History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 117

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1576

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 117

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During this period of twenty-four years great events transpired in our country, and marked changes in Hopedale. Ominous political agitations culminated in the gigantic War of the Rebellion. George Draper and several less prominent members of our community deemed it their duty to abandou Christian non-resist- ance and return to the arena of civil and martial patriotism. So they resigned membership and freed themselves from its restrictive principles. They, their families and kindred thinkers went into politics

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and into the war with unstinted devotion. The elder brother, Ebenezer D. Draper, adhered unalterably to our declaration on these and most other points. Yet he and the rest of us could have no sympathy with the slave-holders, and ardently prayed that Di- vine Providence would overrule the bloody contest for the emancipation of the slaves. Such, indeed, was the outcome. But our position and circumstances were peculiarly unfavorable to self-preservation as a society. Our material power was gone and our social foothold was sliding from under our feet. We resorted to various promising expedients for handing our dis- tinctive organic peculiarities down to the future. None of them succeeded. Propagandism was useless ; internal discipline was useless, and pulpit teachings could not turn back the tide of dissolution. So our periodical died in 1860, and later all our instrumen- talities, one after another, till the last became extinct. In 1867, though not formally dissolved, the community was virtually merged in the Hopedale Parish. This professed to be a Liberal Christian Society. It was organized under a constitution such as seemed neces- sary for practical parochial purposes, but contained nothing like a creed, covenant or declaration of prin- ciples, leaving each member and supporter free to think, believe and act according to the dictates of his or her own individual reason and conscience. It sub- sequently affiliated with the Unitarian denomination. The establishment of the parish was formally sanc- tioned by the waning community January 8, 1868. Finally, at later dates, its trustees legally transferred to the parish all its right, title and interest in and unto the Village Square, the church edifice, the Sab- bath-school fund of 8800 and the Hopedale Cemetery. Thus ended the career of the Hopedale Community.

Let attention now revert to secular affairs. Under the vigorous management of the Drapers and their allies Hopedale marched rapidly forward to command- ing attainments and distinction. Expansion, improve- ment and beautification were more and more conspicu- ous from year to year. In the midst of this material prosperity the two brothers began to diverge in their managemental views of business operations. The re- sult was a change of co-partnership in 1868, when Ebenezer D. retired from the firm, and his place was filled by George's oldest son, General William F. Draper. Ebenezer had been a successful accumulator on a smaller scale of transactions. He was worth about five thousand dollars when he joined the com- munity in 1841. In 1852, when George became co- partner with him, he was worth at least thirty thousand dollars, and George less than five thousand dollars. Both gained rapidly, and in 1868 the senior brother was worth one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars, and the junior over one hundred thousand dollars. Their business was now greatly expanded and corres- pondingly more complicated-requiring proportionate attention and vigilance. Both had a growing ambition for riches-to be devoted to laudable uses. But their

ideas, tastes and capabilities differed somewhat. Ebe- nezer was good at negotiating advantageous contracts and making profitable bargains. George excelled him in will-power, indomitable push, mechanical genius, insight into values and the management of de- tails. Moreover, he had a family of talented children coming up; whereas Ebenezer had only one or two adopted ones, destined to other pursuits. The upshot of divergence, however, was, that the elder brother seemed to the younger too easy in business matters, and more ready to share profits than the fatiguing, close application necessary to secure them. The re- sult was that the co-partnership of E. D. & G. Draper ceased in 1868. That of George Draper & Son was immediately formed. This very competent and genial sou, William F. Draper, who succeeded his uncle in the firm, went into the great war a private, came out of it a brigadier-general by brevet, and is equally distin- guished as a business man. Meantime Ebenezer D. Draper embarked in a flattering enterprise with asso- ciates in Boston, "The American Steam Fire-Proof Safe Co.," and ultimately lost nearly all his property. He could not have fared worse had he stuck by the so-termed incompetent visionaries of the community. Not such the fortune of George Draper, sons and con- federates. They prospered wonderfully, and marched triumphantly on from one achievement to another till they rendered Hopedale an enviable monument to their renown. And the present seems only a prelude to grander future attainments. But the historic pen deals not with anticipations.

Manufacturing operations, though more or less closely connected, are carried on by distinct firms and corporations, which may now be treated of in their order. The foremost of these in importance is the firm of "George Draper & Sons." Its senior died in the midst of his successes, greatly distinguished and deeply lamented throughout a wide circle of influ- ence, June 7, 1887, having been its presiding head since 1868. It now consists of General William F. Draper, George A. Draper, Eben S. Draper and Wil- liam F. Draper, Jr. They are large selling agents for the other companies. "The Hopedale Machine Co." was incorporated in 1867, with George Draper as presi- dent ; William F. Draper, treasurer; and Joseph B. Bancroft, managing director. It has manufactured very extensively a variety of patent machinery, has an ample foundry, a screw-making department and all sorts of facilities for multifarious productions in its general sphere. Its present superintendent is A. B. Edmands. It has a capital of two hundred thou- sand dollars. "The Dutcher Temple Co." was also incorporated in 1867-George Draper, president; F. J. Dutcher, secretary and treasury; with the Draper brothers on its board of directors. Capital stock, forty thousand dollars. Manufactures the Dutcher and other patent temples, seamless stocking knitting- machines aud numerous other curious and useful articles. It has a complete outfit of all necessaries

J. B. Bancroft

)

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for its own successful operations. The Machine Com- pany and Dutcher Temple Company have respectively gond water-power privileges, supplemented with steam-power for all needful occasions and purposes. The three companies thus far described have large, handsome brick edifices, besides wooden ones, afford- ing them over one hundred and sixty thousand square feet of convenient room, or over three acres of floor- ing. The firm of " A. A. Wescott & Sons" manufac- ture spindles for the Drapers. They have a flourish- ing establishment, situated a mile south of the others on a good waterfall, long previously occupied for more ordinary uses. They execute a creditable amount of business in their line, and are building up a respect- able little village called Spindleville. Taking all these companies together, they have practical work- ing control over patents and improvements thereon to the number of nearly four hundred-covering a vast variety of ingenious and useful mechanism now deemed indispensable in the well-furnished cotton and woolen manufactories of the United States. Their annual sales are estimated at from one million dollars to one million two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, their employés of all grades at from six hun- dred to eight hundred and their pay-roll at about six thousand dollars per week. Their employés are gen- erally of superior skill, as well as moral character, receive better compensation, perhaps, than the average in our country, and have never made a strike for higher wages. To obtain an adeqate idea of the nature, variety and extent of Hopedale manufactures, the inquisitive reader is referred to the "Sixth De- scriptive Catalogue " of " George Draper & Sons," as presented in an " Illustrated Pocket Hand-Book," compiled by W. N. Goddard and published in 1887. Contemporary with this successful manufacturing en- terprise was a large livery and transportation busi- ness, handling thousands of tons of iron, coal, etc., annually, conveying the mail and passengers several times a day and furnishing horses and carriages to the inhabitants. Later has followed the Hopedale Elastic Fabric Company, incorporated December, 1886-Wil- liam F. Draper, president ; E. L. Osgood, treasurer and selling agent ; and William Lapworth, superin- tendent. Brick factory, 100 feet long by 50 wide, 3 stories high, with boiler-house cutside ; capital stock, $100,000; 100 operatives, 80 of them females; annual sales, about $200,000; orders crowding and business thrifty. Mr. Lapworth is the genius of this enter- prise, having the honor of projecting, introducing here and most skillfully superintending it.

Such a continually rising tide of manufacturing prosperity naturally wrought corresponding results in the whole status of Hopedale Village. Its dwellings were gradually trebled and several fine mansions built ; population proportionately multiplied ; new streets opened, the unfinished ones improved, the older ones macadamized and graced with concrete sidewalks; the church renovated, furnished with a

costly organ, and its surroundings much beautified ; gas-lights and water supplies introduced through pipes from fountain-heads in Milford for public and private convenience; effective safe-guards against fire provided; school-house accommodations enlarged ; and a host of subsidiary necessaries, comforts and luxuries secured. At length, in the midst of this rising affluence, the ambition was born in the leading minds for township incorporation. The project took form in the spring of 1885, and was thenceforth energetically prosecuted to successful consummation.

SEPARATION FROM MILFORD AND INCORPORA- TION .- The first rumor of this movement was received with incredulity, and the verified fact with a mix- ture of astonishment and ridicule by the leading Milfordians, who regarded it as presumptuous, vain and hopeless. But George Draper & Sons, with their influential coadjutors, went into the undertak- ing with their accustomed shrewdness, energy, de- termination and ability. They knew that their cause would encounter a powerful opposition from the mother town, that it could not succeed without re- sorting to every legitimate means of attainment, and that they had got to work for it with tireless vigilance. They proceeded accordingly from pre- liminaries to conclusion. So they surveyed and map- ped out the territory to be included in the proposed new town, and canvassed the population to ascertain who would favor and who oppose the project. They procured a large majority of the legal voters as signers to the petition for division and incorporation ; while a few remained neutral, and a very small minority declared themselves decidedly opposed. The peti- tion was duly prepared and entered on the Order Calendar of the General Court for consideration at its regular session to commence in January, 1886. Meantime vigorons measures were taken hy both Hopedalians and Milfordians to prepare for the ap- proaching contest. Large public meetings were held in both sections, strong working committees appointed, and very ahle counsel engaged to man- age their respective causes. Milford had certain notable advantages. She was the party in possession ; she had overwhelming numbers, alive with ardent zeal ; she had three newspapers devoted to her inter- ests, and also two ahle members in the Representative chamber of the Legislature. Hopedale had some countervailing advantages. Her leaders were strong, executive, judicious, indomitable men; they had a widespread, deeply-rooted influence in manufacturing, political and financial circ'es ; they had made a mul- titude of friends by their public spirit and generous donations ; and they had a good cause. If they could get the real merits of that cause fairly before the minds of an appreciative majority of the Legislature, they were sure to succeed. This was not an easy achieve- ment in dealing with such a large number of persons. For many of the best disposed needed special inform- ation, the indifferent to be moved, and the misin-

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formed to be enlightened. No opportunity was ne- glected to supply these urgent necessities; but, though their opponents, under excitement, very broadly in- sinuated that they resorted to dishonorable means to attain their object, there was really no just ground for such a suspicion. Their means were such only as have long been sanctioned by custom in such contro- versies. Their real offence was that they were too sagacious, industrious and indefatigable to be over- matched.

Both parties had engaged able counsel, sufficiently well matched to leave nothing undone or unsaid in behalf of their respective clients,-for the petitioners, N. Sumner Myrick, Esq., and Hon. Selwin Z. Bow- man ; for the remonstrants, Hon. J. H. Benton, Jr., and Hon. J. H. Bennett. The legislative Committee on Towns, before whom the parties were to lay the case, comprised Messrs. Henry M. Phillips, Charles A. Gleason and Samuel B. Locke, of the Senate, with Messrs. Stephen S. Taft, Charles Field, Miles Samp- son, Charles F. Jenney, Robert Blyth, Jesse Allen, Francis E. Shaw and Albert A. Woodward, of the House,-Hon. Henry M. Phillips, chairman. A more intelligent, judicious, candid and patient committee could not have been asked. They commenced the hearings January 27, 1886, and continued them by adjournment through seven or eight sittings, besides making an official examination of the premises on the 9th of February. It was incumbent on the petition- ers to show that their proposed town had the proper requisite elements of such a body politic,-i. e., suffi- cient area, population, wealth and capability to man- age municipal affairs. Also that their separation from the mother town would cause it no serious injury as compared with the advantages gained by the new town. It was to be expected, from the history of man- kind, as always reluctant to part with power and priv- ilege, that Milford would strenuously resist the at- tempted division : and she did so point by point. Al- though she could not deny that the area of Hopedale, 3547 acres, would be larger than that of seventeen towns and five cities in the State; nor that its popu- lation, nearly 1000, exceeded that of ninety-five towns in the State ; nor that its quota of polls, 250, outnum- bered that of seventy-nine towns in the State; nor that its valuation, 8769 346, would be greater than that ofone hundred and thirty-three towns in the State ; nor that its voting citizens would be competent to manage municipal affairs ; nevertheless, it was her policy to yield nothing. Her managers, partisans and lawyers boldly assumed the ground that the show of numbers in favor of a new town was unreal and deceptive ; that the movement was set on foot by George Draper & Sons, was designed chiefly for the aggrandizement of one family, and was supported only by their rel- atives, subalterns and dependents ; that some of these dependents were overawed and even coerced ; that not a few of the voters on the Hopedale territory were either opposed to division or were neutrals; and finally

that the Drapers were mere selfish schemers and tax dodgers. All these brave assumptions and imputa- tions were put forth, reiterated and pertinaci ously in- sisted on, with as much seeming honesty and earnest- ness, as if they were demonstrable verities. Their first effort was to emphasize a derogatory inference from the acknowledged and obvious fact that the Drapers initiated and led the division movement; as if such movements, where worthily started, are customarily set on foot and headed by persons of ordinary estate, tal- ent and influence-which is seldom, if ever, the case. Common sense and prudence dictated in this case, that if any laudable attempt was to be made at all to obtain the incorporation of Hopdale, the Drapers were the very men of all others to initiate and lead the movement ; for they had all the qualifications ne- cessary to success, and would be generous benefac- tors of the new town,-as has proved to be the case. They doubtless had an ambition to father and endow the town. Was that a criminal ambition ? Was it an ignoble ambition ? Did it deserve even from oppon- ents reproach and contumely ? Milfordians them- selves would now answer: No.

Next the battery of opposition was turned upon the rank and file of the petitioner-, to make it appear that, though seeming to make a fair show, they were mere mercenary dependents of the Drapers. They were, therefore, all questioned as to whether they were family relatives, or business partners, or paid agents, or employés, or sold them manufactured articles; and the implied inference uniformly was, that no man stand- ing in such relations could properly be counted in as a competent citizen. Yet all these men, thus dis- paraged, were uncommonly intelligent, and several of them capable of managing municipal affairs in any town of the Commonwealth. But how happened these men to think, feel and act with the Drapers ? For the same general reason that thousands of inde- pendent-minded people think, feel and act together on religious and political questions,-because they view things alike. There was, however, one single indi- vidual who alleged that he signed the petition under constraint, and who also alleged that he knew of sev- eral others who did so. His name had been stricken from the list of petitioners as soon as it became kuown he had declared himself to have been over- awed. When placed on the witness-stand, he was re- quested to name the persons he knew to have been coerced. He refused, but finally named one. That man soon afterward appeared and testified that he signed the petition freely, and never told any one the contrary. The alleged dictator also appeared, and testified conclusively that he never made use of coer- cive language in any form to induce persons to sign the petition, and certainly not in the case asserted. Thus vanished the phantom of reproach on the char- acter of the leading petitioners. Yet the remonstrants actually had one aid and comfort which was a thorn to the petitioners. There was a handful within the

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Hopedale territorial lines who thought it their duty to take sides against their near neighbors by resisting division, and who did so zealously. This was the most unpleasant occurrence, in its spirit and conse- quences, which hefel the Hopedalians during their struggle for municipal independence; not because it had much weight in deciding the main issue, but be- cause it alienated and embittered some who ought to be mutual friends.

The next effort of opposition ingenuity was to dem- onstrate that the Hopedale villagers, however other- wise estimable, had few local conveniences, and were dependent on Milford Centre for almost everything. In that favored Centre were the railroad depots, the mercantile establishments, the provision markets, the banks, the assembly halls, the churches, the high school, the public library and a multitude of other necessary good things, including even the streets over which the Hopedalians must travel to obtain the supplies they needed. Was it for such a class of de- pendent people to set up as a town ? It was a greater strain on gravity than on facts and logic to answer such an argument. But courteous decency demanded that a formal and conclusive reply should be made. This was easily done. It was undeniably proven, first, that the Hopedale people had never received any one of these advantages as a gratuity, but had always handsomely paid for every item of value or convenience furnished them; second, that they in- tended always to deserve the good name, long since accorded them, of being reckoned among Milford's best customers ; third, that they had done their full share towards providing the roads and streets they were obliged to travel in order to trade with Milford dealers; fourth, that the leading petitioners were stockholders and officers in the railroads and in several other corporations of Milford Centre ; and fifth, that the incorporation of Hopedale as a town would not disturb a single one of Milford's superior monetary and commercial advantages at all. The only effect of such an argument on candid minds was to show that a town with so much to boast of was not very magnanimous to grudge the petitioners the right to manage their own local affairs for themselves.

But to this there remained the formidable objection that this aspiring Draper family were mere plotting tax dodgers, and ought not be tolerated. Milford could not afford to part with the prerogative of tax- ing them at her own discretion. If they should get off at the head of a new town, there was no imagin- ing what calamities might happen. One, however, was certain-Milford was to be a great loser. They must be foiled in their pernicious career. The bril- liant compliments with which they were bespangled, especially the obnoxious father, were transcendent, and quite beyond their merits, or even their demerits. There was one and but one way of escape from their unfortunate predicament. They must abandon their project of an independent town and submit to Mil-

ford taxation. If they would only perform that little act of expiation, their sins, though like scarlet, would instantly become white as snow. They would then be excellent fellow-citizens, if not fellow-saints. But they were obstinate and incorrigible offenders, and had to be denounced accordingly. So the inquiry arose how many dollars per annum of taxes they were likely to avoid in fathering their new town ? No- body knew or guessed; they were going to dodge several thousand which Milford wanted, and this was enough to seal their doom. What right had they in their wealth to diminish a flourishing town's needy exchequer ? Had not that maternal town bestowed on them large gratuities to encourage their enterprise and foster their business ? No, not to the value of a single cent. Had she not been a liberal purchaser of their manufacturers? To the extent of a few dollars' worth of useful iron castings perhaps. Had she not been very generous in building roads for them, and in pro- viding safeguards against fire for their factories, &c. ? The records did not show it. Had they been sordid and stingy in contributing to Milford's public neces- sities, wants and charities ? Far otherwise. Had they surrounded themselves with intemperate, reck- less and shiftless operatives, thereby and otherwise breeding criminals and paupers, to be taken care of at the expense of the town? Not one. Had they given no employment to the needy population of Milford ? . Much. Had they pinched, ground down and oppressed their employés? On the contrary, they had the reputation of paying fair wages. What, then, was their grave offence? Were they getting too rich and important ? If so, were not their acensers doing their utmost to accumulate riches, and some of the most conspicuous of them by less creditable means ? Were they fraternal communists, trying to have " the strong bear the infirmities of the weak," like the founders of Hopedale ? Nothing of that kind. They derided such experiments. But they were looking out, with the shrewdness of modern civiliza- tion, every one for himself, and, if they failed to cap- ture the lion's share, had no right to avenge their ill- luck by denouncing those who succeeded as dangerous characters. Yet the plea was that these ambitious Drapers were scheming to escape just taxation by obtaining a new town, chiefly made up of their dependents. If this was not intolerable conduct, what could be? And if such attempts did not deserve to be exposed by disinterested free speech and the press, of what value were these guaranteed free utter- ances ? But such pleading, earnest and pathetic as it was, fell on the discerning ears of impartial judges as hardly coming from injured innocence.

Finally, the climax of the controversy was reached. If Hopedale should be incorporated, however other- wise justifiable, would not Milford be grievously and irreparably damaged ? The remonstrants vehemently affirmed that it certainly would. And their tone was that of persons threatened with ejection from a

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dearly-bought, clearly-titled estate by fraud and arbitrary power. If so, they ought to gain their case. But facts and arguments were still against them. It was true that their Hopedale taxable subjects were profitable ones, yielding a net annual revenue of several thousand dollars. This golden fleece would certainly be lost to them if their tributaries obtained their independence. There was no gainsaying this conclusion. On such ground the alarm-cry was raised, Milford's taxes will be fearfully increased, immi- grants will be deterred from coming into the town and its real estate will greatly depreciate-its dam- ages will be deplorable! Now its Centre was the grand emporium of affluence, of trade, of wealth and all desirable advantages. But if these Hopedale tributaries were allowed to go off and set up for themselves, their impoverished municipal parent would languish into ruin ! So pleaded her eloquent advocates. What were the facts? In everything but tax profits Milford was in danger of losing nothing-not a mill. In business matters, trade and the advantages of general intercourse, Hopedale was going to be just as profitable a customer as ever. Their municipal incorporation would not change these particulars one iota, unless, perhaps, for the enrichment of Milford. In the sore matter of tax profits even, Hopedale independent must bear its own burdens, take care of itself and meet its share of State and county taxes. It must also pay its portion of the existing town debt. So far Milford would actually be relieved. Was her real estate to depreciate, or her business prosperity to decline from such causes ? No; but that surplus revenue from taxation of the Hopedalians, some $8000 to $10,000 a year, was to be irretrievably lost; and that was going to do the apprehended mischief. Well, suppose that amount must be actually added to Milford's self- taxation, was it going to bankrupt her ? or even seriously strain her financial ability ? It was un- reasonable to assert it, especially after the claims made in a former part of this hearing respecting her opulence as compared with dependent Hopedale. With a population of nine thousand, such a host of enterprising business men and such abundant ad- vantages of all kinds, $10,000 a year ought not to be a very frightful loss to bear. Moreover, it was in her power to curtail her expenses at her own option, and, by greater prudence in making outlays, to mod- erate taxation. This, however, was not agreeable, for it came out she was ambitious to become a city, in which case her expenses were likely to be greatly in- creased. Hopedale's independence would defeat, or at least postpone, this desirable consummation, whilst at the same time escaping taxation to sustain it.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 117

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1576

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1576