History of New Bedford and its vicinity, 1620-1892, Part 44

Author: Ellis, Leonard Bolles
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Mason
Number of Pages: 1170

USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > New Bedford > History of New Bedford and its vicinity, 1620-1892 > Part 44

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).

461

POTOMSKA MILLS.

the mills have always ranked among the highest. The mills consume weekly when in full operation, 500 bales of cotton, making an annual consumption of over 25,000 bales, out of which is manufactured 24,000,- 000 yards of cloth. The corporation provides for its operatives com- fortable tenements of five and seven rooms each, over three hundred in number, and charges them rental at from $5.25 to $7.50 a month. The capital stock of the company was again increased in 1875 to $2,- 500,000 and in 1882 to $3,000,000, at which figure it now stands. The first president of the company, Joseph Grinnell, remained in that position, giving every phase of the enterprise constant and faithful thought and attention, until his death, February 7, 1885. His successor was Andrew G. Pierce, who had been treasurer since the resignation of Edward L. Baker on the 25th of August, 1855. Mr. Pierce is now treasurer, hav- ing been succeeded as president by William W. Crapo. The present officers are : President, William W. Crapo; treasurer, Andrew G. Pierce ; directors, William W. Crapo, William J. Rotch, Edward D. Mandell, Horatio Hathaway, Francis Hathaway, Francis B. Greene, and Andrew G. Pierce. The selling agents of the corporation are Grinnell, Willis & Co., of New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, and Francis A. Foster & Co., of Boston.

The Potomska Mills .- These mills occupy ground facing on South Water street, and running thence easterly to the Acushnet River. Mill No. I was erected in 1871, and is 427 feet in length, ninety-two feet in breadth, and four stories high. It has a weaving shed 180 feet in length, ninety-seven feet in breadth, one story high. Potomska Mill No. 2 was erected in 1877, the main building being 348 feet in length, ninety-two feet in breadth, and four stories high. It also has an ell 184 feet in length by ninety-two feet in breadth, which is one story high. There is a picker house seventy-one by forty-seven feet, two stories high. The buildings are all constructed of brick. The total number of spindles in both mills is 108,000, and the total number of looms, 2,734. The ma- chinery is operated by steam, with engines of 1,900 horse power. In the two mills are employed 1,200 hands, and the company owns twenty- six four-tenement houses, which are rented at nominal rates to the help. The weekly pay-roll averages $8,000. The present average consump- tion of cotton is 10,000 bales per annum, and the amount of cloth

462

HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.

manufactured 20,000,000 yards. When originally incorporated the company had a capital of $600,000, but upon the erection of Mill No. 2, in 1877, this amount was increased to $1,200,000, at which it still remains. James Robinson was the first president, being succeeded by Edward Kilburn, who was subsequently succeeded by Andrew G. Pierce. Hiram Kilburn acted as superintendent until January, 1884, when he was succeeded by Manly U. Adams, who was followed by the present superintendent, S. E. Bentley. The present officers of the corporation are : President, Andrew G. Pierce; treasurer and agent, Manly U. Adams; directors, Horatio Hathaway, William J. Rotch, Wm. W. Crapo, Andrew G. Pierce. William Watkins, Francis Hatha- way, Charles W. Clifford.

The Acushnet Mills .- This corporation was organized in November, 1882, and a four-story factory building was erected early in the follow- ing year, east of South Water street and south of Potomska Mills. A second mill was built in 1887, and the total number of spindles in both mills at present is 108,000 with 2,700 looms. The total number of operatives is 1,000. The average consumption of cotton is 9,000 bales annually, and a variety of fine goods is manufactured. The machinery is driven by two engines with a total capacity of 2,300 horse power. John Sullivan is the superintendent of the mills. The capital stock of the company was originally $750,000, but has been increased to $800,- 000. The present officers are: President, Horatio Hathaway; treas- urer and clerk, Joseph F. Knowles; directors, Horatio Hathaway, Will- iam W. Crapo, Loum Snow, Gilbert Allen, Francis Hathaway, Thomas H. Knowles, William A. Abbe, Joseph F. Knowles, of New Bedford, and Thomas E. Brayton, of Fall River.

The Hathaway Manufacturing Company .- This company was organ- ized in December, 1888, and in the following year a factory building was constructed just south of the Acushnet Mills. A fine quality of cotton cloth is manufactured, which entails the consumption of 2,650 bales of cotton annually, with a product of 5,550,000 yards of cloth. One engine of 800 horse power is used to propel the machinery, and 450 hands are employed. The capital stock is $400,000, and the present officers are: President, Horatio Hathaway ; treasurer and clerk, Joseph F. Knowles ; directors, Horatio Hathaway, Sidney W. Knowles, Francis

463

SUNDRY COTTON-MILLS.

Hathaway, William W. Crapo, Thomas E. Brayton, Joseph F. Knowles, Edward D. Mandell.

The City Manufacturing Company .- This company's mill is located at the foot of Grinnell street, is built of brick, three stories high, 206 feet in length by 112 feet in width, and contains, together with No. 2 Mill just completed, 64,000 spindles, and manufactures 3,000,000 pounds of yarn annually. The average consumption of cotton is 6,000 bales per annum, and the company manufactures fine and medium count cot- ton yarns in chains, skeins, and warps, and on spools and beams. Two engines with a combined capacity of 1,500 horse power are employed, and 540 operatives. George A. Ayer is the superintendent. The com- pany was organized in April, 1888, with a capital of $250,000, and work was begun in No. 1 Mill in December of that year. The capital stock has been increased to $600,000. The present officers are: President, Thomas H. Knowles ; treasurer and clerk, Benjamin Wilcox; directors, Cyrenius W. Haskins, Thomas H. Knowles, Edward Kilburn, John P. Knowles, jr., Otis N. Pierce, Rufus A. Soule, Thomas B. Wilcox, Ben- jamin Wilcox, of New Bedford ; William H. Parker, of Lowell.

The New Bedford Manufacturing Company was organized in March, 1883, principally through the efforts of William D. Howland, who had been employed prior to that time in the office of the Wamsutta Mills, Mr. Howland devoted several months to travel and the careful study of cotton yarns, and the new company was the outcome of his researches and endeavors. The company purchased a piece of land on the south side of Hillman street, between North Second and Water streets, and the foundation of a mill was begun in the following May. This mill is 226 by 52 feet in area and four stories high. The mill started with 11,- 000 spindles, and the first yarn was shipped in January, 1884. Byron F. Card, who had acquired a large knowledge of yarns, was engaged as superintendent, and soon after the industry was fairly under way, John H. Hines, another experienced man, was employed to take charge of the spinning, spooling, reeling, twisting, and warping departments. The capital stock was originally $125,000, but at the end of two years was increased to $150,000, by issuing $25,000 in certificates, representing the earnings of the corporation during that period. In the spring of 1886 the building of a second mill was commenced, with a capacity

464

HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.

thirty per cent. larger than that of Mill No. I. It is 218 by 100 feet in area, three stories high, and is situated just south of the first mill on the same square: It started in the autumn with 10,000 frame spindles and 5,000 twister spindles, and the capital was increased to $500,000, the present figure. The number of spindles has from time to time been in- creased until now the total is 37,000, and the annual consumption of cotton will average 3,000 bales. Two engines, with a combined horse- power of 900, are employed to move the machinery, and the mills furnish labor for 300 operatives. Charles W. Clifford, the first president, resigned shortly after the organization of the company, and Edmund Grinnell served in that capacity for about a year, when he also resigned and Morgan Rotch was elected and still holds the office. The present officers are: President, Morgan Rotch; treasurer and clerk, William D. Howland; directors, Morgan Rotch, William D. Howland, Oliver P. Brightman, Edward T. Pierce, Charles W. Clifford, Charles W. Plum- mer, George F. Kingman.

The Howland Mill Corporation-This mill was established in 1888. The project of additional mills had been discussed and finally overtures were made by Messrs. Howland, Rotch, Plummer, and Clifford, with some others, for the purchase of a tract of land as the first step toward the establishment of an extensive cotton manufacturing enterprise. At length the title to about 150 acres of land, including the old Crapo and Ashley farms and a part of the real estate of the Cornelius Howland estate, was secured. This land is favorably situated for manufacturing and for the houses of help. A part of the property is covered with timber, extending from the northwest corner of Clark's Cove and skirt- ing the salt marsh to County street. When the land had been finally secured the company was organized with a capital of $350,000 and the following officers: President, William J. Rotch ; treasurer, William D. Hlowland; clerk, Charles W. Plummer; directors, William J. Rotch, Horatio Hathaway, Thomas B. Tripp, Charles W. Clifford, Morgan Rotch, and Charles W. Plummer.

The corporation was named for William D. Howland, who had suc- cessfully managed the New Bedford Manufacturing Company. Mill No. 1 is 217 by 100 feet in area and four stories in height, with a two- story picker-house, 62 by 100 feet, and an engine and boiler-house 99

Frank R. Hadley

SUNDRY COTTON-MILLS. 465

by 40 feet. The main building was completed August 1, 1888, seven weeks only having been required for the brick work. The mill started with 12,952 mule spindles, 12,288 frame spindles, and 6,144 twister spindles. A second mill was built, thirty feet longer than No. I, but otherwise of the same dimensions. An addition was built to this in 1891, which is 90 by 100 feet in area and two stories high. There are at present in both mills 78,000 spindles, which are driven by two en- gines of 1,600 combined horse power. The amount of cotton used averages 12,coo bales annually. Byron F. Card is superintendent of the mills. The capital stock has been increased to $1,000,000, and the present officers are: President, William J. Rotch; treasurer, William D. Howland ; clerk, Charles W. Plummer ; directors, William J. Rotch, Charles W. Clifford, Horatio Hathaway, Morgan Rotch, Thomas B. Tripp, William D. Howland, Charles W. Plummer.

The Bennett Manufacturing Corporation .- This company confines itself to the exclusive manufacture of cotton yarn, and its mill is situ- ated at the North End, on Sawyer street. The organization was effected in 1889 and work on the first mill immediately begun. A second mill was soon afterward added. The company employs 650 hands, and there are 100,000 spindles in both mills. The capital stock is $700,000. Samuel C. Hart was the first president, but sold his interest and re- signed shortly after the organization of the company, and was succeeded by Frank R. Hadley. The present officers are : President, Frank R. Hadley ; treasurer and clerk, Frank R. Hadley ; directors, Frank R. Hadley, H. A. Holcomb, C. W. Brownell, J. A. Brownell, W. E. Brownell, J. A. Beauvais, A. R. Palmer, J. J. Hicks, S. W. Hayes, Will- iam Lewis, Antone L. Sylvia.

The Grinnell Manufacturing Corporation .- This company was organ- ized in 1882, and work was commenced upon its mill without delay. The main building is 666 feet long by 98 feet wide, and runs from east to west on the south side of Kilburn street. The building is three stories high with a basement, two-thirds above ground. The picker- house is also constructed of brick, 117 feet by 98 feet in area, is situated west of the main building and connected therewith by a structure twenty-eight by thirty feet. An engine room, with an area of forty by fifty feet, and a boiler-house, fifty-two by sixty-eight, one

466

HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.

story high, also adjoin the main building, making the total length of all the structures, in a straight range, 859 feet. The company manufact- ures a large variety of fine goods There are 70,000 spindles and 1,837 looms in their mill, which are driven by three engines, with an aggre- gate capacity of 1,600 horse-power. They employ 800 hands, and the average consumption of cotton is 6, 100 bales annually, producing about 10,000,000 yards of cloth. The capital stock is $800,000, and the pres- ent officers are : President, Edward Kilburn; clerk and treasurer, Otis N. Pierce; directors, Stephen A. Jenks, Pawtucket; William F. Draper, Hopedale; Thomas M. Stetson, Joseph A. Beauvais, Andrew G. Pierce, Thomas B. Wilcox, John W. Macomber, Charles W. Plummer, Otis N. Pierce, Edward Kilburn, New Bedford.

The Oncko Woolen Mills .- These mills are situated at the head of Purchase street and comprise a main building one story high, with a monitor roof, 400 feet long by 100 feet in width, and a picker-house and dye-house 230 by 52 feet in area. The company was incorporated in 1882 with a capital of $210,000, and the mill was completed and in operation in the following year. The mill contains 4,500 spindles and sixty- three looms, employing on an average 150 hands. The machin- ery is driven by a 225 horse-power Corliss engine. The goods manu- factured are ladies' dress goods and cloaking. The present officers are : President, Loum Snow ; clerk and treasurer, Fred S. Fuller ; directors, Loum Snow, Edward D. Mandell, George S. Homer, Frederick S. Al- len, Charles W. Clifford, Thomas H. Knowles, and Charles W. Plummer.

Cordage .- A cordage factory was built in New Bedford at a very early date, and was burned by the British in 1778; but another must have taken its place shortly after the Revolution, as two extensive rope- walks were in active operation in the neighborhood of the. Second Street Cemetery in the year 1815. The New Bedford Cordage Com- pany was established by Joseph Ricketson, William J. Rotch and Ben- jamin S. Rotch in 1842. In January, 1846, the company was incor- porated by a special charter from the Commonwealth, with a capital of $60,000. In 1849 this amount was increased to $75,000. The officers at the time were Joseph Ricketson, president ; William J. Rotch, clerk and treasurer, and Joseph Ricketson, William J. Rotch, Benjamin S. Rotch and Leander A. Plummer, directors. William J. Rotch succeeded

Itist Pierce

467

OIL MANUFACTURE.

Mr. Ricketson as president in March, 1857, and Leander A. Plummer became clerk and treasurer. Upon the death of Mr. Plummer in Sep- tember, 1884, Isaac W. Benjamin became treasurer, but was later succeeded by Frank T. Wall, and John W. Macomber was elected to the presidency. The company makes a specialty of the manufacture of patent cordage employed in boring artesian wells. The cele- brated cordage rigging used on the Puritan and other fast sailing yachts was also made at this factory. The buildings, covering an area of four acres, are located in the square bounded by Court, Park, Ash and Kempton streets, and employment is furnished for about 250 hands. The machinery is propelled by a steam-engine of 500 horse power, and the several mills are fitted with the most improved machin- ery. The present officers are : President and general manager, John W. Macomber; treasurer, Frank T. Wall; directors, James M. Water- bury, John W. Macomber, Frank T. Wall, John A. Tucker and Chaun- cey Marshall.

Oil .- The manufacture of oil is the one industry that began when New Bedford began, and has continued with more or less activity down to the present day. As in all other arts and sciences, the refining of oil has reached a standard of excellency not thought of in the early days when Joseph Russell, the originator of the whale fishery of New Bed- ford, brought in his blubber and tried it out on the shore. Between 1825 and 1830 a number of factories were in operation, among the first of which was that of Samuel Rodman. The building he occupied is still standing on the corner of North Water and Rodman streets. It is directly north of the Mechanics' Bank. There was also the factory of Humphrey Hathaway, on the north side of School street, west of Fourth, and west of this stood the factory of Isaac Howland, jr. On the site now occupied by the gas works there stood the old " Marsh Candle-Works," which are supposed to have been built by William Rotch & Sons. The business of these works was subsequently carried on by Francis Rotch and Charles W. Morgan. The processes of any of these factories were common to all and they were engaged in mak - ing sperm candles and oil, and the refining of whale oil. Later on John James Howland built candle-works at the corner of Water and Middle streets. This building is occupied at present by the soap factory of

468

HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.

Bryant & Brett. Soon afterward James Henry Howland, a son of John James, together with George Hussey, established a candle-factory at the Smoking Rocks. A factory was built on the north side of Middle street by William W. Swain, and the building at present occupied by Charles S. Paisler & Co. as a storehouse. Andrew Robeson built a fac- tory on Ray street which was afterward conducted by Edward Mott Robinson. George Howland had a factory on Howland's wharf and William T. Russell engaged in the business at 86 First street. Two of the older factories were those of Davis Coffin at 96 First street, and of Charles W. Morgan at 82 South Water street. Fish Island was also the scene of early oil and candle-works.

Samuel Leonard established a factory on the north side of Leonard street, east of Water, and was at one time the most extensively en- gaged in this industry of any one in the country. Subsequent to 1850 Samuel Leonard & Son erected the stone building on Acushnet ave- nue, now occupied as a carriage factory by George Brownell. Nehe- miah Leonard also successfully operated a factory near that of Samuel. Somewhat later the oil refinery of William W. Swain came into the pos- session of Sandford & Howland. While in Mr. Swain's hands the fac- tory was burned. Some time afterward, being rebuilt, it came into the hands of Milliken Brothers, of Boston, and then passed into the hands of Eben Milliken, of this city. George T. Baker established a factory on South street, which was subsequently conducted by Oliver and George O. Crocker, and later by Charles H. Leonard. The business at this factory is now conducted by George Delano's Sons, who succeeded their father. It was at a later date that Mr. Baker built the stone fac- tory on Water street now occupied by W. A. Robinson & Co. A fac- tory was built at the northwest corner of First and South streets by Cornelius Grinnell, and one at the northwest corner of First and Grin- nell streets by Joseph Ricketson, both of which were subsequently burned. The factory at the foot of Grinnell street, now operated by Swan & Finch, of New York, was built by the Hastings brothers and conducted by them for many years. About 1855 Sylvanus Thomas & Co. established the factory on Prospect street now operated by Homer Brothers. Many large fortunes have been amassed in the oil business, and though a decline set in upon the advent of petroleum, yet the man-

469

OIL MANUFACTURE.

ufacture of sperm candles and the refining of oil for lubricating and manufacturing purposes is still extensively carried on.

Abraham H. Howland purchased the Joseph Ricketson works in 1857, and began experimenting in the distillation of oil from coal. A company was formed, consisting of Abraham H. Howland, William C. Taber, Joseph C. Delano, William P. Howland, John Hicks, Weston Howland, Henry T. Wood, and B. Franklin Howland, which estab- lished and successfully operated a coal oil factory. It is claimed that Weston Howland was the first person to successfully refine petroleum oil. The discovery of a process by which to do this was only achieved by him after many attempts and as many failures. He was much im- pressed with the belief that successfully refined petroleum would super- sede coal oil, and he finally demonstrated that he was right. Following this, his first negotiation was to purchase fifteen hundred barrels of the crude oil of Schieffelin Brothers at twenty-five cents per gallon, and when refined he readily sold it for seventy-five cents. In a short time the Downers commenced the manufacture of the oil, and it came to Mr. Howland's ears that they had purchased all the oil on the market. He sent an agent to the oil wells in November, 1860, and contracted for the entire product. To protect the machinery from being exposed and cop- ied, it was covered with ship's sails, and work was immediately begun upon the erection of a new factory. At this time a great quantity of oil was shipped to California, being purchased at the refinery by Will- iam P. Howland, shipped across the isthmus and over the mountains on mules and sold readily at $2 a gallon. The manufacture of tin cans, in which the greater part of this oil was shipped, became an extensive in- dustry in New Bedford, the firms of Stephen A. Tripp and Wood & Brightman being largely engaged in the manufacture. Oil works were subsequently built at Willis Point, known as the Seneca Oil Works, and small refineries were built at Fairhaven. Mr. Howland was the last to abandon the industry in this vicinity.

The oil works of George Delano's Sons occupy nearly two acres of land at the corner of South Second and South streets and the firm is probably more extensively engaged in the refining of grease oil than any other establishment in the world. George Delano, the father of the present members of the firm, succeeded to the business of Charles

470

HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.

H. Leonard on January 1, 1869, having been in his employ since 1855. The sons, Stephen C. L. and James, entered the firm in 1884. Since their father's death they have been sole proprietors. During the busy season forty-five men are employed. The firm has an office in New York city. They are principally engaged in the manufacture of sperm, whale, sea elephant, fish, and cotton-seed oils, patent and paraffine wax candles, spermaceti, whale and fish oil pressings, and sperm and whale oil soap. At this factory between 500,000 and 600,000 pounds of spermaceti and paraffine are made into candles every year. The fish oil is refined by a patent process, and is rendered very white, although of course it is more gummy than the sperm. All modern improve- ments in the way of machinery and processes are used, and the product has an enviable reputation.

The oil factories of William F. Nye are located on Fish Island, where commodious wharfage facilities are available, his buildings being sur- rounded on three sides by wharves. Mr. Nye returned from California in 1855 and began a small trade in kerosene oil on Second street in this city. He was not known as a manufacturer until 1866, when he com- menced the manufacture of lubricating oils on a small scale in Fairhaven. He remained there but a short time, coming over to New Bedford in the same year and opening a factory in the refinery of Hathaway & Luce at the foot of Walnut street. Here he continued until 1877, when he moved to the present location on Fish Island, where he has from time to time added to the original buildings and about doubled their capacity. Mr. Nye has, by maintaining a standard of excellence for his goods, gained a world wide reputation and secured the distinction of being the largest manufacturer of sewing- machine, watch and clock oils in the world. The oils for use on such delicate machinery are made of porpoise-jaw and blackfish-head oil. The process of refining these oils for watches and clocks requires about two years. A few years ago Mr. Nye established a factory at St. Albans, Vermont, which is kept in op- eration during the winter months. At this factory the oil passes through the several processes with the thermometer thirty-five degrees below zero. In this way the oil is made much whiter than can be done in this latitude and is at the same time freed from impurities that corrode and blacken the pivots of a watch ; and it is also unaffected by heat or

471

OIL MANUFACTURE. R

cold. The product of Mr. Nye's factory will amount to twelve thou- sand gross bottles of various sizes of sewing-machine, watch, clock and typewriter oil this year. Mr. Nye also makes a compound called oleo- tannatine, for the preservation and softening of leather harnesses. There are employed in the establishment from twenty-six to thirty hands and the power is furnished by a fifteen horse power boiler and an engine of smaller capacity.

The large factory of W. A. Robinson & Company, refiners of oil, is located at 144 South Water street. The firm was originally established in Rhode Island in 1829, removing its business to this city in 1853, when a factory was occupied on the site of the present passenger sta- tion of the Old Colony Railroad. The establishment has occupied its present quarters since 1863. The manufacture and sale of whale and sperm oils and their products is the principal business of the firm in this city. Employment is furnished to from twelve to fifteen hands.

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.

History of New Bedford and its vicinity, 1620-1892, Part 44

Author: Ellis, Leonard Bolles Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Mason Number of Pages: 1170

Author: Ellis, Leonard Bolles
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Mason
Number of Pages: 1170