Source: Portrait & Biographical Album of Whiteside County 1885

CITY OF FULTON - BUSINESS INTERESTS

One of the important industries of Fulton is the Langford & Hall Lumber Company. This business was started in 1862, by C. E. Langford. The capacity per day - 10 hours - is 75,000 feet of lumber, 36,000 shingles, and 12,000 lath. They also manufacture moldings, and employ 130 men. The three lines of railroads have tracts through their yards. The mill is located on the bank of the river, and their logs came from Wisconsin and Minnesota and are rafted down the Mississippi.

T. A. Harden & Co. are the bankers of the city. The members of the firm are Quinton C. Ward and John H. Hungate. This is one of the substantial banking houses of the country. The building is a two-story brick structure and the vault is built upon the solid bed rock of the Mississippi. The walls are double, with air chambers and ventilators, and has a combination lock on the vault-doors. Inside is one of Hall's combination time-lock, double burglar-proof safes. The office is large, airy and well appointed, with private rooms attached. This bank was established in 1876.

Leslie Williams carries a large assortment of drugs, medicines, stationery, books, wall-paper and fancy goods. A. D. Mitchell has a general line of groceries, glass and crockery-ware.

W. C. & J. C. Snyder, dealers in grain, farm produce and agricultural implements. General Steamboat Agency is one of thje leading firms of the country. This business was started in 1855.

John Stewart is a manufacturer of carriages and light buggies; also does blacksmithing and repairing.

Egnatz Spinkee is proprietor of the Fulton Potter, where garden-vases, jugs, jars, pots, pans, firkins, etc. are manufactured. He gets his clay from Whitehall, Ill. The Pipe Factory is conducted by Gerten & Bros., who manufacture smoking-pipes and do quite an extensive business, shipping their goods to all pats of the country. They get their clay from Ustick Township. Oliver Finch is the brick manufacturer.

The Fulton Flouring Mills are owned by W. M. Herald and leased by T. L. Taggart. They have two run of stone, and are making a good article of flour.

De Bey & Van Dallen are dealers in hardware and agricultural implements. George de Bey has a general line of groceries and dry goods. Richard Green his dry goods, gorceries, boots and shoes. J. N. Ward keeps a line of drugs, medicines, wallpaper, etc. W. D. Madden & Co. are wholesale liquor dealers. John Downs has a genral line of hardware. P. Kitchen is a manufacturer of harness and dealer in saddlery. S. Collins conducts marble and granite works. Frank Dana has a news depot, stationery, fruit and cigars.

D.  C. Summers carry a general stock of groceries, while another hardware store is conducted by C. N. Wheeler. A. Morse is the dealer in leather and findings. L. B. Peters has a furniture store, and manufacturers mattresses. He is also an undertaker. J. M. Fay is also an undertaker. Mrs. S. C. Inskeep accommodates the ladies with millinery. H. P. Pulver and D. N. Allison each have a bakery and confectionery store.

J. W. Broadhead deals in dry goods, notions and clothing, while G. Naniga & Co. are dealers in dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, feed and produce. S. O. Newell has an elegant assortment of jewelry.

Hill & Peterson and G. Utz have meat markets. A. F. W. Volkman and H. De Wind have tailor shops. J. W. Nye does blacksmithing, wagon and machine repairing. H. L. Abbott keeps a livery and feed stable. John Fritz is the builder and contractor. A. E. Dade and Fred Fell are boot and shoemakers. Thos. A. Davenport does house and sign painting, and Milo Jones keeps a restaurant. There are several saloons and billard halls in town and a skating rink.

Fulton has three hotels. The Robinson House, James Holleran, proprietor. This hotel is one of the old resorts for travelers. It has been partially rebuilt and refitted, and offers now good entertainment to its guests. The Central House, of which T. W. Schroeder is proprietor, and Transient House, of which E. W. Oakley is proprietor. This hotel is at the the Junction.

The people of Fulton are well provided with able and skillful physicians. The gentlemen who represent this profession are Drs. C. A. Griswold, G. W. Clendennin, H. M. Kennedy, H. J. Heusinkald, and H. Leach.

James McCoy represents the legal profession at Fulton, and has done so for nearly half a century. He was the first lawyer to locate in Fulton. George Terwiller is the city's Magistrate.

FULTON BAND

The city is quite fortunate in having so good a band. It keeps up in its practice with the musical world, and is one of the best bands in the county. It is lead by C. W. Warren.

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