Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.djvu/144

Rh room, and lock-up. On the second and third floors are two large rooms, and several smaller rooms, for public meetings, the fire companies, etc. The building is supplied with all modern conveniences. David Hensinger was the contractor and builder, and the cost was $15,000. Up to the time of the erection of this building the town had occupied rented quarters for a council room.

One of the oldest industrial establishments in Bloomsburg is the extensive foundry and machine shops of Harman & Hassert. This business was founded by Peter S. Harman and George Hassert in 1875. Mr. Harman had had many years' experience in the foundry business, and Mr. Hassert was a machinist of unusual skill. They began on a small scale in a building 60 by 50 feet, making plows and stoves, but the business grew rapidly, demanding additional buildings and machinery. Starting modestly, they soon did a business of over $2,000 a year, but by 1879 the trade had increased until they were employing thirty persons, and had entered the manufacture of mining cars. By 1886 they were doing a business of $55,000 per annum and were preparing to enlarge when in 1888 the entire works were destroyed by fire. They immediately replaced the burned frame buildings by ones of brick, and added others, making the plant the largest in the town at that time. At present the plant turns out mining cars, hand cars, casts columns, and does general custom machine work. The famous old founders of the company passed to their final reward some years ago, and the business has been continued by members of their families. It is now an incorporated concern under the name of Harman & Hassert, with the following officers: President, general manager and treasurer, J. Lee Harman; vice president. George E. Hassert; secretary, John G. Harman.

One of the oldest concerns in this section is the establishment of J. B. Brobst, known as the Bloomsburg Carriage Works. The business was established by David Brobst in 1849, and conducted by him for thirty-five years. In 1884 it came into the hands of J. B. Brobst and his brother. This partnership continued until 1907, when J. B. Brobst assumed entire control and management of the plant. The premises occupied consist of a repair and blacksmith shop and carriage factory. In a separate building across the street are the paint shops, a large new brick building and a frame building. In the conduct of this business Mr. Brobst is ably assisted by his son Paul.

The Bloomsburg branch of the American Car & Foundry Company had its origin in the machine shop and foundry of Semple & Taylor, started in 1863. In 1871 more capital was enlisted, the facilities increased and the manufacture of mine cars commenced, under the firm name of the Columbia County Iron Manufacturing Company. The company becoming involved during the panic of 1873, the plant was sold to M. W. Jackson, of Berwick, who sold an interest to G. M. & J. K. Lockard, who had been foremen in the old shop. In 1879 they became sole owners and that year fire destroyed the entire works, with a loss of $40,000 and only $18,000 insurance. However, in three months they rebuilt and entered upon a career of prosperity, during the following four years producing over four thousand cars, and doing a business of more than one million dollars annually, having two to three hundred men on their payroll, with a wage list of $10,000 a month. Subsequently the plant became the property of the Bloomsburg Car Company and was incorporated on the consolidation of the American Car & Foundry Company in 1900. The plant consists of a group of frame buildings which cover the larger part of a city block, and which are fitted with the latest improved machinery and labor-saving devices, and employment is given to over three hundred skilled workmen. The capacity is two thousand freight cars and three thousand mine cars annually, which find a market throughout the coal regions and in several of the south American countries. In 1914 an addition to the export building, of 65 by 112 feet, was made, and the company started on an order of four hundred cars for the Lehigh Valley railroad.

were established in 1882 by S. A. Caswell, M. E. Caswell, E. C. Caswell and H. C. Halfpenny. They arc located at Sixth and West streets. After the death of the first two partners named above, and the withdrawal of Mr. Halfpenny, the firm name was changed to E. C. Caswell & Co., the other member of the