W. T. Garratt, Dr.

Allgemeines

FirmennameW. T. Garratt, Dr.
OrtssitzSan Francisco (Kalifornien)
StraßeFremont Street 138-142
Art des UnternehmensGießerei
AnmerkungenAnfangs unter der Firma "Schultz & Co.". Adressen: 1850-51: Clay Street und bald Leidesdorff Street, nahe der Sacramento Street; 1851-66: erst Halleck Street und bald Ecke Market und First Streets; 1866-70: Ecke Mission und Fremont Streets; ab 1870: Ecke Fremont und Natona Streets (auch als Folsom St. at Fremont St. angegeben). Bezeichnet um 1877 sich als "Manufacturer of Brass, Zinc and Anti-Friction, or Garratt Metal Castings, Curch Bells, Steam and Water Valves, Hooker's Patent Steam and other Pumps, Gas and Water Pipe and Malleable Iron Fittings". Seit 1885 unter der Firma "W. T. Garrett & Co.", deren Anteile überwiegend im Besitz der Familie sind. Dazu um 1890 auch die 1887 gegründete Eismaschinenfabrik von John C. Kitton in San Diego [An Illustrated History of Southern California (1890)].
Quellenangaben[The Bay of San Francisco (1892) 535; Internet] Briefkopf (1877) im Internet [Crocker-Langley San Francisco directory (1896) 1936]




Unternehmensgeschichte

Zeit Ereignis
04.10.1829 Geburt von William Thompson Garrett als Sohn des Messinggießers Joseph Garrett und Catharine, geb. Thompson (beide englischer Abkunft) in Waterbury, Connecticut. - Bald nach Errichtung der dortigen Messinggießerei zieht die Familie nach Baltimore, wo der Vater eine neue Gelbgießerei errichtet.
1834 Joseph Garrett zieht mit seiner Familie von Baltimore nach Cincinnati, Ohio, wo William T. Garratt den Beruf des Gießers lernt.
1849 Im Alter von 20 Jahren sucht William T. Garratt sein Glück auf den Goldfeldern von Kalifornien. Er kommt am 20.07.1850 im San Francisco an.
10.1850 William T. Garratt gründet zusammen mit dem Richter J. W. Schultz eine Gießerei unter der Firma "Schultz & Co." in der Clay Street. Die Firma macht die meisten Münzprägestempel, die zu dieser Zeit von Banken und Privatleunten benutzt werden. Diese Abteilung steht unter der Leitung von Schultz
04.05.1851 Die Gießerei (in der Leidesdorff Street, nahe der Sacramento Street) brennt beim großen Feuer ab und wird in die Halleck Street verlegt.
1866 Die benachbarten Alta Flouring Mills auf der Rückseite der Gießerei an der Ecke Market und First Streets brennt, und die Gießerei von Garratt wird erneut ausgelöscht. Die Firma zieht zur Ecke Mission und Fremont Streets.
10.05.1869 W. T. Garratt gießt den goldenen Nagel, der am 10. Mai beim Zusammentreffen der Central Pacific und der United Pacific in Promontory Point durch Leland Stanford eingeschlagen wird. Er hat die Inschrift "May God continue the unity of our country as the railroad unites the two great Oceans of the world. Presented David Hughes San Francisco". - Der Nagel ist seit 1892 im Stanford University Art Museum in Palo Alto.
1870 Brand der Gießerei Ecke Mission und Fremont Streets, verursacht durch den Brand der Mechanics' Mill auf der anderen Straßenseite. Der Schaden wird auf 130.000 Dollar geschätzt. Die Gießerei wird an der Ecke Fremont and Natoma Streets wieder aufgebaut.
1885 Die Verantwortung für die große und ständig gewachsene Firma wird auf einige kompetente Mitarbeiter verteilt. Die Gesellschaft nimmt den Namen "W. T. Garratt & Co." an. W. T. Garratt behält die Leitung bis zu seinem Tode.
14.01.1890 W. T. Garratt stirbt an einem Herzleiden.




Produkte

Produkt ab Bem. bis Bem. Kommentar
Bronzeguß 1850 Beginn vmtl. mit Gründung 1890 Tod des Gründers  
Dampf- und Wasserventile 1877 Briefkopf 1877 Briefkopf  
Dampfpumpen 1877 Briefkopf 1877 Briefkopf Hooker's Patent Steam Pumps
Dampfpumpen 1877 Briefkopf 1877 Briefkopf Hooker's Patent Steam Pumps
Kirchenglocken 1850 Beginn vmtl. mit Gründung 1890 Tod des Gründers  
Rohrfittings 1877 Briefkopf 1877 Briefkopf Gas and Water Pipe and Malleable Iron Fittings
Zinkguß 1850 Beginn vmtl. mit Gründung 1890 Tod des Gründers  




Allgemeines

ZEIT1890
THEMAFirmenbeschreibung
TEXTWILLIAM THOMPSON GARRATT one of the most conspicuous characters in the manufacturing history of the Pacific coast, and a representative California Pioneer, was the son of Joseph Garrett and Catharine nee Thompson, both of English birth, but at the time of their marriage, and a number of years previous, residents of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Joseph Garrett?s brother William established the first brass foundry in the Quaker City, in which Joseph learned the trade and was employed for years. After his Marriage to Miss. Thompson they went to Waterbury, Connecticut, where he was engaged in constructing a brass foundry, and there, October 4, 1829, William T. Garrett, the subject of this memoir, was born. Soon after completing this foundry, his parents moved to Baltimore, where his father erected another brass foundry

Believing the ?Great West? offered superior advantages for business, Mr. Garrett removed with his family in 1834 to Cincinnati Ohio, and built still another brass foundry, in which William T. learned his trade of foundry man. At twenty years of age he left the parental roof to seek his fortune in the newly discovered Gold fields of California, expecting to return after he had acquired it. Going down the river by steamboat to New Orleans, he sailed thence for the Isthmus of Panama. Crossing the isthmus partly by boat, on the Chares River, and partly on mule-back, he took passage on the Pacific side for California on board the whale ship Norman, and landed in San Francisco, July 20, 1850. Having traveled thousands of miles to wrest from nature her hidden treasures, Mr. Garrett proceeded to the ruins, where near Nevada City now stands, and spent about two weeks placer mining with the long tom and rocker, when ill health compelled him to abandon that occupation, which necessitated constant exposure and contact with the cold mountain water. Returning to Sacramento, he accepted employment with Messrs. Wamer & Fettell, brick manufacturers, and old friends of his family.

Judge J, W, Schultz, who had knowledge of Mr. Garrett?s capabilities, learned of his arrival in California, and sent for him to come and join him in the foundry business in San Francisco. Mr. Garrett came, and in October, 1850, was established the foundation of the present extensive manufactory which bears his name. Under the firm style of Schultz & Co. In addition to general mechanical work the firm made most of the coin dies which at the time were used quite extensively by private individuals and banks. They also made the machinery for coining $5 and 10 pieces, and did coining for Burgoyne & Co. and other banks. This department of the business was under the control of Judge Schultz; and upon the dissolution of their partnership he took that interest. It was soon after extinguished, however, by the passage of an act by the Legislature Prohibiting private coinage.

Mr. Garrett?s first foundry was located on Clay Street, opposite the Plaza, from which he moved to Leidesdorff Street, near Sacramento Street, where he did a prosperous business until his property was swept away by the great fire of May 4, 1851. He started again on Halleck Street, but soon removed to the corner of Market and First streets. In 1866 the Alta Flouring Mills in the rear of his foundry took fire, and again his establishment was wiped out. He next located on the corner of Mission and Fremont streets, where in 1870; the same calamity befell him, caused by the burning of the Mechanics? Mill on the opposite side of the street. His loss by this fire was estimated at 130,000. These successive disasters would have dishearted most men, but Mr. Garrett?s indomitable will and energy were not to be conquered by misfortune, and he at once prepared to re-establish his business on the corner of Fremont and Natoma streets, where he built and thoroughly equipped the largest brass and bell foundry west of the Mississippi river. Here he carried on a very successful business until 1885, when in view of its great and constantly increasing magnitude, he deemed it advisable to incorporate and thus distribute the responsibilities of its management among several competent assistants. The corporation took the name W. T. Garrett & Co., and the stock was mostly taken by members of his family, who still own it. Mr. Garrett continued as the directing head until his death, January 14, 1890, from heart disease.

The life of William T. Garrett was so interwoven with the material and social progress of San Francisco and the Pacific coast that it forms an essential and important part of the history of the city and state. Being a strong Union man during the war of the Rebellion, and a zealous supporter and a liberal contributor to the sanitary fund, he was naturally a Republican in his political affiliations; and his intellectual qualifications and great force of character made him one that party?s ablest local leaders. While he was an active worker in all that pertained to the public weal, he had no ambition for office; and the only political position he ever filled was that of the State Senatorship of his district, from 1870 to 1874. He also served on the city Board of Education for some years. Mr. Garrett was a member and one of the leading promoters of the Mechanics? Institute during its struggling days He was a prominent Mason and Odd Fellow, and a member of the organization of Territorial Pioneers, of which he was at one time president. In his efforts to develop and foster productive industries on this coast, Mr. Garrett expended a large sum of money and much labor to establish beet-sugar cultivation and manufacture in California; and though his experiment was not a financial success, it demonstrated that under more favorable conditions beet sugar could be profitably produced here. The repairing of broken castings by the burning-metal process, now universally employed throughout the world, is Mr. Garrett?s invention. He was prominently connected with steam boating, railroading and mining enterprises in this State, and was a potent force in these lines of activity. Socially he was highly esteemed for his kind, generous nature, his scrupulous honesty and his sterling character. It is said of him by those who knew him best, that he was never heard to speak an unkind word to or of a human being. While he, by persistent effort and fine business capabilities--and despite repeated heavy losses accumulated an ample fortune, it was solely the result of legitimate industry and enterprise; and no dollar of his estate was ever stained by the tears of the oppressed.

Mr. Garrett was twice married. May 3, 1854, he was wedded to Miss Mary Donahue, who bore him ten children, of whom seven are living, namely William T. and Milton, Mrs. James E. Bond, Mrs. Henry D. Norton, Mrs. W. A. Allen, and Julia and Mary Garrett. His second wife was Miss Gibbons, daughter of the late Dr. Henry Gibbons, who survives him.



THE MANUFACTORY

This institution, which is one of the largest of its class in the United States, still continues under the name of W. T. Garrett & Co. A number of years ago another department was added, for making all kinds of Iron castings and general machinery. The plant for this branch is situated on Fifth and Brannan streets, consists of extensive and commodious buildings furnished with the latest improved machinery and appliances for doing heavy work of this line. The company manufacture all kinds of brass goods for steam, gas and water purposes; also bells, windmill pumps, and general machinery supplies. Two hundred hands are employed in the different departments of the manufactory, and the company has representatives in all the principal cities of the Pacific slope.
QUELLE[The Bay of San Francisco (1892) 535; Internet]