Allan Pinkerton's Cooperage They They made their way to Chicago where Pinkerton started a cooperage a barrel business In the 1840s practically everything was stored and shipped in barrels from flour to apples and oil to wine Pinkerton’s shop was so successful that he soon had eight men working for him
One One day in 1847 Pinkerton ran out of lumber so he went to an island in a nearby river a place where he often collected wood With his keen eyes he noticed something more than wood the remains of a campfire Why would anybody camp out there The island was isolated not a natural place to stop while hunting or fishing or traveling
