Letter signed by W. C. Andrews Autographs of Famous People

Lettter written on New York Steam Company letterhead and signed by W. Andrews who was important in Standard Oil. He was one of the original directors of the Standard Oil Company, and in 1879 became President of the New York Steam Company. The steam heating industry was still in its infancy, and the challenges of introducing the system to a city as large as New York seemed almost insurmountable. Andrews decided to take on that challenge.

He acquired franchise and license rights to deploy the Holly system, and incorporated the Steam Heating and Power Company of New York in 1879. Andrews acquired a competing firm that was formed in 1880, the New York Steam Company, and the two companies consolidated in 1881 under the latter name. The company built by Wallace Andrews was to go on to even greater success during the 20th century, but he was not to see it. During the night of April 7, 1899, Andrews and much of his family perished in a house fire. John, who was out of town when the tragic fire occurred, was made president of the company and guided it for more than a decade during a prolonged legal battle over Andrews' will.

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