Industrial enterprises of Atchison county, so far as manufacturing and jobbing interests are concerned, are confined exclusively to the city of Atchison. There are no mills or factories or large manufacturing institutions in any of the smaller towns of the county. Outside of Atchison the labor and industry of the citizens are directed in agricultural pursuits; the tilling of the soil, the breeding of live stock and the development of all the other arts of husbandry, but in the city of Atchison there are a number of establishments which give employment to labor, and which in a number of instances ship their finished products to all parts of the United States and into the ports of foreign countries. Atchison, however, strictly speaking, is not a factory town, nor a great manufacturing center. There have been times in its history when it was more important, commercially, than now, but that was in the days before the great onrush to Kansas City. Yet the town today is a substantial, solid community, where much wealth and enterprise abound, and where there has been a steady, healthy commercial growth. The largest manufacturing plant is the John Seaton Foundry Company, and the Locomotive Finished Material Company, an associated enterprise, established by the late John Seaton, who moved to Atchison from Alton, Ill., in 1871, having been induced to come to Atchison by a handsome donation from the citizens of the town. Mr. Seaton originally manufactured much architectural work; iron and brass casting, boilers, jail and sheet iron work. For a while it was conducted under the firm name of Seaton & Lea, but shortly before the death of Captain Seaton, a few years ago, the Locomotive Finished Material Company was organized to put the finishing touches on castings and at the death of Mr. Seaton, H. E. Muchnic became president and general manager of the company, with John C. Seaton, Clive Hastings, W. S. Ferguson and G. L. Seaton as associate directors. The average number of employees is about 226, when the total horse power is 500. They have a payroll of over $14,000 a month, and are doing a large business with railroads and other big industrial plants throughout the country. The Manglesdorf Brothers Company is one of the oldest establishments in the city. It began in 1875 as a side line in connection with the retail grocery business, by August and William Manglesdorf, and is now conducted by the sons of the founders. It is one of the largest seed houses in the West. The business was incorporated in 1887, and the officers in 1916 are as follows: August Manglesdorf, president: A. F. Manglesdorf, vice-president: Ed. F. Manglesdorf, vice-president: F. H. Manglesdorf, treasurer, and F. W. Manglesdorf, secretary. [Illustration: Manglesdorf Bros. Seed Company]