TRADE CARD FOR B.S. WILIAMS & CO., KALAMAZOO, MICH ... "SPOOPENDYKE GETS A WIND MILL TOO!"

Kalamazoo: Kalamazoo Publishing Company, n.d. [ca.1885]., 1885. First edition. 6" x 6 9/16" card folded in half to create to 4 panels. Two colorful cover panels - - one showing a woman with her parasol watering the crops with a hose as her husband is toiling at the pump. The second panel shows and man and his wife sitting on the front porch of their home while a sprinkler does the work. In background is a windmill. Two interior panels tell the story of poor Mr. And Mrs. Spoopendyke, a couple who is forced to do back-breaking work in order to get water to their crops. In January of 1867, Bradley S. Williams and his brother-in-law, Mr. Kirk Smith formed Williams, Smith & Co. in Kalamazoo, MI. The stated purpose to manufacture windmills and "reapers, mowers or threshers." In 1873, the two parted ways and Williams changed the name of the company to B.S. Williams & Co. By 1889, Kalamazoo was known as “The Windmill City” with a total of eight windmill factories in operation. Over 4,000 windmills were produced annually. B. S. Williams & Co. was the largest manufacturer and producing over 1,200 mills annually. Light soiling and with stamp to top of one scene. Panels have been neatly taped together. Very good.