I learned a little more about the Western Foundry of Chicago. Not a lot, but it all adds up, I guess.
They were around in 1896, as shown by this news story about the foundry being robbed at gunpoint of $1,600 by two men, one in a dress suit, who escaped in a buggy. The buggy broke down, so they buggy-jacked a milk wagon.
The story gives the foundry address as what appears to be 3840 South Albany Ave. It also says that the foundry was "one of the oldest and wealthiest of its kind in Chicago" (
http://tinyurl.com/pgtplps)
I learned that one Paul Melicharek, who passed away on July 10, 1981 at age 85, had been a core maker for Western Foundry. (
http://tinyurl.com/nh6se3e)
It seems that the company was hit by numerous strikes in the '40's
October 9, 1941 500 men, 8 day strike settled. (
http://tinyurl.com/ov2rcds ). That story gives their address as 3634 S. Kedzie Ave.
In 1943, they settled a strike involving 450 men.
And I learned from many news accounts that they were still around in 1944, when they had 400 on strike. Apparently there were many strikes going on all over the country at the time, and Western was simply reported as one of them.
They brought a lawsuit in 1946 and a rehearing was denied in 1949. The article states that Western Foundry was incorporated in Chicago in 1925, but that was a reorganization of a predecessor corporation of similar name, organized under the laws of Illinois in 1892.
So... we have some interesting stories, the dates 1892-at least 1949, and two addresses. For what its worth.