Page 91 - Industries_of_San_Antonio

COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURES. 91

the United States rates next to wood, corn, wheat and cotton, double that
of the gold and silver mines, being about $100,000,000. Wool-growing is
the prominent interest in some sections of this country, and latterly con-
siderable attention has been directed to Texes as a most favorable locality,
as to climate and range or pasturage facilities, and already the wool inter-
ests are of very considerable value, not only in quantity, but from careful
importation, breeding and stocking, in quality. The wool merchant, so
called, occupies, in the economy of trade, a most important middle posi-
tion between the producer and consumer, providing a home market for
one and a supply of material in bulk for the other. Perceiving the open-
ing for a business of this kind, Messrs. Henry L. and Louis S. Berg, estab-
lished themselves in the wool business in 1878, operating, however, in a
dual capacity. One of the first preparations for manufacturing fabrics of
wool, is to cleanse it thoroughly of its fatty or oily nature; this is called
scouring. Messrs. Berg Bros., in connection with the buying of wool,
also sort and scour, rendering it all the more valuable for the manufactur-
Their mills are located six miles south of the city; the building is 30
er.
by 150 feet in dimensions, four stories high, thoroughly equipped with the
best modern machinery, mechanical appliances and facilities, including a
full set of Smith's scouring machinery. They handle, during the year,
one million and a half (1,500,000) pounds of wool, which is shipped to the
Eastern states. In addition, they operate a grist mill, which is also
thoroughly equipped with the best class of machinery. The grist mill is
30 by 40 feet in size; the product is about 100 bushels of meal daily. Their
cotton gin is similarly equipped with machinery, conveniences and appli-
ances. They gin and handle some 400 bales of cotton during the season.
Motive power is furnished to the different mills by three Turbine water
wheels, one Leffel wheel, forty-eight inches in diameter; one Victor
wheel, thirty-six inches in diameter; and one Warren wheel, thirty inches
in diameter. They give employment to forty hands, in different capaci-
ties. Thus these gentlemen fill a position, in the commercial and manu-
facturing interests of San Antonio, of great benefit and importance, cater-
ing to the wants of various industries in most practically useful capacities.
Their business is conducted upon legitimate principle and managed with a
conservative, yet liberal policy. Messrs. Berg Bros. are natives of Georgia;
residents of Texas for the past 16 years. Louis S. Berg is director, sec-
retary and manager of the Lone Star Brewing Company, and director of
the San Antonio Gas Company. In addition, Messrs. Berg & Bro. occupy
a position connected with the transportation facilities of this city of the
utmost importance to the mercantile community. They are contracting
freight agents of the several railroad lines entering the city—the Galves-
ton, Harrisburg & San Antonio Railway system, the Southern Pacific
Railroad, and Morgan's Louisiana & Texas Railroad and Steamship Com-
pany.