History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 89

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 896

USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II > Part 89

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The Wason Manufacturing Company was organized in 1863,

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IIISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

with Thomas W. Wason, President; George C. Fisk, Treas- urer ; Henry (. Hyde, Secretary ; Levi O. Hanson, Super- intendent ; and JJosiah Bumstead, Assistant Superintendent. The business of Wason, Ladd & Co. was consolidated with the company in 1868, and in the same year Messrs. Hanson & Bumstead retired.

The steadily increasing business of the firm necessitated more commodious quarters, and in 1871 the company pur- chased 16 acres of Jand lying along the Connecticut River, in the northern suburbs of the city, where commodious, sub- stantial, and elegant buildings were erected. These buildings, which are in all their appointments the most complete and perfect of their kind in this country, were designed and ar- ranged by Mr. Fisk, the present president of the company. Without entering into detail, the magnitude of the establish- ment may be seen by the following dimensions of the various buildings : The foundry is 170 feet in length by 62 in width, 32 feet high, with a daily capacity of 100 car-wheels and 10 tons of other castings. The foundry supply-shed is 83 by 33 feet ; coal-shed, 83 by 40 feet ; machine-shop, 96 by 45 feet, two stories high ; smithery, 150 by 45 feet, 35 feet high ; pas- senger-car shop, 117 by 75 feet ; building for setting up trucks, 60 by 45 feet ; building devoted to wood-working machinery and cabinet-work, 200 by 62 feet, two stories ; lumber-shed, 420 by 40 feet ; paint-shop, 500 by 75 feet, 35 feet high.

In this last building thirty-two of the largest-sized pas- senger-coaches can be undergoing decoration at the same time. There are also two other buildings devoted to the eon- struction and painting of freight-cars, each 180 by 42 feet. The machinery of this mammoth establishment is driven by a 150-horse-power engine.

The quality of cars manufactured by this company has not only attracted the attention of our own country, but produced a foreign demand. They recently filled a contract with Egypt for sixty passenger-cars and one hundred freight-cars, and for the royal car of the khedive. Numerous manufactories and residences have been erected in the vicinity of the company's shops ; a post-office has been established, a depot built, and the village has received the name of Brightwood.

Aug. 21, 1870, Mr. Wason, the founder of the establish- ment, died, and was succeeded in the presidency by Geo. C. Fisk, a native of Hinsdale, N. H., born March 1, 1831. Ile entered the employment of Mr. Wason in 1852 as book- keeper and cashier, and soon after became a partner. On the organization of the company in 1863, he was elected treasurer, and in 1869 became vice-president, and, as stated above, in 1870 he was chosen president. Mr. Fisk has general charge of the business at the home office.

The secretary and treasurer of the company, Henry S. Ilyde, was born in Mount Hope, N. Y., Aug. 18, 1837, and while yet a small lad went to Detroit, Mich., of which city his father was elected mayor three terms. Mr. Hyde was edu- cated for the Bar, but, upon uniting in marriage with Jennie S., daughter of Thomas W. Wason, he became associated with Mr. Wason in business, and upon the organization of the company was chosen its secretary, and in 1869 succeeded MIr. Fisk as treasurer. In addition to being the financial man- ager of the Wason Company, he is largely identified with various interests in Springfield, being president of the Agawam National Bank, the Springfield Clearing-House, vice-president of the Hampden Savings-Bank, etc., etc.

The present officers and working-staff are as follows : George C. Fisk, President ; Henry S. Hyde, Secretary and Treasurer ; Wm. II. Paige, General Superintendent of Manufactory ; A. C. Reed, Foreman of Passenger- and Freight-Car Body Build- ing; A. Nutting, Foreman of the Cabinet-Room ; Chas. H. Wheeler, Foreman of the Paint-Shops; S. D. Wilson, Fore- man of the Blacksmith-Shop; Wm. T. Parker, Foreman of the Machine-Shop; P. O'Connell, Foreman of the Foundry ; G. Goodwin, Foreman of the Yard; E. C. Pierce and Elisha

Childs, Decorative Painters; Louis C. Hyde, Book-Keeper ; and Charles A. Fisk, Purchaser and Cashier.

SMITH & WESSON REVOLVER MANUFACTORY.

This establishment was founded in 1857, by Smith & Wes- son, by whom it was continued until 1874, when Mr. Smith retired, and the business has since been conducted by Mr. D. B. Wesson. The value of the annual product at the begin- ning of business was $150,000. The present annual product amounts to $800,000. The number of persons employed in the beginning was 75, and has now increased to 450. The arms manufactured in this establishment are unsurpassed in quality and beauty of workmanship. It has ever been a leading char- acteristic of Mr. Wesson to manufacture none but the very best quality of goods, and the result is the building up of one of the largest institutions of its kind in existence, and one that reflects great credit upon its enterprising proprietor, and does its share in rendering Springfield famous at home and abroad.

THE HAMPDEN WATCH COMPANY.

A comparatively new but representative industry in this city is the manufacture of watches. This company is the successor of the New York Watch Company, which was organ- ized in 1867. The business was continued under this organ- ization with varied success until 1877, when the present company was formed, with a capital of $210,000. Ilomer Foot, President; Chas. D. Rood, Treasurer; and John C. Perry, Superintendent. At the present time, after meeting with numerous discouragements,-fire and financial depres- sion,-the establishment is in a prosperous condition, and the Hampden watches are acknowledged equal in every respect to those manufactured by the more extensive and older com- panies.

The establishment of this institution and its present pros- perous condition are due chiefly to Homer Foot, Esq., who has lavishly bestowed both time and money upon it. It is an in- dustry which the citizens of this city may well be proud of.

G. & C. MERRIAM.

Prominent among the leading business firms which have rendered Springfield famous, both in this country and in Europe, is that of G. & C. Merriam, publishers of Webster's Dictionary. The Merriams inherited the business of book- making, for, as early as 1795, Ebenezer & D. Merriam-the former an uncle and the latter father of the three brothers, George, Charles, and Homer, the present firm-established a job-printing office and book-store in Brookfield, Mass., which they conducted for more than half a century.

In 1831, George and Chas. Merriam came to Springfield and established a book-store and printing-office, and in the following year took the firm-name of G. & C. Merriam, which has since continued, although a younger brother, Homer Mer- riam, joined the firm in 1856, he having previously been en- gaged in book-selling in Troy, N. Y. Thus the name has stood for forty-six years, and is a synonym for honorable deal- ing, keen business foresight, and energy. Their business was established by the publication of a series of law-books, one of which was Chitty's Pleadings. The house has also published more than 200,000 copies of the Bible, a series of readers known as the Springfield series, and many other publications.

The work, however, the publication of which has given them the world-wide reputation they so justly merit, is Webster's Dictionary. Dr. Noah Webster, up to the time of his death, was virtually the publisher of his own works. After his death the right of publication and the works then unsold were dis- posed of to J. S. & C. Adams, of Amherst, Mass., who in turn sold them to the Merriams. They saw at a glance that the work, both in a pecuniary and literary sense, might be greatly benefited by the adoption of modern improvements in book-making; and, although the enterprise seemed too haz-

DanielB. Wesson

833

HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.

ardons to such firms as Harper & Bros., and other metropoli- tan publishers, the Merriams invested a large amount of money, and bent their energy to the task, believing that in the end financial remuneration would result. As mentioned above, in 1844 they purchased the stock remaining unsold at Dr. Web- ster's death, and the right to publish the large dictionary. The revision which was projected by the author was carried for- ward by Prof. Chauncey A. Goodrich, of Yale College, a son- in-law of Dr. Webster, to which he devoted three years. It was issued in 1847, and proved a success. Two other editions were issued, in 1856 and 1859, under the direction of Prof. Goodrich, the latter containing illustrations.

These editions, notwithstanding the immense amount of labor and expense involved in bringing them out, were con- sidered minor affairs when compared with the great revision which was printed in 1864. The labor on this occupied more than ten years, involving an aggregate of more than thirty years of literary labor, distributed among nearly fifty individ- uals. Dr. Mahn, of Berlin, an eminent European scholar, spent five years upon the etymologies alone. This revision was also undertaken by Prof. Goodrich, but he died in 1860, and Prof. Porter, of Yale College, succeeded to the editorship. Among the many learned men who assisted in the work may be mentioned the names of William G. Webster, a son of the author, Rev. C. Goodrich, son of the first editor, Profs. C. S. Lyman, Gilman, Whitney, Hadley, and Mr. William A. Wheeler.

The Merriams also publish the national pictorial edition, and have a proprietary right in all the series. It is said that the sales of Webster's Dictionary exceed those of any other printed in the English language. Since the death of Dr. Webster, in 1843, the publishers have paid his family over a quarter of a million dollars as their share of the copyright money. The work is printed at the " Riverside Press" of Houghton & Co., Cambridge, Mass.

THE MORGAN ENVELOPE COMPANY

was organized in 1865, by E. Morgan & Co., Mr. Chester W. Chapin being the special partner, and began the manufacture of envelopes on Hilman Street. In 1866 the business was moved to Taylor Street, occupying a number of rooms in Emer- son Wright's extensive buildings. A stock company was formed in 1869, and a year later the works were moved.into Wright's buildings, on Worthington Street. The firm manu- factures envelopes of every description, employs, when running full, from 150 to 200 hands, and made the first postal-card used in this country. Since 1874 it has had half the contract for making the stamped envelopes sold by the government, which are turned out at the Plympton works, in Hartford, the present contract for which will expire Oct. 1, 1882. The postal-card manufacture was carried on from 1873 to 1877. Ex-Mayor Emerson Wright is president of the company, and Elisha Morgan treasurer.

THE AMERICAN PAPETERIE COMPANY.

While engaged in the manufacture of envelopes, the Mor- gan company turned its attention to putting up note-paper and envelopes in attractive boxes, and from that business sprang the present extensive trade in papeterie. Emulating their example, other similar concerns started up, and the result is the well-known American Papeterie Company. The first papeterie thrown upon the market in the United States was sent out by the Morgan Envelope Company, in 1866.

In March, 1878, the American Papeterie Company was organized by the consolidation of the papeterie departments of the Morgan Envelope and the Powers Paper Company, of Springfield, and the Plympton Manufacturing Company, of llartford. Besides manufacturing elegant toilet-cases, glove- and handkerchief-boxes of delicate workmanship, and a hun- dred and one articles containing paper, the company has

recently commenced publishing magie toy-books. Elisha Morgan is president and treasurer of the company.

THE NATIONAL NEEDLE COMPANY,

the largest establishment for the manufacture of sewing-ma- chine needles in the world, was organized September, 1873, with John S. Abbott, of Boston, President, and John F. Trow, of New York, Treasurer. Work was commenced in the Burbank spectacle-building, at the corner of Willow and Stockbridge Streets, with six employés. Since that date the business has increased rapidly, principally through the man- agement of George H. Blelock, and to-day, at the works on the corner of Emery and Fulton Streets, to which they were removed in 1874, 110 hands find steady work, at good wages. The first year there were 2,551,000 needles, for all known kinds of sewing-machines turned out. In 1878 the produc- tion was 5,663,000; and the product for 1879 will be 6,000,000. It is a noticeable fact that no traveling salesmen are ever em- ployed by the company, and when this is considered the rapid growth of the business is certainly remarkable. When the works were first started England controlled the market of the world ; to-day the National Company's needles do so, and are known in every quarter of the globe where the sewing-ma- chine is heard of. Most of the stock of the company is held by Springfield parties. The superintendent of the works is John Berry, formerly of Barney & Berry, skate manufactu- rers.

R. F. HAWKINS' IRON-WORKS.

Few establishments are more widely known than R. F. Hawkins' Iron-Works, on Liberty Street. Mr. Hawkins came to this city from Lowell when a child, and has devoted the best portion of his life to his business, which embraces the manufacture of steam-boilers, pumps, iron- and brass-castings, machinery, mill-work, and bridges. The works were estab- lished by Stone & Harris, in 1846, for the especial manufac- ture of the Howe tru-s bridge. To them have been added from time to time the other branches.

Mr. Hawkins went into the office of Stone & Harris when sixteen years old ; became a partner of D. L. Harris, their suc- cessor, in 1863, and took the business for himself in 1868. Most of the earlier railroad and highway bridges, engine- houses, car-houses, and turn-tables in New England were built by this establishment. The boiler-making and extensive foundry business of the concern make an important element in the business of the city, and bring in a large amount of work from abroad.

E. H. BARNEY, MANUFACTURER OF THE FAMOUS BARNEY & BERRY SKATE,

is located at the foot of Broad Street. This skate business was first started by Barney & Berry in 1864, Mr. Berry retir- ing from the firm in 1869. The first skates made were manufactured at what is now the Papier-maché Works, at Pecowsie; but in 1865 the works were moved up to Main Street, near the junction with Mill River, and on the site now occupied by the Bemis & Call Company. The first season there were 500 pairs of skates made, all the work being done by hand by eight employés. In 1872, Mr. Barney built the present extensive works, at the foot of Broad Street, and in the season of 1878 turned out 80,000 pairs of skates, the num- ber of men employed being 35. The skates made at this estab- lishment, the most famous of which are the Ice King, are known all over the globe where water freezes, and have taken prizes at the Vienna, Philadelphia, and Paris Expositions.

W. Il. WRIGHT, THE CIGAR-MAKER,

who has undoubtedly revolutionized the cigar trade of New England siner his connection with the business, started in 1858, in a wooden building, where Patton's block now stands, on Main Street, with Calvin Loomis for a partner. In 1864,

105

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HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

George Margerum's stand, opposite the Exchange Hotel, was purchased, and, two years later, Mr. Loomis dying, Mr. Wright continued the business alone. Ilis cigars have always commanded a market, because manufactured of the best im- ported material, and about 50 bales of choice Ilavana stock is used a month by the 85 employés when business is fair. Out of his business Mr. Wright has amassed a fortune, and he may be considered a self-made man in every respect.

SERPENTINE PAINT AND FIRE-BRICK COMPANY.

Rather a queer name, but that was the first title the present Hampden Paint and Chemical Company had. This company was organized in 1852 by special charter, the original corpora- tors being the late Chief-Justice R. A. Chapman, Hon. C. C. Chaffee, Heman S. Lucas, and Charles Phelps. The paint was manufactured from the product of a mine at Chester, which the company still own, but which is unused. The name of the company was afterward changed to its present title, and paint has since been manufactured from chemicals at the works, at the junction of Armory Street with the Boston and Albany Railroad. This company was the first to manufacture a green paint to take the place of Paris green, which, from its poison- ous nature, was falling into disrepute, and in that way was the celebrated " Hampden Green" started. The company also makes the green used for printing the government greenbacks. About five tons of colors are turned out at the establishment daily, and the company officers have been, President, E. Southworth, and E. W. Bond Secretary and Treasurer ; George T. Bond and E. P. Chapin.

THE TAYLOR & NICHOLS PAPETERIE COMPANY

manufactures first-class goods, and was organized in January, 1876, the firm being J. E. Taylor and Elijah Nichols. The business is steadily increasing, and from 75 to 100 hands are employed.

D. H. BRIGHAM & CO.

The manufacture of paper collars in this city was begun by D. H. Brigham & Co. in 1863, the firm being D. H. Brigham, Charles Brigham, and George W. Ray. D. H. Brigham sold out bis portion of the business to the other two members of the firm, and, in 1865, Varnum N. Taylor bought out Charles Brigham, and the firm-name was changed to Ray & Taylor. The business, which had been commenced in Kibbe Brothers' building, at the corner of Main Street and llarrison Avenue, was removed to Hilman Street in 1866, and built up and strengthened, until it soon became one of the most important interests in the city. Such a steady increase of business soon demanded larger accommodations, and the firm built a large and commodious building on Worthington Street, which they occupied in 1870. George W. Ray sold his interest to V. N. Taylor in 1874, and in July, 1878, the establishment was moved to Taylor Street. In its busiest time the works pro- duee 150,000 collars a day, and keep 25 persons at work, with the best and latest improved machinery.

THE SPRINGFIELD COLLAR COMPANY

was started by George Harrington, who for nine years had been in the employ of Ray & Taylor, and a stock company with $40,000 capital was organized, Oct. 15, 1872. The works were first located in Carr's block, in Worthington Street, but in 1877 a building at the corner of Worthington Street and Stearns Park was purchased. About 100,000 collars are turned out daily, and from 50 to 75 hands are employed.

DWIGHT & HOYT IRON-WORKS.

The extensive iron-works on Hillman Street of Dwight & Hoyt are the outgrowth of the American Corrugated Iron Company, which was brought to this city in 1871 by George Dwight, Jr. The work is principally the manufacture of cor- rugated iron buildings, cornices, etc., a specialty being made of fire-proof work and the building of railroad depots. Mr.

Dwight's partner is J. W. Hoyt. As many as 500 men are employed at times in putting up work turned out at the estab- lishment,and which is a credit to the firm engaged in its manufacture.

THE NEWELL BROS.' BUTTON-FACTORY,

located at the foot of lloward Street, is a large institution, and is doing a flourishing business.

SOCIETIES. MASONIC.

The Freemasons of Springfield first held their meetings in the building now standing on the southeast corner of Main and State Streets (over Webber's drug-store), in what was called Hampden Hall. May 15, 1827, the corner-stone of the town-hall building, on State Street, was laid by Past Master Oliver B. Morris, Rev. Bro. Samuel Osgood, D.D., delivering the address on the occasion. The third story of the building is owned by and was dedicated to the use of the fraternity on its completion. The premises now occupied by the Masons, in the building of the Massachusetts Life Insurance Con- pany, on Main Street, were dedicated June 24, 1874, the lower hall by M. W. Grand Master Sereno D. Nickerson, and the upper hall by Past Grand Commander Rev. Charles H. Titus. A procession composed of-besides the local commandery and lodges-Newburyport, Washington (of Hartford), Connecti- cut Valley (of Greenfield), Northampton, Trinity (of Hud- son, Mass, ) commanderies, and Chicopee and lonic (of East- hampton) lodges, under the chief marshalship of Sir Kt. E. P. Chapin. A collation for the Templars at the City Hall, and for the Masons in the south store under the Masonic Hall, signalized the occasion. We give a brief sketch of each of the Masonic organizations in the city, in the order of their formation.

Hampden Lodge, F. and A. M .- Date of charter, March 11, 1817, signed by Francis J. Oliver, G. M. Charter members : Roswell Lee, Ezra Osborne, Jr., Joseph Hopkins, Alba Fish, Joel Brown, Chester B. Chappell, John Burt, George Colton, Warren Church, William H. Foster, Diah Allen, Stephen Cooley, Ir., lohn Hawkins, John Newbury. The first meet- ing under the charter was held March 16, 1817, and the fol- lowing Masons admitted to membership: Benjamin Belcher, Joseph Carew, Benjamin A. Bullard, Joseph Guild, Marvin Mudge, Enoch Chapin, Justice Willard, Elisha Tobey, Za- dock Dymon, William Ball, Phineas Tyler, Calvin Shattuck, and John Bennett. The officers were Roswell Lee, W. M. ; Justice Willard, S. W. ; Elisha Tobey, J. W. ; Joseph Carew, Treas .; George Colton, See .; Warren Church, S. D .; Diah Allen, J. D .; John Newbury, S. S. ; William Ball, J. S. ; Joseph Hopkins, Tyler.

The Past Masters are Roswell Lee, Justice Willard, O. B. Morris, Diah Allen, Calvin Shattuck, John B. Kirkham, Ocran Dickinson, Charles Ball, David Wood, A. G. Tannatt, C. B. Stebbins, J. A. Gamber, Daniel Reynolds, F. A. Strong, Sammel E. Bailey, J. W. Crooks, J. J. Twiss, A. L. Soule, William S. Wood, W. S. Shurtleff, A. E. Haywood, F. T. Merrick, W. Il. Spooner, W. E. Granger, 1I. M. Hutchinson, R. II. Bailey, Henry S. Lee, L. W. Hlatch, Ashur Bartlett. Past Treasurers : Joseph Carew, Henry Kirkham, J. B. Kirkham, Lewis Gorham, Samuel Bowles, S. E. Bailey, Roswell Lombard, Thomas Warner, Jr., H. S. Lee, P. S. Bailey, H. W. Hallett, W. E. Granger. Past Secretaries : George Colton, Henry Brewer, L. C. Allin, John B. Kirk- ham, Aaron Wilbur, J. II. Freeland, John West, Horace S. Taylor, Smith W. Clapp, Geo. W. Wilson, Clark W. Bryan, A. II. Kirkham, W. T. Ingraham, H. A. Chapin, George B. Reynolds, Joseph M. Hall, II. A. Bowdoin, Wilbur R. Ladd, William Il. Spooner, P. S. Bailey, H. K. Simons, Charles Taylor.

The present officers are E. P. Kendrick, W. M .; E. A.

ELIJAH BLAKE, the oldest living resident of the city of Springfield in 1878, was born in Torrington, Litchfield Co., Conn., June 26, 1784. He was one of a family of ten children of Elijah and Sarah (Hamlin) Blake, who were married Sept. 27, 1779. The former, a native of Middle- town, removed to Torrington in early life; afterward he went to Winchester. He was a tanner by trade, and died Oct. 2, 1833, aged seventy-seven. The latter was a native of Middletown, and died Oct. 27, 1811, aged fifty-three.

Mr. Blake spent his minority at home, learning the trade of a tanner and also of a shoemaker, and received a very limited opportunity for getting an education from books. After three years spent as a journeyman at his trade, upon reaching his majority he came to Springfield, which, by including Chicopee and the surrounding country, numbered some four thousand inhabitants. Soon after coming to Springfield, in 1808, he was married to Amelia Bronson, of Winchester, Conn., with whom he lived until the year

fire department of the village and city for some thirty-one years; and upon his retiring from the active duties of the department, as a permanent token of respect for his daring and courage, and his long-continued connection with it, the citizens presented him with a silver pitcher, on which was engraved, " Presented by Citizens of Springfield to Elijah Blake, in token of their regard for his long devotion to the duties of Chief Engineer of the Fire Department, July 4, 1844."

Mr. Blake was wholly given to a business life. He was, in the days of the Federal party, a supporter of its prin- ciples, and represented Springfield one term in the Massa- chusetts Legislature. He was president of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company for twenty years, and is now a director.

He has always taken a deep interest in the improvements of the city, and in the support of its churches and kindred institutions. As he looks over the living of the city, he

Elywh Blake

1852, when she died, aged sixty-five. By this union there were born seven children, four of whom are now living: William Blake, of New York; Marshall B. Blake, col- lector of internal revenue, New York ; Hamliu Blake, of New York; and Charles Blake, broker, and financial editor of the New York Tribune.

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History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 89

Author: L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts Number of Pages: 896

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 896