Collins & Burgie Stove Works II

Collins & Burgie Stove Works II
Location:
Life Span: 1873-1892
Architect:

Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1873

Collins & Burgie

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1876
Collins & Burgie (James L. Collins and Henry C. Burgie), mnfrs. stoves, ranges, etc. 261 to 277 S. Clinton sw. cor. Congress

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1877
Collins & Burgie (James L. Collins and Henry C. Burgie), mnfrs. stoves, ranges, etc. 261 to 277 S. Clinton sw. cor. Congress

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1880
Collins & Burgie (James L. Collins and Henry C. Burgie), mnfrs. stoves, ranges, etc. 261 to 277 S. Clinton sw. cor. Congress

A. N. Marquis & Co.’s Business Directory of Chicago, 1886
Collins & Burgie, 277 S. Clinton<

A. N. Marquis & Co.’s Business Directory of Chicago, 1887
Collins & Burgie, (James L. Collins and Henry C. Burgie), stove mnfrs. 261 S. Clinton, T. 4097

Inter Ocean, August 1, 1872

Messrs. Collins & Burgie obtained permits yesterday for the erection of two large buildings on South Clinton street, for a foundry. One of the buildings is 180×100, and the other 80×220,

Inter Ocean, August 25, 1877

COLLINS & BURGIE.
These stoveworks are located at the corner of Clinton and Congress streets. They are the best conducted and most fourishing establishment in the city. The works were established in 1858. and may well be called the pioneers of the stove manufacture in Chicago. The present capital is $200,000, employing 125 hands, with a weekly pay-roll of $1,500. They turn out 12,000 stoves and a large quantity of other castings annually, aggregating a production of $200,000 in value. The buildings are all of brick, four stories high. with a front on Clinton street of 180 feet by 225 feet on Congress street and Jefferson place. Messrs. Collins & Burgie are gentlemen of honor and strict business qualifications, and all who have dealings with them may be sure that anything coming from their establishment will prove exactly as represented.

Chicago Tribune, January 3, 1892

A $320,000 Sale for Manufacturing.
Collins & Burgie have sold the grounds and building at Nos. 261-277 South Clinton street to the Western Electric company for $320,000. The land has a frontage of 193 feet on Clinton street, an equal frontage on Jefferson street, and a frontage of 318 feet on Congress streets. The property is improved with the large three-story brick building occupied by the Collins & Burgie stove works. Across the alley from this property is the present plant of the purchasing company. It is understood that the recent purchase is in the interest of an extension of this plant.

Inter Ocean, January 3, 1892

Collins & Burgie Sell Their Ground and Buildings to the Western Electric Company.
A sale on the West Side which will no doubt result in extensive improvements has just been closed. It is the purchase by the Western Electric Company of the ground and buildings of Collins & Burgie, the well known stove manufacturers at Nos. 261 to 277 South Clinton street for $320,000. The land is bounded on the east by Clinton street, and the south by Congress, on the west by Jefferson street with a 16-foot alley on the north across which stand the extensive works of the Western Electric Company, the purchasers. The frontage is 193 feet on Clinton and Jefferson streets and 318 feet on Congress and the alley. The grounds are occupied by the large three-story brick building comprising the extensive stove works and it is presumed that the purchase is made with a view to future important extensions of the electrical company’s already large works. Possession is not to be given for some time yet. It will be remembered that the company already controls quite an expanse of frontage on Clinton street, on which they erected about six years ago a magnificent six-story building, which at that time and for some time to come was considered would be equal to the company’s immense business, but it was only a short time until they found that more space was needed, and a large addition was built as well as additional stories put on the structure which they first erected. The transfer of the property was made by the heirs of James L. Collins and Henry C. Burgie, with President E. M. Barton representing the electrical company.

The True Republican (DeKalb County), November 9, 1892

Marengo’s Big Factory.
The new Collins & Burgie stove factory which commenced business in their new buildings at Marengo in September, is the pride of the citizens of that enterprising town. The factory was organized in 1857 und had been doing business in Chicago, but because of the high price of real estate and other inconveniences incident to a large city they concluded to move to a small town. Marengo business men heard of the company’s intentions and secured the location of the plant in that town. The conditions were that Marengo should erect suitable buildings on a plat of seven or eight acres, and purchase at par $50,000 of their capital stock, the Greenlee Brothers agreeing, upon completion of the buildings, to return one half the cost of the same in paid up stock to those who furnished the funds for the erection of the buildings.The association or syndicate was to guarantee the taking of the required amount of stock and the erection of suitable buildings, with the required plot of grounds.

In February, 1892, a deal was effected for the location of the stove works, and a contract closed with Thomas Nicholson, of Chicago, for the construction of the necessary buildings for $51,308, the stove company agreeing to pay all over $50,000. The buildings were completed August 25th and turned over to the company.

The Marengo Republican says:
The buildings are built of brick, with heavy Joliet stone foundations and piers laid deep and wide. The principal building is 723 feet in length, fronting the railroad. The moulding room on the east end of the building is 147 x 250 feet, well lighted and ventilated, has cupolas of the latest and best patterns, and will accommodate 150 moulders. The milling room 1s 55×75 feet; the warehouse 100 x 200; engine room 50 x 75; plating room in second story 75 x 100 The rooms above are similar in size, except that the moulding room and pattern room are only one story high.

About the first of March, of the present year, the stove company was reorganized, with R. S. Greenlee, President: R. L. Greenlee, Vice President: A. C. Reed, Secretary: F. W. Patrick, of Marengo, Treasurer; Albert Moffatt, General Manager. the five directors, two are from Marengo, Messrs. A. B. Coon and S. K. Bartholomew. The Messrs. Greenlee, although not heretofore connected with Collins & Burgle, are well known to the stove trade in every part of the country, having for the past seventeen years been the owners and proprietors of the great North. western Stove Repair, Co., Chicago.

The Collins & Burgie Stove Works is capitalized at $500,000. The syndicate and Marengo people own $75,000 of the stock. Greenlee Bros. $180,000, making the working capital $255.000. The balance is treasury stock, to be used hereafter as the company may require. The building and land cost $55,000; the $50,000 in stock taken here, makes a total of $105,000. The Messrs. Greenlee have placed $25,000 worth of new machinery in the plant.

The works were started up about the 1st of September with a moderate force of workmen. At this time there are 129 men on the pay rolls, and more are being added every week. Of this number 76 are moulders, the remainder are in the various depart-ments. Thirty stoves per day are being turned out complete and ready for market.

Durand Gazette, October 17, 1907

The Collins & Burgie Stove works at Marengo, a large concern, the only industry in the city and capable of employing 500 men, was practically destroyed by fire recently with a loss of $100, 000 and insurance of but $35,000. It is also a hard blow to the town. It was practically the only manufacturing industry and will not be rebuilt:

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