History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 236

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 236

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In regard to the cause of the fire, but for which fourteen more lives could have been saved, it should be stated, as it has not been, that, at the thoughtful suggestion of the mayor (Mr. Saunders), the kerosene lanterns in nse on the ruins had all been carried off and exchanged for sperm-oil lanterns, as less liable to cause accident. Notwithstanding this, a lantern was subsequently broken and probably ignited readily the floating cotton dust, and with fatal results.

An inquest was held, commencing Thursday morn- ing, January 12th, over the bodies of those killed by the catastrophe, and a large amount of evidence was taken, occupying the time of ten days. Much contra- dictory testimony was brought forward, almost every witness having a theory of his own. Some thought the foundations were not sufficiently strong and that they were not deep enough ; but an examination by experts showed that the foundations were in perfect condition and nndisturbed, and the mill was subse- quently rebuilt upon them. One or two masons testified that the mortar in the walls was not good and that it had too large a proportion of sand ; three other practical builders of great experience stated an entirely contrary opinion ; others thought the walls were not thick enough, but one of the ablest engi- neers, who stands at the head of his profession, and who has had a life-time of practical experience, testi- fied that, in his judgment, if the columns had been good, the walls would have been safe, and that the perfect running of the lines (of shafting) (and it ap- peared in evidence that the machinery had never been running more perfectly during the six years it had been in operation than it was running at the time of the fall) would give him additional con- fidence, if he felt any apprehension, while it would be a powerful argument that the trouble did not originate in the walls. And still auother experienced

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engineer testified that if the floors should fall, they would bring down the walls if they were twice as thick.

A large number of witnesses testified to the imper- fect character of the cast-iron pillars, the remains of which were found in the ruins; and, in fact, the broken columns exhibited to the jury were the best witnesses of all-very many of them showing great inequality of thickness, some being on one side no more than one-eighth of au inch in thickness. The question was asked, " Why was not as much care taken in the selection of the columns as in the other parts of the mill ?" The answer to this may be found in the testimony.

Mr. Geo. W. Smith testified that he was a dealer in general wrought-iron works for store-fronts, &c., and had had a great deal of experience in erecting cast- iron pillars; he never applied any tests.

Mr. Joslyn, superintendent of a foundry in Law- rence and previously at Lowell, testified that the casting must have been badly done : " one so bad as the one exhibited we could have discovered and should have broken it up; all our pillars are tested " (i. e., before they leave the foundry).

Mr. Hoadley, superintendent of the Lawrence Ma- chine-Shop, testified that he had visited the ruins and seen three pillars, which, if properly tested, should have been rejected. " I should not willingly send out such columns myself."

Mr. Hinchley, superintendent of the Merrimac Manufacturing Company, at Lowell, described the pillars used at the Merrimac-they were tested at the machine-shop; "we never used any test ourselves."

Mr. Burke, superintendent of the Lowell Machine- Shop, testified, " No test is employed for pillars, ex- cept such as they receive when the core is extracted, the casting being slung up and rapped to loosen the core. The pillar from the Pemberton has the appear- ance of being defective from want of care in securing the core; never knew of any pillars from our foundry broken after they were set up; have had some returned because they were crooked, caused probably by inequality of thickness of the opposite sides."

Mr. James B. Francis testified, " As far as I know, there has been no method, in Lowell, of testing col- umns ; this is the first time I ever heard or read of an iron column breaking."

From all the above testimony it is very evident that columns of cast-iron receive whatever test is given them at the foundry. The columns used in the Pen- berton received the ordinary inspection ; no crooked ones were used; they were received in good faith from what was presumed to be a reliable foundry ; the result proved far otherwise, notwithstanding the agent's letter to Mr. Putman given in the evidence, stating that they were first-rate columns; and a very significant fact in connection with them is, that the founders could not be found, to be summoned before the jury.

The jury found, in their verdict, that the cause of the fall of the mill was found in the defective columns, and then, notwithstanding the preceding evidence, laid the responsibility of the fall of the building upon the engineer, Capt. Bigelow, for not doing what no one else had ever thought of doing before.

On the strength of that verdict (presumably) Mr. Nason, in his "Gazetteer of Massachusetts," published 1874, speaking of the Pemberton Mill, says the " original structure was built by an incompetent archi- tect," and then, in speaking of the Pacific Mills, says, "They occupy a vast area and present a very impos- ing appearance, and taken together exhibit much architectural beauty and in their colossal proportions indicate the vast design, &c." He does not, however, seem to be aware that these colossal mills, as well as the Atlantic Mills, the Lawrence Machine-Shop and the duck-mill, were all built by the same "incom- petent architect."

Of the killed by the fall of the Pemberton Mill, thirteen were mutilated past recognition. For these a burial-lot was purchased in Bellevue Cemetery, and they were buried Sunday, March 4, 1860, Rev. Messrs. Packard and Fisher conducting the services.

A plain granite monument marks their resting- place, bearing the following inscription :

" In memory of the Unrecognized dead, Who were killed by the fall of the Pemberton Mill, January 10, 1860."

For the two persons who were permanently dis- abled annuities in trust were purchased by a deposit of $14,000 with the Massachusetts Hospital Life In- surance Company, in two separate sums of $6500 and $7500, to create these annuities of $350 and $400, to be paid in quarterly payments to the annuitants for the remainder of their lives. The provisions of this trust are best shown in Mr. Storrow's own words in his final report,-

"For persons in the enjoyment of ordinary health, tho purchase of nu annuity is a very simple matter. The tables of mortality show with suf- ficient accuracy their chance of life according to their age, and the pay- ment once for all of a certain sum purchases for them an annuity of a stipulated amount to be paid to them for life. But what human engacity could calculate the chance of life of these two young persone in our charge ? Would it be one year or fifty ? How could we balance on the one band the effect of wounded limbs, of consequent disease, of long-con- linued suffering, and, on the other, the restoring power of youth, of pa- tience and of comfortable homes? It was evidently impossible to pur- chase outright these annuities, because it was evidently impossible to es- timate their duration or calculate their valne. Tho only mode to pro- vide for these persons was by annuities in trust-that is, by deposits, the income of which should be paid to them as long as they live.

" But a difficulty here arose. Upon the death of an annuitant in trust, the sum deposited reverts to the person who placed it originally, or to such persons as he may direct in the deed of trust. This event may not happen for fifty years, and where will the committee be then ? The poor patients may outlive ns all. To provide for this contingency, it was determined that upon the decense of either of the two annuitants, the principal sum should be paid to the members of the committee, or the survivors or survivor of them, or to tho executors or administrators of the last survivor, and by them be appropriated to such charitable pur- pose or purposes as shall be appointed in writing by the actuary of

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the Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company, the mayor of the city of Lawrence for the time being, and the president of the Essex Savings Bank, or any two of them, in such manner as they shall deet! most conformable to the original charity for which the moneys were contributed.

" By this arrangement we secure to our annnitants what is necessary for their comfort as long as they live, without paying at the outset an exorbitant price. We provide that upon their decease the amount no longer needed for their benefit shall again be applied to the charitable purposes for which it was intended, and that this shall be done under the direction of three persons who must all he in existence, whatever may be the uncertainty of human life, two of whom, from the offices they hold, must inevitably be persons especially fit to discharge the duties of a trust, and the third of whom is the principal representative of the city whose people were the objects of the original charity. Be- yond all this, the Supreme Judicial Court has power to regulate and en- force the execution of this trust if it should ever hereafter become neces- sary to do so."

THE LAWRENCE WOOLEN-MILL, known familiarly as Perry's Mill, was projected hy Captain Oliver H. Perry, and the company was incorporated in 1864 with a capital stock of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. This mill contained about three thousand two hun- dred and twenty spindles and forty-seven looms, and furnished employment to one hundred and twenty- five persons. The product was a variety of fancy woolens, especially cloakings and shawls. Captain Perry, its founder, was a son of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, and for a considerable time followed the profession of his father, being an officer in the United States Navy. In the Mexican War he com- manded a naval battery at the storming and capture of Vera Cruz. He resigned his position in the navy in 1847, and gave his attention to the peaceful pur- suits of industry. In 1848 he accepted the agency of the Middlesex Mills at Lowell, where he remained till he became agent of the Bay State Mills at Law- rence in 1850. In 1856 he became a partner in the house of Lawrence, Stone & Co., the selling agents of the Middlesex and Bay State Mills. On the failure of that firm in the depressed times of 1857, he was re- tained as manfacturing and purchasing agent of the Middlesex, and in connection with Mr. R. Wendell as selling agent. In 1862 the firm of Perry & Wen- dell was formed, enlarged by the addition of Mr. S. W. Fay in 1869. Captain Perry continued to operate the Lawrence Woolen-Mill until his death, August 30, 1878. The paymaster and book-keeper was Angnstus J. Shove, who continued in the employ of the company till his decease, June 17, 1885. The original company has been dissolved, and it is now a private enterprise, organized 1886, owned by Messrs. Phillips & Kunhardt, of New York. Mr. George E. Kunhardt is the local manager, and the goods are sold in New York by Mr. F. Stanhope Phillips, also the financial manager. Frank E. King, pay-master.

THE ARLINGTON MILLS, the youngest of the large corporations of Lawrence, is located on the Spicket River, occupying the site of the Stevens Piano-Forte Factory.

The power of the river at this point was used nearly sixty years since by Mr. Abiel Stevens, and a mill huilt for the construction of piano-forte cases.

After the sale of the property by Mr. Stevens the buildings were used successively for the manufacture of hats, then for the manufacture of flax and for other purposes until 1865, when the Arlington Woolen- Mills were incorporated, the stockholders and incor- porators being Robert M. Bailey (formerly in busi- ness in Lawrence), Charles A. Lombard, Joseph Nickerson and George C. Bosson.

The original capital of the mills was two hundred thousand dollars. The following year, 1866, the buildings were entirely destroyed by fire. A new mill was built in 1867, and the capital stock was increased to two hundred and forty thousand dollars. In 1869, the company having suffered severe losses, the stock- holders paid in the whole amount of two hundred and forty thousand dollars of the then existing capi- tal stock, and changed the management of the mills by the election of Joseph Nickerson for president, and William Whitman treasurer and manager, under whose management the company has made great ad- vances, additional buildings have been erected, and the corporation at the present time is one of the most flourishing in the city. The capital stock has been increased to one million five hundred thousand dol- lars.

The articles now made by this company are fine cotton and fine worsted yarns for manufacturers' uses, women's worsted and cotton dress-goods, fine all- wool dress-goods and worsted snitings, also black and colored alpacas and mohairs, for all of which the company has established an enviable reputation. Mr. Joseph Nickerson died February 29, 1880, and was succeeded as president by his eldest son, Albert W. Nickerson, who now fills this office. The other executive officers are : William Whitman, treasurer ; William D. Hartshorne, worsted superintendent ; Charles Wainwright, paymaster; Robert Redford, superintendent cotton department ; James M. Beeley, paymaster.

LAWRENCE GAS COMPANY .- The works of this company were built by the Essex Company, the Bay State Mills and the Atlantic Cotton-Mills, at their joint expense, for the purpose of supplying themselves with light, each company paying towards the expense of their erection in proportion to the amount of their paid capital stock. The company was afterward in- corporated in 1849, with a capital of forty thousand dollars; this has been increased from time to time, with the growth and increasing demands of the city, to four hundred thousand dollars, and the works have been proportionately extended. The first agent was Henry G. Webber, succeeded in 1853 by George D. Cabot, to whose thorough and efficient supervision are due the improvements and extension of the origi- nal plant. The company has now thirty miles of mains, seventeen miles of service pipe, and two thousand five hundred meters. The retort-house contains one hundred and thirty-seven retorts, capa · ble of producing seven hundred thousand cubic feet

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of gas in twenty-four hours, and holders of a capacity of seven hundred thousand feet for storing gas. The amount of coal used per annum is ten thousand tons, and in purifying the gas ten thousand bushels of lime and three thousand bushels of oxide of iron are used. Mr. Cabot resigned the agency in 1884, after a service of thirty-one years, and was succeeded by C. J. R. Humphreys, the present agent.

Lawrence had two electric light companies, one of which, the Lawrence Electric Light Company, has been absorbed by the gas company, who will here- after furnish the electric light to those who desire it ; and the Edison Electric Light Company, by whom all the streets and many private establishments are at present lighted.

THE WRIGHT MANUFACTURING COMPANY .-- This company originated in 1864, when Algernon S. Wright, then head mechanic of the Atlantic Mills, proposed to Mr. A. W. Stearns and Dr. A. J. French to become partners in the manufacture of woolen yarn, and a copartnership was formed under the name of the Wright Manufacturing Company, and a mill was leased. The idea of making yarn was abandoned, and instead, at the suggestion of Mr. Stearns, the mill was equipped with machinery for making braids. The building now owned by the company is one hundred and fifty feet long and three stories high, and has increased from fifty braiding machines to eight hundred.

The company was incorporated in 1874, with a capital of sixty thousand dollars, and organized by the choice of Dr. French president, Mr. Wright super- intendent, and Mr. Stearns treasurer and selling agent, who continues in that office to the present time. A large variety of braids is manufactured, especially mohair trimming braid, made at first on imported English machinery, but recently by de- vices which adapt the common braiding machinery to the production of the mohair. These devices have been perfected and patented by the company, Number of people employed, one hundred and fifty. Goods manufactured, five hundred thousand dollars annually. A. S. Wright, president ; A. W. Stearns, treasurer and selling agent; William L. Warden, clerk.

THE MERRIMAC BRAID MILL has more re- cently been established, and is under the direction of E. W. Pierce.

THE GLOBE WORSTED MILLS, taking their power from the Spicket River, manufacture worsted carpet yarns of all description, and employ about one hun- dred persons-Thomas Clegg, treasurer; Samuel Robinson, agent ; Herbert Robinson, superintend- ent.

THE PROSPECT WORSTED MILLS, owned by Frederick Butler and Samuel Robinson, formerly located on the Lower Canal, and later on the Spick- et River, now grown to larger proportions, occupy a fine mill on the South Canal, employ two hundred

hands, and their monthly product amounts to forty thousand dollars; manufacture fine worsted yarns, using about eight hundred thousand to one million pounds of wool per annum.

THE BUTLER FILE COMPANY, originated by James and Frederick Butler in 1844, and introduced in Lawrence in earlier days, is now owned and operat- ed by G. M. Murray & Co., and manufactures hand-cut files and rasps of every variety. They employ fifteen men, manufacture monthly three hundred dozen files, using for this purpose forty-five tons of steel per annum.

LAWRENCE FLYER AND SPINDLE WORKS are situated on the North Canal, and commenced work in 1862, as a private enterprise; organized as a stock company in 1867, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars. They were at first engaged main- ly in the manufacture of flyers and spindles, the in- vention of Oliver Pearl, of the Atlantic Cotton Mills, in addition to which they now manufacture skein winders, card strippers, Jacquard and shedding engines for fancy weaving, and other cotton ma- chinery-Treasurer, Joseph P. Battles; Superintend- ent, George F. Barker.

THE LAWRENCE COFFEE AND SPICE MILLS, G. H. Hadley & Co., proprietors, have been in success- ful operation for several years.

DOWNING RUBBER COMPANY, L. H. Downing manager, manufactures gossamer clothing, estab- lished 1882 ; monthly product, twelve hundred gar- ments ; employing twelve hands.

STANLEY MANUFACTURING COMPANY .- The buildings owned by this company were built by Gor- don Mckay, for the manufacture of the well-known Mckay sewing-machines. The Stanley Manufactur- ing Company was incorporated 1882, with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars. A. P. Tapley, presi- dent; F. F. Stanley, treasurer ; men employed, one hun- dred and eighty. They manufacture Mckay sewing- machines, the McKay and Bigelow heeling-ma- chines, and the Mckay and Copeland lasting-ma- chines, also screw-machines, and a general line of shoe machinery. The agent resident in Lawrence is Mr. M. V. B. Paige; Paymaster, Charles E. Hardy.

CARD CLOTHING .- D. Frank Robinson commenced business in 1857, occupying for many years a wood- en building on Broadway near Essex Street. He has recently built a fine brick building in the same street, where are employed eighty-two machines operated by twenty persons. The product of these machines is eighty thousand square feet of clothing per annum. Leather used annually, twelve thou- sand sides; cloth rubber, two thousand square yards ; wire, thirty-six tons. Mr. Albert Warren (mayor 1866) was at one time associated with Mr. Robin- son. Card clothing was also manufactured here for many years by Messrs. Stedman & Fuller. The partnership was dissolved, and the business was conducted by the Stedman & Fuller Manufac-

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turing Company, since removed to Providence, Rhode Island.

Beside the Lawrence Flyer and Spindle Works, named above, there were other works for similar purposes-JAMES MCCORMICK & Co., manufac- tnring six to eight hundred flyers and pressers for cotton flyers per month, and employing six men ; and THOMAS HALL, manufacturer of flyers, spin- dles and caps, to which are added some specialties and improvements of his own invention.

LAWRENCE BLEACHERY, established 1877, by Nathaniel W. Farwell & Son. The bleachery and dye works are located on the South Canal, employ one hundred men, and have a monthly product of one million five hundred thousand yards of bleached goods, and five hundred thousand yards of colored goods-Kirk W. Moses, superintendent.

SPICKET MILL, operated by John W. Barlow, manufactures belt-lacing, picker straps, rawhide baskets, worsted aprons and worsted rolls.

WAMESIT MILL, situated on the Spicket River, was formerly used for the manufacture of leather board by George Ed. Davis, who removed to Maine, and was succeeded by W. B. Hayden & Co., who carried on similar business. It is now used as a shoddy mill operated by Tower, Wing & Co.

THE LAWRENCE MACHINE COMPANY was incor- porated 1882. Their works are located on the North Canal, where are manufactured printing presses, dynamometers, centrifugal pumps, etc. Eighty persons are employed here, and the monthly product is about fifty thousand pounds of machinery. Treasurer, A. A. Brooks ; Superintendent, William O. Webber.

THE MERRIMAC MACHINE-SHOP is a private en- terprise; Albert Blood, proprietor; commenced bnsi- ness in 1853. From twelve to twenty persons are employed here in the manufacture of heavy iron- work, dye-house machinery, steam-engines, steam fire pumps, etc. This is an outgrowth of the old Lawrence Machine Shop, Mr. Blood being formerly in charge of the building of woolen machinery in that establishment.

Other private establishments for the manufacture and repair of machinery are those of,-

STEDMAN & SMITH, established 1882, mannfactur- ing worsted machinery and employing twenty men; monthly production, twenty-five hundred dollars.

WEBSTER & DUSTIN, located on the North Canal, manufacture shafting and gearing and all varieties of mill work.

JOSEPH E. WATTS, machinist and brass finisher and manufacturer of steam and water-pressure regulators of his own invention, which are extensively used.

EDWARD MCCABE, boiler-maker and manufacturer of bleachers and oil tanks, employing twenty men.

WILLIAMS & SMITH manufacture many varieties of mill and other machinery.

JOHN H. HORNE & SONS, have recently erected

a large shop in South Lawrence for the manufacture of paper-mill machinery, in which they have been en- gaged many years.

LAWRENCE LINE Co., manufacturers of hraided and laid cotton lines, and silk fish-lines; bleached and unbleached chalk-lines. Established 1881; employ twenty hands. Hiram F. Mills, president ; L. S. Mills, treasurer; J. Marston, clerk.

ARCHIBALD WHEEL Co. manufactures iron-hubbed wheels by Archibald's patent process. Nine-tenths of the wheels in use on steam fire-engines in the United States are of this manufacture, and have been adopted to a certain extent after severe tests by the United States government. D. Arthur Brown, president ; Hezekiah Plummer, treasurer ; E. A. Archibald, sup- erintendent. Capital, $60,000.

Lawrence has three iron foundries,-the Merrimac Iron Foundry, founded early by Elbridge Joslyn and Alvah Bennett, at present managed by William H. Joslyn; the foundry of Edmund Davis & Son on the North Canal, now managed by George E. Davis, and the foundry of Webster & Joslyn, located on the Spicket River.

Here are also two brass foundries, one established by James Byrom and one of more recent date by E. T. Davis.

The L. SPRAGUE SHUTTLE Co., established by Levi Spragne & Co. (1864), for the purpose of making bobbins and spools for textile manufacturing pur- poses. The business was commenced in a small wooden building, which has given way to a two-story brick building, one hundred by fifty feet, in which shuttle mannfacturing has been added to the other business. From one hundred and fifty to two hundred men are employed.

The UNION SHUTTLE Co. manufacture power-loom shuttles of every description, also bobbins and spools and patent expanding cop-spindles. F. G. Page, agent; George F. Barber, treasurer.

Other manufacturers of bobbins are Samnel E. Bass, William E. Bass and Messrs. T. J. Hale & Co .; the latter, established 1881, employs twenty to thirty hands and manufactures from one hundred thousand to three hundred thousand bobbins monthly.

Loom harness is also manufactured here by Thomas Clegg, employing fourteen hands and with a monthly product of two thonsand dollars; Emmons Loom Harness Co. (T. A. Emmons, treasurer), employing sixty men ; and Joseph Sladdin.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 236

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1 Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1538

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538