"The E. T. Barnum Wire and Iron Works, of Detroit, Mich., is one of the foremost and representative manufacturing institutions of the country, and is probably the largest wire and iron works in the world. Their mammoth factory at the corner of Howard street and Wabash avenue, recently completed, is a four-story brick building, 240×350 feet, and contains about 330,000 square feet of floor surface. In this immense factory about 700 hands are employed, the majority of whom are skilled mechanics, while every floor is filled with the most approved power machinery.

The goods manufactured embrace all kinds of iron and wire work; wrought iron fences, all kinds of builders' iron work, bank and office railings and elevator enclosures receiving special attention. Then, among other things, may be mentioned window guards, flower-pot stands, lawn furniture, and crestings, tower ornaments, weather vanes, iron doors and shutters, stable fixtures, iron and brass bedsteads, iron grating and illuminating sidewalk lights, jail work of all kinds, wire signs, window screens, wire netting, housekeepers' wire goods of all kinds and grades of wire cloth for fanning mills, thrashing machines, cotton gins, etc., while their patent balcony fire escape and Fire King fire extinguishers are in great demand by practical and economical people.

This escape, as illustrated above, has not been in use for over five years, and has stood the test of fire and all other elements, and it has been demonstrated by actual use to meet all the requirements, and this, too, when nearly all other escapes have been rejected. It combines all of the essential requisites, viz.: Safety; always ready; accessible from every door and window, and from the ground and roof; it is made of iron and will not burn, and it will stand up as long as the wall stands. The feeblest and youngest, or the most timid can escape by means of it without fear or danger, as they can not fall off; it requires no previous training, as all that is necessary is to step out of the door and window and walk down a flight of ordinary stairs.

The house has just issued a new catalogue of 226 pages, in which is illustrated most of the goods which they manufacture. It is handsomely printed and bound and should be in the hands of every merchant and others who wish any kind of iron or wire works."