USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > A History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, vol 1 > Part 69
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With a capital of $100,000, the Algonquin Printing Company became incorporated in 1891, the enterprise being put through by James A. Chad- wick and Adam Catterall. In 1895 the capital was increased to $160,000, and in 1906, by a stock dividend, to $500,000. Edward B. Jennings was the first president, and he was succeeded by Robert T. Davis in 1896. Charles B. Cook is now president. Edward B. Jennings succeeded Mr. Catterall as treasurer until 1894, and William H. Jennings became treasurer in 1896. Forty thousand pieces of calico are printed each week.
The Sanford Spinning Company Mills, that were sold in 1899 to the
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New England Cotton Yarn Company and in 1923 to the American Cotton Fabric Company of New Jersey, had their beginnings in 1891, the chief promoters of the enterprise being Arthur B. Sanford and Arthur H. Mason. The former was elected president of the corporation, and the latter the treasurer. At the outset the capital stock was $400,000, and in 1893 it was $500,000. The plant, built to manufacture colored and fancy yarns, had more than 37,000 spindles. The first mill, three stories in height, was 374 by 100 feet in dimensions, and the dyehouse connected was 150 by 68 feet in dimensions. Frank S. Stevens succeeded Mr. Sanford as president, 1897-98, and Charles B. Cook from 1898 until the merging of the plant with that of the New England Cotton Yarn Company in 1899. Arthur H. Mason was treasurer throughout.
For the manufacture of satin, Marseilles and crochet quiltings, the Stevens Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1892, with a capital of $250,000. The board of directors was as follows: Frank S. Stevens, Robert T. Davis, Simeon B. Chase, Edward B. Jennings, George H. Hills, William W. Crapo, William F. Draper; and Frank S. Stevens was elected president and George H. Hills treasurer. The capital was increased to $250,000 in April, 1899, and in November, 1901, to $700,000. The capital is now $1,200,000. In 1892 another mill was built for the manufacture of cotton and linen damask, and cotton and linen crash. Simeon B. Chase succeeded President Frank S. Stevens at his death, April 25, 1898. M. Richard Brown is clerk and treasurer; Charles B. Chace general manager. Three million yards of cloth are manufactured annually, and the mill has 20,956 spindles. The product is crochet, Marseilles, satin quilts, damask and ducks.
The promoters of the Parker Mills enterprise were Seth A. Borden, Leontine Lincoln and James E. Osborn, of Fall River, and William H. Parker of Lowell, the mills being incorporated in May, 1895. The first year, a three-story mill, of dimensions 39712 by 148 feet, was built, for weaving goods of very fine yarns. There are about 50,000 spindles. A mill was built in Warren, Rhode Island, in 1899. At the time of incorporation the capital stock amounted to $450,000, increased to $500,000 on October 18, 1895, and in May, 1899, to $800,000. It is now $2,750,000. The first presi- dent of the company was William H. Parker, of Lowell, and at his death, in 1898, Leontine Lincoln was elected president. Seth A. Borden was the treasurer, and was succeeded by Benjamin B. Read.
The Arkwright Mills were incorporated with a capital of $450,000, in 1897, to manufacture fine cotton goods. Joseph A. Bowen was elected president of the corporation, and John B. Dodge treasurer. A four-story stone mill was built, 395 by 127 feet in dimensions, with more than 80,000 spindles. The capital now is $1,000,000. Leontine Lincoln was president to the time of his death, in 1923, and Herbert H. Marble was clerk and treasurer.
The incorporation of the Davis Mills took place in 1902, the capital being placed at $500,000. The first board of directors consisted of Robert T. Davis, Leontine Lincoln, Daniel H. Cornell, Thomas D. Covel, William H. Jennings, William N. McLane, William E. Fuller, Jr., and J. Bion Richards; and Leontine Lincoln was chosen president and J. Bion Richards treasurer. In 1903 a three-story stone mill was built for the manufacture of
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fine cotton goods. The corporation went into the hands of receivers in January, 1905; but on March 29, with new capital paid in, the mill contin- ued. The plant contains more than 130,000 spindles. The treasurers in succession were: Edward Barker, Arthur H. Mason, Frank L. Carpenter. The capitalization now is $2,500,000.
Taking over the plant of the Robeson Mills, that had been incorporated in 1866, the Luther Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1903, with a capital of $350,000. The following-named were the board of direc- tors: Leontine Lincoln, Charles B. Luther, Robert C. Davis, John H. Estes, William H. Jennings, James Marshall, William N. McLane; and Leontine Lincoln was chosen president, and Charles B. Luther treasurer. The capi- tal today is $525,000.
The Robeson plant at first consisted of a brick mill three stories in height, 222 feet in length and 76 feet in width; it was completed in 1866, and in 1875 was considerably enlarged. The first officers were: Directors : Andrew Robeson, Jr., Charles P. Stickney, Samuel Hathaway, William C. Davol, Jr., Linden Cook, Samuel Castner, Josiah Brown. Samuel Hath- away was elected president and Linden Cook treasurer. The mill had more than 21,000 spindles at the time. C. P. Stickney succeeded Mr. Hathaway as president from 1873 to 1878; Linden Cook was president to 1882; Dan- forth Horton to 1884; C. M. Hathaway to 1895; Charles B. Luther to 1898. Louis Robeson became treasurer when Mr. Cook was appointed president, and successive treasurers were Clarence M. Hathaway, C. B. Luther, John H. Holt. The plant was increased to its capacity soon after purchase by the Luther company, with close to 45,000 spindles; there are now more than $52,000.
The Pilgrim Mills were incorporated in 1910, with a capital of $1,- 050,000, for the manufacture of fine goods. Ten million two hundred and seventy thousand yards of goods are manufactured annually, with the em- ployment of 350 hands. The mills have 53,568 spindles, and there are 1,178 looms. The officers are: President, Albert A. Jenks; vice-president, William B. Beattie; treasurer, Henry F. Searles; clerk, Arthur C. Homer.
The Standard Fabric Company was incorporated in 1911, with a capital of $200,000. Robert Place is president; William M. Heywood, treasurer; Foster R. Green, clerk.
The Charlton Mills, organized for the manufacture of lawn and novelty goods, were incorporated in 1919, with a capital of $800,000. The plant has 52,990 spindles and 1,264 looms; 12,000,000 yards of cloth are manufactured annually, and 500 hands are employed. E. P. Charlton is president, and James Sinclair, clerk and treasurer.
The Charlton Company was incorporated in 1919. Earle P. Charlton, Jr., is president, and David F. M. Fitzgerald treasurer.
The Estes Mills were incorporated in August, 1905, the capitalization being $300,000. The company are manufacturers of cotton twines, warps, yarns, ropes, etc .; there are 7000 spindles, and the number of hands em- ployed is 390. John S. Estes is president; J. Edmond Estes, treasurer.
The Lincoln Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1907, for the manufacture of fine and fancy cotton goods. The amount of capital is $2,250,000. There are 123,000 spindles, which manufacture 2,000,000 yards of cloth annually. Leontine Lincoln was president to the time of his death, in 1923, and Benjamin B. Read was the treasurer.
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The Standard Fabric Company was incorporated in 1911, with a capital of $200,000. Robert Place is president; William M. Heywood, treasurer.
The Foster Spinning Company, with a capital of $300,000, operates 13,312 spindles. William L. S. Brayton is president.
The firm of Kilburn, Lincoln & Company, for the manufacture of mill machinery, was started by Jonathan Thayer Lincoln, of Taunton, who came to Fall River in 1829, and in 1831 was employed as master mechanic for the Massasoit Mill Company, where he began building looms and shafting on his own account. John Kilburn, of New Hampshire, began in 1844 in Fall River the manufacture of cotton looms and the Fourneyron turbine. After the death of Mr. Kilburn, in 1846, his widow and his brother, Elijah C. Kilburn, with Jonathan T. Lincoln, formed a copartnership, and the business was continued as E. C. Kilburn & Company, manufacturing tur- bines and mill machinery. A new firm was formed in 1856 as Kilburn, Lincoln & Son, consisting of E. C. Kilburn, J. T. Lincoln and Henry C. Lincoln. A large machine shop was built in 1867, and added to the works. Charles P. Dring, who had been superintendent of the Fall River Iron Works Company foundry, became a member of this firm, the name then being changed to Kilburn, Lincoln & Company. The business was incor- porated in 1868, and Andrew Luscomb was added to the firm. In 1872 the manufacture of looms was started on a new and larger scale, and the firm is now among the largest makers of looms for cotton and silk weaving. J. T. Lincoln was elected president, and at his death he was succeeded by his son, Henry C. Lincoln, who was succeeded by Andrew Luscomb. Leontine Lincoln succeeded to the presidency in 1903. Jonathan T. Lincoln is now head of the firm.
The Fall River Spool and Bobbin Company was organized July 11. 1878, the president being Cook Borden; treasurer, George S. Davol; clerk, B. D. Davol. A partial organization of the company had taken place in 1875, the mills being erected in December of that year. The original capital stock was $40,000, which was reduced to $21,000 in 1878. Again, at reör- ganization in December, 1892, the name Fall River Bobbin and Shuttle Company was adopted, with a capital stock of $100,000. The president was G. W. Pratt; treasurer, William H. Perry; secretary, William G. Hodges.
The Fall River Machine Company, upon the division of the interests of the Fall River Iron Works Company, was incorporated in 1880, with a capital of $96,000. It had been absorbed by the iron works in 1879, and again, in the early part of the present century, was repurchased by the iron works. It was one of a succession of machinery-making enterprises started in 1821 by Harris, Hawes & Company, and continued along as Oliver S. Hawes, Hawes & Davol, Hawes, Marvel & Davol, and Marvel & Davol. Jefferson Borden was the first president after incorporation, and Robert C. Brown, treasurer. Later, John S. Brayton was president, and treasurers were George H. Bush and Samuel D. Lawton.
The Union Belt Company was formed in the latter part of 1871, with a capital of $24,000, the board of directors being R. B. Borden, T. J. Borden, Walter Paine (3rd), B. D. Davol, William H. Chace. R. B. Borden was elected president ; A. S. Covel, treasurer; William H. Chace, agent. In the early nineties the capital stock was increased to $48,000. The company leased a building of the Troy Cotton and Woolen Manufactory, the product
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consisting of superior grades of belting, top roll covers, loom fittings, straps and pickers. Robert N. Hathaway is treasurer.
^The hat factory business of James Marshall & Brothers came here in 1887 from Bridgeport, Connecticut, and quarters were provided for it in the building erected at the foot of Shaw street by the estate of William H. Jennings, Robert T. Davis and Frank S. Stevens. The firm was making forty-eight dozen hats daily at the start here, when James Marshall and D. T. Coleman were at the head of the concern. D. T. Coleman retired from the firm soon after the plant was started here, and in 1893 Robert Marshall and John Marshall became members of the firm. James M. Mar- shall, in 1896, purchased the Wyoming Mills for their hat factory. These mills had been established by Augustus Chace and William B. Trafford, in 1845, for the manufacture of cotton twine batting, cotton warp and yarn. Augustus Chace and his son Judson Chace had the management of the con- cern. The plant was recently disposed of to other parties.
The Marshall brothers, James, Robert and John, also joined partner- ship in the New England Fur Cutting Company in 1893, with headquarters on Ferry street, the business being set up under the direction of M. E. Ryan, at which time about twelve thousand rabbit skins were being made use of each week. The quarters on Chace street were first occupied in 1898. Many millions of rabbit skins were used throughout the year in producing fur for hat-making, the business being allied to that of the hat factory, though separate. The Bristol County Hat Works, a Rhode Island cor- poration in Tiverton, were connected with the fur cutting company.
A brief reference to certain of the labor troubles that have taken place in the city from time to time follows: The mule spinners struck in protest against a reduction in July, 1870, this being the first trouble of any serious kind. This strike ended September 15, but meantime the police and fire departments were called upon to scatter the crowds, and the local military companies were made in readiness should their services be called for. In August, 1875, began the "Great Vacation," the mills starting up again on September 27, there being some demonstrations during the interim. The strike of 1879 lasted from June 15 to October 26, and was marked for bitter spirit and occasional violence. The ten-mills strike against reduction took place in 1884, lasting eighteen weeks, it being a strike against reduction. The strike of 1894 was intermittent from August 24 to October 30, it also being against reduction. The longest strike in the city's history was that of 1904, following the announcement of a cut of twelve and one-half per cent in wages. This strike cost the operatives $4,000,000 in wages lost. The strike lasted from the latter part of July to the following January.
There are fifty-four labor unions connected with the textile and allied interests in this city. The Mule Spinners' Association was established in January, 1858, and the Weavers' Union in February, 1888.
In this all too brief survey, we have followed the leading lights of the town and city's many civic, social, religious and manufacturing interests out to the present, and have arrived at a summit where we can discover the fulfilment of the purposes and plans of a progressive citizenry. His- torians to come will continue to say "Industrious Fall River" when they resume this generic subject for their own generation ..
HECKMAN BINDERY, INC. Bound-To-Please"
JULY 03
N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA 46962
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