History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 87

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 87

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About 1869 Sargent & Earls operated a brass foundry for a year or two in Newton's Lane.

At the present time the only brass foundry in town is that of William A. Hardy, on Water Street.

Mr. Hardy was formerly with Mr. Stevens, and later, in company with George Wheelock, succeeded Mr. Stevens in operating the Laurel Street foundry, under the firm-name of W. A. Hardy & Co.

About 1872 Mr. Hardy became sole proprietor, and removed the business to his present location, where he has since successfully conducted it. He makes a specialty of machinery castings, and is the inventor of Hardy's Patent Car Axle Boxes, and en- joys a considerable share of railroad patronage.

A number of manufacturing establishments have been carried on in Fitchburg, which, for various reasons, have been discontinued, or have removed from town. A few of them have been of importance in the business interests of the place in years past, and are worthy of mention in some detail; and as many of them were engaged in the manufacture of iron and steel products, they come most appropri- ately under the present head of iron industries.

SCYTHE MANUFACTURING,-This long established and, at one time, very important industry has been extinct here only about ten years.

It was begun in 1796 by John & Joseph Farwell, who had a scythe-shop near the present corner of River and Main Streets. Here they made scythes for a quarter of a century, or so, and the Farwell scythe acquired a considerable reputation.

About 1830 John T. Farwell and Alpheus Kimball started a scythe-factory just below A. Crocker & Co.'s paper-mill, and began to make scythes of the Farwell pattern. Two years later Mr. Farwell left the firm, and the business was carried on by Mr. Kimball, who later took his three sons, Alpheus P., William and John W. Kimball, into partnership, under the firm-name of A. Kimball & Sons. After the death of Alpheus Kimball, about 1860, the busi- ness was conducted, from 1860 to 1862, by W. & J. W. Kimball, and after 1862 by William Kimball alone, who sold the shop in December, 1864, to the Fitchburg Paper Company.

Soon after Mr. Farwell dissolved his partnership with Mr. Kimball, he went into company, in 1832, with Abel Simonds, the firm-name being J. T. Far- well & Co.

This firm built a new scythe-factory farther up the river, above the junction of Phillips' Brook and the Nashua. Mr. Farwell retained the right to the Far- well pattern, and the firm manufactured these well- known scythes for about twenty years. During a portion of this time Leonard C. Sanborn was also a partner.

After Mr. Farwell retired Mr. Simonds continued to make scythes and edge-tools, his son, Joseph F. Simonds, being in company with him part of the time, until 1864, when he gave up business and rented the shop to the new firm of Simonds Bros: & Co.

About 1846 Alpheus P. Kimball, in company with John L. Chandler, built a scythe-factory in South Fitchburg, on what is now Scythe-shop road, on the

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site of the present mill of the Falulah Paper Com- pany. Here scythe-making was carried on by the firm of A. P. Kimball & Co. for a few years. Mr. Kimball soon sold his interest, and for a time the shop was run by Mr. Chandler, in connection with other partners, under the firm-name of J. L. Chandler & Co.

In 1852 Captain Edwin Richardson took the shop, and manufactured scythes there for about twenty-five years.

It is evident from the above brief account that scythe-making was at one time an important industry here. Official statistics of 1855 show that during that year there were made in Fitchburg seven thousand nine hundred and twenty-five dozen scythes, valued at sixty-two thousand and seventy-two dollars, and that fifty-eight hands were employed in the three scythe factories.

THE WHITMAN & MILES MANUFACTURING COM- PANY .- Among the earliest manufacturers of edge- tools in Fitchburg were Albert G. Page and Alfred White. The firm of Page & White began business in Rockville, where the Berwick Mills now stand, about fifty years ago, and was the origin of the above-named company, one of our most valuable manufacturing establishments, now, unfortunately, not numbered among the industrial firms of Fitchburg.

Page & White made edge-tools of various kinds. After a few years Mr. White retired from the firm, and began business for himself in a large shop in Rockville, farther up on Phillips' Brook, and built up a prosperous business in the manufacture of engine bars and plates, rag-cutter and trimming-knives, shingle-knives, etc. For a time he was in company with Masa Willis, but during a considerable period was alone. He died September 13, 1885, and the business established hy him is now carried on by Ezekiel Davis, formerly of the Whitman & Miles Manufacturing Company.

After Mr. White's withdrawal from the firm, Mr. Page formed a partnership with Messrs. F. Stiles and William E. Taylor, under the firm-name of A. G. Page & Company, and continued business at the same shop.

About 1847 this firm was dissolved, and Edward Aldrich became Mr. Page's partner, and the business was carried on by Page & Aldrich until 1852, when a new firm, Page, Whitman & Company, was established, still retaining the old shop. This firm was composed of Mr. Page, Augustus Whitman and Calvin Foster, and made a specialty of the manufacture of socket chisels, planing and paper-knives.

In 1856 this firm was dissolved, and Mr. Whitman and Eugene T. Miles took charge of the establishment under the firm-name of Whitman & Miles. Business prospered, and in 1864 the Whitman & Miles Manu- facturing Company was incorporated, and the works removed to new and commodious shops in West Fitchburg. A very large and rapidly increasing

business was carried on here for about twelve years, mowing-machine knives being the principal product.

The company had a branch establishment in Akron, Ohio, and in 1876 the Whitman & Barnes Manufac- turing Company was formed, and the Whitman & Miles Manufacturing Company consolidated with it. The works were removed to Akron, and Fitchburg thus lost a valuable and prosperous corporation.

THE AMERICAN RATTAN CO .- This company was incorporated in 1852, with a capital of $46,800, and manufactured chair-cane from rattan. Previously, this kind of work had been done by hand, but this company put in the machines which had recently been invented by Sylvanus Sawyer and his brother, Addison, for splitting cane.

For many years the American Rattan Company was one of the most prosperous and profitable manu- facturing concerns in the United States. The works were in Newton's Lane.

After twenty-three years of prosperity, due largely to the able management of Moses Wood, who was president of the company from its incorporation till his death, in 1869, and also its treasurer from 1855, the company was consolidated in 1875 with the Wakefield Rattan Company, of Boston, and in April, 1878, the business was entirely removed from Fitch- burg.

Some idea of the importance of this company may be obtained by stating the value of its products in different years and noting the remarkable increase.

From official statistics we find that the value of the chair-cane produced by the American Rattan Com- pany in 1855 was $50,000; in 1865, $212,500; in 1875 $340,000.

The loss of this company, and of the Whitman & Miles Manufacturing Company-two of our heaviest and most prosperous concerns-coming, one so soon after the other, increased, in no small degree, the business depression then existing in Fitchburg.

THE BUCKEYE MOWING-MACHINE COMPANY .- This company began business here about 1864, oc- cupying two large wooden buildings in West Fitch- burg, near the junction of Depot road and Westminster river road. In connection with it was the Bay State Horse-Rake Company. Mowing-machines, horse-rakes and laundry-machines were here manufactured and a prosperous business was built up.

In 1865 official statistics show that eight hundred and fifty mowing-machines were made here during that year, valued at one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. The product was greater a few years later.

September 15, 1873, one of the large buildings occupied by this company was destroyed by fire and the other considerably damaged, the loss being fifteen thousand dollars. The works were rebuilt, and in 1876 were purchased by Richard A. Leonard, who continued the manufacture of mowing-machines and also made packing cases there until January 29, 1886,

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when both buildings were burnt. Soon afterward the mowing-machine business was removed to Worcester, Mr. Leonard continuing the making of packing cases and agricultural implements in a new factory opposite the site of the old shops.

Many other industries have been carried on here in the past that are now extinct in Fitchburg. A few of them may be mentioned, as follows : Tanneries were early established here, and the one operated by Cald- well & Sprague a half-century ago nearly, located near the old V. & M. R. R. engine-house, was quite an important concern. Bellows were made here to a considerable extent during the first half of the present century by various individuals, prominent among whom was Dea. Abel Thurston. Hats were also formerly made here. Parts of piano-fortes were made by Hale W. Page; fan blowers, sewing-machines, etc., by C. P. Marshall; vises by the New England Vise Co .; hoop-machines by the American Hoop-Machine Co. Prior to the discovery of petroleum a large number of candles were made here by John P. Sabin. During the war cannon, cannon-balls and bomb-shells were made here to a considerable extent.

THE GRAIN BUSINESS .- Grist and saw-mills were the first concerns in the manufacturing line started in Fitchburg. We have already spoken of the mill built by the Kimballs about 1750, where for many years the grain for miles around was ground.

From about 1800 to 1822 there was a grist-mill run in connection with the Farwell scythe shop, near the corner of the present Main and River Streets.

A little later Sheldon & Pillsbury's grist-mill was built, on the site now occupied by the Star Worsted Company's mill on West Street. In a few years this mill acquired considerable reputation for bolting flour in a superior manner, and grain was brought to it from places quite distant. It was equipped with two runs of stones, a corn-cracker aud flour-bolter, and in 1835, according to Mr. Torrey, the average amount of flour made at this mill was five barrels per day ; and Mr. Torrey was of the opinion that during the year 1836 the production would be doubled.

The mill erected about 1836 by Captain Levi Pratt on River Street was, for a time, used by him for the manufacture of powder kegs, but for many years the site has been occupied as a flour and grain-mill. Several parties have carried on this industry there in years past, among them Franklin McIntire and Ira Carleton and the Fitchburg Flour Company. In 1881 Charles P. Washburn purchased the property ; and in 1883 Frederick F. Woodward bought one-half interest, since which time the mill has been success- fully operated by the firm of Washburn & Wood- ward.

In 1884 a store-house, one hundred by thirty feet, was built to accommodate their increasing business. The firm possesses every facility for carrying on their large wholesale and retail trade in flour, grain, meal,

etc. A branch track connects their mill with the main line of the Fitchburg Railroad close by.

Let us now return to the Kimball saw and grist- mill. On the site occupied by it was built, in 1826, the "Stone Mill," which, for over forty years, was operated as a cotton-mill. In 1868 Joseph Cushing bought the property, and since then the firm of J. Cushing & Co. has carried on the flour and grain business there. Mr. Cushing's son. Milton M. Cush- ing, was in partnership with him, but died some years ago.

A very large business is done here, the mill having a grinding capacity of several thousand bushels of corn per day. A track, some six hundred feet long, connects the establishment with the main line of the Fitchburg Railroad. This track was built in 1871, and on September 2d, of that year, the completion of the "Joe Cushing Railroad," as it was called, was the occasion of quite a jollification.

In connection with his mill Mr. Cushing has several large store-houses, and, by a rather singular coincidence, he has, just across the stream, a saw- mill and lumber-yard. So the first manufacturing industry in Fitchburg is, at the present time, exactly reproduced on the identical site, though on a vastly greater scale.

THE LUMBER BUSINESS .- As before noted, Fitch- burg has had saw-mills located on the various streams and brooks within the limits of the town since the earliest period of its history ; and the lumber busi- ness has always been an important item in the indus- tries of the place.

It would be useless to try to give, in detail, the history of this business; so we shall content our- selves with simply a brief mention of the more important concerns of this kind that have existed here in the recent past, or are in operation now.

Some twenty years ago the Fitchburg Lumber Company carried on quite an extensive business at their yards on Water Street. The company was incorporated in 1868, with a capital of $200,000, but was not able to go through the financial depression that came a few years later.

Alvah A. Beckwith operated an extensive lumber business, and sash and blind shop on Rollstone Street, over a score of years ago; and after his death, December 17, 1868, the business was carried on by the Beckwith Lumber Company until 1878, when the property was leased by Charles A. Priest, who subse- quently purchased it.

Mr. Priest was formerly with the Fitchburg Lum- ber Company, and operated their yard on Water Street after the company gave up business, until he leased the property of the Beckwith Lumber Com- pany. After purchasing it he greatly enlarged the buildings, and established a prosperous business. He died in September, 1887, since which time the concern has been carried on by the C. A. Priest Lumber Company. The plaut is now quite exteu-

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sive, and a large business is done iu lumber and in the manufacture of doors, sash, blinds, stairs and all kinds of builders' finish. A specialty is made of the manufacture of school furniture.

For some years Lorenzo Barker had a lumber-yard and sash and blind factory on North Street. The property afterward came into the hands of Deacon Mial Davis, who greatly increased the facilities for business, and he now operates it as a steam mill, manufacturing doors, sash, blinds and all kinds of house finish. Mr. Davis also deals largely in lumber.

William A. Garno has a steam saw-mill on Lnnen- burg Street, where a considerable business is done in getting out lumber and making doors, blinds, etc.

Frederick A. Beckwith, son of A. A. Beckwith, has a lumber establishment in Newton Place, and does a large business in building materials, house finish, etc.

Arthur F. Goodfellow has a genuine old-style saw-mill on Wanoosnac Brook, near the Old Turn- pike road, where he turns out a large supply of boards.

Of J. Cushing & Co.'s lumber yard and saw mill we have already spoken.

W. C. Johnson has a lumber yard in connection with his other business on Water Street.

SOAP AND CANDLE MANUFACTURING. - This industry dates back to an early period in the history of Fitchburg, for, prior to 1800, there was a soap shop on the site now occupied by Crocker Block, to which tradition says the name "Old Potash" was applied.

At the present time there is but one soap manufac- tory in town,-that of Cowdin & Walker. Their business has been long established, having been begun by John P. Sabin over forty years ago. Mr. Sabin was for a time in company with Cahill Tolman and S. H. Evans in the " Old City." The firm carried on the grocery business, and also made soap and candles on a small scale.

About 1847 Mr. Sabin began the manufacture of these articles by himself, in South Fitchburg, and speedily built up a thriving business.

Prior to the use of kerosene a large amount of candles was made here. Official statistics show that in 1855 ten tons of tallow candles, twenty-five tons of hard soap and six hundred pounds of soft soap were manufactured here, the aggregate value being eight thousand dollars. In 1865 the production of candles in Fitchburg was only three thousand pounds.

Natt Cowdin became a partner with Mr. Sabin in the soap business about 1860, the firm name being J. P. Sabin & Co. Some years ago Mr. Sabin retired from the business, and for the past twenty years or so Mr. Cowdin, in company with C. C. Walker, has car- ried on the concern, the firm name being Cowdin & Walker. A considerable business is done here, chiefly in soft-soap. Mr. Sabin died May 14, 1885.

In 1859 Charles Davis began the manufacture of soap in a shop on West Street. He soon formed a partnership with George H. Phelps, and in the course of a few years the firm moved into a new shop on Boutelle Street.

About 1871 Mr. Phelps sold his interest to Mr. Davis who then formed a partnership with his brother, Joel Davis, under the firm name of C. Davis & Co. For several years following the firm did not run the shop, but leased it to A. B. Gibbs & Co., and later to James Mitchell. C. Davis & Co. operated the shop from 1875 to 1882, when the business was given up. Charles Davis died October 29, 1885.

The firm of S. M. Brown & Co. had, for several years, a soap shop on Townsend Street near Pearl Street, but about 1881 the firm removed the business to a location near the Westminster depot.

In 1875 the value of the products of the three soap and candle factories in the city was over twenty-seven thousand dollars.

THE FITCHBURG RAILROAD CAR SHOPS .- These are located in what is now called East Fitchburg and are in process of construction at the present time.

The plans prepared provide for six large buildings. Four of them range side by side, each being one hun- dred by four hundred and eighty feet, and covering about an acre of ground. The one nearest the river is to be the paint shop, the next the passenger car shop, the next the freight car shop and the easterly one the car repairing shop. Each of these immense buildings will be divided by two fire-proof cross walls into three sections.

Of the two other structures, which run at right angles to the four above-mentioned, one is to be the wood-working shop, sixty by three hundred feet, and the other, parallel with it, is to be the machine shop, sixty by four hundred feet. The wood-working shop will be two stories high and the other five buildings one story. The foundations will be Rollstone granite and the structures will be built of brick made at the yards of Edwin A. Goodrich, in this city.

The buildings will be substantial, well-proportioned structures and a credit to the Fitchburg Railroad and the city for which the corporation was named.

BRICK MANUFACTURING .- Edwin A. Goodrich owns and operates three brick-yards in Fitchburg- one on Summer Street, one at Sonth Fitchburg, and the Pound Hill yard, in the northwesterly part of the township. He makes several million bricks annually and has a well-established and prosperous business.

BAKERIES .- These have been in existence here for over a century. The first mention of this industry occurs in relation to David Gibson, who, about 1781, built a bake-shop on the site where now stands the house which belonged to the late Ebenezer Torrey, Esq.

For the last sixty years or more there has been a bakery where the steam bakery of H. B. Boutelle now stands, on Circle Street (originally Baker's

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Street). For many years this shop was carried on by William M. Pride. It is now under the proprietor- ship of Henry P. Boutelle, who employs steam-power in the manufacture of bread, crackers, etc., and does a large business, both in this city and in surrounding towns.

Other bakeries in town are operated by James Brock, Horton & Raymond and Phelps & Cooper. Herbert N. Rugg does considerable fancy baking of cake, etc., in connection with the manufacture of con- fectionery.

GRANITE QUARRYING .- Fitchburg, possessing as it does an almost inexhaustible supply of good granite near the city, in the shape of Rollstone Hill, has made the quarrying and working of granite one of her staple industries.

For many years this source of profit and employ- ment was comparatively unused ; during the past seventy-five years, however, extensive quarries have been opened and worked on this hill.

Among the earliest to engage in this business was Samuel A. Wheeler. Fitch Downe, who died recently, was for some years a granite contractor and worker.

For many years Mr. Wheeler did a large and im- portant business in granite. Most of the time he was in company with others. In 1844 Charles Davis was his partner, and the firm furnished the Rollstone granite of which the Fitchburg Railroad Station in Boston is built, beside filling other large contracts. He was also in company with Joel Davis at one time.

Most of the dams and the stone-work of the bridges across the north branch of the Nashua, in Fitchburg, were built by S. A. Wheeler & Co., and still stand as a testimonial to the firm's thorough workmanship.

During the latter part of his business life his son, S. A. Wheeler, Jr., was his partner. Mr. Wheeler died August 30, 1883.

Wells R. Bardwell is another of the old-time stone- workers. He was at one time a member of the firni of Childs, Bardwell & Co., granite workers, on West Street.

The well-known granite firm of former years, Davis, Ames & Co., later Joel Ames & Co., should also be mentioned.

At the present time the following individuals and firms work quarries on Rollstone: Frederick A. Hale, Sylvester P. Litchfield and F. A. McCauliff & Co. There are also several parties engaged in working granite and as granite contractors, as follows : Henry E. Ames, George Hamilton, Daniel O'Connor, William T. Shattuck and George A. Terrell.

Large amounts of granite are annually taken from Rollstone and used for under-pinning and building purposes, paving blocks, flag and enrb-stones, monu- ment4, etc. The quarries are worked nearly all the year.

In this connection may be mentioned the industry of marble-working.

The firm of Hartwell & Reed, on Main Street, car-

ries on one of the longest established marble-works in the country. The business was begun by Isaac Hart- well in 1831. Some twenty years later George Reed became his partner. Mr. Hartwell died some years ago, and the business is now carried on by Mr. Reed and his son, Edward H. Reed, the old firm name being retained.

THE FITCHBURG GAS COMPANY was organized in 1852, with a capital of sixty thousand dollars, and has since continued to manufacture gas for the illumina- tion of our streets and dwellings. The company, of which Hon. Rodney Wallace is president, and Henry F. Coggshall treasurer, has gas-works near the rail- road, a short distance southeast of the depot, with two gasometers of sixty-five thousand and twenty-eight thousand cubic feet respectively, and maintains about twelve miles of street-mains.

THE WACHUSETT ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY was incorporated in 1883, with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, to furnish electricity for lighting purposes. The principal streets in the city are now illuminated by electric lights.

The central station of the company is on Water Street, and is furnished with a two hundred and sev- enty-five horse-power engine and the usual accom- paniments. The capacity is upwards of one hundred and fifty Thompson-Houston arc lights.

Beside street-lights the company furnishes light for many of the stores in town, and, in the near tutnre, proposes to furnish electric power for mechanical pur- poses. Arthur H. Kimball is superintendent.

There is space to speak of only a few more of the many other industries here that have not yet been mentioned. Though they may seem to be small when compared with some of the great corporations in town, yet they are all of importance to the prosperity of Fitchburg.

The few we shall mention are the American Prun- ing Company, the Fitchburg Carbonized Stone and Pipe Company, the Fitchburg Enamel Works, Fitch- burg Pipe Covering Company, Fitchburg Spirit-Level Company, J. T. Smith, manufacturer of clothes- dryers, towel-racks, etc .; J. Joel and W. J. & F. C. Wheeler, cigar manufacturers; Marshall & Farns- worth, pulley-covering makers; H. B. Adams, S. G. Cushing and the Novelty Turning Company, manu- facturers of all kinds of wood-turning, organ materials, etc .; C. L. Tenney, pattern and model-maker; Jonas Whitney, for about half a century a manufacturer of organ materials ; S. N. Weston, reed manufacturer ; Cyrus Tolman, maker of emery grinders, saw arbors, etc .; besides numerous carriage-makers, carpenters and building contractors, blacksmiths, etc., etc.

A volume might easily be written on this one sub- ject of the mechanical industries of Fitchburg ; but want of space compels the writer to omit much and condense what is written. The intention has been to treat all fairly, and it is hoped that this result has been accomplished.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 87

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