USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 27
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57
On June 20, 1914, Miss Nina Keir, a "welfare secretary," was added to the staff of the American Brass Company. This official was placed in charge of the com- pany's emergency or first aid hospital located at 721 Bank Street, the former Holmes, Booth & Haydens plant. At this hospital there are four nurses and attendants. Miss Keir also has charge of similar hospitals at the company's Torrington and Ansonia plants.
The hospitals are solely for emergency work and are not in any way designed to take the place of physicians.
At these hospitals one of the most important duties is the care of cases of "spelter shake" or "brass founder's ague." This is caused by the inhalation of metal fumes, and as a rule attacks a newcomer in the mills after the first few days of work. It has all the symptoms of ague and cramps. It is never fatal, and is temporarily cured by the use of Jamaica ginger. The effort of the company, how- ever, is now entirely devoted to prevention of the disease by improvements in metal working methods. In 1913 the Connecticut Legislature passed an act com- pelling physicians to report immediately attacks of all kinds of occupational dis- eases, including this.
In December, 1913, the new office building of the American Brass Company, opposite the Union Station, was opened. The main entrance has a handsome set of brass and glass doors, the brass being an exemplary work of the artistic side of brass manufacture. A marble stairway leads to the long entresol or lobby, which extends nearly the full length of the building. The executive offices and private offices of the company officials are on the first floor. The general offices and tele- phone exchange are on the second floor. The exchange connects 1,600 telephones in the various plants of the company throughout the state, and is one of the largest private exchanges in Connecticut.
There are five drafting rooms, a library, and eighteen office rooms for employes on the third floor. The basement contains a garage, a large storage room, and an excellent heating plant.
At the annual meeting of the American Brass Company Feb. 6, 1917, the resig- nation of George E. Cole, as assistant treasurer and auditor was reluctantly accepted. He had been with the Coe Company at Torrington and with the Ameri- can Brass Company for twenty-five years.
At this meeting in February, 1917, the following vice presidents were placed in charge of the various companies : F. L. Bramer, Coe Brass branch, Torrington ; H. M. Steele, Waterbury Brass branch ; A. M. Dickinson, Benedict & Burnham branch; Wm. A. Cowles, Ansonia branches; Arthur S. Brown, Ansonia branches ; George H. Allen, Kenosha (Wis.) branch; F. M. Wills, Buffalo branch.
The officers of the company are as follows: President, Charles F. Brooker ; vice presidents, Edward L. Frisbie, John P. Elton, Thomas B. Kent and John A. Coe, Jr. ; treasurer, John P. Elton; assistant treasurer, C. F. Hollister ; secretary, Gordon W. Burnham; assistant secretary, Franklin E. Weaver.
The present directors of the American Brass Company are: Charles F. Brooker, Ansonia; Edward L. Frisbie, James S. Elton, John P. Elton, John A. Coe, Jr., all of Waterbury ; Arthur C. James, Gordon W. Burnham, Edward Holbrook,. Cleveland H. Dodge, Thomas B. Kent, John E. Wayland, all of New York; James A. Doughty, of Torrington; T. Brownell Burnham of Sussex, England.
In its dealings with its 15,000 employes, the American Brass Company has been exceptionally fortunate. During these crucial years it has had but one
204
WATERBURY AND THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY
serious interference with business. This was on Feb. 17, 1916, when the Ansonia employes struck. On Feb. 20 the strike was settled at a slight increase over the original offer of the company. It increased wages 15 per cent, allowed time and a half for overtime, and a half holiday Saturday with full pay.
On Sept. 10, 1915, there was also a voluntary increase by the company of 10 per cent in wages.
In April, 1914, the Copper Producers' Association of America celebrated by a banquet at Sherry's in New York the fiftieth anniversary of Charles F. Brooker's connection with the brass business of this country. The leading men in the industry were present at this testimonial and the tributes that were paid this pioneer of the brass industry were many and deserved.
Charles Frederick Brooker, the president of the American Brass Company, was born March 4, 1847, in Litchfield, Conn. His family has its American origin in Guilford, where John Brooker, an Englishman, located in 1695. Two gen- erations later Abraham Brooker, Jr., his father, removed to Wolcottville, now Torrington.
At the age of seventeen he became bookkeeper for the Coe Brass Company, of Torrington, becoming secretary in 1870. On the death of Lyman W. Coe, his uncle, in 1893, Mr. Brooker succeeded him as president of the Coe Brass Company of Torrington.
When the American Brass Company was formed, he was elected its first presi- dent. Both in Torrington and Ansonia he held many important positions on the directorates of many banking, water, and manufacturing companies. He was for years a director of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Company. In New York City he is a member of the Union League Club, the New England Society of New York, the New York Chamber of Commerce, the New York Yacht Club, the Engineer's Club, the Lawyers' Club and the Transportation Club.
He was a member of the Connecticut Assembly in 1875 and of the State Senate in 1893. He was a member of the Republican State Central Committee for years, also a member of the National Republican Committee.
Mr. Brooker, since his marriage to Mrs. Julia E. Clark Farrell in London some years ago, has made his residence in Ansonia.
In 1911 the Government proceeded against the individual directors, who had formed what was termed the copper wire pool. This had been dissolved several years before, in fact as soon as it was found that it was in contravention of the Sherman anti-trust law.
Pleas of nolo eontendere were entered and a fine of $1,100 was assessed against each of the offending directors Aug. 4, 191I.
THE SCOVILL MANUFACTURING COMPANY
The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury is today the largest single brass-making and brass-fabricating plant in the United States, and if not the largest in the world at least well at the top in that class. It employed in Decem- ber, 1917, between 13,000 and 14,000 hands. Its employment record speaks elo- quently of its remarkable growth :
Years
Number of Employes
1850
190
1860
193
1870
538
1880
399
205
WATERBURY AND THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY
Years
Number of Employes
1890
1,200
1900.
2,000
1910.
4,000
1914.
7,500
1917.
13,500
As a corporation it began business in 1850 with a plant which had So horse- power. This in 1893 had grown to 1,400 horsepower, and in 1902 to 2,250. Today one new power house, that constructed in 1916, the first of several pro- posed units, has a capacity of 8,000 kilowatts. Its water, steam and electric power is so enormous today that it literally drives miles of machinery.
In 1902 when it celebrated the 100th anniversary of its existence as a going business-it was not incorporated as the Scovill Manufacturing Company until 1850-its plant, then already great, was confined aside from its North Elm and Maple Street buildings well within the area bounded by Baldwin, Mill, East Main, Hamilton Avenue and Bridge streets. Within these limits it actually util- ized less than half the ground, the earliest constructed buildings being those along the Mad River. Today it extends from the junction of Mill and East Main streets to the point where the Mad River strikes Silver Street, a length of over 4,800 feet. Over this stretch of nearly a mile and in the territory lying between Bridge Street and Hamilton Avenue and East Main Street it has erected more than three hun- dred buildings, including its extensions and its rebuilt structures.
From 1850 to 1902, a period of fifty-two years, the Scovill Manufacturing Company paid cash dividends amounting to $3,613,986.15, and in stock dividends, $1.980,281.25, a total of $5,594,267.40, for this period of over half a century.
In 1916 with a capitalization of $5,000,000, the Scovill Manufacturing Com- pany paid dividends amounting to $III a share, the total payments being almost as great as in its first fifty-two years. Its net earnings for 1916 amounted to $13,403,462, equal to $268 a share on outstanding stock. Besides accumulating this extraordinary profit, the company spent out of carnings $3,654,368 for plant additions and charged off approximately $2,000,000 for depreciation. A special reserve of $2,200.000 was set up for federal, state and city taxes, and the general reserve for contingencies and improvements was increased to more than $1.500,- 000. The surplus account from $3,063,845 in 1914 had been expanded to nearly $16,000,000 in 1916.
A minute history of this company would be a history of the rise and progress of brass manufacture, the German silver manufacture, the daguerreotype, ambro- type, and photographic business, the munition making business, and of all the ramifications of these industries since they began to exist in the United States. 1 brief account of this earlier history is essential to ascertain the lines on which the corporation was established.
The business which afterwards became the Scovill Manufacturing Company began in 1802 when the firm of Abel Porter & Co., undertook the manufacture of gilt buttons. The firm was composed of Abel Porter, Daniel Clark, Silas Grilley and Levi G. Porter, all of Waterbury. In August, 1809, Silas Grilley sold out to his partners and September 19, 18UI, the whole business passed into the hands of Dr. Frederick Leavenworth, David Hayden and James M. L. Scovill, and the firm name became Leavenworth, Hayden & Scovill. On April 4, 1827. Leaven- worth and Hayden sold their interest and William H. Scovill purchased a half interest in the business for which he paid about ten thousand dollars. The firm became J. M. L. & W. H. Scovill.
206
WATERBURY AND THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY
Within the next ten years several subsidiary organizations were established in which the parent firm became a partner with others. Among these was the firm of Scovills & Buckingham, consisting of J. M. L. and W. H. Scovill and John Buckingham, their brother-in-law, which was established in Oakville for the manufacture of brass butts, snuffer trays, belt ornaments and other small brass goods ; also the firm of W. R. Hitchcock & Co., with W. R. Hitchcock and Joseph C. Welton as partners, which undertook the manufacture of cloth buttons in a building on the west side of Union Square. Later Welton sold out and the firm became a corporation under the same name. About 1850 this business was removed to a factory on North Main Street, which had been built for the fork and spoon business, where the Waterbury Manufacturing Company now is About 1839 came the firm of Scovills & Co., with Scovill M. Buckingham and Abram Ives as partners, for the prosecution of the gilt button business. The energies of the parent concern were at this time directed more towards sheet brass. Abram Ives sold out his interest and withdrew after two or three years.
In 1850 all of these interests except that of W. R. Hitchcock & Co. were con- solidated into one joint stock company under the name of The Scovill Manufac- turing Company, with a capital of $200,000, the stock being taken by the Messrs. Scovill and their partners and a few others who had long been in their employ or were otherwise connected. In 1852 the capital was increased to $250,000, in 1854 to $300,000, in 1865 to $350,000, in 1882 to $400,000, in 1898 to $1,600,000, and in 1900 to $2,500,000, in 1904 to $3,250,000, in 1907 to $4,000,000, and in 1913 to $5,000,000. It still remains at that figure.
In 1881 a special charter was granted to the Company under the same name by the Legislature.
Leavenworth, Hayden & Scovill dated their real beginning of success from 1820, when Mr. James Croft, an Englishman, entered their employ. After remaining with them one year he was secured by Mr. Benedict and in 1829 he became one of the partners of the firm of Benedict & Co., then organized. It was largely due to the advice and encouragement of Mr. Croft that the venture was continued. Trained in the art of making gilt buttons in Birmingham, England, he was the first workman of technical skill whose name appears in connection with the infant industry. His knowledge of the needs of the business here, and as well of conditions in Birmingham, England, led Mr. Benedict to send him seven times to England for tools and workmen. It was Mr. Croft who secured for his employer the machinery which enabled him to compete successfully with the older firm, Leavenworth, Hayden & Scovill.
In 1834 it was the Scovill Company which challenged the exclusive right of the United States Government to issue coins. During the next seven years many tokens were issued by them of nearly two hundred different designs. The most of these were stamped from sheet copper, although a few were alloyed with tin. These passed as current coin, even after their manufacture ceased. In 1842 the issue was enjoined by the Government. After 1866 the Scovill Company furnished the United States mint with blanks for the three cent nickel and after 1890 with blanks for the one cent bronze and five cent nickel coins. Many coins, both blanks and fully stamped, have been issued by the Scovills and by others for many South American states.
The most notable achievement in the history of the country in the line of medal making was the full set of medals-23,757 in number-furnished by the Scovill Manufacturing Company for the Columbian Exposition of 1893. These were particularly rich and full in design, and special machinery and processes were devised for their manufacture.
i
OFFICE OF SCOVILL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, WATERBURY
PLUME & ATWOOD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, WATERBURY
£
207
WATERBURY AND THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY
In 1902, on the occasion of the one hundredth anniversary of the Scovill Manufacturing Company, a bronze medal, 3 inches in diameter, was struck to commemorate the occasion. This had on its face outline portraits of the original founders of the business, J. M. L. and W. H. Scovill, and on the obverse side, the dates 1802-1902 and the commemorative statement. It was classed with the best medal work that has been turned out in the country.
In 1914, at the outbreak of the war, the Scovill Manufacturing Company was among the first to tender its services for munition-making. With the plant splendidly equipped for this work, and land and other resources at hand for immediate extension, agents for foreign governments were not slow to take advantage of this offer. The contracts for the making of time fuses were not alone speedily closed, but all the skill and ingenuity of the best workmen in the country were applied to the great task. The Scovill Manufacturing Company made the first and best deliveries and its orders were greatly increased.
Huge orders for shrapnel shell cases were taken. These were shipped to inspection points where thirty shells out of every 4,000 are tested. Those which stand the test are then sent to the Bethlehem Steel Works and other similar plants for final assembling and disposal. There have been but few rejections. In 1917 Government orders along the same lines were received.
The physical growth of the plant may be roughly divided into three periods. The first period is that extending to 1900, during which time the total expended for buildings and machinery amounted to $1,411,865. This expenditure is tabu- lated as follows by the company :
1865 to 1870. $134,446 80,479
1870 to 1875 1875 to 1880 36,378
1880 to 1885. 351,658 1885 to 1890 181,927
1890 to 1895. 239,283
1895 to 1900 387,694
Since 1902 the greater part of the plant has been constructed, but the third period beginning with 1914 has been by far the most extensive in construction, both in extensions and new buildings. The expenditures for additions to land, build- ings and machinery, in the war period have been as follows:
1914
$ 403.524.76 2,336,244.66
1915
1916 3,654.385.77
1917 to May Ist 1,158,754.36
Total $7,552,909.55
The following record of buildings erected since 1902 gives a fair conception of the rapidity of the plant's growth :
Four-story manufacturing building back of East Main Street with a one-story addition, frontage of 200 feet. Brick construction. Period prior to 1910.
One-story brick rolling mill building approximately 100 by 75 feet, centrally located in the older plant. One-story addition to this approximately the same size.
Casting shop, four-story, new style construction. Replaced old building. Con- structed in 1912.
208
WATERBURY AND THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY
One-story reinforced concrete and brick oilhouse. Built in 1916.
Extension of power house on canal. One-story, brick. Built in 1910. Extension of japanning building on Mill Street, built 1911.
Five-story extension to manufacturing building back of East Main Street, brick, mill construction. Erected 1910. Frontage 200 feet.
One-story manufacturing building back of East Main; built in 1909.
Five-story and basement manufacturing building, mill construction. Built in 1910. Back of Mill Street.
Five-story manufacturing building; narrow frontage on Mill Street; length about 250 feet, brick, mill construction. Erected in 1909.
Two reinforced concrete five-story manufacturing buildings with frontage of about 600 feet on East Main Street. Seventy-eight feet deep. Constructed in 1915 and 1916.
I wo-story brick manufacturing building between Mill and Hayden streets. Erected in 1915.
Hayden Street residence completely remodeled for hospital uses, 1914.
One-story temporary structure added to smaller manufacturing building on East Main Street.
Two-story box and barrel factory completely rebuilt after the fire.
One-story wood salvage plant building, erected in 1912.
Ash-reclaiming plant, built in 1913.
Incinerating plant built in the East yards in 1913.
Hayden Street building thoroughly remodeled for paint shop.
Former garage in the East yards remodeled into tinsmithing plant.
Experimental building of brick and steel construction in East yards, built in 1917. Used for research work.
Large storehouse 106 by 247 feet, steel frame with wood roof, built in 1915 with front on East Main Street. Moved in 1916 to Silver Street plant.
The first unit of new power houses in Silver Street plant. Has capacity of 8,000 kilowatts. Furnishes electric power only. Erected in 1916. Part of a duplicate unit now under construction.
Steel and corrugated iron one-story temporary power and boiler house in Silver Street plant.
Four-story, steel frame, brick walls, casting shop 160 by 200 feet. Erected in 1916. This is the building with the twelve smoke stacks and is perhaps one of the largest casting shops in the country.
Mill building, 120 by 220 feet, steel frame, brick and glass walls, one story high, erected on Silver near Meriden Road in 1917.
Small casting shop, steel and corrugated iron, 50 by 170, Silver Street plant, erected in 1917.
One-story high mill building 310 by 850 feet, steel frame, brick and glass walls, near Hamilton Avenue, started in 1915; finished in 1916.
Two-section barn, 40 by 200 feet, off Hamilton Avenue.
Chemical laboratory, 50 by 212 feet, one story high, reinforced concrete, on Caroline and Ambrose streets. This is one of the most completely equipped labo- ratories in the country. W. B. Price, chief chemist, is in charge.
Hot forging plant, one story high, steel frame and corrugated iron, 125 by 284 feet, erected in 1917.
There are now under construction :
New garage and manufacturing building, reinforced concrete, five stories, East Main between Hamilton Avenue and Ambrose Street. 78 by 218 feet. One- third of a proposed unit.
209
WATERBURY AND THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY
Extension to the big mill building near Hamilton Avenue, size 200 by 225 feet. One story high, steel, brick and glass construction.
Extension to Silver Street plant power house, as already mentioned.
One-story, steel frame wood roof temporary extension to storehouse, 106 by 192 feet.
New hospital on Hamilton Avenue, west of Building 68. Heavy wood con- struction. One story. Just completed.
In addition to this work, two dams have been built, the Mad River dam in 1916 and the Wolcott dam in 1917.
The financial returns from this vast progressive plant have been enormous. On January 25, 1917, the Scovill Manufacturing Company declared an extra dividend of 10 per cent, payable February Ist. This was the tenth monthly divi- dend of 10 per cent to be declared in succession. On January Ist, the extra and the regular quarterly 2 per cent were paid, and a special dividend of 25 per cent in Anglo-French bonds was distributed on January 5th. In 1916, the extra and regular dividends amounted to III per cent.
The balance sheets for 1915 and 1916 follow :
1915 $ 6,157,547
1916
Land, buildings and machinery.
$ 7,390,950
Cash and certificates of deposit.
3,436,212
6,047,763
Bonds
1,409,947
3,519,358
Stock in other companies.
3,248
56,788
Bills rec., etc
3,004,47I
5,671,588
Merchandise
3,509,136
5,314,790
$17,520,561
$28,001,237
Capital stock
$ 5,000,000
$ 5,000,000
Surplus
2,163,846
2,588,208
Accounts payable, etc.
2,882,353
809 567
Contingencies and improvement reserve.
1,500,000
4,000,000
Reserve for taxes
2,200,000
Net earnings for year
5,974,362
13,403,462
$17.520,561
$28,001,237
The housing work done by the Scovill Manufacturing Company, one of its most important methods of helpfulness to its employees, is fully covered under a chapter devoted to that subject. The history of its police and fire departments, which work in conjunction with the city departments, is fully told in the chapters devoted to the city's protection methods.
Its hospital work started in January, 1914, with Miss Nora A. O'Brian, registered nurse, in charge. Miss O'Brian has three graduate nurse assistants and two male nurses. The hospital is open night and day for service, and no matter how slight the injury, it must be reported and looked after by the physician in charge. The main hospital on Hayden Street has an operating room, rest rooms for men and women, an X-ray room, a sterilizing room and a laboratory. The East Hospital contains all of these equipments except laboratory and X-ray room. These hospitals provide for free examination of employees, free treatment in case of accidents and also serve to assist in placing employees at work which cannot aggravate any organic trouble which they may possess.
Vol. 1-14
210
WATERBURY AND THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY
In explanation of the work the following written by the capable nurse in charge of the Scovill Manufacturing Company's hospital, Miss Nora O'Brian, in her 1916 report, is enlightening :
"During our few years' existence, our experience has taught us that, in the administration of industrial enterprises, few factors are of more importance than medical and surgical supervision; care of the health and sanitary conditions, in the modern industrial concerns, carries with it no light responsibility. Employees are constantly encouraged to seek medical and surgical aid and advice in case of even the most trivial accident or the slightest illness. No physical phase in the life of the employee, or his family, is too large or too small to claim the atten- tion of the company's physicians and surgeons, and a visiting nurse, whose service is gratuitous, is always on call and frequent visits are made to the homes of the employees. During the past year the management is able to report numerous improvements and better general conditions. With the co-operation of the employment office, with the information obtained from our various committees and associations, we are frequently able to place employees having physical disa- bilities to good advantage and applicants for work are not necessarily debarred because of physical disabilities. When we find, through accident or observation, an employee who is not fitted for his work and is undermining his health by performing such work, with the co-operation of the foreman this employee is placed to advantage and kept under observation.
"Due to the co-operation of the foreman, by reporting accidents immedi- ately, infection cases are reduced to a minimum and very little time is lost through infection.
"Employees suffering from physical disabilities, such as hernia, epilepsy, varicose veins and diseases of the heart and kidneys, must sign instructions not to do any heavy lifting or over-exert themselves and are placed to advantage, also kept continually under observation by reporting to the hospital for peri- odical examination.
"The number of accidents for the year 1916 will approximate 16,000; casual- ties (for which the company is not held responsible), 11,287; total number of cases treated by the medical department in all its branches, 27,286; total number of surgical dressings, 60,000; as compared with 11,493 accidents, 4,623 casualties, and 16,728 dressings during the previous year. The increase in number of cases is due principally to a much larger number being employed, and also because employees have been encouraged more strongly to report any indisposition to the hospital.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.