A. J. P. BERTSCHY.
A well known business man of Omaha is A. J. P. Bertschy, president of the Bertschy Manufacturing and Engineering Company, manufacturers of automobile parts and screw machine products. He was born in McHenry county, Illinois, July 11, 1875, a son of Frederick and Magdalena (Zimpleman) Bertschy, who were natives of France and in 1868 came to America, settling in McHenry county, Illinois. There the father engaged in the cultivation of vineyards and in agricultural pursuits to the time of his death, which occurred in 1899. He had long survived his wife, who passed away in 1884. In their family were four children, of whom Adolph was the youngest. The others are : Mrs. Lena Siler, of Urbana, Illinois ; George, of Omaha ; and Fred, living in Bowman, North Dakota.
A. J. P. Bertschy attended the public schools of his native county until his tenth year, when he ran away from home and secured a position in a meat market in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Later he took up work along electrical lines and gradually acquainted himself with the electrical construction business. When fifteen years of age he became an employe of the Elgin Watchcase Company at Elgin, Illinois, and when sixteen years of age was made foreman. He handled all the gold cases and special raised work and had made for himself a most creditable position in business circles when a strike occurred in the factory and he was discharged. He then took up electrical construction and lighting system work in northern Illinois and eventually secured a position as foreman with the Bell Telephone Company, remaining in that connection for several years. He then resigned to obtain a better position with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company in their block signal department and continued with the road for several years. He afterward entered the service of the Independent Telephone Company of Illinois and while thus engaged he invented the telephone repeater, which is now being universally used on the telephone systems. He still holds the patents on his invention but in 1904 sold an interest therein. After a short time with the Independent Telephone Company he was made manager in 1900 of the trouble department and became connected with the power service as well. About the same time he started in the auto repair business in Chicago, in which he continued for a year. He then went to Woodstock, Illinois, where he conducted a general jobbing shop and built a successful working model of his telephone repeater. He then sold out his shop and went to the Nevada gold fields. In May, 1904, he began experimenting with autogenous welding, on the request of his brother, a mining engineer, to reduce concrete rock, which has since become known as Wolframite. In the same year, through an uncle in Paris, France, a device was perfected known as autogenous welding for the reduction of ore at the tremendous heat of four thousand degrees. At that time, while in Nevada, he was at work on an automobile designed for the purpose of crossing the desert—at that time an unheard of performance. This machine he perfected, but the company which was backing him became financially embarrassed and he was compelled to work his way home. He landed in Council Bluffs in 1907 and for a time was obliged to work for his board. When he secured a position he saved enough of his earnings to organize the Bertschy Motor Company. This company established headquarters in Council Bluffs and Mr. Bertschy severed his connection therewith in 1911.
He then returned to Omaha practically without means and secured a place to open an auto garage, which he did on the 1st of February, 1912. His first day's receipts were five dollars and fifty-five cents. The second day's receipts were fifteen cents, and the third twenty cents. On the 7th of February, 1912, he banked twenty dollars. The excellence of his work soon brought him a growing reputation, followed by a constantly increasing trade, and among automobile owners, when anything became wrong with their machines, the word became current, "Bertschy can fix it." This he finally adopted as a trade mark— "Bertschy Can-Fix-It." There has been no kind of automobile trouble that he has not been able to remedy and his work has gained a high reputation in many other lines. Something of the volume of his business is indicated in the fact that while in February, 191 2, he deposited twenty dollars, his total business for the first year was over fifty thousand dollars and his gross profit seventeen thousand two hundred and thirteen dollars. There are today thirty-seven men in his employ, all experienced in their line. The floor space of his repair department is nineteen thousand square feet, devoted exclusively to the repair and manufacture of auto parts. He has the most modern and thoroughly up-to-date machinery and every known device for the repair and manufacture of automobiles, for welding and other machinery. Mr. Bertschy possesses marked inventive genius and there is nothing along mechanical lines which he dare not attempt. In 1908 he patented an air cushion suspension for automobiles and in 1914 he patented an electrical flasher for use on flashlight signs. He is now working on and has practically perfected a process for converting ordinary steel or iron into high grade steel which will reduce the cost from seven thousand dollars per ton to one hundred and forty dollars. On displaying this to steel men, they were amazed and said that if he would make tests that would prove satisfactory to them, they would not hesitate to offer him five hundred thousand dollars for the formula. He has already made his tests in private and they have proven satisfactory.
On the 2d of May, 1915, Mr. Bertschy was married to Mrs. Helen Graham at Papillion, Nebraska, who by her former marriage had two children, Robert S. Bertschy and Helen M. Bertschy, twins, born in Shreveport, Louisiana, July 6, 1900. The former is now in the manual training high school. He is an apt pupil of Mr. Bertschy, who takes the deepest interest in the welfare and progress of his son, who is also displaying marked mechanical ingenuity and is now completing without assistance from anyone a miniature automobile, child's size. Helen is now attending a private school and shows remarkable talent in music and art.
Mr. Bertschy is an honorary member of the Elks lodge of Joliet, Illinois. He has membership in the Masonic fraternity and he belongs to the Omaha Athletic, the Commercial and the Automobile Clubs. He is a member of the American Society of Scientific Engineers and his inventive genius has made him widely known among men who are directing their efforts along similar lines or whose interest centers in work of kindred character. Unlike many men of inventive ingenuity, he possesses also marked business ability and executive force, his strength and power being demonstrated in the notable success that has come to him within the last five years.
source of portrait and biographical sketch: "Omaha: the Gate City and Douglas County, Nebraska", 1917, volume II, biographical sketch on pages 746, 748 & 750, portrait on page 747
Contributor: Genie Nuts 1976 (47118364)
A well known business man of Omaha is A. J. P. Bertschy, president of the Bertschy Manufacturing and Engineering Company, manufacturers of automobile parts and screw machine products. He was born in McHenry county, Illinois, July 11, 1875, a son of Frederick and Magdalena (Zimpleman) Bertschy, who were natives of France and in 1868 came to America, settling in McHenry county, Illinois. There the father engaged in the cultivation of vineyards and in agricultural pursuits to the time of his death, which occurred in 1899. He had long survived his wife, who passed away in 1884. In their family were four children, of whom Adolph was the youngest. The others are : Mrs. Lena Siler, of Urbana, Illinois ; George, of Omaha ; and Fred, living in Bowman, North Dakota.
A. J. P. Bertschy attended the public schools of his native county until his tenth year, when he ran away from home and secured a position in a meat market in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Later he took up work along electrical lines and gradually acquainted himself with the electrical construction business. When fifteen years of age he became an employe of the Elgin Watchcase Company at Elgin, Illinois, and when sixteen years of age was made foreman. He handled all the gold cases and special raised work and had made for himself a most creditable position in business circles when a strike occurred in the factory and he was discharged. He then took up electrical construction and lighting system work in northern Illinois and eventually secured a position as foreman with the Bell Telephone Company, remaining in that connection for several years. He then resigned to obtain a better position with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company in their block signal department and continued with the road for several years. He afterward entered the service of the Independent Telephone Company of Illinois and while thus engaged he invented the telephone repeater, which is now being universally used on the telephone systems. He still holds the patents on his invention but in 1904 sold an interest therein. After a short time with the Independent Telephone Company he was made manager in 1900 of the trouble department and became connected with the power service as well. About the same time he started in the auto repair business in Chicago, in which he continued for a year. He then went to Woodstock, Illinois, where he conducted a general jobbing shop and built a successful working model of his telephone repeater. He then sold out his shop and went to the Nevada gold fields. In May, 1904, he began experimenting with autogenous welding, on the request of his brother, a mining engineer, to reduce concrete rock, which has since become known as Wolframite. In the same year, through an uncle in Paris, France, a device was perfected known as autogenous welding for the reduction of ore at the tremendous heat of four thousand degrees. At that time, while in Nevada, he was at work on an automobile designed for the purpose of crossing the desert—at that time an unheard of performance. This machine he perfected, but the company which was backing him became financially embarrassed and he was compelled to work his way home. He landed in Council Bluffs in 1907 and for a time was obliged to work for his board. When he secured a position he saved enough of his earnings to organize the Bertschy Motor Company. This company established headquarters in Council Bluffs and Mr. Bertschy severed his connection therewith in 1911.
He then returned to Omaha practically without means and secured a place to open an auto garage, which he did on the 1st of February, 1912. His first day's receipts were five dollars and fifty-five cents. The second day's receipts were fifteen cents, and the third twenty cents. On the 7th of February, 1912, he banked twenty dollars. The excellence of his work soon brought him a growing reputation, followed by a constantly increasing trade, and among automobile owners, when anything became wrong with their machines, the word became current, "Bertschy can fix it." This he finally adopted as a trade mark— "Bertschy Can-Fix-It." There has been no kind of automobile trouble that he has not been able to remedy and his work has gained a high reputation in many other lines. Something of the volume of his business is indicated in the fact that while in February, 191 2, he deposited twenty dollars, his total business for the first year was over fifty thousand dollars and his gross profit seventeen thousand two hundred and thirteen dollars. There are today thirty-seven men in his employ, all experienced in their line. The floor space of his repair department is nineteen thousand square feet, devoted exclusively to the repair and manufacture of auto parts. He has the most modern and thoroughly up-to-date machinery and every known device for the repair and manufacture of automobiles, for welding and other machinery. Mr. Bertschy possesses marked inventive genius and there is nothing along mechanical lines which he dare not attempt. In 1908 he patented an air cushion suspension for automobiles and in 1914 he patented an electrical flasher for use on flashlight signs. He is now working on and has practically perfected a process for converting ordinary steel or iron into high grade steel which will reduce the cost from seven thousand dollars per ton to one hundred and forty dollars. On displaying this to steel men, they were amazed and said that if he would make tests that would prove satisfactory to them, they would not hesitate to offer him five hundred thousand dollars for the formula. He has already made his tests in private and they have proven satisfactory.
On the 2d of May, 1915, Mr. Bertschy was married to Mrs. Helen Graham at Papillion, Nebraska, who by her former marriage had two children, Robert S. Bertschy and Helen M. Bertschy, twins, born in Shreveport, Louisiana, July 6, 1900. The former is now in the manual training high school. He is an apt pupil of Mr. Bertschy, who takes the deepest interest in the welfare and progress of his son, who is also displaying marked mechanical ingenuity and is now completing without assistance from anyone a miniature automobile, child's size. Helen is now attending a private school and shows remarkable talent in music and art.
Mr. Bertschy is an honorary member of the Elks lodge of Joliet, Illinois. He has membership in the Masonic fraternity and he belongs to the Omaha Athletic, the Commercial and the Automobile Clubs. He is a member of the American Society of Scientific Engineers and his inventive genius has made him widely known among men who are directing their efforts along similar lines or whose interest centers in work of kindred character. Unlike many men of inventive ingenuity, he possesses also marked business ability and executive force, his strength and power being demonstrated in the notable success that has come to him within the last five years.
source of portrait and biographical sketch: "Omaha: the Gate City and Douglas County, Nebraska", 1917, volume II, biographical sketch on pages 746, 748 & 750, portrait on page 747
Contributor: Genie Nuts 1976 (47118364)
A. J. P. BERTSCHY.
A well known business man of Omaha is A. J. P. Bertschy, president of the Bertschy Manufacturing and Engineering Company, manufacturers of automobile parts and screw machine products. He was born in McHenry county, Illinois, July 11, 1875, a son of Frederick and Magdalena (Zimpleman) Bertschy, who were natives of France and in 1868 came to America, settling in McHenry county, Illinois. There the father engaged in the cultivation of vineyards and in agricultural pursuits to the time of his death, which occurred in 1899. He had long survived his wife, who passed away in 1884. In their family were four children, of whom Adolph was the youngest. The others are : Mrs. Lena Siler, of Urbana, Illinois ; George, of Omaha ; and Fred, living in Bowman, North Dakota.
A. J. P. Bertschy attended the public schools of his native county until his tenth year, when he ran away from home and secured a position in a meat market in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Later he took up work along electrical lines and gradually acquainted himself with the electrical construction business. When fifteen years of age he became an employe of the Elgin Watchcase Company at Elgin, Illinois, and when sixteen years of age was made foreman. He handled all the gold cases and special raised work and had made for himself a most creditable position in business circles when a strike occurred in the factory and he was discharged. He then took up electrical construction and lighting system work in northern Illinois and eventually secured a position as foreman with the Bell Telephone Company, remaining in that connection for several years. He then resigned to obtain a better position with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company in their block signal department and continued with the road for several years. He afterward entered the service of the Independent Telephone Company of Illinois and while thus engaged he invented the telephone repeater, which is now being universally used on the telephone systems. He still holds the patents on his invention but in 1904 sold an interest therein. After a short time with the Independent Telephone Company he was made manager in 1900 of the trouble department and became connected with the power service as well. About the same time he started in the auto repair business in Chicago, in which he continued for a year. He then went to Woodstock, Illinois, where he conducted a general jobbing shop and built a successful working model of his telephone repeater. He then sold out his shop and went to the Nevada gold fields. In May, 1904, he began experimenting with autogenous welding, on the request of his brother, a mining engineer, to reduce concrete rock, which has since become known as Wolframite. In the same year, through an uncle in Paris, France, a device was perfected known as autogenous welding for the reduction of ore at the tremendous heat of four thousand degrees. At that time, while in Nevada, he was at work on an automobile designed for the purpose of crossing the desert—at that time an unheard of performance. This machine he perfected, but the company which was backing him became financially embarrassed and he was compelled to work his way home. He landed in Council Bluffs in 1907 and for a time was obliged to work for his board. When he secured a position he saved enough of his earnings to organize the Bertschy Motor Company. This company established headquarters in Council Bluffs and Mr. Bertschy severed his connection therewith in 1911.
He then returned to Omaha practically without means and secured a place to open an auto garage, which he did on the 1st of February, 1912. His first day's receipts were five dollars and fifty-five cents. The second day's receipts were fifteen cents, and the third twenty cents. On the 7th of February, 1912, he banked twenty dollars. The excellence of his work soon brought him a growing reputation, followed by a constantly increasing trade, and among automobile owners, when anything became wrong with their machines, the word became current, "Bertschy can fix it." This he finally adopted as a trade mark— "Bertschy Can-Fix-It." There has been no kind of automobile trouble that he has not been able to remedy and his work has gained a high reputation in many other lines. Something of the volume of his business is indicated in the fact that while in February, 191 2, he deposited twenty dollars, his total business for the first year was over fifty thousand dollars and his gross profit seventeen thousand two hundred and thirteen dollars. There are today thirty-seven men in his employ, all experienced in their line. The floor space of his repair department is nineteen thousand square feet, devoted exclusively to the repair and manufacture of auto parts. He has the most modern and thoroughly up-to-date machinery and every known device for the repair and manufacture of automobiles, for welding and other machinery. Mr. Bertschy possesses marked inventive genius and there is nothing along mechanical lines which he dare not attempt. In 1908 he patented an air cushion suspension for automobiles and in 1914 he patented an electrical flasher for use on flashlight signs. He is now working on and has practically perfected a process for converting ordinary steel or iron into high grade steel which will reduce the cost from seven thousand dollars per ton to one hundred and forty dollars. On displaying this to steel men, they were amazed and said that if he would make tests that would prove satisfactory to them, they would not hesitate to offer him five hundred thousand dollars for the formula. He has already made his tests in private and they have proven satisfactory.
On the 2d of May, 1915, Mr. Bertschy was married to Mrs. Helen Graham at Papillion, Nebraska, who by her former marriage had two children, Robert S. Bertschy and Helen M. Bertschy, twins, born in Shreveport, Louisiana, July 6, 1900. The former is now in the manual training high school. He is an apt pupil of Mr. Bertschy, who takes the deepest interest in the welfare and progress of his son, who is also displaying marked mechanical ingenuity and is now completing without assistance from anyone a miniature automobile, child's size. Helen is now attending a private school and shows remarkable talent in music and art.
Mr. Bertschy is an honorary member of the Elks lodge of Joliet, Illinois. He has membership in the Masonic fraternity and he belongs to the Omaha Athletic, the Commercial and the Automobile Clubs. He is a member of the American Society of Scientific Engineers and his inventive genius has made him widely known among men who are directing their efforts along similar lines or whose interest centers in work of kindred character. Unlike many men of inventive ingenuity, he possesses also marked business ability and executive force, his strength and power being demonstrated in the notable success that has come to him within the last five years.
source of portrait and biographical sketch: "Omaha: the Gate City and Douglas County, Nebraska", 1917, volume II, biographical sketch on pages 746, 748 & 750, portrait on page 747
Contributor: Genie Nuts 1976 (47118364)
A well known business man of Omaha is A. J. P. Bertschy, president of the Bertschy Manufacturing and Engineering Company, manufacturers of automobile parts and screw machine products. He was born in McHenry county, Illinois, July 11, 1875, a son of Frederick and Magdalena (Zimpleman) Bertschy, who were natives of France and in 1868 came to America, settling in McHenry county, Illinois. There the father engaged in the cultivation of vineyards and in agricultural pursuits to the time of his death, which occurred in 1899. He had long survived his wife, who passed away in 1884. In their family were four children, of whom Adolph was the youngest. The others are : Mrs. Lena Siler, of Urbana, Illinois ; George, of Omaha ; and Fred, living in Bowman, North Dakota.
A. J. P. Bertschy attended the public schools of his native county until his tenth year, when he ran away from home and secured a position in a meat market in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Later he took up work along electrical lines and gradually acquainted himself with the electrical construction business. When fifteen years of age he became an employe of the Elgin Watchcase Company at Elgin, Illinois, and when sixteen years of age was made foreman. He handled all the gold cases and special raised work and had made for himself a most creditable position in business circles when a strike occurred in the factory and he was discharged. He then took up electrical construction and lighting system work in northern Illinois and eventually secured a position as foreman with the Bell Telephone Company, remaining in that connection for several years. He then resigned to obtain a better position with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company in their block signal department and continued with the road for several years. He afterward entered the service of the Independent Telephone Company of Illinois and while thus engaged he invented the telephone repeater, which is now being universally used on the telephone systems. He still holds the patents on his invention but in 1904 sold an interest therein. After a short time with the Independent Telephone Company he was made manager in 1900 of the trouble department and became connected with the power service as well. About the same time he started in the auto repair business in Chicago, in which he continued for a year. He then went to Woodstock, Illinois, where he conducted a general jobbing shop and built a successful working model of his telephone repeater. He then sold out his shop and went to the Nevada gold fields. In May, 1904, he began experimenting with autogenous welding, on the request of his brother, a mining engineer, to reduce concrete rock, which has since become known as Wolframite. In the same year, through an uncle in Paris, France, a device was perfected known as autogenous welding for the reduction of ore at the tremendous heat of four thousand degrees. At that time, while in Nevada, he was at work on an automobile designed for the purpose of crossing the desert—at that time an unheard of performance. This machine he perfected, but the company which was backing him became financially embarrassed and he was compelled to work his way home. He landed in Council Bluffs in 1907 and for a time was obliged to work for his board. When he secured a position he saved enough of his earnings to organize the Bertschy Motor Company. This company established headquarters in Council Bluffs and Mr. Bertschy severed his connection therewith in 1911.
He then returned to Omaha practically without means and secured a place to open an auto garage, which he did on the 1st of February, 1912. His first day's receipts were five dollars and fifty-five cents. The second day's receipts were fifteen cents, and the third twenty cents. On the 7th of February, 1912, he banked twenty dollars. The excellence of his work soon brought him a growing reputation, followed by a constantly increasing trade, and among automobile owners, when anything became wrong with their machines, the word became current, "Bertschy can fix it." This he finally adopted as a trade mark— "Bertschy Can-Fix-It." There has been no kind of automobile trouble that he has not been able to remedy and his work has gained a high reputation in many other lines. Something of the volume of his business is indicated in the fact that while in February, 191 2, he deposited twenty dollars, his total business for the first year was over fifty thousand dollars and his gross profit seventeen thousand two hundred and thirteen dollars. There are today thirty-seven men in his employ, all experienced in their line. The floor space of his repair department is nineteen thousand square feet, devoted exclusively to the repair and manufacture of auto parts. He has the most modern and thoroughly up-to-date machinery and every known device for the repair and manufacture of automobiles, for welding and other machinery. Mr. Bertschy possesses marked inventive genius and there is nothing along mechanical lines which he dare not attempt. In 1908 he patented an air cushion suspension for automobiles and in 1914 he patented an electrical flasher for use on flashlight signs. He is now working on and has practically perfected a process for converting ordinary steel or iron into high grade steel which will reduce the cost from seven thousand dollars per ton to one hundred and forty dollars. On displaying this to steel men, they were amazed and said that if he would make tests that would prove satisfactory to them, they would not hesitate to offer him five hundred thousand dollars for the formula. He has already made his tests in private and they have proven satisfactory.
On the 2d of May, 1915, Mr. Bertschy was married to Mrs. Helen Graham at Papillion, Nebraska, who by her former marriage had two children, Robert S. Bertschy and Helen M. Bertschy, twins, born in Shreveport, Louisiana, July 6, 1900. The former is now in the manual training high school. He is an apt pupil of Mr. Bertschy, who takes the deepest interest in the welfare and progress of his son, who is also displaying marked mechanical ingenuity and is now completing without assistance from anyone a miniature automobile, child's size. Helen is now attending a private school and shows remarkable talent in music and art.
Mr. Bertschy is an honorary member of the Elks lodge of Joliet, Illinois. He has membership in the Masonic fraternity and he belongs to the Omaha Athletic, the Commercial and the Automobile Clubs. He is a member of the American Society of Scientific Engineers and his inventive genius has made him widely known among men who are directing their efforts along similar lines or whose interest centers in work of kindred character. Unlike many men of inventive ingenuity, he possesses also marked business ability and executive force, his strength and power being demonstrated in the notable success that has come to him within the last five years.
source of portrait and biographical sketch: "Omaha: the Gate City and Douglas County, Nebraska", 1917, volume II, biographical sketch on pages 746, 748 & 750, portrait on page 747
Contributor: Genie Nuts 1976 (47118364)
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