  Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 2091 Registered: 04-2005 |
Some more images of the Banner Tobacco Co.  Bates and Jefferson location, 1880(?).  E Larned and Randolph, by 1884 In 1916 Banner Cigar Co had 136 employees. (Message edited by Hornwrecker on September 29, 2008) | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 2092 Registered: 04-2005 |
American Cigar Co, 3818-30 Beaubien, 476 employees.  This was roughly where Children's Hospital stands today. Still trying to sort out whether this was part of the American Tobacco Co, which bought out Brown Bros. in 1901, and was later broken up around 1915 due to the then new Sherman anti-trust laws. More on Brown Bros as I find it. | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 224 Registered: 10-2007 |
According to the Federal Reporter, ca 1912, The American Tobacco Company and the American Cigar company were intertwined somehow, unsure as to whether they were the same company. According to the Reporter the Cigar sold all their stock to the Tobacco. Page 421 starts the detail of the company, with the sale of stock on 422. http://books.google.com/books? id=AG44AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA421&dq=Am erican+cigar+company&ei=c3viSL nkE4H-sQOHvZy-DQ#PPA421,M1 | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 2093 Registered: 04-2005 |
 American Eagle Tobacco Co., 49 to 53 West Woodbridge st., successors to the old and well known house of K. C. Barker & Co., have lately moved into a building built especially for their immense trade, showing a frontage of 106 feet on Woodbridge and also on Atwater st., and a depth of 200 feet, and is the largest manufactory of fine cut and smoking tobacco in the West. The officers are M. S. Smith, president; Jas. Clark, vice-president; Chas. B. Hull, manager and treasurer; A. Spaun, secretary. Detroit, Lansing, & Northern RR tourist pamphlet Barker, Kirkland C. (1819-1875) — of Detroit, Wayne County, Mich. Born in East Schuyler, Herkimer County, N.Y., September 8, 1819. Mayor of Detroit, Mich., 1864-65. Drowned, when the sailboat in which he was transporting ballast-lead to his yacht Cora suddenly sank, in the Detroit River near Amherstberg, Ontario, May 20, 1875. Interment at Elmwood Cemetery, Detroit, Mich. (He was also friends with George Armstrong Custer.) http://www.politicalgraveyard.com/  They were founded in 1848 and apparently went out of business in 1897 due to the American Tobacco Company shenanigans.  (About time I got around to doing this thread's topic.) (Message edited by Hornwrecker on September 30, 2008) | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 2094 Registered: 04-2005 |
American Eagle had an early frequent user program, collect enough of these, and you can exchange them for a diamond ring. Ten certificates for one "good" diamond ring; 25 for one "elegant" ring or pin.  An early example of sports marketing:  And what they're most famous for, the advertising poster that featured Lily Langtree dressed in a geisha costume, from the LOC.  LOC | ||
Xd_brklyn Member Username: Xd_brklyn Post Number: 438 Registered: 10-2003 |
In the photo of the Eagle Cigar building, it looks like the people along with the horse and cart were drawn onto the photo. Kind of odd. Were these buildings torn down in the 50s-early 60s? The Eagle Cigar building would have been torn down at the latest for the Urban Renewal project that included Cobo Hall, and it looks as if the Banner Tobacco Company building on Bates & Jefferson would have been leveled for City Hall, correct? From the photos, they look like they were fine buildings. | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 228 Registered: 10-2007 |
Nice job Hornwrecker. I'm sure you must have gobs more from the LOC. Forgot all about their little repository. | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 2095 Registered: 04-2005 |
Xd_, you'd have to search through the Det Edison aerial photos at CULMA, a see when or if that building was still there. Earliest is 1949, I believe. I only found two useful ads at the LOC so far, still searching. There's probably more info on American Eagle out there, but I'll move on to Globe and Hiawatha/Bagley for the next Sanborns, so anybody can play along and discover. | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 230 Registered: 10-2007 |
John Bagley tobacco tin, not cigars though.  | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 2096 Registered: 04-2005 |
The American Eagle Tobacco building at 151-65 W. Woodbridge was still standing in 1921, according to the Sanborn maps; it housed the Jerome B. Rice & Co, which was a seed company. Labelled as seed cleaning and warehouse. It might show up on some old river views, since it was just behind and taller than the Detroit & Cleavland Steamship Co dock and warehouse. | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 2097 Registered: 04-2005 |
Found it, from a 1930s DetNews aerial.  wsu/vmc The 50k size limit is off, since it wouldn't upload a 48.8k jpeg. 46k is OK. Stupid website. | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 371 Registered: 03-2007 |
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Xd_brklyn Member Username: Xd_brklyn Post Number: 440 Registered: 10-2003 |
Hornwrecker, great shot. You can even see the detail in the building on the right that appears in the earlier photo. Looked into the Banner Tobacco Co a bit and found them in the 1887 Directory listed at: 52-59 Larned E. They then had Banner Cigar Manufacturing Co in the same building with an address at: 105-109 Randolph. Here's the Sanborn image:  Looks like there's a good chance the building was still there in 1949 in this Detroit Edison aerial:  | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 2098 Registered: 04-2005 |
A 1930s CBD map shows:  I bet that it was torn down in the late 50s for the Greyhound bus station that was built there around the time of City-County Bldg. You can see how large a shadow that building throws in the DET aerial photo. Nice find on the Mazer-Cressman whatever it is, Mortalman. Pretty imposing building to plop into a neighborhood full of wood housing. | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 233 Registered: 10-2007 |
Mazer Cressman's building is still there, now Department of Social Services. I should have remembered that, that's where they used to pass out the free cheese in the 80's. Here's the link to the Google view of the site: 0%2C-42.87976508061061,http:// maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en &geocode=&q=5031+Grandy+detroi t+MI&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&ss pn=32.252269,56.25&ie=UTF8&ll= 42.370704,-83.038187&spn=0.007 34,0.013733&z=16&layer=c&cbll= 42.367024,-83.039148&panoid=ox -MyDV-95uuyHhqg4_Q9A&cbp=2,229 .8875769571003,,0,-42.87976508 061061 | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 234 Registered: 10-2007 |
Joseph Muer Cigar Factory, South of Gratiot, west of St. Aubin, in an alley between the two streets.  Postcard from the Hemmeter Cigar company  Letterhead from American Box company  | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 2099 Registered: 04-2005 |
The Globe Tobacco Co, 29-35 E. Atwater, 1871-1922. wsu/vmc (extended that one bldg to east, too far.) The 1922 Sanborn map shows this bldg mostly vacant, with only the farthest east portion occupied by a stove company. They moved from their Atwater bldg to the one on E. Fort St and Brush in 1888. More on that one... | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 2100 Registered: 04-2005 |
Townonenorth, is there an address on the Muer factory? Nice find on the Hemmeter, too bad no address on the envelope. Still lots of supposedly large makers that I've found reference to, with no locations, so far. Guess we'll have to comb the city directories. | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 236 Registered: 10-2007 |
Really no address, like I said the building is in an alley. If I were to give it address, it would be closer to Gratiot than St.Aubin. It appears that the specials don't list all the cigar makers. I'd guess that a trip to the Burton or Michigan Historical Library and a couple of hours writing out addresses would help. | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 2101 Registered: 04-2005 |
I'll mark it down as such: alley, Gratiot & St Aubin. The Lilies, Wayne Cigar and the Hemmeter factories are three large ones that I have no idea WTF they were located; 660, 846, and 460 employees, respectively. If you want the incomplete spreadsheet on this topic, email me at my username at google.com. (One little criticism on your Sanborn, don't crop them so closely. Leave at least a half screen inch+ around the object bldg; helps to give it a little context.) (Message edited by Hornwrecker on October 02, 2008) | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 378 Registered: 03-2007 |
Check out these two dandies smoking their cigars on their "Seeing Detroit" car!  | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 2102 Registered: 04-2005 |
Globe Tobacco Co, 407 E. Fort St, 150 employees (1916)  Globe Tobacco Building pre-rehab. Historic overview: The history of Detroit’s tobacco industry dates back to 1841 when George Miller produced chewing tobacco from Canadian tobacco in the cellar and attic of hi house. The industry increased in 1856 when Daniel Scotten established the Hiawatha Tobacco Factory. By 1864 there were 7 manufactories in the city and became the leading industry in the city by 1891. The factories became the largest employers of women and provided the highest paying jobs, $25-$40 a week in 1925. The Globe was on of the top 5 manufacturers. McGraw; president, Hiram Walker, William A. Moore and O. P. Hazard established the Globe Tobacco Company in 1871. With the production of 300,000 pounds of chewing and fine cut tobacco they needed to move their business into a larger facility. In 1888 a permit was issued to Alexander Chapoton Jr. to contract to build a “six-story brick manufactory, 70’ x 138’.” The Romanesque style building was built in the mill construction, dictated in shape and size by the need for better lighting, ventilation, improved machinery and power. With mill construction the building was built with heavy masonry load-bearing walls that supported heavy timber floors and roof structure to prevent total destruction by fire. The building and company was reportedly the first to use electricity as its primary source of power for manufacturing tobacco. The Globe Tobacco Co. went out of business in 1925. City of Detroit Planning and Development Department  Andrew Jameson, commons.wikimedia.org  LOC | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 237 Registered: 10-2007 |
Sorry for cropping so close, here's an overview of the site so you can relate to where everything is for the Muer Cigar  It may have had a minimal address on Gratiot, due to that narrow strip next to the second hand furniture store directly above it. We won't know that till I get a look at the Polk directories. (Message edited by townonenorth on October 03, 2008) | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 238 Registered: 10-2007 |
From the Book of Detroiters, Google Books 1914 MUER, Joseph F.. cigar manufacturer; born, Detroit, Mar. 18, 1884; son of Anthony and Mary (Lingeman) Muer; educated St. Joseph's Commercial College; married, June 13, 1905, Susie Malburg, of Detroit; 3 children: Joseph, Rosemary, William. Began active career, 1898, in house established by father in 1866; has been sole proprietor since 1905, business being conducted in own name. Independent in politics. Catholic. Member Detroit Board of Commerce. Member Knights of Columbus, German American Society, B. P. O. Elks. Clubs: Harmonie, Wolverine Automobile. Recreations: automobiling, baseball. Office: 588 Gratiot Ave. Residence: 455 St. Aubin Ave. Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory By R.L. Polk & Co, R.L. Polk & Co has: Muer Anthony, cigar mnfr, 2 and 3 Jay I don't know where Jay street is or was. Address for the Jos. Muer cigar factory is 2128 Gratiot Ave. (Message edited by townonenorth on October 03, 2008) (Message edited by townonenorth on October 03, 2008) | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 380 Registered: 03-2007 |
I have looked all over the web to find historical Polk Directories for the City of Detroit and can't find them. Does anyone know if they have been digitized and if so where they are on the internet? | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 2103 Registered: 04-2005 |
1928 Polk's Detroit There's digitized versions for sale on ebay(?), and someone else has them for download, but I can't link it here without their permission. Perhaps he'll show up and post it. Town1, that's one of the strangest building arrangements that I've seen in the Sanborns, and I've seen most of them. | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 2104 Registered: 04-2005 |
Surprised nobody (including me) has made the connection between Joe Muer the cigar maker, and the restaurant. http://www.angelfire.com/mi3/t emplatesdotcom/Joe_Muer_s_Ciga r_History.htm Historical marker: http://www.michmarkers.com/Pages/L0720.htm (Message edited by Hornwrecker on October 03, 2008) | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 381 Registered: 03-2007 |
We double dip on this one because of Detroit's connection to both stoves and cigars. Cigar Cutter & Draw Hole Maker: "Buy Laurel Stoves & Ranges" and "Art Stove Co, Detroit, Mich".  | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 239 Registered: 10-2007 |
Bah. I thought of it while driving about Joe Muer. Beat me to it. Anyway I tought I'd pick a year and get a list of names. I chose 1916, have 45 companies. Looking up addresses now, will post later. | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 240 Registered: 10-2007 |
It's hard hitting a moving target. Apparently these makers came and went at will or competition drove them to combine, merge, or ? 1921 I'm looking at this listing of manufacturers below.  Gives names and addresses, if this helps some with some of this search, great. |
