San Francisco County
JOHN C. ROBERTS & JAMES COULIN
Galvanized Iron Cornices and Metal Roofing
Galvanized Iron Cornices and Metal Roofing The pioneers now engaged in the manufacture of ornamental iron-work for buildings on the Pacific coast are Messrs. Coulin & Roberts, whose factory and office are at 728 Mission street, San Francisco. In 1868 John C. Roberts and James Coulin, both natives of New York State, where they learned the trade, and were employed as journeymen in the same shop, entered into partnership and started a shop for galvanized iron and tinwork on the opposite side of the street, and have changed location but once in nearly a quarter of a century. Directed by their combined talent and energy, their business has flourished and grown until it is the largest of its kind in the city, employing sixty to 100 skilled men; and even this large force is unable to perform the work as rapidly as is desired. The company confine their attention to the manufacture of galvanized iron and copper cornices and other ornamental work, and tin, iron and copper roofing. Among the many principal business blocks and most elegant private dwellings which bear testimony to the mechanical taste and skill of this firm may be mentioned the Baldwin and Grand Hotels, the Phelan building, Flood building and residence, Nevada Bank, the Crocker and Huntington residences, etc., on a number of which they put on copper roofs, the contract price of their work in some cases reaching nearly $30,000.
Mr. John C. Roberts, who has charge of the outside business, was born in 1834, and came to California in 1859, by way of the Isthmus or Panama. Besides managing their extensive business, he has been prominently identified officially with public affairs of the city and county, as a member of the Board of Supervisors in 1875-76-77.
Transcribed
by Joyce and David Rugeroni.
Source: The Bay of
San Francisco, Vol. 2, Pages 383-384, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.
© 2006 Joyce & David
Rugeroni.