San Francisco County
Biographies
BERNARD
A. & JOHN J. TRACY
THE MISSION POTTERY,
Tracy Brothers, proprietors, was established at its present location,
Seventeenth and Harrison streets, in 1883. It was founded by Daniel McMenamin, J. J. And B. A. Tracy, the plant consisting of a
building 40 x 100 feet in area and one eighteen-foot kiln. In 1884 a
duplicate building containing a twenty-foot kiln was added; and in 1888 another
building, 60 x 70 feet, and in it built a twenty-four foot kiln. At first
the works were supplied with such machinery as was then in general use,
comprising the “screw press,” with a capacity of 300 pieces of pipe per
day. When the next building was completed the old machinery was replaced
with new and improved machinery, including the best steam press manufactured by
Messrs. Turner, Vaughan & Taylor, Cayuga Falls, Ohio. The press was
capable of turning out 1,200 pieces of twelve to twenty inch pipe a day, or
2,000 pieces of the smaller sizes, while it required two men less to operate it
than any other press in use. The works were first established on leased
ground; they subsequently bought and now own the land, which is bounded by
Seventeenth and Eighteenth and Harrison and Channel streets. The original
capital invested was about $13,000, and the value of the above described
property was $70,000. December 4, 1890, these works were entirely
destroyed by fire, at a loss of $50,000. Four months afterward the
enterprising proprietors had an entire plant rebuilt: Shop, 140 feet square and
three stories high, with all the latest improved machinery. It is one of
the most complete sewer-pipe works on the coast, and the only sewer-pipe
manufactory in San Francisco. The concern employs twenty five to thirty men, and the output for 1889 exceeded $160,000 in value,
consisting of vitrefied sewer pipe, water pipe, drain
tile, chimney pipe and fire brick. The clay, of which 25,000 to 28,000
tons are consumed annually, is shipped from Amador county.
Mr. B. A. Tracy, who
has the active management of the works, has invented a press-feeder which is
capable of conveying sixty to seventy-five tons of clay per day, and performing
the labor of two men. The firm’s office and sample yard are situated at 20
and 22 Eighth street, San Francisco.
The Tracy brothers
are natives of the north of Ireland. Bernard A. Tracy is thirty-one years
old, and in his youth learned the plasterer’s trade. He landed in the
United States in 1876, and after attending the International Exposition at
Philadelphia came on to California. Mr. J. J. Tracy,
two years older, left his native land in 1881 and went directly to Seattle,
Washington, where he engaged in the manufacture of soda water. Two years later
he came to San Francisco, where he formed his present relation.
Transcribed
by 10-5-06 Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: "The Bay of San
Francisco," Vol. 2, Pages 159-160,
Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.
©
2006 Marilyn R. Pankey.