TSCHIRGI AND SCHWIND

TSCHIRGI AND SCHWIND. The 1878-79 Dubuque City Directory listed the junction of Julien Avenue and Delhi as the site of the brewery. The office of the business was decorated by a large fresco done by John Tschirgi, a son of one of the owners. (1)

In February 1878 the company announced the construction of a pagoda just west of the brewery. Constructed to be 100 x 24 feet and 16 feet high, it was to contain a dance hall and bar. A 24 x 24 foot conservatory was to be constructed in the center that could be enclosed in the winter and opened in the summer to enjoy the park and garden planted nearby. (2) In August company officials announced the production of a white beer on September 1st. (3) During the same month, the company began construction of a brick building over the shaft from which they obtain water for brewing and other purposes. At the bottom of the 100' shaft was a 20-horse engine that pumped 200 gallons per minute to the surface where it was carried 300 feet to a new reservoir--60' x 20' x 4' with a cemented brick base capable of holding 8,000 barrels of water. It was announced that this would be enough to provide fire protection and needed ice. (4)

In early January 1879 the company was ready to harvest its second crop of ice from the artificial pond. An experiment with several fish did not turn out well. They were found frozen in the ice. (5)

In July 1880 the construction of an stone ice house 100 feet long was begun. When finished, the building was to have a capacity of 1,000 tons of ice. (6) The company became known in 1891 for its "handsome and costly" swinging signs. Costing $8.00 each, this advertising was found outside many local saloons. (7)

In 1885 the company announced that representatives were in Chicago purchasing the necessary equipment to begin a bottling plant in Dubuque. Bottled beer was expected to be ready for the consumers in several weeks. (8)

Tschirgi and Schwind operated a deer park. In September 1878 the Dubuque Herald announced the addition of a "wild Rocky Mountain goat" to the animals. (9)

See: WESTERN BREWERY

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Source:

1. "Caught on the Fly," Dubuque Herald, April 1, 1880, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=uh8FjILnQOkC&dat=18800401&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

2. "A Summer Resort," Dubuque Herald, February 1, 1878, p. 4

3. "Caught on the Fly," Dubuque Herald, August 1, 1878, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=uh8FjILnQOkC&dat=18780801&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

4. "Plenty of Water," Dubuque Herald, August 20, 1878, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=uh8FjILnQOkC&dat=18780820&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

5. "Caught on the Fly," Dubuque Herald, January 9, 1879, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=uh8FjILnQOkC&dat=18790109&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

6. "Caught on the Fly," Dubuque Herald, July 23, 1880, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=uh8FjILnQOkC&dat=18800723&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

7. "Municipal Molecules," Dubuque Daily Herald, August 4, 1891, p. 4.

8. "New Beer Bottling Works," Dubuque Herald, January 3, 1885, p. 4

9. "Caught on the Fly," Dubuque Herald, September 5, 1878, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=uh8FjILnQOkC&dat=18780905&printsec=frontpage&hl=en