The Beginning: Monday, January 5, 1818 Robert Edwin Dietz was born in New York on January 5, 1818 in a house on the corner of Spring and Crosby Streets built by his grandfather who came to America during the War of Independence. |
1836 Robert Edwin Dietz started as a hardware clerk for the firm of Woolf, Spies & Clark in Maiden Lane. | 1837 Robert Edwin Dietz became a volunteer fireman, joining the No. 9 Hose Company, and later the "Lady Washington" No. 40 Engine Company on Elizabeth Street. | June 9, 1839Tubular lantern Inventor John Henry Irwin was born in Trenton, N.J. to Mr. and Mrs. David H. Irwin | Summer of 1840Robert E. Dietz at Age 22, purchases a lamp & oil business at 62 Fulton St., at the corner of Columbia St., Brooklyn, New York. He began manufacturing candle lanterns, and was able to save $600 in the first year of business | 1842Robert E. Dietz' brother, William Henry Dietz (b. May 29, 1816,) became partners to form Dietz, Brother & Company with their associate John A.Weed at No. 13 John Street, New York, N.Y. | 1845 Dietz, Brother & Company introduce sperm oil lanterns | Monday, February 2,1846Amasmus French admitted to Dietz, Brother & Company | Saturday, May 16, 1846Robert E. Dietz weds Anna Hadwick | September 29, 1847Mary Augusta Dietz was born to Robert and Anna Dietz | February 9, 1849Frederick Dietz was born to Robert and Anna Dietz | The 1850's: January 15, 1850Anna Louise Dietz was born to Robert and Anna Dietz |
1850 Dietz, Brother & Company sell "*Carcel" and "Doric" lamps, and manufacture improved camphene lamps, solar lamps, girandoles, hall lamps, and chandeliers. They are awarded lighting contract for the P.T. Barnum premier of Jenny Lind, the largest musical event in the History of New York up to that time | 1855 Dietz, Brother & Company renamed Dietz & Company and build large factory at 132-134 William Street New York City, N.Y. Begin manufacturing of lamps, burners, and gas fixtures Robert's Brother Samuel Dunbar Dietz opens a Sales Office in San Francisco, California around this time. |
1857 Dietz & Company submit the first flat-wick burner for "modern" coal oil for patenting | December 1858John Edwin Dietz was born to Robert and Anna Dietz at the Dietz estate in Hempstead, Long Island | 1859 Dietz & Company begin manufacturing coal oil flat-wick burners | The 1860's: May 6, 1860William Meinell Dietz was born to Robert and Anna Dietz |
1860 Dietz & Company opens sales office at No. 4 St. Pauls Building Little Carter Lane London, England. This office was headed by Michael Alexander Dietz (b. August 2, 1830-1883) The Sales Office in San Francisco, California continues to do a brisk business. | Notes on Dietz & CompanyThis company was run by five of the Dietz Brothers: William Henry Dietz, b. May 29, 1816 Robert Edwin Dietz, b. January 5, 1818 Samuel Dunbar Dietz, b. August 17, 1823 James Meinell Dietz, b. May 26, 1825 Michael Alexander Dietz, b. August 2, 1830 | October 15, 1863Henry James Dietz was born to Robert and Anna Dietz | 1867At his father's advice to invent a lamp or lantern that can withstand movement without going out, John H. Irwin invents the Hot Blast Tubular principle after tinkering for three days in the tool house. | August 9, 1863Howard James Dietz was born to Robert and Anna Dietz | Tuesday, January 7, 186828 year old John H. Irwin is issued the first Hot Blast Tubular lantern patent, #73012, eventually worth $20,000 per year in royalties. |
1868Robert E. Dietz sells his interest in Dietz & Company to his brother James M. Dietz | 1868Robert E. Dietz takes on Absalom G. Smith (formerly of the Archer, Pancoast & Company,) as a partner to form Dietz & Smith and they lease the upper floors of 25' x 100' 4 story building at No. 4 College Place & Robinson Street in New York, N.Y. Charles Frederick Eberhardt joins the company as delivery driver. | Thursday, July 30, 1868 Dietz & Smith purchased from a receiver the right to manufacture the "New Tubular Lantern" (under the Patents of John Irwin,) together with the stock, tools, patents & goodwill of the Archer, Pancoast & Company, and the license to sell them east of Chicago. | 186821 year old Frederick Dietz, Robert E. Dietz' eldest son, begins his business career as shipping and invoice clerk | Thursday, August 5, 1869Robert E. Dietz buys out A.G. Smith for $17,000 and forms the R.E. Dietz Company and continues business at No. 4 College Place & Robinson Street in New York, N.Y. | The 1870's: Wednesday, January 18, 1871John H. Irwin purchases 76 acres in the Borough of Morton, Springfield Township, County of Delaware, Pennsylvania for the amount of $8500, naming it "Faraday Park" in honor of the famed chemist and inventor. There he established a laboratory, and donated land for the construction of the Episcopalian Church. He also established the Faraday Park Hotel. His home was located to the west of the intersection of Amosland and Highland Avenues. |
Wednesday, February 22, 1871 Dietz & Company building at 132-134 William Street New York City, N.Y. destroyed by fire, never re-opens | Spring, 1871 R.E. Dietz relocates to 54-56 Fulton Street and 29-31 Cliff Street in New York City, N.Y | 1872 R.E. Dietz is the first factory to use steam power to cut and draw a lantern bottom or oil pot from a sheet of tin | Tuesday, June 9, 1874John Henry Irwin is issued the first Cold Blast Tubular lantern and lamp patent, #151703 | October 10, 1874John Henry Irwin brings a patent infringement suit against Dane, Westlake, & Covert | October 29, 1875Judge Blodgett finds in favor of plaintiff John Henry Irwin and issues an injunction against Dane, Westlake, & Covert | August, 1874 R.E. Dietz publishes it's first illustrated lantern catalogue with 38 pages and soft cover. Other items also manufactured by the R.E. Dietz Company include: hand lamps, brackets, fruit jar wrenches, jack chains, molasses jugs, "Catchemalive" mouse traps, & kerosene fireplaces (heaters) |
1876The Buffalo Steam Gauge & Lantern Co. is formed, and builds a new factory on the Genesee Falls in Rochester, New York, under the direction of Charles T. Ham and F.D.W. Clarke | 1877John H. Irwin establishes the Faraday Electric Light, Heat & Power Company in Morton, PA., a coal fired plant adjacent to the railroad tracks in the center of town. | 1879 R.E. Dietz introduces the "Racket" and the "Baby" brass lanterns, (manufactured by the Bristol Brass & Clock Company,) the 4 1/2" tall "Baby" lantern being the smallest ever sold by Dietz | The 1880's: 1880The Dietz #3 Tubular Street Lamp is invented by *Lewis Fulton Betts, and put into production. Eventually, more "Pioneer" street lamps are sold than all other makes combined. *Lewis F. Betts held more than 25 lantern patents, including: ~Principle of air supply for the Dietz Union Driving Lamp ~Square Tube Lantern Frame ~Cross Wire Globe Guard for Tubular Lanterns |
1881 R.E. Dietz buys 50% of the stock of the newly incorporated Steam Gauge & Lantern Co. of Rochester, New York. (An amalgamation of the Buffalo Steam Gauge & Lantern Co. and the Dennis and Wheeler Co. of Chicago., and other concerns) Dietz signs an agreement that allows the SG&L Co. to manufacture east of Chicago in Rochester, NY, and allows both companies to sell lanterns in all states. Charles T. Ham is elected as the first president of the S.G.&L. Co. | 1881 R.E. Dietz in conjunction with the S.G.&L. Co. introduces the "No.10 Brass Tubular Lantern," often called the first Cold Blast lantern, although it is technically a "warm" blast. It features a 1/4" wick, and stands 10" tall | May 1, 1882 R.E. Dietz opens a Western Sales Office at 25 Lake Street, Chicago, Illinois, headed by John Edwin Dietz, (son of R.E. Dietz) and Warren McArthur, formerly representing Dennis & Wheeler. | 1882 R.E. Dietz Awarded Silver Medal for "Dietz Tubular Oil Stove" at Cincinnati, Ohio ExpositionGlobes marked "DIETZ" are introduced | 1883Michael Alexander Dietz passes away, and Dietz & Company in London, England, becomes Dietz, Davis, & Company | 1883 R.E. Dietz purchases 4 lots at Greenwich & Laight Streets in New York City, N.Y. Issued Illustrated Catalogue No. 17 with 49 pages and soft cover | 1883 R.E. Dietz Awarded Bronze Medal for "Dietz Tubular Oil Stove" at Delaware County Fair, Pennsylvania | 1882 1884The "Dietz Tubular Oil Stove" was awarded: A Silver Medal at the New Jersey State Fair A Bronze Medal at the American Institute Fair A Diploma at the Queens, N.Y. County Fair | 1885The "Dietz Tubular Oil Stove" was awarded: A Silver Medal at the New Orleans Exposition Charles L. Betts, (Lewis F. Betts brother,) joins R.E. Dietz, and is eventually granted over 35 patents for lantern improvements issued between June 7, 1887 and July 22, 1913, including several methods of manufacturing. | Early 1886 R.E. Dietz incorporates in New York State as the R.E. Dietz Company with a paid capital of $100,000 owned by: Robert E. Dietz, President *Frederick Dietz, Vice President & Treasurer John Edwin Dietz, Secretary Illustrated Catalogue No. 19 is issued with 52 pages and soft cover *Frederick Dietz originated the familiar Dietz trademark and most of the companies' trade names which appear on lanterns and printed material | Tuesday, January 4, 1887Production of the original Dietz Cold Blast Tubular Driving Lamp begins | Spring, 1887 Construction begins on a new seven story factory and office building at 429-433 Greenwich & 60 Laight Streets in New York City, N.Y., designed by architect R.W. Tieffenberg, built by masons Van Dolson & Arnott and carpenter Samuel McMillian | 1888John H. Irwin's second wife, Rebbeca Elder Irwin passes away at age 33. | Spring, 1888 New Dietz factory and office building is complete and occupied at 60 Laight Street, New York |
The 1890's: Monday, July 29, 1890Prolific tubular lantern inventor, and Morton Pennsylvania's chief citizen, John Henry Irwin, died suddenly at the Jone's Hotel in the Adirondack mountains at age 51 while rowing a boat. The death was attributed to heart disease and acute dyspepsia. Twice a widower, he left his entire estate, estimated at between $300,000 and $500,000, to his fianc�, (and second cousin,) 22 year old Lillian Warren of Springfield, Illinois. He had no children, and was survived by his father, David H. Irwin of Springfield, Illinois. John H. Irwin is buried at the Media Cemetery, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. |
Monday, September 29, 1890R.E. Dietz' son William Meinell Dietz died at age 31. The internment was at Green Wood Cemetery | 1891The Dietz "Cross in Circle" logo is first used. | 1892Warren McArthur Sr. comissions young architect Frank Lloyd Wright to design his home to be built at 4852 Kenwood Ave. in Chicago Ill. (Still standing in 2014)
Warren McArthur Sr. also owned one of the first automobiles in Chicago. | 1892 R.E. Dietz Company publishes illustrated catalogue No. 26 with 111 pages and hard cover. A retail oil stove department is opened at 76 Fulton Street, New York. | Wednesday, January 30, 1895A new Board of Directors are elected: Frederick Dietz, President, Treasurer, and General Manager John Edwin Dietz, Secretary *William Henry White, Vice President This board was re-elected annually for 9 consecutive years (1895-1904) *William Henry White, Husband of Mary A. Dietz, was the son-in-law of Robert E. Dietz, and had no active part in the company. | 1896 R.E. Dietz Company introduces the original Cold Blast Motor Truck Lamps and first auto kerosene lamps | 1896*Warren McArthur Sr. becomes the Exclusive U.S. Sales Agent for R.E. Dietz Company, along with the following manufacturers: C.T. Ham, Rochester, New York Buhl Stamping, Detroit, Michigan Winfield Manufacturing, Warren, Ohio Ohio Lantern Company, Tiffin, Ohio Wheeling Stamping Company, Wheeling, West Virginia *Warren McArthur Sr. has the distinction of selling more lanterns than any other salesman in the history of tubular lanterns | Late 1896 R.E. Dietz Company opens a Sales Office at 29 Shoe Lane & 7 Farringdon Ave., London, E.C. England, headed by *John L Sardy *John L Sardy was engaged by the R.E. Dietz Company to circumnavigate the globe in 1894 to increase the export part of the business. Some of the places he visited include: Honolulu, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin in New Zealand, Tasmania, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane, Batavia, Java, Singapore, Madras, Calcutta, Bombay, Chain, Japan, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Nagasaki, Kobe, Yokohama, Vancouver, Montreal. On his second trip around the world, he re-visited the places on his first trip and also visited: Manilla, Saigon, Penang, Rangoon, Perth (in Western Australia,) and Suva (in the Fiji Islands.) The combined mileage was nearly 82,000 miles, and without any mishap. After eighteen years of faithful service, John L. Sardy passed away on May, 12, 1912 in London | Wednesday, June 23, 1897The Dietz New York Factory at 60 Laight Street was completely gutted by fire, along with all the stock, tools, & machinery, a loss of over $50,000 to the building, and $75,000 to the inventory. | Summer, 1897In order to stay in business, the R.E. Dietz Company merged with the Steam Gauge & Lantern Company of Syracuse, New York, absorbing the S.G.&L.Co. Factory at Wilkinson Street and Leavenworth Avenue | Sunday, September 19, 1897Robert Edwin Dietz passes away at age 79, without knowing his seven story factory had been gutted by fire only a few months before. He was survived by his wife Anna. His six brothers and three sisters preceding him in death. | 1898In less than one year, The Dietz New York factory is rebuilt by the Luke A. Brake Company with fire-proof construction and is back in operation as "Factory No.1" The exterior walls were reused and two stories were added to the original 7 story structure, increasing the square footage to 84,000. (Today, the brick exterior of the building has a noticeable delineation between the seventh and eight floors.) The architect for the reconstruction was William J. Fryer. | Wednesday, October 12, 1898Fred Dietz sells his late father's property at 21, 23, 25, 27, and 29 East 76th Street at the northwest corner of Madison Ave. (4-story and basement, high stoop Brownstone Dwellings with two story brick extensions.) | 1899The Dietz "Victor" Hot Blast Lantern sell for $.37 each, and the "Buckeye" Dash Lantern sell for $.55 each | The 1900's: 1900 R.E. Dietz Company introduces the first tinned steel lantern burners The Dietz "Blizzard" cold blast lantern is introduced |
1900Warren McArthur Sr.'s sales office is located at 19 & 21 Randolph St., Chicago, Illinois | 1902The Dietz "Junior" cold blast lantern is introduced | January 21, 1902Mary Augusta Dietz-White passes away, leaving her husband, William Henry White. | 1903 R.E. Dietz Company is awarded the contract to supply lanterns for the construction of the Panama Canal Illustrated Catalogue No. 34 is issued with 110 pages and soft cover | July 3, 1904William Henry White, Robert Dietz' son-in-law and Vice President of the R.E. Dietz Co. passes away. | 1904A new board of directors are elected: Frederick Dietz, President and Treasurer John Edwin Dietz, Vice President and General Manager *Frank H. Clement, Secretary This board was re-elected annually for 10 consecutive years (1904-1915) *Frank H. Clement was a son-in-law of Robert E. Dietz | January, 1904Construction on a four story, (plus basement,) addition to the Syracuse factory measuring 56' x 300' was started. Estimated cost over $100,000. The Dietz "Oval" logo is first used. | October 13, 1904The 2 story wooden storeroom building at the Syracuse factory and thousands of lanterns are destroyed by an early morning two alarm fire. The factory sustained only minor water damage. | 1906 R.E. Dietz Company introduces acetylene gas automotive headlights, taillights, mirror lens search lights, square and round "Handy" acetylene generators Illustrated Catalogue No. 35 is issued with 111 pages and soft cover | Friday, November 15, 1907 Marie Louise Dietz, wife of Fred Dietz, and youngest daughter of the late Jonathan P. Hick of Mount Vernon, N.Y., passed away. Services were held at her late residence at 312 West 76th Street at 11 o'clock on November 18th. | 1908"A Maximum of Light with a Minimum of Care" was the Dietz Motto | Saturday, December 26, 1908Mrs. John E. Dietz of West 75th Street gave a theatre party for her d�butante daughter, Miss Ethel Dietz, who made here debut last week. After seeing "Salvation Nell," the guests, who numbered 24, went to Sherry's for supper. | 1909The modern Dietz "Vesta" cold blast tubular railroad lantern is introduced | 191024 year old Robert Dietz II relocates to Albuquerque, NM for the dry climate seeking relief from tuberculosis. Meets his future wife, Barbara Johnson. | |
Sunday, September 4, 1910 Dietz delivery driver Charles Frederick Eberhardt dies at his home in Rutherford, N.J.. He was survived by his partner of 21 years, "Charlie." The two won the prize for "Old Work Horse" class in both the 1907 and 1908 New York City Work Horse Parades. |
Thursday, September 8, 1910The Dietz New York Factory #1 remains closed as a mark of respect for the late Charles Frederick Eberhardt, who for 41 years delivered Dietz lanterns by horse drawn wagon. He was one of the original employees when Dietz and Smith first started manufacturing tubular lanterns in 1868. | Thursday May 18, 1911Lewis Fulton Betts, noted inventor, passes away at his home at 95 Seventh Ave in Brooklyn, New York at the age of 82 | Monday, July 24, 1911 Anna Hadwick Dietz, widow of R.E. Dietz, passes away at her home in Hempstead, Long Island at the age of 88 | 1911Fred Dietz donates $20,000 for the construction and furnishing of the First Baptist Italian Church at 16-18 Jackson Street, (now 140 Devoe Street,) Brooklyn, NY in memory of his late wife Marie Louise Dietz. The first pastor of the church, Rev. Dr. Antonio Mangano, had worked as a boy at the Dietz farm in Hempstead, Long Island. It is reported that Fred Dietz had helped Dr. Mangano obtain his college education. |
Tuesday, March 12, 1912 Fred Dietz sells his late father's estate at auction which consisted of the subway corner of Broadway and 50th St. known as 1627-1629 Broadway & 210-212 West 50th Street, (approximately 9000 Sq. Ft.,) and 116 West 50th Street, 124 West 48th Street, and the Dietz estate in Hempstead, Long Island, described as: "An elegant three-story frame mansion with attic and basement, containing about 20 rooms, 1 bath and 3 toilets. Electric lights, steam heat and running water. The outhouses consist of a two-and-one-half-story and basement cottage, with running water, containing 11 rooms and a toilet: Also a two story and cellar barn with harness room, carriage house, coachman's quarters, twelve stalls for horses, cow barn containing eight stalls and space for hay loft; Also a chicken house with a capacity for 500 chickens, a shed for machinery and storage and two corn cribs." The estate was located on Mill Road, straight down from Franklin Street. |
1912Warren McArthur Jr. designs the "short globe" (D-Lite) Tubular Lantern, also known as the Nu-Style Lantern by the C.T. Ham Company. Both models feature a unique top lift feature, not found on any other style lantern. Production of the D-Lite lantern wouldn't begin until 1913. Eventually this style was displaced by the "Wizard" style lantern. | 1912The Dietz "Hy-Lo" hot blast lantern is first introduced, it's name derived from it's high performance and low price, the lowest of all hot blast lanterns when introduced. The Dietz "Crescent" cold blast lantern is introduced as a lower priced version of the Blizzard | 1913Under the direction of Fred Dietz, the Dietz Factory #2 in Syracuse is enlarged to over 50,000 square feet, presumably using proceeds from the sale of R.E. Dietz' estate the previous year. Illustrated Catalogue No. 43 is issued with 200 pages and soft cover The Dietz "U.S." dead-flame lantern is introduced to take the place of the "Racket" and "Boy" lanterns. The Dietz "FITALL" combination hot/cold blast globe is introduced. | Friday, January 9, 1914The Dietz "Little Wizard" cold blast lantern is introduced. | 1914The book "A Leaf From The Past" is compiled from the diaries of R.E. Dietz by his eldest son, Frederick, and published, 198 pages and hard cover Illustrated Catalogue No. 43 is issued with 200 pages and soft cover | Monday, December 21, 1914John Johnston commits suicide by throwing himself in front of a subway express train at the 72 St. Station in New York City at noon. He had failed to show up to work for a week at the home of Fred Dietz, The coat he was wearing had been made by a Fifth Avenue tailor in 1906 for Fred Dietz. Inside the coat was a pawn ticket for $1.12 issued to Johnston for an overcoat. | 1915The Dietz "FITALL" globe is renamed "FITZALL" (LOC-NOB ears aren't added until 1918) | 1915Dietz purchases the C.T. Ham Mfg.Co. and moves tooling for the "Gem" and a few other select Ham lantern models to Factory #2 in Syracuse, then sells the balance of tooling and equipment to the Star Headlight and Lantern Co. of Rochester. Dietz continues production of a few Ham lantern models through the end of World War I James Barnes, formerly of the C.T. Ham Co. is placed in charge of Motor Lamp Sales, and runs the Dietz Rochester Office in the Carter Building. | 1915Warren McArthur Sr. sells the Dietz line exclusively from his new office located at 168 N. Michigan, Chicago, Illinois. | Wednesday, March 31, 1915Frederick Dietz, age 68, dies suddenly at his home at 312 West 76th street. Services were held at 1 o'clock the West End Collegiate Church at West End Ave. and 77th Street on Saturday, April 3, 1915 | Friday, April 23, 1915Frederick Dietz' Last Will and Testament was filed for probate. The estate was estimated to be worth $5 Million. There were bequests of $100,000 to both his younger brother John E. Dietz, and his sister Mrs. Anna Louise Clement, both of whom were to divide the residuary estate. His niece Ethel Dietz Nichols of Greenwich, Conn. was to receive $100,000. His cousin Frederick W. Van Duyn of Ridgewood, N.J. was to receive $50,000 and 300 shares of the preferred stock of R.E. Dietz Co., valued at $100 per share. A similar bequest was made in favor of his nephew Robert E. Dietz II of Albuquerque, N.M. He also left $1000 to a little orphan boy, Allan Schiller. Each of the more than 600 employees of the R.E. Dietz Co. who have been connected with the company more than 1 year or more will receive a bequest of $25 to $2500. Pomeroy Salmon, Manager of Dietz Factory #2 in Syracuse was to receive a bequest of $5000 | Sunday, March 26, 1916John E. Dietz sells his late brother Fred's three story home at 312 west 76th Street in New York to settle the Estate. | 1916A new board of directors are elected: John Edwin Dietz, President R.E. Dietz 2d, Vice President (Only grandson of R.E. Dietz) Edgar Price, Treasurer Frederick W. Van Duyn, Secretary (Nephew of R.E. Dietz) Fred H. Twombly, Ass't Sectretary and Export Manager This board was re-elected annually for 4 consecutive years (1916-1920) Arthur W. Carr becomes the Lantern Production Manager as noted in July 1st Price List | 1917The only short globe, cold blast, fire department lantern made by Dietz is introduced, the No. 2 Wizard New Fire Department Lantern. Illustrated Catalogue No. 49 is issued with 139 pages and soft cover | 1918The Dietz "Scout" dead flame lantern is first introduced. (The first version features a brass tag soldered to the tank, and does not have the patent dates stamped into the crown.) LOC-NOB ears are added to the Dietz "FITZALL" globe | The 1920's: 1921A new board of directors are elected: John Edwin Dietz, President and General Manager R.E. Dietz 2d, Vice President Frederick W. Van Duyn, Secretary Fred H. Twombly, Ass't Secretary and Export Manager Illustrated Catalogue No. 50 is issued with 79 pages and soft cover |
May 4 , 1922Howard James Dietz, Robert and Anna Dietz' youngest son, passes away. Howard had no participation in the R.E. Dietz Company. | 1923Production of the Dietz "Scout" dead flame lantern is streamlined, eliminating some of the soldered joints. The revised model is re-named "Sport." | 1924John Edwin Dietz builds a nearly 8000 sq. ft. winter home at 237 El Bravo Way in Palm Beach, Florida. The Mediterranean style home was designed by architect Marion Sims Wyeth in 1923, and featured pecky cypress, stone and hardwood floors. | Wednesday, December 24, 1924Warren McArthur Sr. passes away after serving 43 years as the R.E. Dietz National Sales Manager |
1928Robert E. Dietz II moves to the country for health reasons and takes up farming. He builds a new home at 4117 Rio Grande Blvd., NW in Albuquerque, New Mexico. | Saturday, February 23, 1929 Warren McArthur Jr. and brother Charles open the famed "Arizona Biltmore Hotel" designed by his brother Albert Chase McArthur, (with assistance from Frank Lloyd Wright.) |
1930The Stock Market Crash and a doubling of the cost of construction (2 Million Dollars) forces Warren McArthur Jr. and brother Charles to sell the "Arizona Biltmore Hotel" to Chewing Gum Mogul William Wrigley Jr. | 1931Factory No.1 is closed, leaving just the business office in New York City Manufacturing is consolidated with the Syracuse plant | 1932Dietz lantern sales hit bottom after a steady decline since 1924; ($50,000, down from $150,000 in 1924.) | 1934The "Comet" cold blast Lantern is first marketed to the foreign market only. | 1936 Industrial designers Joseph Sinel and Ruth Gerth are hired to create the the streamline pattern Little Wizard and Monarch lanterns. (The streamline Blizzard and D-Lite lanterns were released the following year.) |
Friday, June 12, 1936John Edwin Dietz of 330 Park Avenue, New York, dies at age 79 at his summer home in Greenwich, Connecticut after a year and a half illness. He was survived by his wife, Olga, his son Robert E. Dietz II, his daughter Mrs. Ethel Dietz Nichols, and his sister Mrs. Anna Louise Clement of Hempstead, Long Island. | 1936Following the death of his father, R.E. Dietz II becomes the fourth President of the R.E. Dietz Company | Saturday, November 26, 1938John E. Dietz' widow Olga Sanderson Dietz died suddenly at Greenwich, Connecticut. She was survived by her son Robert E. Dietz II, and daughter Mrs. Ethel Dietz Nichols, four grand-children, and three sisters. Mrs. Dietz was born in Chicago, and was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Sanderson. | The 1940's: 1940Production of the Dietz "King" Fire Department Lantern is ceased Regular production of all Brass and Copper tank lanterns ceases |
1940Robert E. Dietz II son, Gerry (pronounced Gary,) Johnson Dietz, graduated from Governor Drummer Academy and with the class of '40 at Yale and is engaged to Miss Cynthia Ann Goodhart of Syracuse. | 1942World War II causes shortage of tin & tin plate. The War Production Board orders the use of the less rust resistant Terne Plate as a substitute. To help prevent lanterns from rusting, they are coated with gray enamel through the war years, until the more familiar metallic blue is adopted in 1949. | November 13, 1944Anna Louise Dietz Clement, the last surviving child of Robert and Anna Dietz passes away, age 94. | 1945The "Night Watch" dead flame highway streamlined Lantern is introduced to replace the obsolete "8-Day" square tank highway lantern | 1945Robert E. Dietz II son, 2nd Lieut. John (nickname Sandy) Sanderson Dietz is wed to Miss Julia Grant, (a great grand-daughter of the late President Ulysses S. Grant,) at St. John's Episcopal Church in Clinton, N.Y. | Late 1946Dietz purchased the lantern division of the Wheeling Stamping Company | 1948The "Comet" cold blast Lantern, first sold to the foreign market in 1934, is introduced in the U.S.A., and later becomes the official lantern of the Boy Scouts of America | 1950 R.E. Dietz II resigns, and his thirty three year old son, Gerry J. Dietz becomes President and Chairman of the Board of the R.E. Dietz Company |
1952The office and factory building at 60 Laight Street, New York City, is sold and consolidated with the factory on Wilkinson Street in Syracuse |
Sunday, March 1, 1953Dietz purchases the assets of the Embury Manufacturing Company of Warsaw, New York | 1955The Federal Government bans the use of kerosene lanterns on the nations highways, local agencies, however, continue use as late as 1972 | July, 1955Dietz Electric Pioneer Street Lamps are installed in Anaheim, California at new amusement park, Disneyland | 1956Gerry J. Dietz establishes R.E. Dietz Co., LTD in Hong Kong to redevelop a large world lantern market Original tools and dies are relocated from Syracuse, including tooling for the Junior and Cresent, and the Pre-Streamlined versions of the Blizzard, D-Lite, Monarch, and Little Wizard models. | 1957Dietz ceases production of the Streamline D-Lite and Streamline Blizzard lanterns, and begins production of the No.8 Air Pilot by reworking the tooling of the Streamline D-Lite. | 1958Dietz introduces the "Visi-Flasher" battery powered strobe light road marker and the "Dietz Hazard Division" is established | 1959Dietz ceases production of all railroad lanterns, including the Vesta and Acme Inspector | The 1960's: 1962-1965Dietz "Visi-Flasher" rental offices open in Chicago(1962,) Detroit (1963,) and Boston (1965) |
1965The R.E. Dietz Company celebrates 125 years in business, and has 400 employees. | 1967Gerry J. Dietz resigns as President, and remains Chairman of the Board of the R.E. Dietz Company John S. Dietz, (Gerry's brother) becomes President | 197083 year old Robert Dietz II passes following his wife's passing in 1969. | |
1971 Dietz acquires the former New York State Railways trolley barn at 1001 Wolf Street, Syracuse and uses it for plastic injection molding. |
1971Lantern manufacturing completely ceases in Syracuse factory in 1971, the last lanterns produced were Streamline Little Wizard Patio/Post Lamps
The tooling for the Comet and the No. 8 Air Pilot are shipped to Hong Kong to continue production. | 1973Annual Dietz Lantern production in Hong Kong in tens of millions | May 1, 1974Dietz becomes the first manufacturer in Syracuse to computerize Material Requirements Planning | 1976A bi-centennial commemorative "Comet" lantern is issued in place of the new "The Original" lantern | 1977Annual lantern production in Hong Kong at 1.5 million and are shipped to 75 countries | 1977John S. Dietz retires as President | 1978Edward F. Reynolds (Formerly of Smith-Corona Typewriter Co.) is elected as the first non-family President of the R.E. Dietz Co. Hugh H. Dietz, (son of Gerry J. Dietz) and John E. Dietz, (son of John S. Dietz) are elected as officers of the corporation. Dietz develops "floating traffic lights" for use on N.Y. Barge Canal | 1978Tooling for the bicentenial "The Original" #76 Lantern is completed two years late | 1982Dietz Lantern sales drop to under 8000 dozen per annum | 1982The R.E. Dietz Co., LTD factory in Hong Kong is relocated to mainland China Serial numbered Junior Lanterns made of solid brass are made to bolster sales (made sans post-1956 model "No. 20" marking) | 1983Dietz Lantern sales rebound to 12,000 to 15,000 dozen per annum | 1984Dietz Lantern sales drop to 8,000 to 10,000 dozen per annum | February 9, 1984The R.E. Dietz II Farmhouse in Albuquerque, NM is placed on the National Register of Historic Places | The 1990's to Present: 1990Dietz Lantern sales in the United States drop to an all time low, (less than $50,000) in the year of the 150th anniversary. |
Wednesday, January 31, 1990The Federal Mogul Co. makes an offer of 14 Million Dollars to buy the assets and approximately 6 Million Dollars to cover the debts of the R.E. Dietz Co. | Wednesday, February 7, 1990The R.E. Dietz Co. Board of Directors approves the offer from the Federal Mogul Co. | Thursday, March 8, 1990The sale of the Automotive Lighting Division of the R.E. Dietz Co. is completed | Friday, March 9, 1990Dietz continues production of items #7-21-021, #7-22-001, #7-2000, #7-27001, 7-72001 for the Federal Mogul Co for 2 years. | 1991Dietz sells the tooling for the "Visi-Flasher" to the Reva Plastic Co. of Weedsport, N.Y | 1992Dietz permanently closed the Syracuse plant and eventually sells the property to the Superior Office Furniture Company. | May 27, 1993R.E. Dietz' great grandson, and former Chairman of the Board, Gerry Johnson Dietz, passes away at age 76. | Labor Day, 1998The 110+ year old Dietz Building in Syracuse was severely damaged by a "Micro-Burst" windstorm, destroying major portions of the roof and exterior brick facade. | 2001The Reva Plastic Co. files bankruptcy and dissolves, then reforms. The Visi-Flasher tooling was relocated from New York to China. | Spring, 2002The Federal Mogul Company sells all of its automotive lighting division, including what remained of the Dietz buyout, to the Truck-Lite Company. | TodayThe Dietz Building at 60 Laight Street in New York City (Factory #1) has been renovated and now sports a restaurant on the ground floor, and condos on the upper floors. The Dietz plant (Factory #2) on Wilkinson Street in Syracuse, New York, has had major repairs, and is owned and occupied by the Superior Office Furniture Company. R.E. Dietz Co., LTD. established in 1956 continues to manufacture lanterns and operates in Hong Kong and China. | |
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