Factory error "S" barb

Two barbs together on factory error of Haish's "S" barb | Photo by Jessi Haish LaRue

This piece of wire is actually a factory error version of Jacob Haish's "S" barb (patent #167,240, patented August 31, 1875.) The "S" barb is notable for having two twisted strand wire with two point "S" barb around both strands.

It has a pair of barbs together in the middle of the piece. What a unique piece!

Factory error piece of Haish's "S" barb | Photo by Jessi Haish LaRue

Factory error piece of Haish's "S" barb | Photo by Jessi Haish LaRue

Factory error piece of Haish's "S" barb | Photo by Jessi Haish LaRue

POSTCARD: Smokestack struck by lightning

I discovered this postcard on Ebay, and its image has quite the story to tell. The postcard, which shows the Haish building which stands at Ninth and Locust Streets in DeKalb, reads:

"Haish's New Electric Power and Gas Engine Plant, DeKalb, Ill. Smokestack struck by lightning Saturday, July 28th, 1906."

The front side of the Haish postcard. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

The back side of the Haish postcard. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

Documentation courtesy of the Joiner History Room offers a little more insight on this image:

"The building picture on the reversed side is of The Jacob Haish Company, Power & Gas Engine Plant, located at Ninth & Locust Streets. The Power Plant was discontinued prior to 1915, the Gas Engine Plant was discontinued in about the year of 1916. The property was sold to Hurley Machine Company and was purchased in 1924 by the Nehring Electrical Works from the Hurley Machine Company. The three [story] building was remodeled into a two [story] steel structure and an addition of two stories and one [story] was built adjoining this building at the west end in 1936, all as it now stands in 1956. A one [story] structure was built east of this building in 1930 and another structure in 1941, as it now stands in 1956. The present Office Building at Ninth & Locust Streets, was built and finished in early 1938, all the above building and remodeling was done by the Nehring Electrical Works."

PHOTOS: Jacob Haish's employees

Over the next few blog posts, I will be sharing some incredible Jacob Haish-related images. These images are part of the Floyd Ritzman Collection, and the Joiner History Room has generously allowed me to share these images on this website.

The below photos capture some of the hardworking men "behind the scenes" in Jacob Haish's empire. Although they are not named, the faces of Haish's employees are captured below: the first photo shows some of his factory employees in 1910, and the second photo shows the engine room's work force in 1901.

Haish Factory Employees, 1910 | Photo courtesy of Joiner History Room, DeKalb County Archives

Work Force in Engine Room of Haish Plant, 1901 | Photo courtesy of Joiner History Room, DeKalb County Archives

From the Joiner History Room website: "Over 700 photos from the Floyd Ritzman Collection which are part of the Northern Illinois University Digital Library are now available on Flickr at https://flic.kr/s/aHskqwXroS. This collection of photos, taken in and around DeKalb County, was formerly part of the Taming the Wild Prairie website. Thanks to Matthew Short at NIU for making these historical photos available."

According to the Joiner History Room's website, "Floyd R. Ritzman (1885-1975) was a teacher and administrator in the DeKalb public school system. His passion was photography." To learn more about Ritzman, click here.

Special thanks to the Joiner History Room for allowing me to share these images. Stay tuned for more!

Haish Factory Changes

"S" barb wire sample as displayed at the Ellwood House Museum. | Photo by Jessi LaRue

The below article was published in the Aug. 2, 1889 edition of the Sycamore True Republican:

HAISH FACTORY CHANGES

The consummation of a plan long cherished by Jacob Haish was realized last week when the organization of the Haish Wire & Implement Co. was completed. The concern is capitalized at $100,000 and will control and operate both of Mr. Haish's manufacturing enterprises in DeKalb, the wire fence factory and the implement works, now being rebuilt.

Of the capital stock Mr. Haish retains $50,000 and Mrs. Haish $10,000. The balance $40,000, he gives outright to those in his employ fifteen years or more, the distribution being made on the basis of the relative importance of the positions held by them.

Exclusive of Mr. and Mrs. Haish, the stockholders number fifteen, all of whom, with one exception, have served the requisite number of years. Their names are given as follows: C.H. Salisbury, B.S. White, Fred Westerberg, Fred W. Smith, J.F. Berquist, Peter Lindberg, Erik Anderson, Ole Nelson, Andrew Anderson, August Johnson, John P. Anderson, E.F. Collins, Andrew Nelson, Carl Swanson and J. Nelson.

At a meeting held at the office the last of the week the following officers and directors were chosen: President Jacob Haish; vice-president and secretary, C.H. Salisbury; treasurer B.S. White; S.A. Haish and Fred W. Smith. In making this disposition of his industrial enterprises Mr. Haish provides for the perpetuation of the great business which he gave the best years of his life to building up and he rewards the old and faithful employees who aided him in the work.