American Plate Glass Co.,
Williamsburgh, Long Island
"AMERICAN PLATE GLASS COMPANY --
(Factory Williamsburgh,
L. I.) are now prepared to execute orders for rough Plate
Glass, suitable for floors, skylights, vault, and deck
lights. Prompt attention will be given to orders left
at the office, 442 Broadway, or their agent, J. R. PLATT,
79 Murray st."
[Scientific American, August 18, 1855, page 391; Cornell]
"AMERICAN PLATE GLASS CO.
Having erected extensive works
in East Brooklyn, (foot of North Sixth st.) are now prepared
to execute promptly all orders forwarded to them, for Rough
Plate Glass, for Sky Lights, Floor Lights, Pavements, Deck
Lights for vessels, &c. ... All orders left at
the office the Company will receive prompt attention. Office
420 Broadway. Rough Plate Glass in the Sheet at the factory,
1-4 in. 35c.; 3-8 in. 35c.; 1-2 in. 40c.; 5-8 in. 60c;
3-4 in. 75c.; 7-8 in. 80.; 1 in. 85c.; 1 1-4 in. $1.25.
Terms cash in 30 days."
[Scientific American, August 18, 1855, page 287; Cornell]
"In the gaslight- and pre-gaslight era,
skylights were built into sidewalks to allow as much
sunlight as possible to filter into basement areas.
This one, on Grand Street, was built by the Burnet
Jackson Company (Excelsior Iron Works), which, if you
look at the inscription at right,
was located both at Centre and Howard Streets and also at 14th
Street and the East River."
forgotten NY street scenes (manhole & coal chute covers
T. H. Brooks & Co.,
Cleveland, Ohio [?-1904-?]
"Floor and Sidewalk Lights of Every Description" (The
Engineering Record, Volume 49, Number 16; April 16, 1904)
Excelsior Iron Works (Burnet Jackson Co.),
14th St. East River & Centre & Howard St., New York
Geo. R. Jackson's Sons
Designs Underfoot (Diana Stuart):
"By 1850 Jackson's Excelsior foundry was listed at
Centre St. under hardware"
"An 1868 hand-colored map shows Excelsior Iron Works
spanning E. 13 and 14 Sts. between Aves. C and D"
"A beautiful 1887 hand-colored illustration of the
foundry on a map shows it covering the entire city block"
General John McArthur:
"...immigrated to the United States
in 1849. McArthur worked in Chicago as a boilermaker, then
began the Excelsior Iron Works with his brother-in-law. In
1861, he was the sole owner of the company, and was active
in the state militia's Highland Guard. ... He left the
military in August of 1865, and returned to his iron business.
It did poorly..."
Union Generals
"In 1845 Thaddeus Hyatt patented a unique lighting system
that neatly complemented Bogardus's creation. Thick glass discs
set within iron grilles were placed in the sidewalk in front of
a warehouse letting natural light into the basement and avoiding
the need for gas lighting and its attendant fumes."
"All expansion joints in the terrace floor between the
stylobates and the balustrade walls were to be cleaned to
the depth of the upper slab and blown out with compressed
air. When clean, they were to be primed with Minwax Asphalt
Primer and allowed to dry. Minwax Vault Light Cement would
be poured into the joints and made flush with then top of the
slab. Before this hardened, a coat of clean white sand was
to be sprinkled on the surface of the joints to prevent
adhesion of the asphalt compound to pedestrian traffic." George Rogers Clark NHP, Historic Structures Report,
The 1943-44 Rehabilitation Program at the Memorial