History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 84

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 84

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).

All this was accepted with the kindest expressions.

Plans were prepared and received the approval of the Trustees, and June 10th work was commenced upon the foundations of this building. The best materials of all kinda were selected, the best mechanics em- ployed, and more faithful aervice could not have been rendered had each ciao employed been tha sole owner of the building.

Our hest thoughta have been given to have the building adapted to tha purposes for which it waa intended, and I have found pleasure in giving it my personal attention. No pains or expeosa hava heed spared to make the building first-class in all respecta, and it is nearly or quite fira-proof.

Cost of building

.$70,000

Cost of furniture.

2,000

Cost of laod 12,500

Total

$84,500

In tha hands of the City Government and under the management of the Trustees, I have perfect confidence that the building will be well cared for, and, as a homa for the Library, Works of Art and Free Read- ing Rooms, it will he of increasing value to our people. With pleasure and the most earnest wish that to many of our people these rooms may prove to ba a place of rest aod profit, and help make the journey of life more pleasant and useful, I now present to you the deed of this property and keys of the building.

Mayor Davis, in receiving, as the representative of the city, the deed and keys, responded thus :

Mr. Wallace : The city council, in hehalf of the citizens of Fitch- burg, accept your munificent gift and return. their sincere and heartfelt thanks. You have more than fulfilled your promises to the council in March, 1884. Through your great generosity this community will attain higher degrees of moral and mental worth. May your life ha spared many years to witness tha noble results you desire.

Ex-Governor John D. Long then delivered an elo- quent and impressive dedicatory address, the original manuscript of which is now in the " Relic Room."

Mr. Ray Greene Huling, principal of the Fitchburg High School, then read a poem written for the occa- sion by Mrs. Caroline A. Mason.

Remarks were then made by Hon. Henry B. Peirce, Secretary of State, representing the Commonwealth.

Interesting addresses followed, given by Judge Wil- liam S. Shurtleff, of Springfield; George E. Towne, Esq., of Boston; and Professor Henry M. Tyler, of Northampton.

This closed the exercises, which were interspersed . with choice musical selections, rendered by the Rus- sell orchestra.

The day of the dedication of this beautiful and valuable building will ever be regarded as among the most memorable in the history of Fitchburg.

CHAPTER XLIII.

FITCHBURG-(Continued.)

MANUFACTURING.

FITCHBURG has for many years been a manufac- turing place of considerable note, and the varied pro- ducts of her mills, factories and great machine-shops have to-day a reputation which, in many cases, is by no means limited to the United States.

The origin of all these industries, of which our city is now so justly proud, can be traced back to that un- mitigated nuisance of the early settlers of the town, the north branch of the Nashua ; and to Amos and Ephraim Kimball, who had the temerity, in 1750, to build a dam across this obnoxious stream, belongs the honor of being the pioneer manufacturers of what is now Fitchburg.

They built this dam just above the location of the present " Stone Mill" dam. At first it was frequently

270

HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

carried off by freshets, but in a few years a more sub- stantial dam was built of logs and V-shaped. Here the Kimballs erected a saw and grist-mill, which was in operation for many years thereafter.

It was forty-four years before a second attempt was made to build a dam across the stream, and one of the daring Kimball family had a hand in the building of it.

In 1794 the son of Ephraim Kimball (who was also named Ephraim) and Jonas Marshall built the second dam, near the present site of the Pitts Mill, on West Main Street, and erected on this water privilege a saw-mill, and soon afterward clothiers' works and a trip-hammer were built a few rods below it.

Soon after the close of the Revolutionary War a fulliug-mill and clothiers' works, a carding-machine and works for grinding scythes were established on the water privilege of the elder Kimball.

No further attempt was made during the rest of the century to utilize the water power, and the above- named concerns seem to have constituted the " manu- facturing establishments" of Fitchburg up to the year 1804. In that year the third dam was built, and will be spoken of under " paper manufacture."

This was certainly a very small beginning, but it taught the people here that possibly the river was good for something after all, and that they might make it do enough work for them to pay for all the bridges it had carried away.

COTTON MANUFACTURING .- In 1807 there was another Ephraim Kimball (this time a grandson of the first Ephraim) on hand to build a dam, which was the fourth, across the river. On this site was erected a cotton-factory, now a part of the brick mill in Factory Square.

This was the third cotton-factory erected in the State, and was built and operated by a company of about thirty persons, including the workmen, who were obliged to take shares. The building was of brick, and thirty by sixty feet in size.

For a time the company did not prosper, but in a few years improved machinery was put in, and the business began to be lucrative. Unfortunately, however, the company had neglected to secure a proper title to the whole dam, and trouble soon began. The builder of the dam owned the land on the opposite side of the stream, and the line between his property and that of the company ran in the middle of the river. He had lost money in building the dam and demanded four hundred dollars of the company to cover his loss. No notice was taken of this demand, whereupon he informed the company that half of the dam belonged to him, and offered to sell it to them for twelve hundred dollars. This offer being refused, he sold a part of the land and the title to his half of the dam to sundry persons, who immediately began to erect works on the bank across the stream. They freely used the water, and finally cut away their half of the dam. The cotton

company, then in the enjoyment of a prosperous business, had to suspend operations, and became involved in a lawsuit, which was finally decided against them, with heavy damages.

The result of all this was that in 1816 the company failed, and the property was sold for about one-third of its value to Messrs. Putnam & Perkins, who oper- ated it as a cotton factory until 1822, when they sold it to Messrs. Town & Willis, who converted it into a woolen-mill ; and its history as such for the following sixty-five years will be given under woolen manu- facture.

In 1887 the Parkhill Manufacturing Company pur- chased the property, enlarged the building and put in cotton machinery, thus restoring to the first cotton factory built in Fitchburg its original industry.

The second attempt at cotton manufacture in this town was made by Captain Martin Newton, in 1810, in a small building near the site of the present "Stone Mill." He succeeded so well that in 1812, with Solomon Strong and Jonathan Flint, he built a cotton factory on what was afterwards called Newton's Lane. Here cotton manufacture was profitably carried on for over a quarter of a century. Later the building became a part of the Atherton estate, and was used for manufacturing of various kinds. It is now owned by the Putnam Machine Company.

The " Red " or " Rollstone " Mill was built in 1813 by John and Joseph Farwell and Nehemiah Gile>, on the site of the Kimball & Marshall saw-mill, previously mentioned. Cotton cloth was made here.

In 1816 the mill was bought by Putnam & Perkins, who soon sold it to General Ivers Jewett, who, in 1833, sold it to Town & Willis. This firm continued the manufacture of cotton goods in this mill, and in 1834 secured Mr. Levi Sherwin to manage the business. Mr. Sherwin bought one-quarter interest in the mill in 1843, and the other three-quarters in 1857. In 1867, after having had the active management of the mill for thirty-three years, Mr. Sherwin sold it to Mr. Hiram W. Pitts, of Leominster.

Mr. Pitts built the present substantial brick mill to take its place in 1876. He died a few years ago, and, since 1882, his son, Mr. B. M. Pitts, has operated the factory, which is known as the Fitchburg Cotton Mill, or, perhaps, better as the Pitts Mill.

Cotton and carpet warps, batting, twine, etc., are produced. There are five buildings, the largest being the brick structure erected in 1876, which is fifty hy one hundred feet and three stories high. It is well equipped with machinery, which is run mainly by water-power ; but there is steam-power in readiness to use when the water is too low to be of service.

The cotton-mill built on Phillips' Brook, about 1815, was afterward operated by Perkins & Baldwin. It was swept away in 1850 by the flood caused by the giving way of the Ashburnham reservoir.

Just above Perkins & Baldwin's factory a small cotton-mill was built by Colonel Ivers Phillips about

271

FITCHBURG.

1845. It was soon converted into a flannel-mill, and, in 1850, was swept away by the flood. It was rebuilt and burnt in 1852. Soon afterwards a mill was erected on the same site, and used by Colonel Phillips for the manufacture of hosiery, etc., and, since 1861, has been operated as a woolen-mill hy various par- ties.

The "Stone Mill," on Laurel Street, was built by Oliver Fox, in 1826. It was operated as a cotton- mill for a time by Mr. Fox, but he soon leased it to Percy Atherton ; still later it was run by other per- sons and used continuously as a cotton-mill until 1868, when it was purchased by Joseph Cushing, who has since operated it as a flour and grain-mill and elevator.

A curious fact in relation to the construction of this massive building is, that no derrick was used to place the huge blocks of granite in position. The blocks were all hauled up an inclined plane by oxen.

The Fitchburg Duck Mill in South Fitchburg, now owned by David Nevins, was built about 1848, and was formerly the property of George Blackburn & Co. Cotton duck is made here and the salesrooms are in Boston.

The Parkhill Manufacturing Company is by far the largest cotton manufacturing establishment in town.

In the autumn of 1879 John Parkhill, Arthur H. Lowe and Thomas R. B. Dole formed a partnership and purchased the building long owned and operated by the late Hon. Alonzo Davis as a chair shop. The firm put in thirty looms, and began the weaving of colored cotton goods in February, 1880.

In 1882 the firm was dissolved, and the Parkhill Manufacturing Company incorporated with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars. Since then their business has enlarged wonderfully. In 1882 an addi- tion, one hundred and thirty-five by thirty-five feet, and two stories high, was built; in 1883 a third story was added ; during the next two years another build- ing, one hundred and fifty by fifty-five feet, three stories high, and a new engine-house were built; in 1887 a new dye-house, one hundred and forty by fifty- five feet, two stories high, and an immense steam chimney were put up, and the factory of the Fitch- burg Woolen Mill Company purchased, as has been previously stated.

This thriving company, of which John Parkhill is president and Arthur H. Lowe treasurer, now ope- rates about one thousand looms, employs about five hundred hands and produces something like nine million yards of cloth annually. The Toile du Nord goods made here have a justly celebrated repu- tation.

Early in 1888 the company built a causeway from their Circle Street mills across the pond to Rollstone Street, the intention being to fill up most of the pond, and utilize the made land, as the interests of the company may indicate.

The success of this corporation caused the starting

of the two following important cotton-mills in Fitch- burg.

The Cleghorn Mills, incorporated in 1885 with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, are located near River Street, and include a brick building, one hundred and seventy by sixty feet, and four stories high, and an annex of wood of the same dimensions, two stories high.

These mills went into operation in December, 1885, employ over two hundred hands and produce fine dress goods. Andrew Cleghorn is president and A. H. Lowe treasurer.

The Orswell Mill, the latest addition to the cotton industries of Fitchburg, was incorporated in 1886 with a capital of two hundred and twenty-five thou- sand dollars. The mill was built in 1886, and is three hundred and forty-six by seventy-eight feet, and four stories high. It has a capacity of twenty thousand spindles, is now in full operation, and pro- duces a fine quality of cotton yarn. Warren M. Orswell is president and manager and Walter F. Stiles, treasurer.

WOOLEN MANUFACTURE .- This was early begun here, though in a small way. In 1793 Ephraim Kim- ball had a carding-machine and fulling-mill near his saw and grist-mill, and close by were clothiers' works, where cloth was dyed, fulled and sheared.

The first woolen-mill put into operation here was the brick building, which, as before stated, was ori- ginally a cotton-factory, and was converted into a woolen-mill in 1822.

The following concise history of this enterprize, written just previous to his death, in 1884, by Hon. William H. Vose, for thirty-five years manager, and for many years treasurer of the company, is well worth preserving here :

Iu 1822 Samuel Willis and Abial J. Town purchased the Brick Cotton- mill in the centre of the then village of Fitchburg, and founded what has ever since been known as the Fitchburg Wooleo-Mill. They fur- nished it with two sets of cards and the necessary looms, spinning jen- nies and finishing machinery for the manufacture of cassimeree made exclusively from fine wool. Subsequently Paul Farnum and Daniel Kimball (commission merchants of Boston) became owoere in part, Abial J. Town, Samuel Willis, Paul Farnum and Daniel Kimball consti- tuting the Company, and having an equal interest in the business.

In 1834, the mill and machinery having been injured to some extent by fire, an addition was made to the main building, other necessary buildings erected, the water-power improved by a new dam aud the ca- pacity of the mill increased to three sets of narrow cards with Goulding'e improved Condensers and Spinning-Jacks, whereby the process of first carding the wool into rolls and then converting the rolls into roping, on what was called a Billy, was dispensed with, and the wool waa taken from the Condenser to the Jacka, without aoy intervening pro- cess, and spun into yarn.

Tho improvements in woolen machinery by Goulding marked an era in the progress of the manufacture of woolene in New England. The writer was employed in this mill in 1828-29 as a spinger ou a Jenny of 80 spindles. The yaro wae wound (as spun) on the spin- dies in " cops," and then " warped" on "warping-bars," consisting of a wood frame with pins in the sides, or poste, on which the fe- male operatives extended the yarn by passing to and fro as many times, and using aa many pins as would give the required length to the warp, after which the warp waa "eized" in a tub and drawn through a metal tube by hand to press the sizing ont, and then stretched out in the que, or in a warm room, to dry, and was then ready to be drawn ioto the harness and reed for the loom.

272

HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Later this primitive process has been superseded by the "Dresser," as now practised, by which the yarn is warped, sized and dried by one continuous process.

After the enlargement of the mill in 1834 the proprietorship con- tinued unchanged until the death of Mr. Willis, in 1843, when the interest belonging to his estate was purchased by Porter Piper, and the interest of Paul Farnum was bought by William B. Towne. The Company, as thus constituted, continued uotil 1848, when the interest of Porter Piper was bought by William H. Vose, the present treas- urer and manager. William B. Towne died in 1853, when Roby R. Safford hecame the owner of the one-fourth belonging to his estate. In 1855 Abial J. Town, the senior member, and one of the pioneers of the Company, died, and his interest was purchased by Daniel Kim- ball and William H. Vose, two of the surviving partners.

In 1860 Daniel Kimball and William H. Vose bought the interest of R. R. Safford, and became sole owners.

In 1864 Daniel Kimball sold one-half of his interest to two of his sone, Daniel Kimball, Jr., and Herbert W. Kimball ; and Williamu II. Vose sold one-half of his to his only son, George F. Vose, and the ownership became as follows, viz. : Daniel Kimball, one-fourth ; Wil- liam H. Vose, one-fourth ; Daniel Kimball, Jr., one-eighth ; George F. Vose, one-fourth ; Herbert W. Kimball, one-eighth.

In 1861-62 the mill was enlarged and new machinery put in, in- creasing its capacity to five sets, aud other improvements added, ma- terially increasing its capacity and value.

In 1866 William H. and George F'. Vose purchased the several in- terests of the Kimball family and became sole owners.

In 1867 George F. Vose died and his juterest was purchased by Rodney Wallace, Rufus S. Frost and Paul R. Hazeltine, and the ownership became as follows : William H. Vose, one-half; Rufus S. Frost, one-eighth ; Rodney Wallace, one-fourth ; Panl R. Hazeltine, one-eighth.

Paul R. Hazeltine died in 1878 and William H. Vose purchased the interest of his estate in the Company, making the several inter- esty in the following proportions, viz. : William H. Vose, five-eighths ; Rodney Wallace, one-quarter ; Rufus S. Frost, one-eighth.

The Company has never, from the outset, failed to meet every ohliga- tioo ; has always maintained a high reputation for the character of its goods-having never used auy cotton, shoddy or flocks in them-and for integrity and honorable dealing. Its members have been prominent amongst the business men of the community, connected with its finan- cial institutions, and most of them honored, at various times, with posi- tions of public trust and responsibility.

The invariable and continued success of the Company affords ao ex- ample of what may be accomplished by careful, prudent and economical management of a comparatively small mill, with constant supervision of the details of its business, without making haste to be rich.

After Mr. Vose's death the mill was managed for a year by his grandson, William V. Lowe, who was succeeded by Mr. Marcien Jenks, and in 1887 the property was sold to the Parkhill Mannfacturing Com- pany.

In 1823 a brick mill was built by Tyler, Daniels & Co., near the location of the present mill of the George W. Wheelwright Paper Company. It was later owned by varions parties, who operated it as a woolen-mill. Samuel Slater, a noted mill-owner in those days, pur- chased it about 1830, and although, on account of his death soon after, it was in his possession but a short time, it was for many years thereafter known as the "Slater Mill." It was pulled down some twenty-five years ago. Hon. Joseph W. Mansur, one of the prom- inent men of Fitchburg thirty years ago, was one of its latest owners and occupants.

In 1832 Hollis Hartshorn built a brick woolen-mill nearly half a mile below the Slater mill. It was in operation for only a few years, being burnt in 1836.

Between 1861 and 1865 four woolen manufacturing concerns were started here, all in the westerly part

of the town. Two of them were in Rockville and lo- cated on Phillips' Brook. One was the hosiery-mill previously spoken of as belonging to Col. Ivers Phil- lips. In 1861 it was fitted up as a woolen-mill, and has since been run as such by various individuals. It has been enlarged and additional buildings have been erected For some years the plant has been known as the Berwick Mills, and is operated by James Mc- Taggart, Jr. The mills consist of three buildings, the main one being of brick and wood, forty by one hun- dred feet, and three stories high, and equipped with suitable machinery. It is run by water-power, but steam-power is in readiness to use if the water gets too low.

During the summer of 1888 Mr. McTaggart erected, close by the mills, a fine brick building, forty by fifty feet, to be used for a spinning room, and put into it three new Bassett & Jones operators. ·

The mill just below this was for some time occu- pied by Whitman & Miles, but in 1863 was converted into a woolen-mill. It became known as the Baltic. Mill, and was for some years operated by James Phillips, Jr. In January, 1886, James McTaggart, Jr., acquired possession of it, and ran it in connec -. tion with the Berwick Mills. During the summer of ISS8, however, it was not running.

In 1864 Alvah Crocker, Charles T. Crocker, George F. Fay and others built a woolen-mill near the junc- tion of Westminster and Sanborn Roads, in West Fitchburg, to which the name of Beoli Mill was given.

In 1865 Jeremiah Booth & Co. began the manu- facture of woolen goods in a brick mill on West Street, and continned there about ten years.

The only woolen manufacturers now doing busi- ness here are James Phillips, Jr., and James Mc- Taggart, Jr. Of the mills operated by the latter we have already spoken.

Mr. Phillips ranks among the heavy woolen mann- facturers of New England. He began business about 1872, in partnership with Edward M. Rock- well.

In 1872 Messrs. Rockwell & Phillips purchased the Beoli Mill, which at that time contained but twelve looms. In 1875 Mr. Phillips became the sole owner, and since then the business has increased vastly, and the greatly enlarged mills, which are now widely known as the Wachusett Mills, contain 150 broad looms, give employment to some 400 hands and produce worsted coatings and suitings of well known excellence, to the value of over $1,000,000 annually.

For some years he operated the Baltic Mill, as has been before stated.

About 1875 Mr. Phillips began to run the mill pre- vionsly occupied by J. Booth & Co. It was known as the Booth Worsted Company until 1882, when the Star Worsted Company was organized with a capital of fifty thousand dollars-James Phillips, Jr., presi- dent, and George N. Proctor, treasurer. This com-

273

FITCHBURG.

pany has since continued to run the same mill on West Street-now known as the Star Worsted Mill. Worsted yarn is here made to the value of about four hundred thousand dollars annually, all of which is used by the Wachusett Mills and the Fitchburg Worsted Company. The Star Mill gives employment to one hundred and twenty-five hands.

The Fitchburg Worsted Company was incorporated in 1880 with a capital of two hundred and fifty thou- sand dollars-James Phillips, Jr., president, and George N. Proctor, treasurer. The brick mill in South Fitchburg, formerly owned by George Blackburn & Co., was purchased and enlarged, and has since been used by this company for the manufacture of fine worsted suitings. The mill contains two hundred and fifty narrow looms aud employs nearly four hundred operatives. The value of the annual product is about one million dollars.

The cloth made at the Wachusett Mills and the Fitchburg Worsted Company's mill is all of high grade, and is considered equal to any manufactured in the United States.

The goods made at the Berwick Mills, operated by James McTaggart, Jr., are likewise of excellent quality, and embrace a fine line of fancy cassimeres for men's wear.

CHAIR MANUFACTURING .- This industry was begun here about 1816, by Levi Pratt. He built two dams on Sand Hill Brook, and at the northerly dam erected a saw-mill, and at the southerly a small shop for the manufacture of chairs. This shop was on the present easterly portion of the Pratt Road, near the house where Andrew Pratt now lives. In this shop and in a larger one, built in 1833, he made chairs for over thirty years.

John D. Pratt, afterward in company with Alonzo Davis, manufactured chairs here at au early period, his shop being located at the old Punch Brook Dam, near Academy Street.

In 1845 Alonzo Davis came to Fitchburg, and in company with Augustus Rice began the manufacture of chairs in Newton's Lane. The business was soon removed to the "Newton Factory," adjoining. Mr. Rice retired from the firm and John D. Pratt and Hiramı Wood became partners with Mr. Davis. Still later this firm was dissolved and Mr. Davis formed a partnership with Mr. Pratt's sons, Henry T. and Charles E. Pratt.

In 1855 increase of business necessitated the con- struction of a new factory, which the firm built on what was known as "Tuttle's Flat." It was of brick, one hundred and fifty by forty feet, and four stories high. Here, the firm of A. Davis & Co. carried on the chair business until 1864, when Mr. Davis became sole proprietor. He continued the business until 1877, when the depression in trade made it unprofita- ble, and he closed the concern, which, till then, had been a source of profit to himself and a credit to the manufacturing interests of Fitchburg. In 1879 he

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 Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 84

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