In presenting our first Directory of Pittsburg to its patrons, we do so believing that we have subserved their best interests in the way of hastening two very important features, viz: A thorough system of numbers for their houses and the possibility of an early free mail delivery; without either of which delays and inconveniences would naturally follow in the paths of her progressive business men. On the other had we hope our efforts are duly appreciated by our patrons whom we have especially endeavored to please in this work.
Pittsburg at the present time stands at the head of all growing and prosperous towns in Kansas. She leads the van in the way of manufactories—in natural resources—coal, zinc, iron and timber. Her zinc smelters are the largest in the world, giving steady employment to more men than any other three cities in the state. Her record for 1889, which is as follows, goes a long way to sustain our assertion: Her zinc output was 26,400,000 pounds; coal output, 1,320,000 tons; men employed, 3,000; wages paid, $1,500,000. The great inducements which bring manufactories to Pittsburg are, coal at 40 cents per ton, and a hundred thousand dollars in the hands of the Board of Trade, which is composed of all the leading business men in the city. Much has also been done for the city by those staunch and liberal money marts, The First National Bank and The National Bank of Pittsburg.
Her new institutions for the year 1890, many of which are already completed, are two more zinc smelting works, with a capital of $2,000,000 each, giving employment to 250 more men, and making Pittsburg the largest zinc smelting city in the world; sash, door and blind manufactory, with a capital of $30,000, giving employment to 76 men; implement works, with a capital of $50,000, employing 30 men; steam boiler works, employing 25 men; the Hotel Stilwell, with 250 elegantly furnished rooms; a sewerage system; electric lights; electric street railway and telephone systems. All these, and many more of which we fail to have a record, are being rapidly pushed to completion.
Pittsburg has four great railway systems, with an aggregate of 14,000 miles, and freight rates as low as Kansas City or any competing points, giving her a ready market in all directions for all kinds of manufactured goods, in a large section of tributary country, which is beyond the possibility of cheap manufacturing.
Fine quarries of limestone and sandstone have been opened almost within the city limits, and the annual shipments to other points amount to hundreds of carloads over and above those used for home consumption. In a commercial way the city has a solid street of business houses extending along Broadway for six squares, besides the offshoots and parallel streets. She has several mercantile houses which do an enormous aggregate business annually.
In the midst of her prosperity the schools and churches have by no means been neglected. Three elegant brick schoolhouses tower proudly over the city, together with handsome and well-attended and well-supported churches in every direction. Her business college and conservatory of music—though a new institution—is in a prosperous condition under the management of that veteran educator, Prof. D. H. Snoke. The stranger who visits Pittsburg finds everything in keeping with a growing and prosperous city.
In this, our first edition of the Pittsburg City Directory, we endeavor, first to please and remunerate those specially interested; second, to furnish the citizens a Directory creditable to their city, and third, to faithfully carry out our promise, that, by a continuance of its liberal support, each succeeding issue may present a marked increase of information in every department. And it has been our earnest effort, regardless of expense, to make this Directory a perfect compendium of information, authentic and replete in every detail, and we trust to have faithfully performed our task.
We will here allude to the difficulty under which some people labor in looking for the names in a Directory, (especially those unacquainted with its use), as we desire to avoid unjust censure at their hands.
It must be remembered that all names are arranged in strictly alphabetical order according to the manner in which they are spelled, instead of their pronunciation; therefore in looking for a name spelled Byrnes, remember it may not be found on the same page with those spelled Burns; or Cane, Kain; Crawford, Crofford; Baughan, Bougham; Riley, Reilly; and many others, too numerous to mention, although similar in pronunciation, are yet found on different pages. “To find a name you must know how to spell it,” We are confident that, in a majority of cases, you will find in their proper places, the names of those which you may be claimed to have been omitted.
We also direct your attention to page 34 of this volume, where will be found the Addenda, of removals, additions, corrections, etc., received too late for regular insertion.
In conclusion we will state that it is our intention to continue the publication of Directories of Pittsburg, and we will issue them just as often as they are of actual necessity, and we only ask patrons that they reserve their support in our behalf and we shall ever endeavor to merit the same.
To the public generally, who had kindly aided us in collecting names and other information for the work, we return our acknowledgements; and to our friends and patrons who have so generously favored us with their advertisements and orders for copies of the book, we return our sincere thanks, and respectfully dedicate this Directory of Pittsburg.
The Publishers