St. Paul Foundry - A History of the Oldest Manufacturer In Minnesota
The following paragraph is excerpted from a book entitled
"St. Paul - The Queen City of the North-West"
which was written circa 1889.
ST. PAUL BRASS-WORKS COMPANY
The St. Paul Brass Works at the corner of
Eighth and Minnesota streets can claim a respectable antiquity as things go
in this city.
The enterprise was started in 1869 by W. F. Bailey.
Mr. C. W. Nitterauer joined in 1888, and Mr. G. N.
Bailey, a brother of W. F., in 1886, but has no active part in the affairs
of the firm.
The premises at the corner of Eighth and Minnesota streets
have been occupied six years.
It consists of three floors in the brick building,
50x100 feet, and they employ 25 hands.
The works are run by steam power, and the
specialties of production are brass goods, castings, railroad brass, babbit
metal, solder and battery zincs; sole manufacturers of Randolph’s Metallic
Compound for journal bearings, every variety of brass goods for engine
builders, plumbers, gas and steam fitters, breweries, mills, etc., brass
railings for stores and offices, metal patterns, all kinds of jobbing and
experimental work, patent models and repairing of all kinds of machinery
promptly attended to at reasonable prices, and steam gauges are tested and
repaired.
The company is prepared to furnish estimates for any kind of
work in their line, and their reputation is such that no work in their line
can be done better.
Mr. W. F. Bailey came from the Granite state to
Minnesota twenty three years ago, and has made his mark in the development
of the brass industry of which the St. Paul Brass Works Company is the
splendid expression and triumph.
Mr. Bailey is a member of the F. & A. M., a
prominent factor in the Commercial Club and the Chamber of Commerce.
In 1898 the company moved to 2nd Street and Wabasha overlooking the
river. By then it specialized in the production of brass castings.
Plant at 2nd Street and Wabasha Circa 1898 (at left side of photo)
In 1928, Saint Paul Brass was purchased by Eugene Ryan, who operated
the business as a proprietorship until November of 1946 when Saint Paul
Brass was incorporated. It's current legal name, St. Paul Brass Foundry
Company, was established at that time.
St. Paul Brass
grew to a multimillion dollar
operation nationally recognized for its technological advancement and
the quality of its nonferrous cast products.
In 2011 St. Paul Foundry was purchased by Cervus
Technologies. Cervus is privately held.
Saint Paul Foundry continues to operate today as Minnesota’s
oldest manufacturer specializing in quality brass, bronze and aluminum sand
castings, whose uses range from impellers to housings to valves to
aerospace, from one to ten thousand, from ounces to 1200 pounds.