Images and text from 'History of Long Island City,' by J. S. Kelsey, 1896
Steinway & Sons Piano
Steinway & Sons Piano Factory
In 1859, William Steinway, President of the world-renowned house of Steinway & Sons, moved the business
to the present factory on Fourth avenue from Fifty-second street to Fifty-third street. In 1863,
the factory's southerly wing was added. Steinway pianos soon began to attact the attention of the world. After being
awarded thirty-five American medals, they won a first prize medal at the World's Fair, in London, in 1862 and numerous
other awards.
The finishing of piano No. 25,000 made for the Czarowitz of Russia was celebrated by the firm and its
thousand workmen on May 4, 1872. The number reached July 1, 1895, was 85,000. Steinway & Sons' Piano Works
are conceded to be by far the largest establishments in their line in the world.
Daimler Motor Company
Daimler Motor Company
William Steinway (also head of Steinway Piano) is also head of this company. In 1888, while traveling in Germany, his attention was
attracted by a horseless carriage which had been invented by Gottlieb Daimler. Mr. Steinway requested
the inventor to give him an exhibition of his motor car, which involved an uphill-downhill round trip journey of 20 miles . Mr. Steinway was satsified of the practical
nature of the motor, and afer his return home, introduced one of the motor cars on the line of the Steinway
Railroad Company. The Daimler Motor Company was organized, and the patent rights to manufacture
Daimler motors in the United States and Canada were acquired.
Daimler motors are used for harbor towing purposes. Horseless carriages driven by the Daimler motors
have been used in Central Park and on suburban roads. Daimler launches are on many German steamers, and are
employed in harbors. The motor has also been applied to fire engines for smaller towns, a perpendicular stream of
120 feet being easily thrown.
East River Gas Company
East River Gas Company Gasometer
The East River Gas Company is situated at the foot of Webster Avenue, Ravenswood. The company is noted for
its gigantic "holder," the second largest in the world and the largest in the United States. When
full it rises two hundred and forty feet in the air, holds 5,000,000 cubic feet of gas, and weighs
255,000 pounds. The gas produced by this company has the highest illuminating power of any made
in this country. The company has 86 miles of mains, a large portion of which is in New York. To cummunicate
with that city, a vertical shaft was sunk one hundred and thirty feet deep, from the bottom of which the
only tunnel under the East River was bored to the New York side. A remarkable feature of the company's
works is the almost total absence of odor.
Pratt & Lambert Varnish Works
Pratt & Lambert Varnish Works
The Pratt & Lambert Varnish Co. was founded by Alfred W. Pratt. He invented and patented the
celebrated Pratt's Patent Liquid Dryer,which still has a large sale and is manufatured extensively
at all their works.In 1866, a small plant was erected on Fifth street in Long Island City. Within two
years he was obliged to have larger quarters, and he moved to a new plant at the corner of West
avenue and Fifth street. Two years later, he was obliged to have still larger quarters. In the meantime,
sales had increased so rapidly that arrangements were made with Mr. Henry S. Lambert to join him and the name
of the firm( which was A. W. Pratt & Co.) was changed to Pratt & Lambert. The plant which they now occupy was built on Fourth street.
In 1885, the plant on Fourth street was overcrowded, so they secured a place on Ninth street where
they located their stables and stored their surplus stock of raw material. In 1890, the business in the
western part of the country had grown to such an extent that a plant was erected in Chicago. In 1895,
the Cottingham Varnish Company was organized at Montreal to manufacture Pratt & Lambert varnishes
for the Canandian trade.
Morgan Grain Company
Morgan Grain Works
Thomas Morgan conducts an extensive business as a commisssion merchant and wholesale dealer
in Hay, Straw, Grain, etc., on Newtown Creek, foot of East avenue. Large quantities of grain are bought
by him on the New York Produce Exchange and then taken into the elevator for sale to the different
feed stores in the locality, and shipped on the cars of the Long Island Railroad to various parts of
the country. Orders from any part of Long Island receives prompt attention because of facilities for
railroad cars-an order today arrives at its destination on the following morning. The capacity of
the elevator is 50,000 bushels.A hay and straw warehouse was also erected during the summer of 1896.
Mr. Morgan is also the proprietor of the large elevators and warehouses at the foot of Taylor
street, Brooklyn.
