by Mr. H. F. Murphy in a tannery in 1859. During the seventies other enterprises arose and flourished for a longer or shorter period, such as cheese factory, vinegar works, an establishment for making soap, which did considerable shipping, and one for making gloves. One or two brick yards, too, have been in almost continuous operation and furnished the local trade. Intermittent efforts in the manufacture of beehives, wagons, patent medicines, furniture, washing-machines (the Leffing well patent), etc., have been made from time to time on a modest scale. The Nevada Foundry was established about 1870, on its present site near the depot. The firm of Hague & Heal did a good general foundry business, stove-making, etc., with few changes, except in members of the firm, in which feature the changes were numerous, James Earl and William Hansell being interested at times, the latter being owner a few years since when it was burned. The plant was valued at about $6,000. In 1889 it was rebuilt by a new company with a plant valued at $5,000, and in January, 1890, Wright Bros. & Sellers began a general foundry, business, boiler works, etc. Just west of this site is the Lockridge Tile Factory, corner of Main and Ninth Streets, started in 1883 by Lockridge & Beatty, with a plant valued at about $6,000. Mr. Beatty withdrew in 1888. They use a Nolan & Madden machine of about 400,000 annual capacity for two and a half to twelve-inch tile, and employ ten men and two teams. Their trade covers Story County. The Lyman Tile Factory is located about one mile west of the depot, and was also begun in 1883, but the following year it was purchased by J. C. Mitchell, and was enlarged to a capacity of about 6,000 feet of tile per week. It was sold in 1885 to Lyman & Co. Their buildings are 48x140 feet, with the Ohio Brick and Tile Machine and the Quaker Brick Machine, capable of making 15,000 three-inch tile and 25,000 brick per ten hours. They employ a force of from eleven to sixteen persons, and have a trade in and beyond the county to Western Iowa. One other manufactory need be mentioned, the Nevada Flouring Mills and Elevator, at the railway crossing of East Street. It was established about 1865 by Talbott & Day, and in 1871 Mr. Day withdrew, and the present proprietor, Mr. Lockwood, became partner for a time, until he secured full ownership. The mill has about forty to fifty barrels daily capacity, while the elevator holds about 10,000 bushels. The latter is on the site of the first hand elevator ever built in Nevada. West of this is the large Silliman Elevator, wtih a capacity of 20,000 bushels, and which was built several years ago, and was successively owned by Aumoth & Co., Mr. Childs and Mr. Silliman. In this connection may be mentioned the large lumber yards near the railway, the Lockridge and the Silliman, each carrying probably $7,000 worth of stock, and having a country trade.
The Nevada Mining Company was an effort of twenty or twenty-five stockholders in 1878 to invest in western mines. It was not successful. A company was organized April 18, 1889, to promote Nevada industries, called the Nevada Improvement Company. Its first movement was to erect the foundry building. It began with seven teen members, and now enrolls forty-four members and firms. Its authorized capital is $20,000. The officers are William Lockridge, president; M. E. Hix, vice-president; T. J. Lyman, secretary, and J. A. King, treasurer.
Shipping of stock, grains and produce, and the importation and breeding of fine stock, together with tree and shrub culture, have had their representatives at Nevada from the first, and on large scales. Among these Col. John Scott has had in this line a national reputation,