Tappan Steam Pump Company

Tappan Steam Pump Company

"Energetic efforts of Woodstock's Public Improvement committee, in which a majority of her citizens co-operated, resulted in the location here a year ago of a large manufactory of steam pumps. The Wheeler & Tappan works were established in Chicago about twenty years ago, and had, therefore, a substantial business which warranted the raising of a large bonus to secure their removal here. A $15,000 building was erected near the depot in the fall of 1893, and the business inaugurated here in January 1894 as the Tappan Steam Pump Co. The main features of the business are tha manufacture and repair of pumping machinery, and general machine work. The shop is thoroughly equipped as to large lathes, tool, cranes and the like, for handling heavy work. During the past year the factory has built and turned out some specially large pumps for Proctor & Gamble, Colgate L& Co., and other great soap manufacturers; for the Hamilton Powder Co., at Montreal; and considerable in the line of packing house machinery. One mammoth nine-pumpsent to the vicinity of Salt Lake City weighed 35,000 pounds, had a capacity of 500 gallons per minute and was built to work against 250 pounds pressure. The company are under contract to employ an average of not less than forty men. They have a steam plant of seventy-five horse power, and an electric light plant in connection for lighting the shop." [Woodstock Illustrated, 1895, p. 36]
The building design incorporates the address of the Chicago Office at 105 W. Madison St.
The Tappan Steam Pump factory was closed in that same year (1895) and the city was able to bring the Oliver Typewriter Company, also of Chicago, to take over the building.

Woodstock Illustrated

1895