January 1891 -The State of the Village

 

A RESURRECTION
At Dayton! — A General Revival of Business in Our Northern Suburb
C. B. Hess Practices What he Preaches — The Dayton Tile Factory Will Resume Operations Next Week

The little town of Dayton has again struck its gait. The grist mill is running at full blast, the collar factory has its hands full, the paper mills are behind in orders, and now comes C. B. Hess, one of Ottawa’s most enterprising citizens and to-day leases the brick and tile works for a year commencing Feb. 1st, with an option for further time and will open up on Monday next full blast with forty hands, the works to run night and day. The firm name will be Hess, Williams & Hess, and Ed. J. Hess, junior partner, will have full charge.

These works will put out paving brick, fire brick and drain tile, and will be run in a measure in connection with the Ottawa factory. The capacity will be 50,000 brick, or 10 car loads, and 200 tons of clay will be used every day. The works have six kilns, with every facility for increasing the capacity if found practicable. The water power used is of 200 hundred [sic] horse power. The firm will build a tramway across Fox river to its beds of fire clay, which are 7 foot veins, while the common clay will be taken from a 30 foot bank just across the feeder from the works. Probably an inclined railway will be put in from the works to the “Q.” tracks to increase the shipping facilities.

Hitherto the difficulty at these works has been in getting the clay properly united, but Mr. Hess has been experimenting with it for the past six weeks and is satisfied that he has at last found the right thing.

These works will make their drain tile for the local trade, but the paving tile and fire brick will, most of it, find its was to Chicago and Peoria.

Mr. Hess says he intends to make the a “go,” and we have no doubt but he will.1

C. B. Hess was a member of the large Green clan. He was married to Clara “Callie” Green, the daughter of Jesse Green and Isabella Trumbo.


  1. Ottawa Republican Times, January 29, 1891, p. 8.

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