and when necessary also worked in the shop making culverts. He was president of the company when it was organized as a corporation in 1920 and continued in that position until 1950, when he became chairman of the board of directors. In 1915 his leadership had obtained for the company the distributorships of several types of road machinery, leading to activities which have become the source of a larger part of the income than its culvert manufacture. Mr.

Harstad died in 1954. Pete and his helpers, Fiank Romain and Carl Oscar, could make 75 to 100 feet of 18- inch pipe in a were $2 a day. In 1914 culvert rivets were power pressed Then Ben Douglas The company, which had acquired Wisconsin manufacturing rights in 1907, prospered and grew. Total culvert sales in 1907 were 131 orders for a total of $12,819 60. A1 Hutt, the first salesman, was hired in 1907 and traveled three months a year.

The next year two more salesmen were hired and in 1911 Henry Riemenschneider returned to Bark River as a salesman for the company, continuing until his death in 1923. president. Mr. Lindner is now- retired. His administration saw the greatest period of expansion.

Today it has six modern plants and is outstanding in its field of manufacture and distribution. John Lindner now presi- I dent, joined the firm as an office assistant in 1931. became office manager and in 1950 was elected vice president. Ruland Goff, who joined the firm in 1937 has been manager of the Madison branch since its establishment in 1952. International Distributor In 1939 a contract was entered with International Harvester to represent it as industrial distributor in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula, opening a new era 10-hour day.

Wages I in the growth. In 1939. Joseph Lindner, the present sales manager, joined the firm as a salesman In 1946 the company acquired a Milwaukee building, 1950 the Ironwood. plant. Fred Lindner.

Green Bay branch manager, became a director when John Lindner succeeded to the presidency in 1950. The next year the Madison plant was built. In 1955 a new plant was completed in Milwaukee and in the same year an identical plant was built in Escanaba The company's original plant at Bark River is being discontinued and its facilities The S. Coast Guard cutter Escanaba lost 20 years ago this mofith in the North Atlantic with its entire crew in World War II action. The big icebreaker had be designed for Grtat Likes duty but was moved to the Atlantic for wartime service.

She has been replaced on the Lakes by the Cutter Mackinaw. Agricultural Economy Here Within market area is a stable agricultural economy, based on dairying, beef cattle raising and potatoes. Delta County Agricultural Extension Agent Joseph Heirman reports production of potatoes has been boosted by improved growing practices from 150 bushels an acre to. in some cases. 1,000 bushels an acre The Dairy Herd Improvement Association has instituted a dairy testing program in the count and 12 per cent of the dairy animals are on this testing program.

This is higher than the state average of 8 per cent. Delta County's income transferred to the new Escanaba plant. The Bark River Culvert Equipment with six modern plants, manufactures culverts only at Eau Claire and Escanaba. but stocks culverts at its other plants at Ironwood. Green Bay, Milwaukee and Madison.

from agriculture is annually, and to this must added a sizeable farm income in the fringe areas that gravitates to the Escanaba market. In addition, the area is a center for mink ranching. which produces an income of 1 34 million annually. The ranches are also a ready market for the prolific smelt that are caught by the during the spring spawning runs up Delta County streams. A new agricultural development has been the raising of beans and peas large quantities to supply a new canning factory at Gladstone.

This gives farmers extra cash income, and provides seasonal employment at packing time. Anothei new development is the beef cattle industry which did not have a real beginning until three years ago The feeder calf sale last fall produced $115,000 on about 1.100 calves sold. Extension Agent Heirman predicts steady growth in this field John Semer Ran Grocery In 1878 John Semer, pioneer Escanaba grocer, constructed in 187 the brick building at 422 Lading- ton St. that only recently gave way to improvement program, conducted a grocery business there, retiring in 1880, selling his business to Atkins. Me- Naughton Co.

From the grocery business went actively into lumbering, ing interested in a sawmill Pickerel River Later he returned to Escar where he engaged extern velv in real estate. He spent his remaining years managing property and at his death left one ot the substantial estates of early Escanaba PIONEER INDI STin Escanaba got its at p.otu .1 economic impetus witn construction of the Peninsula Railroad from Negaunee to Port of Escanaba started in and ccm- pleted in 1864. IJN I DI VTII.tN For many years before his death May 26. 1912, at the age ol 91. Eli Parsons Royce was recognized the "founder and pioneer of Escanaba.

So long as there us an Escanaba he will be rernc inhered as the man no sun eyed the town site and platted its wide streets and pleasant avenues. Royce was born at Clinton, Onieda County, N.Y, Nov. 29, 1820; moved to Ohio when he was about 15 years old; and when he was about 30 be was in Chicago in the buying and selling of In Chicago he married Miss Sarah J. Ban as June of 1849. Removing to Green Bay, Royce was employed by the N.

Ludington whose interests included the mill at Flat Rock. Royce had first experience in survey work as a young man in Ohio. In Green Bay he had the opportunity to study law and entered the practice of lhat profession in Oconto. He traveled from Green Bay to Flat Rock for the Ludington Co. the winter of 1859 to supervise construction of a sawmill.

Completing his mission to Flat Rock Royce returned to Green Bay and then in 1862 was sent to Sand for the the Mime que. derivation of was raised in the etilici ot Point to "lay Ludington Co. In latei veai tion the name Escanaa print, Royce wrote the Escanaba Dailv Mirror: "Nelson Ludington gave the name of the City of Escanaba." The surveys the city were made in the year 1862 under the orders of Harrison Ludington, the ex- Governor of Wisconsin. "His orders to the surveyor (Royce) were: out as your best judgment leads you, and be liberal to the railroad and to the A Town Is Named In the year 1864 the plat was examined and approved. Nelson Ludington gave tne names to the streets, and Royce wrote them down on the map, Ludington said the Indian name for the river had been suggested to hun.

John Jacobs, half-breed Indian trader and the son of Queen Marinette, for whom the city ot Marinette 'is named gave Indian name, Escanaba, and pronounced it several times. The spelling was arranged and Royce wrote the name on the map. Other sources report that: "Mr. Royce had the Indian nounce it many times until he fiti- iilh succeeded catching tie name and spelling being spelled lhat way in the Laws ot Michigan, Psge 46.1, when the town of Escanaba was The town that was for a river that the Indians called E. canaba.

meaning flat rock. gre and prospered. Royce becaitv? of the bus.e.'t men in the community, Of Influence He was Eacanabas first postmaster, was a judge of probate, served as an alderman, was vil lige president, city engineer, prosecuting attorney of Delta County and continued in the pra' tice of law- until 1894. Royce continued active in bun- ness affairs until about 1902. wife was affectionately known "Aunt Sarah" and the couple, with a faster daughter thev raised and a nephew of Mrs.

resided in what was then one of more pretentious houses at Like Shore Drive and Fifth Street. Mrs. Royce before her death turned the house over to her nephew and nis wife. About five months later Royce ill of pneumonia and was dead within e.ght days. The tall, gaunt and gray-bearci- ed man who in later years had become a figure nding about the city In a topped surrey drawn by a small bay horse, was laid to rest in Lakeview Cemetery.

The Delta County Board of Supervisors adjourned and the members attended the funeral. 22nd St. formerly was Hattie Ave. he na III FOUNDED IN 1005 BARK RIVER (innn hmht i ro NATIONAL LEADERSHIP IN Organized in 1905 as the Bark River Bridge and Culvert Company, a small industry, founded by Ole Harstad and E. J.

Bergman of Bark River is now a national leader in its field. Ole Harstad was elected president of the company when it incorporated in 1920 and remained president until 1950 when he was elected chairman of the board of directors. He held this office until his death in 1954 The company prospered and grew. Six new plants have been built, and the Bark River facility was moved to the new plant built in Escanaba in 1956 at 430 North 23rd street. Products are now distributed nationally and internationally.

This company has been continuously active in the good roads movement and because of the high quality and lasting nature of its products has been an important factor in the development of the fine highway systems of today. Culverts manufactured by this company during its first years of business are still serving modern drainage needs and highway engineers state that they are good for many more years of satisfactory service. Tulin Lindner President hau Claire, Officers and Directors: B. K. I hiSecretary fiark Kiver lohn Lindner Treasurer Kau im oii 'I ii I.

P. Lindner. President Manager Kau (laire, Wisconsin ied l.induvr. ire President lieiglund, ire President hncanaba, Michigan Milwaukee, Wisconsin Green Bay, Wisconsin.