Millwork

cisco and started what was then known as the Enterprise Brewery as far back as 1875. This was the primary reason that George Windeler decided to come to San Francisco, when departure for America became a possibility.

The trip, itself, was indicative of the resourcefulness and tenacity which was to be evident in all his later life. He stowed away on a British steamer at Bremerhaven bound for London. This was the old style "hitch-hike." The trick was to jump the boat at night and hide under a life boat or in the hold. George's entire capital consisted of $5.00 American money, so fancier quarters were not possible. A job in a sugar refinery in London enabled him to save enough money after six months for passage to New York where he had relatives in the candy business. San Francisco, however, still remained the main objective.

There was no Panama Canal in those days, but there was a Panama Railroad which transferred passengers from one side of the Isthmus to the other. George, earmarking a boat for Panama, was soon steaming South.

Arriving in San Francisco, he looked up his brother, Peter, who secured a job for him with David Woerner, a skilled cooper, who made beer barrels and beer tanks. Woerner's company was to become the present Western Cooperage Company.

George Windeler liked the cooperage business and after eight years went into business for himself ; making beer barrels and brewery tanks and later specializing in oak oval wine casks. The year was 1885, the beginning of the machine age, and so, determined to progress rvith the tines, he bought a small planing mill and in 1897 commenced operations.

Motive power for the plant rvas a 75 H.P. steam engine and some new machinery was installed to make tanks and barrels. Almost at once, problems developed. There were not enough shavings and sawdust to provide fuel for the boiler. He decided he would install a matcher and a resaw and go after the custom millwork for the lumber yards who had no mills of their own. fn that way, he could make a little profit and also have extra fuel to supply the boiler economically.

Things ran along with a fair degree of success, but April 18, 1906, came, the date of the San Francisco earthquake and fire. The plant, which was then located at 144 Berry Street, was surrounded by fire. Employees battled valiantly with wet sacks beating out sparks drifting across the sky while the San Francisco Fire Dept. pumped water from the Bay and sprayed it over adjacent roofs. The fire mains were broken and water was running short. Ii was then that the Windeler water storage tank supplied water for the fire engine boilers, and after three days of heat and superhuman effort, the plant was saved. Subsequent to the fire, business poured in and custom millwork boomed.

In 1912, the plant had a private fire of its own, which resulted in an almost total loss. Hardly had the heat of this conflagration cooled, when George Windeler set about rebuilding and replacing machinery. The property itself was leased from the Southern Pacific on their usual month to month basis and soon after the business was re-established, misfortune struck again. The railroad, desiring to provide for extension of railroad trackage, notified him that he must vacate.

Discouragement sebms not to have entered into George Windeler's make-up. Once again, he found another site for his tank business, at Bth and Hooper Streets. He built a new mill, which was a better and more efficient plant, but this time he had a nice crisp sheet of paper which told all and sundry that this property was to be his under leasehold for twenty years. He had not been negligent or unaware of the results of putting up a plant on land leased on a month-to-month basis, but when one has to meet payrolls, pay for machinery and incoming cars of lumber, the financial problem becomes one where chances must be taken on certain propositions.

In lX)7 , the area where the present Windeler mill stands, was a big muddy duckpond full of tules. From Third Street to Bayshore Highway and from Alemany to Armv Streets, the tides washed in and out. The land, however, had one great virtue, it was excellent for duck hunting. When George Windeler came out to see the property, he wasn't looking for ducks. In his mind was the belief that one day the San Francisco Industrial District would have to expand, and when it did, it would come out to this duckpond.

Third and. Berry was becoming crowded; there were too many lumber yards and not enough room, so he purchased this underwater land. Other companies bought nearer to shore. As they filled in their properties, a road was made to the Windeler site and soon he was able to start filling. The work extended over many years, but he built for the future. The water \4ras 10 to 15 feet deep and in many places, the mud extended down 100 feet. Loads of rock were dumped only to sink out of sight, but the day came when solid ground began to appear. It is this area upon which the mill now stands.

He then decided that his would be the finest mill and tank shop in tl-re city. He had experienced enough of wooden gangways and the muddy yards of the old days. Here, runways wete to be paved and footing would be solid and trustworthy so men could do their work well and in safety. His mill would be enclosed; no longervr'ould men be required to stand at their machines rvith the wind and rain driving over them, and it would be fully protected against fire hazards by an automatic sprinkler system. It was to be a good place to work; good for the men and good for the progress of this valiant firm.

In 1931, the office building was completed and finally in 1934, when the main buildings were completed, the machinery and crew moved from the old location and operations began.

There was extensive paving, lighting was scientific, construction was rugged, and ideal working conditions lvere the order of the day. And so, the present \Vindeler Plant stands as a memorial to its founder who literally pulled himself up by the boot straps and built his empire.

George Windeler died September 3, 1941, at the age of 85. Truly he represented the very finest that the Old World had to give to the New.