An historic record and pictorial description of the town of Meriden, Connecticut and men who have made it, Part 84

Author: Gillespie, Charles Bancroft, 1865-1915; Curtis, George Munson
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Meriden, Conn. Journal publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1252

USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Meriden > An historic record and pictorial description of the town of Meriden, Connecticut and men who have made it > Part 84

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EABUSS COMPANY

SWALL WARES

FACTORY OF THE E. A. BLISS CO.

A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.

ment having in 1904 been increased by the addition of a generator of IIO volts capacity. The engine room fur- nishes 80 horse-power steam for the machinery.

E. A. BLISS.

The product of the E. A. Bliss Company is of such variety and ele- gance that it almost beggars descrip- tion. The almost bewildering array of small articles, to which some new creation is being added almost daily, is such as to commend the goods of this concern to the wide awake depart- ment store and jewelry buyer.

In 1901 the company began the manufacture of shell combs for mod- ish hair dressing, and in this at once sprung into the lead in the trade.

In the decoration of these shell combs, plated-ware adorned with imitations of all the precious stones of the world, are brought into use, and with most pleasing effects.

Perhaps the most notable of their latest departures and that which has brought them more fame than any other line of their vast product, is the success they have achieved in the pro- duction of leather novelties. There are the crush leather belts and girdles of mocha and kid, kept in shape, fas- tened and adorned with marvellously

W. E. BLISS.

elaborate buckles. Among the other specimens of leather novelties made by this concern are chatelaines of dif- ferent kinds of leather and great va-

MANUFACTORIES.

riety of design, each style comprising all in one cluster, money purse, mir- ror, writing tablet with pencil at- tached, bon bon holder, vinaigrette, lip salve and powder box. These are also made in nickel silver.

Then there are vanity cases and oth- er novelties too numerous to mention that are ornamented and beautified in the extreme by hand engravers who

C. E. POLSEY.

are necessarily employed in large num- bers and who bring art into their work. From the fact that new novelties are constantly being added to the product of the factory it may be said that the catalogues of this company show more change every year than those of any other factory 43

in Meriden; and in thus keeping in the lead in the trade the E. A. Bliss Company has earned the laurels it gracefully wears. Everything made at the factory calls for the highest skill of experienced hands ; and the en- tire product is from the raw material. The different departments of the fac- tory are perfect in their arrangements ; and the plant is fitted for producing readily any article in the novelty line which the trade demands. Several traveling salesmen represent the E. A. Bliss Co. and call regularly upon the trade throughout the country. The show rooms are in the Lincoln Building, Union Square, New York City. The company is capitalized at $50,000, but its factory is valued far in excess of that amount. Its officers are men well known to the trade. E. A. Bliss, originally of New York state and formerly a resident of Meriden, but now of Jersey City, is the presi- dent. He is a typical New England manufacturer and makes trips abroad every year in interest of the busi- ress. He has ever possessed the faculty of foreseeing the advance wants of the market ; and his taste in the choice of designs and ideas for the trade have been most important factors in the success of the concern of which he is the able head.

The New York headquarters, from which the output is handled, is in charge of W. E. Bliss, vice-president . of the company.

The secretary and. treasurer, C. E. Polsey, is a native of Pawtucket, R. I., and has been associated with the

SECTION OF THE E. A. BLISS FACTORY.

MANUFACTORIES.

concern from the beginning. He is a valued resident of Meriden and, like the other members of the concern, has shown an active interest in the growth and prosperity of the community.

The superintendent of the factory is M. H. Brown, who for seventeen years has been a resident of Meriden.

INTERNATIONAL SILVER CO.

The International Silver Company was organized under the laws of the state of New Jersey on November 19, 1898, with an authorized capital of $1I,000,000 common, and $9,000,000 preferred stock, only a part of which was issued. The company imme- diately bought the total capital stock of the following companies from the various stockholders :

The Barbour Silver Co., Hartford; Holmes & Edwards Silver Co., Bridge- port ; Manhattan Silver Plate Co., Lyons, N. Y. ; Meriden Britannia Co., Meriden ; Meriden Silver Plate Co., Meriden ; Norwich Cutlery Co., Nor- wich; Wm. Rogers Mfg. Co., Hart- ford; Rogers Cutlery Co., Hartford ; Rogers & Bro., Waterbury ; Rogers & Hamilton Co., Waterbury ; Wilcox Silver Plate Co., Meriden ; Watrous Mfg. Co., Wallingford, and Standard Silver Co., Ltd., Toronto, Ont.

During the first six months of 1899 the following companies were also purchased :

Derby Silver Co., Derby ; Simpson, Hall, Miller & Co., Wallingford ; Simpson Nickel Co., Wallingford, and

Middletown Plate Co., Middletown.

During the same year these differ- ent companies were merged in the International Silver Company and ceased to exist as independent corpo- rations, and the headquarters of the consolidated industry was established in what had been the office of Meri- den Britannia Co., on State street, Meriden, although the building was considerably enlarged by the addi- tion of two stories.

Various changes were made in the scheme of manufacturing, all of which were to the advantage of Mer- iden.

The production of goods bearing the trade mark of Meriden Silver Plate Company was removed to the factory of the Meriden Britannia Co. and the plant of the Barbour Silver Co. was moved from Hartford and installed in the factory made vacant by the previous change.

In January, 1903, the total capital stock of United States Silver Corpo- ration was acquired which gave the company indirectly the ownership of C. Rogers & Bros., of Meriden, Conn. The business of this latter company was now replaced by that of Wmn. Rogers Mfg. Co. and Rogers Cut- lery Company of Hartford, which were removed from Hartford and are now installed in the factory on Butler street. With the exception of the Hartford factories mentioned and one in Middletown, one in Lyons, N. Y., and the Rogers & Hamilton factory in Waterbury all the various plants acquired by the International Silver

A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.

Co. are in full operation to-day. The officers of the company are:

Samuel Dodd, president ; George H. Wilcox, first vice-president ; George C. Edwards, second vice-pres- ident ; Charles A. Hamilton, third vice- president ; George M. Curtis, treas- urer; George Rockwell, secretary.

never actively connected with the com- pany and resigned the office in July, 1900.

The directors of the company are Samuel Dodd, George H. Wilcox, George C. Edwards, Charles A. Ham- ilton, George M. Curtis, George Rockwell, C. H. Tibbits, Samuel L.

H. C. Wilcox. I. C. Lewis.

Geo. R. Curtis.

D. C. Wilcox.

John Munson. L. J. Curtis. Samuel Simpson. W. W. Lyman.

W. H. Johnson.

FOUNDERS OF THE MERIDEN BRITANNIA CO. From a photo taken about 1852.

These officers with one exception are the same as were elected at the organization of the company. The late General Samuel Thomas, of New York, was elected treasurer when the company was organized, but was

Barbour, C. E. Breckenridge, C. Ber- ry Peets, Fred P. Wilcox, Andrew Andrews and Watson J. Miller.

A brief sketch of this line of man- ufacture in Meriden previous to the formation of any of these companies,

MANUFACTORIES.

follows, together with a short history of Meriden Britannia Co., Wilcox Sil- ver Plate Co., Meriden Silver Plate Co. and C. Rogers & Bros., of Meriden,

MANUFACTURE OF BRITANNIA WARE PREVIOUS TO THE FORMATION OF

MERIDEN BRITANNIA CO., 1852.

The manufacture of britannia ware is one of the oldest industries in this

with Mr. Boardman, who settled in Haddam, and Charles and Hiram Yale, who located in Wallingford. Mr. Griswold built the house, 50 Gris- wold street, now occupied by Mrs. Charles Collins. His shop stood south of the house, separated from it by a garden. As there is no stream at this point, he must have used, at the start, either hand or horse power.

Geo. H. Wilcox, Vice-President.

Samuel Dodd, President.

Geo. M. Curtis, Treasurer.

OFFICERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SILVER CO.

country, records showing that this ware was made in Boston during the latter half of the seventeenth century. The business was begun in this town about the year 1808, by Ashabel Griswold, or Squire Griswold, as he was familiarly known. He had learned the trade of Captain Danforth of Rocky Hill, this state, together

Here for a number of years he made britannia pots and tea and table- spoons. The pots were cast in two parts and then soldered together and the spouts and handles added in the same way. The pots, after soldering, were placed on a lathe and turned and polished, and a very good finish was given to the articles. It was not tin-

A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.

til about the time the Meriden Bri- tannia Co. was formed that pots, plates and cups were made by rolling the metal and then pressing it into shape by means of dies or forms. The articles formed by casting were susceptible of a high polish and pre- sented quite an attractive appearance if properly cared for by the purchas-

oftentimes, when poorly combined, at a low temperature, the effect of. a han- dle or spout dropping off when in use at the table may be more easily imag- ined than described. A better com- position was afterwards employed, made of tin, antimony and copper, which was much harder and retained a more pronounced luster. The out-

... .

MERIDEN BRITANNIA CO., IN 1863.

er. Table and tea spoons were cast and then scraped and burnished bv hand if for table use, or sold rough for cooking purposes. The metal first used appears to have been a com- pound of tin and lead, or practically pewter, and would easily dent, and as the solder used was composed of lead and bismuth, which would melt

put of such a factory as that of Mr. .Griswold could not have been large. In 1830 he employed not more than ten or twelve men, and in examining his sales book at that time it is found that the total sales of one month did not exceed $2,500. The power used was furnished by an old blind horse traveling around a beam which com-

MANUFACTORIES.

municated with the floor above. Among the articles disposed of by him

were such as cloth of different kinds, glass tumblers, stockings, whips and

yarns. These goods were undoubt- edly taken by Mr. Griswold in ex- change for his wares. His merchan- dise was sold mainly by peddlers, who

and undoubtedly the exchange was a profitable one for the peddler. Bar- ter was the usual method of dealing, and as one of the early manufactur- ers expressed it recently, "Money was a mighty scarce article." As there were no railroads until 1838 if any shipments were made direct to pur-

FACTORY A, INTERNATIONAL SILVER CO. (MERIDEN SILVER PLATE CO.)

penetrated to all parts of New Eng- land and frequently journeyed South. We learn of one such itinerant who returned with nothing but goose feathers in exchange for the wares he had taken out; but feathers were a valuable commodity in those days

chasers at a distance, it was neces- sary to cart them to Middletown or New Haven and ship by boat. Tin was brought in the same way, and in the account book in question, mention is made of purchases of Spanish and India tin. The price paid was usually

A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.

about seventeen cents per pound, the price to-day being about twenty-nine cents. The India tin was undoubted- ly the same as that used in Meriden to-day, now called Straits of Malacca tin. Where the Spanish tin was mined cannot be learned, as only min- or deposits of that metal occur in Spain and it has never been mined to any extent in that country. In 1837 there were also engaged in the same business James A. Frary, who afterwards had as partners a Mr. Couch and a Mr. Benham. Mr. Fra- ry's factory stood about where the Malleable Iron shop is to-day located. I. C. Lewis was located in East Mer- iden, or Bangall, and had as partners, at different times, George Cowles and L. J. Curtis. He used water power, and at last steam power. Edwin E. Curtis was engaged in making spoons, and his factory stood near his house, II2 Curtis street, and at one time he had as a partner his brother, L. J. Curtis. Enos Curtis was also in the business and his factory was located in the north part of the town on what is now Britannia street. In 1837 Barber's Historical Collections for Connecticut, mentions, as engaged in the business in Meriden, four manu- facturing britannia ware and three britannia, or block tin, spoons. Most of the manufacturers learned the trade in Wallingford where the Yales were actively engaged in the business. Isaac C. Lewis served his appren- ticeship with the Yales and returned to Meriden soon after 1838 and went to work for Partrick Lewis, his broth-

er, who had a shop back of Eli C. Birdsey's former store on the south- cast corner of East Main and Broad streets (which has been taken down) and afterwards built a shop on the southwest corner of East Main and High streets, where Charles Par- ker afterwards lived. About 1833 I. C. Lewis left his brother and with George Cowles began the making of Britannia ware in Bangall in the east part of Meriden, where he con- tinued, with various partners, until the formation of the Meriden Britan- nia Co. W. W. Lyman began business after an apprenticeship with Mr. Gris- wold in 1844. He had a shop near his house on Britannia street, and af- terwards at the Twiss factory in Prattsville at the east end of Pratt's pond and later in the Frary factory near Colony street, where he continued until the Meriden Britannia Co. was formed. L. J. Curtis learned his trade in Wallingford of the Yales, and afterwards was in partnership with I. . C Lewis, E. E. Curtis and W. W. Lyman. With the latter he re- mained until the formation of the Meriden Britannia Co. which was consummated by the union of the Lewis-Curtis and Lyman-James A. Frary & Co. interests of Meriden and John Munson, of Wallingford, to- gether with H. C. and D. C. Wilcox who, under the firm name of H. C. Wilcox & Co., had disposed of most of the products of the various com- panies. Besides those already men- tioned, in Perkins' History of Meri- den, published in 1849, occur the

MANUFACTORIES.

names of the following as engaged in the manufacture of britannia ware: Charles Parker, S. L. Cone with four hands, L. G. Baldwin, five hands. In the same history I. C. Lewis is men- tioned as employing eight hands, but Mr. Lewis, a few weeks before his death, told Geo. M. Curtis that at the time the Meriden Britannia Co. was formed, in 1852, he employed about forty hands. From this one would judge that the figures in Perkins' History were not entirely trust- worthy. Mr. Lewis also stated that in the forties twelve hours constituted the ordinary day's work, except in winter when the number of hours was somewhat less. The men were not paid regularly, but took orders on stores instead of cash in payment of wages, and the merchants were paid in manufactured goods. In the winter when light was needed it was furnished by whale oil lamps. Apprentices were not indentured us- ually. To learn the trade, took gen- erally five years, boys beginning at from twelve to fifteen years of age, and going to school during the win- ter months. In 1830 wages were from 75 cents to $1.00 per day ; in the forties $1.00 to $1.50 per day, and in 1852 about $2.00 per day was earned by the most skillful workmen. The prices per pound of various metals compare as follows :

1830

1895

Spelter or zinc

$ .05

$ .06

Antimony

.23

.14

Lead

.05

.046

Copper

.17

.18

Tin

.17

.30

By 1850 the variety of articles man- ufactured had considerably increased. Among the output were found such articles as cuspidors, cups, soup ladles, sugars and cream pitchers, candlesticks, caster frames, fluid lamps, mugs and dippers.

MERIDEN BRITANNIA CO.

The Meriden Britannia Co. was or- ganized under the joint stock laws of the state of Connecticut, on the 16th day of December, 1852, with a capital stock of $50,000, subscribed by the following gentlemen: I. C. Lew- is, H. C. Wilcox, D. C. Wilcox, James A. Frary, Lemuel J. Curtis, W. W. Lyman, of Meriden, and John Munson, of Wallingford. The fol- lowing officers were elected: I. C. Lewis, president, and H. C. Wilcox, secretary and treasurer. As already stated, the manufacture of britannia ware was begun in Meriden about the year 1808, by Ashabel Griswold. Subsequently, others engaged in the business, and by 1850, there were sev- eral firms engaged in the manufacture of this ware in Meriden, the principal being James A. Frary & Co., I. C. Lew- is & Co. and Curtis & Lyman. There had also been formed a partnership by two brothers, Horace C. and D. C. Wilcox under the firm name of H. C. Wilcox & Co., and most of the product of the different factories was marketed by this firm. In order to control competition, reduce expenses and bring the management of affairs under one head, the Meriden Britan- nia Co. was formed. Into this union

A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.

was also incorporated the business of John Munson, who was at this time manufacturing in Wallingford.

The business was now confined to the Frary shop in the north part of the town, the Lewis factory in the east, and the Munson factory in Wal-

ing was not used, but in 1854 began the rolling of metals and the subse- quent formation by spinning and stamping. Shortly after, plating was adopted, and in 1856 a large plat- ing factory was built on State street, the first of their large collection of

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FACTORY E, INTERNATIONAL SILVER CO. (MERIDEN BRITANNIA CO.)

lingford, the offices being at No. 2 West Main street in Meriden, in the building now occupied by the Gris- wold, Richmond & Glock Co. At the formation of the company, all articles were cast in moulds and electro-plat-

shops in this vicinity. The output during these first years consisted of such articles as tea and coffee-pots, bitter tubes, candlesticks, cups, tea and tablespoons, dinner casters, fluid lamps, cuspidors, sewing birds, etc.,

e n

MANUFACTORIES.

and, as their utility was duly appre- ciated by the public, as was shown by the rapidly increasing trade of the company, the number and variety of wares were constantly increased. By 1855, they had begun the output of nickel silver forks and spoons, heavily plated, and subsequently they se- cured the services of the famous Rog- ers brothers, under whose supervision these goods were produced. The honesty and skill of manufacture and beauty of design account for the rapid increase of this business, and to-day the reputation of their trade-mark ("1847 Rogers Bros.") on forks, spoons and knives is world-wide, and goods bearing this stamp will invar- iably bring a higher price in the mar- ket than any other brand. The busi- ness of the company had grown so large by 1863 that the factory on the west side of State street, over five hundred feet long, was erected (ground being broken on the first day of the battle of Gettysburg) and the other factories in Meriden and Wallingford were abandoned. Their wares were now being sold all over the United States, and exported to many foreign countries, notably to South America, where a large and profitable trade was built up, so that a few years later it was necessary to send a representative to that conti- nent to look after the various inter- ests of the company, which con- nection has been since maintained.

A New York depot or, salesroom was established during the early years of the business in connection with an-

other company, but in 1863 they es- tablished their own warerooms at 199 Broadway, and shortly afterward the secretary of the company, D. C. Wilcox, moved to New York to give the business his personal supervision. By 1866 they had also established an agency on the Pacific coast under the care of W. P. Morgan, and a few years later a store was opened in Chi- cago, under the charge of A. L. Sercomb, and an agency was estab- lished in London. By this time, their wares had materially changed in styles and quality. No britannia was now made, the base metal of all prod- ucts being either what is called white metal or nickel silver, which is as dur- able and susceptible of as high a fin- ish as solid silver. Many articles were being produced of a highly or- namental nature, and artistic in de- sign. In 1881, another large factory was built on the corner of Miller and State streets in Meriden, and the same year a branch factory was established in Hamilton, Ontario, which devel- oped at once into a prosperous busi- ness. A few years later, a new plat- ing shop was built in Meriden, to be used exclusively for plating forks, spoons and knives, and it is to-day the most complete and extensive plat- ing factory in the country. During these years, and since, many additions and extensions to the factories were built, about which no special mention has been made. The wares to-day are sold in almost every country of the civilized world.

The number of different articles

A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.

produced is bewildering in its va- riety ; they comprise not only those for table use, but embrace a large number for toilet use as well. The fact that an article bears the trade- mark of the Meriden Britannia Co. is considered the country over as a guar- antee of standard quality and honest manufacture. The company in 1895 went extensively into the production of sterling silverware, and this de- partment to-day produces a very im- portant part of the output. In 1876, the company made a brilliant display of its productions at the Centennial exhibition in Philadelphia, and repeat- ed it on a still more elaborate scale at the Columbian fair of Chicago, in 1893. They exhibited in Paris in 1899, and have made displays at nu- merous minor exhibitions and fairs, and they have invariably been given the highest awards in recognition of their achievements. Their salesrooms in New York were removed from 199 to 550 Broadway, and subsequently to 46 East Fourteeenth street, on Union Square, and a few years ago were moved to 208 Fifth avenue, on Madison Square, and thence to 218 Fifth avenue. The company also ac- quired large interests in other manu- facturing corporations. The capital stock of the Meriden Britannia Com- pany at its organization in 1852, was $50,000; in 1854, was increased to $60,000 ; again, in 1857, to $100,- 000; in 1860, it was made $200,- 000 ; in 1863, $250,000 ; in 1866, $550,- 000, and in 1879 it was increased to $1,100,000, where it remained. As

stated already, the officers elected at the organization were I. C. Lewis, president, and H. C. Wilcox, secre- tary and treasurer, but a few days later Mr. Wilcox resigned the office of treasurer, and George R. Cur- tis, who had been the teller in the Mer- iden bank, was elected treasurer in his place, and continued to hold the office until his death in 1893.

In 1865 H. C. Wilcox resigned the office of secretary and D. C. Wilcox was elected in his place and continued in the office until his death in 1886. In 1866 Mr. Lewis re- signed the office of president and Mr. H. C. Wilcox was elected in his place and continued to hold this office until his death in 1890. At his death I. C. Lewis who had served in that capacity, was re-elected and held the position until his death in 1893 when George H. Wilcox was elected. The officers in charge at the time the Meriden Britannia Com- pany was merged into the Interna- tional Silver Company were: George H. Wilcox, president ; F. P. Wilcox, vice-president ; George M. Curtis, treasurer, and George Rockwell, sec- retary. The directors were: D. B. Hamilton, Waterbury; . George H. Wilcox, George Rockwell and George M. Curtis, of Meriden ; F. P. Wilcox, New York City ; C. Berry Peets, New Haven; J. M. Harmon, Meriden ; Henry J. Lewis, Stratford, and G. P. Davis, Hartford.

WILCOX SILVER PLATE CO.

The great success of the Meriden Britannia Co., when viewed in the:

MANUFACTORIES.

light of its humble beginnings in 1852, induced several gentlemen in the year 1865 to establish another company to engage in manufacturing the same general class of goods. The war was over, a period of great expansion and prosperity had developed during those critical years and there seemed no reason to believe that the period

tannia Co. was organized in Decem- ber, 1865, with a capital of $150,000, and the officers elected were Jedediah Wilcox, president ; and C. H. Collins, secretary and treasurer. The board of directors included such additional names as Aaron L. Collins, Charles Parker, Levi E. Coe, George W. Lyon and H. H. Miller. The factory

WILCOX SILVER PLATE CO.

ASHER ADAIS

WILCOX SILVER PLATE CO. IN 1865.

of growth was at an end. Most prominently identified with the new company called the Wilcox Britannia Co., was Jedediah Wilcox who had been very successful in the wool- en business and whose resourceful energy led him to believe that the new company would be as profitable as its older rival. The Wilcox Bri-

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An historic record and pictorial description of the town of Meriden, Connecticut and men who have made it, Part 84

Author: Gillespie, Charles Bancroft, 1865-1915; Curtis, George Munson Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Meriden, Conn. Journal publishing co. Number of Pages: 1252

Author: Gillespie, Charles Bancroft, 1865-1915; Curtis, George Munson
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Meriden, Conn. Journal publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1252