USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 46
USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 46
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David Bassett's Auger Shop was started, in the fall of 1836, on the raceway near the Housatonic. In 1842 the property passed to his son, Robert N. Bassett, who added the manufacture of galvanized pump chains to the former manufactures. Since 1859 the products have been mainly hoop skirt wires and metal corset material. The original plant has been much enlarged by Mr. Bassett.
On the lower part of the same street a planing mill was put up in 1836, by Willis and Lewis Hotchkiss, which was operated about 14 years, when the interest was merged with the Derby Building Com- pany, at the Landing. The site was next occupied by the Globe Carriage Company, which did a large business for a few years. Later, A. H. and C. B. Alling there manufactured stockinet goods. The building was burned, and with it a Mr. Cooper, in January, 1864.
Upon part of the above site a corset factory was built, in 1888, by Cyrus Brewster. It is a large, three-story brick building, and 100 peo- ple are employed, under the superintendence of W. H. Smith. This industry was begun several years earlier by Joseph Tomlinson and Cyrus Brewster, in the Sheldon Block.
On the site opposite was, in early times, the mill of Colonel Jack- son, where later George T. Bushnell and Deacon Lyman Osborne had a wood-turning establishment for the manufacture of novelties. Still later L. and C. H. De Forest there made plane woods and spirit level frames, occupying the place from 1857 to 1860. From Robert N. Bassett the property passed to Henry S. Sawyer, and it has been con- verted to its original use-a feed mill.
Another of the pioneer manufacturers of Birmingham was Charles
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Atwood. He was a native of Hardwick, Mass., where he was born in 1801. After learning the art of manufacturing woolen goods, he turned his attention to inventions, and discovered a way of making steel pens which was entirely different from the methods then in use. Coming to Birmingham, he built what became known as the Atwood Factory, in which he manufactured pens and German silver ware, mostly spoons. He invented a hook and eye machine, and the pro- cess for fastening them upon cards. The patent for this method he sold to a Waterbury company for $20,000. He next invented a simple machine for making jack chains, well chains, etc. He also invented a pin-making machine, which has been perfected and is still known as the " Atwood Machine." The foregoing articles were manufactured here by Mr. Atwood, S. and S. M. Colburn and others prior to 1854. Later his step-son, George Kellogg (father of the prima donna, Clara Louise Kellogg) and Henry Kellogg made surgical instruments at that place, but moved to New York. In 1858 Stephen N. Summers and L. C. Lewis, as Summers & Lewis, purchased this factory and en- gaged in the manufacture of furniture, which is still carried on at that place by George C. Bedient. Summers was a pioneer in the latter in- dustry, at Birminghanı, engaging in that trade in 1836. Mr. Atwood died in 1854, greatly lamented. Not long after the Atwood factory was built, the basement was occupied by Thomas Wallace, who with his sons, John, Thomas and William, was there engaged in wire drawing. They removed from here to Ansonia, where they became distinguished manufacturers.
On the same raceway, south of the Atwood factory, George W. Shelton and Lyman Osborne had a factory in which wooden novelties were made by them, until about 1854, when as the Shelton & Osborne Manufacturing Company, they there engaged extensively in the manu- facture of hoop skirts, being among the first in that industry in the place. Novelties in wood work were also there made by Henry Sum- mers and Isaac Howe and still later George G. Shelton & Brothers there manufactured baby carriages. In recent years the building was converted into a tenement.
The Hawkins brothers, Abram and William, in 1837 began the manufacture of carriage springs and axles, in a part of the Beach & Plumb factory, but two years later built for themselves, on the south side of Main street, a place which later became known as the Sharon Bassett factory. Here they prospered and in 1845 they took in part- nership Henry Atwater, of New Haven, who proved a valuable addi- tion to the manufacturers of the village and for 16 years was foremost in advancing the general prosperity of the place. He died in 1862, aged 43 years. In 1847 the firm moved to a new plant, on the north side of the street, where the business was incorporated in 1850 as
The Birmingham Iron and Steel Works, which became one of the largest industries in the place. Extensive buildings were erected and
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when the business was most prosperous 200 hands were employed. When this corporation was formed, in 1850, William Hawkins with- drew from the firm, whose business was carried on mainly by A. Hawkins and Henry Atwater. After 1862 Thomas Elmes was at the head of the works. In the course of years the interest declined and, sometime about 1878, while the property of a new local company, only half a hundred men were employed. The works finally passed into the hands of the Peck, Stow & Wilcox Company, of Southington, and were by them discontinued. Some of the buildings were burned in 1886; others have been demolished. A part of the office building was for a time occupied by Cornell & Shelton, manufacturers of patent fold- ing paper boxes, until their removal to Shelton.
The old factory building, south of Main street was, after the removal of Hawkins & Atwater, occupied by Sharon Bassett, in the manufac- ture of carriage bolts, etc. In 1872 that interest was transferred to Shelton, where it is still carried on by D. M. Bassett and others.
After withdrawing from the old firm in 1850, William Hawkins continued the manufacture of carriage axles and springs, having others associated with him, as the Hawkins Manufacturing Company. The old Plumb factory was occupied until 1859, when larger quarters were found in the old copper mill. An extensive plant was maintained until the dissolution of the company in 1865. Subsequently William Hawkins and Robert Gibson had a skate factory, on the east side of the reservoir. Augers and bits were later made there. Robinson & Cook followed and they, in turn, were succeeded by the Excelsior Manufacturing Company, incorporated in 1880, manufacturers of boring tools and general hardware. In 18SS the company removed to Shelton.
In the period when the manufacture of carriage goods was so popular, Smith & Osborne also made axles in a factory near the old grist mill, and at the next power below Nelson H. Downs & Co. manufactured stump joints. The latter industry was transferred to another place and in 1890 the site was occupied for the manufacture of files.
The Birmingham Iron Foundry is the most important iron manu- facturing interest the borough has had for many years. The business was here established in 1836 by the twin brothers, Sylvester and Sul- livan M. Colburn, who had previously carried on a small foundry at Westville. A site east of the reservoir was occupied, and the business prospered from the beginning. In 1838 their brother, Doctor Josiah M. Colburn, came from Orange and engaged with them as a partner. Still later Sheldon Bassett became a member of the firm. In 1850 the Colburns retired from this firm to engage in enterprises at An- sonia, when a stock company was formed with the above title, and a capital of $100,000. Of this corporation Sheldon Bassett was the presi- dent until his death in 1865, when his son, Royal M. Bassett, was chosen to that office, which he lias since filled. Another son, Theo-
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dore S., has long been treasurer of the concern; and H. F. Wanning, the secretary. The first castings in the foundry were made by Henry Whipple, who continued in that department several scores of years. Many other skilled workmen have long been in the service of the company. More than 200 workmen are employed in the various de- partments at this plant, which covers an area of more than half a dozen acres. The output yearly is very large, and embraces every variety of heavy machinery for nearly all kinds of manufactures or milling purposes. Many of the articles produced are peculiar to this establishment, whose reputation extends throughout the entire Union.
In extending its plant these works have absorbed several other privileges on the reservoir, one of them being the shops of the De Forest Manufacturing Company, which was engaged in the manufac- ture of horse nails, etc. The outgrowth of this industry was trans- ferred to Shelton.
The manufacture of pins has for more than 50 years been a most important industry at Birmingham. The pin factory of the Howe Manufacturing Company, on the west side of the reservoir, is also one of the pioneer establishments of the kind in the Union. The com- pany was formed in New York, in 1835, to manufacture pins by means of Doctor John I. Howe's machines, and he was placed in charge of the enterprise, managing the manufacturing department more than 30 years. Doctor Howe was an inventor of no mean note, having ob- tained a patent on rubber compounds in 1828, but the inventions of Charles Goodyear had already occupied that field, which caused him to turn his attention to pin-making. He completed a satisfactory ma- chine in 1832, and a second one the following year. Associating his brothers-in-law, James Brush and Edward Cook, with him, the manu- facture was begun in New York. But in April, 1838, the interest was transferred to Birmingham, where it has since been very successfully carried on. Doctor Howe here perfected his machinery, and so judici- ously managed the affairs of the company, that its capital stock of $60,- 000 became very profitable. Large brick buildings are occupied, and several scores of people are given employment. In 1890 the president and the secretary of the company were William E. Downes and Charles E. Atwater.
Doctor Howe died suddenly, September 10th, 1876, in the 84th year of his age, but his worth is still keenly remembered. He was a strong Union man in the late civil war, contributing several thousand dollars in Derby to further the cause.
Pins were also made in the old Atwood factory.
The Star Pin Company was organized in 1867, with a capital of $40,000, and operations were begun at Wells' Hollow, in Huntington township. George H. Peck was elected president. In 1875 he became the secretary, treasurer and general manager of the company, suc- ceeding J. Tomlinson. D. W Plumb was elected president, and both
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
have since continued, making the "Star" one of the most successful pin companies in the state. The same year a large brick factory was erected in Shelton, whose capacity has been further enlarged, so that, in 1890, about 100 persons found employment therein. The products are brass and adamantine pins, hair pins and hooks and eyes, which have an excellent reputation.
On smaller scales other pin manufactories have been carried on in Derby by Charles H. Johnson and others. Closely allied with this in- dustry has been the production of hoop skirts and corsets. The manu- facture of the former article was very popular from 1854 for about 10 years, among those engaged in it being Downs & Bassett, Edwin Wooster and Osborne & Cheesman. The latter began in 1858, but the following year moved to Ansonia. Nelson H. Downs and Edwin Wooster were among the first manufacturers to become interested in the Shelton improvements, the former building the first factory there in 1871; the latter completing one in 1872. He had, at Birmingham, occupied a factory on the east side of the reservoir. On the 20th of April, 1876, the community was startled and pained by his accidental drowning at the Housatonic dam, which he had helped to build at the sacrifice of time and means.
After the demand for hoop skirts had diminished, the manufacture of corsets became an important industry. The Birmingham Corset Company, with works at Shelton, and composed of I. W. Birdseye, Richard Hubbell and others, is a flourishing concern, employing skilled labor and modern machinery.
The corset factory of Lyman L. Loomer & Sons, at Birmingham, is another flourishing establishment, in which the yearly output is sev- eral hundred thousand dollars. A fine four-story building, on Main street, is occupied, and a large number of people are employed. In the factories of Cyrus Brewster, on Caroline street, and L. Kraus & Co., on Sugar street, immense quantities of corset goods are made, and several hundred more people are employed in these factories.
The Paugassett Mills of A. H. & C. B. Alling, on First street, Birmingham, are the most important textile factories since the Plumb & Beach Mills. The business was established by the Alling family, in Orange, in 1845. In 1858 they purchased the old Globe carriage factory, and operated there until January, 1864, when the buildings were destroyed by fire. The following year the old copper mills property was purchased, and the present plant begun. Several three and five-story buildings are occupied, which are supplied with ma- chinery for producing first-class hosiery and underwear. Over 300 hands are employed. The Alling Brothers are not only enterprising manufacturers, but have erected a dozen of the finest business blocks in the borough, some of which would be creditable to a large city.
In Shelton the hosiery mills of the Radcliffe Brothers, built in 1874, and the extensive Derby Cotton Mills of Robert Adams, are in-
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dustries whose output approximates half a million dollars, and which employ hundreds of people.
The Sterling Company has an extensive plant on the east side of the reservoir, in Birmingham. There are a number of attractive buildings, aggregating more than a thousand feet in length, and both water and steam power are used. Many hundred skilled workmen are employed in the production of a great variety of reed organs and pianos, whose excellence is generally acknowledged. This industry was here begun, in 1868, by the Page & Potter Organ Company, which previously built musical instruments in Ansonia. In June, 1869, the name was changed to the Birmingham Organ Company, a corporation which embraced some of the members of the old company. In July, 1871, the last company gave place to the Charles A. Sterling Organ Company, and in 1886 the name was changed to the Sterling Com- pany. The capital has also been increased from $30,000 to $210,000.
In 1875 the works were destroyed by fire, but were at once rebuilt, and have been enlarged a number of different times. Charles A. Sterling was for many years the president of the company, and R. W. Blake the general manager since 1873, serving also as president in 1890. James R. Mason is the secretary and treasurer; and Charles H. Hubbell the general superintendent.
The water power for the foregoing factories originally belonged to the firm of Smith & Phelps, falling into the hands of Anson G. Phelps sometime in the forties. In 1869 it became the property of the present proprietors-the Birmingham Water Power Company, composed mainly of the Bartholomew family, of Ansonia. Although this was one the first improvements of the kind in the Naugatuck valley, it remains substantially as at first constructed, and is still a valuable privilege.
It is said that when Sheldon Smith first contemplated his enter- prise in Derby, he purposed getting his water power from the Housa- tonic, but abandoned the project on account of its appearing too formidable. In 1839 the legislature authorized an improvement of the power at Birmingham and Shelton, but would not allow a dam to be built. Hence the matter was allowed to rest until a more liberal charter could be secured. This was granted in 1864, and two years later the Ousatonic Water Company was organized under its provis- ions. By this company, which embraced among its members the leading manufacturers of Birmingham, the dam at Shelton was built, though not until some had become disheartened, because so many ob- stacles beset the undertaking. Others persevered and were richly rewarded in the ownership of one of the finest water powers in the state.
The Housatonic (also called the Ousatonic) is, next to the Connec- ticut and Merrimac, the most powerful river in New England, drain- ing about 2,000 square miles of land, in which are many mountain
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
lakes and springs, having a constant flow. It is estimated that, in consequence of these conditions, the average flow at Birmingham, at lowest water, yields 2,500 horse power for 12 hours per day. The curbing of such a vast volume of water was an effort of no small mag- nitude, but it was successfully accomplished by the supervising en- gineer, Henry T. Potter, after three years of painstaking labor. He began the construction on the east side of the river, the first mason work being done July 17th, 1867; and the last capstone was laid Oc- tober 5th, 1870. The dam is a solid mass of masonry, huge blocks of rock being carefully laid in water cement, and is capped with granite from Maine. It presents a fine appearance, and has an entire length of 800 feet. Of this distance 637 feet are in the river proper. The breast of the dam is 22 feet high, and so level that the water falls over in an unbroken mass. The reservoir formed by this dam is about five miles long, and is confined between high hills most of the distance.
On the 22d day of January, 1891, an unusual flood in the Housatonic caused a break in the dam 150 feet long, and involving a loss of about $300,000. But little other property was destroyed, and no lives were lost.
From each side of the dam canals lead down the banks of the river, affording a large number of manufacturing sites. Each of the factory lots faces on the river, which gives them transportation facili- ties, the dam being at the head of tide water navigation on the Hous- atonic. The dam and the attendant property are valued at $1,000,000. The directory of the company, in 1890, embraced: E. N. Shelton, presi- dent; D. S. Brinsmade, David W. Plumb, W. E. Downes, E. De F. Shelton, A. B. Ruggles, A. H. Alling, T. L. Cornell and David Tor- rance.
Mr. E. N. Shelton has been identified with this enterprise from the beginning. From him the growing manufacturing village of Shelton, on the west side of the river, took its name. Although it is in Fair- field county, the place has such a close connection with Birmingham, that the interests are difficult to separate, and the village has had its beginning in the interest transferred to it from Derby, after the com- pletion of the Housatonic dam. In 1890 there were a score of manu- facturing establishments in Shelton, there being, besides those already noted, the Birmingham Plane Company, the Cornell & Shelton Com- pany, the Derby Rubber Company, the Derby Silver Company, the Silver Plate Cutlery Company, and the Whitlock Machine Company. The latter corporation is the outgrowth of the business of Sturges Whitlock, a builder of printing presses and printing machinery and which had been carried on in Birmingham about a dozen years prior to its removal. The Whitlocks became noted as being ingenious mechanics.
At Shelton the manufacture of paper has been an important industry since 1871, and the manufacture the past few years has
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
included the United States postal cards. The Derby Gas Company has its gas house in Shelton and its electric light plant in Birming- ham, taking power from the canal on the east side of the dam. The two villages are connected by a centrally located bridge, and have many interests in common.
The increase of manufactures stimulated the mercantile and other interests in the town, and many business places were opened. Besides the principal merchants already noted in the foregoing pages, Thad- deus and Ephraim Birdseye were merchants from 1836 to 1840. J. W. Osborne opened a store in Birmingham in 1843, in which he en- gaged in general merchandising, at the corner of Main and Water streets. In 1845 he formed a partnership with George W. Cheesman, when they moved into the " stone store " built by Donald Judson in 1836. As Osborne & Cheesman the firm transacted a large business until 1859, when they disposed of their interests to engage in manu- facturing at Ansonia. In the same period Sheldon Bassett, Edwin Wooster, P. McEnerney and George C. Allis were among the leading merchants. The latter has been in the book, jewelry and notion trade since 1852, when he established himself at the age of fifteen years. In 1856 he founded a circulating library, which contained in 1890 more than 3,500 volumes. Sidney Downs was also one of the first merchants, and traded nearly 40 years, when the business passed to E. S. Gibbons. Lucius Blackman engaged in trade in 1845, and the business he established is still continued. Edwin C. Johnson was for many years associated with him. In 1850 F. Hallock began merchandising, associating E. Hallock with him in 1863, and they have since traded at Birmingham. In the latter year George H. Peck engaged in the drug trade; and the dry goods house of H. B. Curtiss was established in 1868. J. H. Brewster became a merchant here about the same time, and the extensive dry goods business of E. R. Howard and G. E. Barber was begun many years ago by Samuel H. Brush, the present firm dating from 1884. Its business is one of the largest in the valley. G. & D. Curtiss were here about the same time, and H. Somers came a little later. In 1890 every branch of trade had from three to ten representatives.
The town has had many public houses, inns and hotels. In 1675 Colonel Ebenezer Johnson was licensed to keep an ordinary or tavern at his farm on the south of Sentinel hill. In 1704 Abel Holbrook and Samuel Nichols were licensed as keepers of ordinaries. The latter lived in the locality which was afterward called Baldwin's Corners, where, in 1716, John Pringle was the tavern keeper. Coming down to more recent times, Joseph Wheeler was a popular innkeeper at the Narrows, his house standing nearly on the same site as the present Mansion House. In the same locality Ithiel Keeney had a tavern about 1800. At Birmingham the Preston P. Warner tavern at the east end of the Housatonic bridge, was a very popular hotel from 1845, for
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
about 20 years. On the opposite side of the river the Leavenworth Hotel was known favorably, near and far. Of the modern hotels the Birmingham House was opened a quarter of a century ago; the Globe Inn but recently, and the widely known Bassett House has been a popular home for the traveling public about a score of years. It has a very pleasant location, and under the management of William G. White has achieved a reputation as one of the finest hostelries in the Naugatuck valley. His immediate successor was William Kellogg, also a popular host, who died here in the early part of 1888. Aside from these, the present town of Derby has half a dozen more public houses, all of which are in striking contrast with the primitive inns of two centuries ago.
The first monetary institution in the town was established in 1809 in connection with the Derby Fishing Company. This was chartered in 1806, and had as officers: Canfield Gillett, president, and James I. Andrews, secretary. Others interested were: James Lewis, Leman Stone and Philo Bassett. The capital stock was fixed at a minimum of $50,000, and the shares were mostly held by the people of Derby. The main object was to engage in the cod fishery, and for that purpose they built and fitted out vessels, among which were the " Eliza," com- manded by Captain Clarke Elliott, which was captured by the French after several successful voyages to the West Indies had been made; the "Ousatonic " and the " Naugatuck," also built by the company and launched near Baldwin's old cider distillery, at Derby Narrows. The business was successful until the war of 1812 broke out and interrupted it, and speculative enterprise added to the financial ruin already brought on by the loss of valuable cargoes at sea, several vessels being captured and confiscated by the French. As showing the decline of its affairs, it is said that on commencing business the president of the company received a salary of $1,500 per year, but after 1812 his salary was barely nominal, only 64 cents being voted him yearly. By act of the general assembly in 1815 the office of the company was trans- ferred to New Haven, and soon after its affairs were wound up by a receiver.
In connection with the above company the Derby Bank was estab- lished in 1809, and was controlled mainly by the Fishing Company. A banking office was opened in a brick building on a back street at Derby Narrows, and for a time a prosperous business was done in con- nection with the Fishing Company, which was also the principal patron. William Leffingwell, of New Haven, was the president and John Fitch the cashier of the bank. It closed an unsuccessful busi- ness soon after the discontinuance of the Fishing Company, but to the credit of the managers it is said " no man lost a dollar by its suspen- sion. It paid in full before stopping business."*
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