USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Milford > History of the town of Milford, Worcester county, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1881 > Part 42
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Elbridge Mann operates a factory 172 by 36 ft., 5 stories, with a boiler-house 30 by 20 ft., and an engine of 20 horse-power. He manufactures boots and shoes of ordinary quality, employs 200 hands, works up over $80,000 worth of stock, and turns out an annual pro- duct of 10,000 to 15,000 cases, valued at $250,000. Since burnt out.
John P. Daniels runs a factory 115 by 30 ft., three stories, having power and machinery to the value of $5,000 ; makes kip and thick boots ; pays out to operatives $50,000 per year; works up $80,000 worth of stock, and produces goods to the value of about $135,000.
I have not deemed it necessary to procure statistics from several other enterprising manufacturers, because the foregoing is sufficient
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HISTORY OF MILFORD.
to show the amazing contrast between the humble beginning and present magnitude of the boot and shoe business in our town. I will, however, subjoin a somewhat interesting account of two correlative establishments, which have grown into importance within the last few years.
The first of these is that of Estabrook, Wires, & Co., for the manu- facture of their " clinching screw " and various other useful articles. Competent judges have pronounced the whole unique and unrivalled, in general and in detail. The design of this patent clinching screw is to fasten boot and shoe soles, which it does to perfection. These enterprising manufacturers invented and patented their screw some years ago, and for a while executed their work chiefly by hand ; but such was the demand created by its extraordinary merits as fast as known, that they soon applied their inventive genius to the production of the machinery necessary to more rapid execution. They perfected such machinery, and can now exhibit to the admiration of beholders a series of automatic workers that not only demonstrate their own superior mechanical ingenuity, but enable them to fill promptly their constantly multiplying orders from all parts of the country. The usual average of each machine is one hundred and fifty screws per minute, with the capability of doubling that number if desired. The superior excellence of these screws has rendered their manufacture a triumphant success. Even the War Department of the United States, having thoroughly tested them, indorses and patronizes them. Be- sides this leading production of their establishment, Messrs. Esta- brook & Wires turn out first-rate crimping-brakes, forms, sinks, tables, sticks, and steels, seam rubber legs, boot and shoe trees, turning-jacks, etc., all in considerable quantities, and bearing the warranty stamp of their names. The driving force for their ma- chinery is a steam-engine of thirty-five horse-power, and all their buildings and appliances are in prime condition.
The other rather notable establishment, in the same neighborhood, is Greene Brothers' heel factory. It belongs to Messrs. Geo. M. and Randall B. Greene. They manufacture boot and shoe heels, and are said to have the largest concern of this kind in the United States. These heels are made of upper-leather remnants, purchased wherever obtainable, and brought in immense quantities by railroad-cars to their factory-doors. They turn out 1,500,000 pairs of heels annually. By ingenious processes they form these hecls, extract from them all their greasy substance, and utilize, in one way or another, all the scrap-leather that comes into their possession. The most worthless remains are nsed as fuel to feed their engines. They find an ample
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THE HOPEDALE ESTABLISHMENTS.
market in Boston, Lynn, and numerous boot and shoe towns, for all the heels they can manufacture. In two recent months they sold to soap and candle makers no less than 112,000 lbs. of their extraeted grease, - a mere incidental of their operations. They began busi- ness in 1867 with 4 employees, and have now 100.
There is another branch of business that ought not to be passed over in silence. I refer to the straw-goods manufacture. Samuel Penniman, Jr., alias Maj. Saml., a man of sterling enterprise at So. Milford, introduced this business as early, I think, as between 1810 and '12, not much later starting his Bellingham cotton and woollen factory. His store was a central depot for straw braid to a wide circle of population at least ten miles in diameter. He purchased largely, and stimulated thousands of fingers to braid for him. He manufactured straw bonnets, but on how large a scale I am not well enough informed to state. He died in the prime of middle age, and was succeeded in trade by his son and Samuel Leeds. I believe his successors made the same manufacture one of their specialties for several years. Later, John Claflin, Esq., and his son Aaron, carried it on to some extent, with Nahum Legg as their mechanical super- intendent. Still later, Joel Holbrook and wife, in the Bear Hill dis- trict, pursued it on a moderate scale. Within the last fifteen years it has been prosecuted with various success by Benj. H. Spaulding, with and without co-partners. At length he has raised it to such a height of importance that he operates a factory 100 by 40 feet, sev- eral stories high, well supplied with effective machinery, employs about 400 hands of both sexes, and manufactures goods to the value of $200,000.
We come finally to the manufacture of cotton and woollen ma- chinery at Hopedale. This bright and beautiful village is situated a mile and a half westerly from the town centre on Mill River, toward the frontier of Mendon. In its whole length and breadth it must have nearly one hundred dwelling-houses and six hundred inhabitants. It was founded in 1842 by the Hopedale Community, grew thriftily till that Community relinquished its unitary arrangements iu 1856, and still more thriftily from that time to the present. From the begin- ning, its leading people have distinguished themselves more and more by mechanical genius and manufacturing enterprise. Here are four strong firms operating, besides their minor subsidiaries, - all more or less connected in their pecuniary interests and co-operating in their industrial results. These firms are : (1) George Draper & Sons, whose special province includes a host of valuable improvements in cotton and woollen machinery, such as temples, Sawyer spindles, Draper's
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HISTORY OF MILFORD.
filling spinner, double spinning-rings, steps and bolsters, patent mo- tions for looms, Thompson oil-cans, shuttle-guides, etc. (2) The Hopedale Machine Co., manufacturers of improvements in cotton ma- chinery, special machinists' tools, patent warpers, spoolers with patent steps and bolsters, etc. ; George Draper, president ; William F. Dra- per, treasurer ; Joseph B. Bancroft, superintendent. (3) Dutcher Temple Co., sole manufacturers of Dutcher's patent temples, Kay- ser's patent temples, Murkland's carpet temples, etc. ; George Dra- per, president ; F. J. Dutcher, treasurer and secretary ; W. W. Dutcher, agent. (4) The Hopedale Furnace Co., whose business is to manufacture and furnish to order iron castings of all descrip- tions.
The Hopedale Machine Co. occupies the most northerly of the water-privileges, and has a principal shop 220 feet in length by 66 in width, and three stories in height. Its machinery is driven by a motor-force derived from a Leffel turbine wheel, and, when scarcity of water requires it, by a steam-engine of 50 horse-power. The next privilege below is occupied by the Dutcher Temple Co. and its adjuncts, with ample buildings, water and steam power, and many ingenious contrivances (some of them wonderfully constructed) to facilitate its operations. The foundery, with all its appurtenances, stands closely adjacent on the west side of the canal, and the ring- shop only a few feet south of the temple-shop. Nearly a mile fur- ther south is another valuable privilege, with a capacious shop chiefly devoted to the elaboration of the famous Sawyer spindle, owned by Dea. A. A. Westcott, and managed in connection with the interests of Geo. Draper & Sons. The dams, ponds, canals, anti-fire appa- ratus, offices, supplementary shops, outbuildings, and manifold con- veniences up and down the river, can be appreciated only by judicious observers.
A vast majority of the cotton-mills in the United States, and many woollen-mills, have adopted these Hopedale improvements to a greater or less extent ; and their proprietors are reaping therefrom a rich har- vest of profits. Foremost among them are the temple, Sawyer spin- dle, the Rabbeth spindle, and the adjustable spinning-rings, - three notable patents. The temples are in universal use in the United States, Mexico, South America, and to a considerable extent in Europe. Leading manufacturers have demonstrated to their satis- faction that the spindle yields an enormous saving in power, labor, cost, etc. The number of these spindles already introduced and in use is over 1,200,000. The rings, too, have proved a great suc- cess. The number of these furnished and in satisfactory use exceeds
PYTHIAN HALL.
MILFORD SAVINGS BANK MILFORD NATIONAL BANK
H
BANK BLOCK.
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WHAT DISTINGUISHES OUR CENTRE.
1,500,000. But the multitude of less conspicuous articles sent forth from these Hopedale laboratories are distributed far and wide over the country, and roll up a formidable aggregate of mechanical pro- duction, usefulness, and wealth. In good times all these establish- ments together employ nearly 350 hands, meet a monthly pay-roll of $12,000, and make aggregate sales to the amount of more than $500,000 per annum. The different kinds of machines and appli- ances manufactured here, with and without patent securities, must number at least 100. Since the foregoing was penned, these Hope- dale manufactures have vastly increased with improvements made by new inventions, large structures erected, and a continual expansion of operations.
Milford Centre is, of course, the commanding locality, both of popu- lation and business. There the three railroads have their foci, the stores distribute their various merchandise most extensively, the boot- factories abound, and spacious buildings afford their manifold aecom- modations. Of blocks distinctively so styled, and kindred buildings, there are the following : Arcade block, 95 to 101 Main St. ; Bank block, Main ; Bay State block, 102 to 108 Main ; Blunt's block, cor- ner Franklin ; Central building, 86 Main ; Church block, 43, 45, 47, 49 Main ; Exchange block, Main, corner Exchange ; Gleason's build- ing, School, corner Spruce; Grant block, 174 Main ; Hayward's Exchange, 137, 139, 141 Main ; Irving block, 143, 145, 147 Main ; Jefferson block, 90, 92, 94, 96 Main; Lincoln block, School, cor- ner Pine ; Mechanics' block, 138, 140, 142 Main ; Phenix building, 3, 5, 7 Main ; Thayer's block, Main ; Union block, 73, 75, 77, 79 Main ; and Washington block, 150, 152 Main.
There are the two banks, - the Milford National, organized March, 1865, with a capital of $250,000, and the Home National, organ- ized May, 1872, with a capital of $130,000; also the Savings Bank, incorporated in 1851, - a solid and reliable institution ; also the Fire Insurance Co., in successful operation. There are the chief market- places, lawyer's offices, judicial resorts, municipal headquarters, the highest educational privileges, the public library, the lecture-halls, the principal churches, the places of amusement, and now, most preten- tious of all, the new Music Hall. There, too, is the telegraph office, some twenty-five years in operation, and also its youthful rival, the telephone establishment. There is the "Milford Journal " office, and our other chief printing-houses ; and there we find the seats of our numerous fraternal, charitable, and reformatory associations, the residences of our physicians, surgeon-dentists, and official authorities. There, indeed, cluster most, though not all, the fruits of the town's enterprise, wealth, intelligence, and general progress.
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HISTORY OF MILFORD.
CHAPTER XIV.
TOWN BY-LAWS, LAWSUITS, CRIMINALITY, ETC.
By-Laws of the Town. - Why, how, and when established; copied in Full. - Remarks on their Enforcement and General Operation.
Important Lawsuits and Reports of the Same. - Compiled and prepared for this Work by Thomas G. Kent, Esq., with a Brief Introduction and Explanatory Notes by the Anthor. - Some Historical Facts and Interesting Legal Adjudi- cations presented by Mr. Kent.
The Criminal Status of Milford since a Town .- The Population shown to have always been comparatively free from Capital Crimes and Gross Misdemeanors, though with enough of Offences and Disorders to deplore.
BY-LAWS OF THE TOWN.
I SUPPOSE these By-Laws are substantially the same as those of most large towns in the Commonwealth, and chiefly borrowed from older approved codes. They were rendered necessary by similar causes as elsewhere ; and, having been legally established in 1871, were published in pamphlet form to the extent of several hundred copies. To preserve them in more permanent form for use and refer- ence, I incorporate them into this volume verbatim and entire. Those relating to " Truant Children," etc., adopted in 1864, are also given, as in the aforesaid pamphlet.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
WORCESTER, SS.
At the Superior Court, begun and holden at Worcester, within and for the County of Worcester, for Criminal Business, on the second Monday of May, being the eighth day of said month, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, and until the nineteenth day of said month,
By the Honorable FRANCIS H. DEWEY, One of the Justices of said Court,
and on the twenty-second day of May, A.D. 1871, and during the remainder of said term,
By the Honorable
ROBERT C. PITMAN, One of the Justices of said Court.
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THE TOWN'S BY-LAWS.
BY-LAWS OF THE TOWN OF MILFORD.
" 1. If any person shall revel, use obscene language, quarrel or commit any manner of mischief, or otherwise behave in a disorderly manner in any street, highway or gangway, or in any building or other public place in said town to the disturbance or annoyance of the peaceable inhabitants thereof, or any portion of them, or shall aid, assist, encourage. or promote the same to be done by any other person or persons, he shall be fined not less than two dollars, nor more than twenty dollars.
" 2. If any person shall fire or discharge any gun, fowling piece or fire- arm, or make any bonfire or other fire in any street or public place in said town, he shall be fined not less than two dollars nor more than twenty dollars.
"3. If any person shall set fire to any fire-works, composed of gun- powder, fulminating powder, or spirits of turpentine, or other combustible matter, as an ingredient, or shall throw any such lighted fire-works without license of the Selectmen first obtained therefor, he shall forfeit and pay for every such offence, not less than five dollars nor more than twenty dollars.
"4. If any person shall ride, drive or lead any animal, or move or trundle any vehicle npon any sidewalk in said town, except light carriages for the conveyance of children, unless for the purpose of necessarily crossing the same, or who shall allow any animal or vehicle belonging to him or under his care to stand on such sidewalk, or who shall saw, split, or cut any fire wood or lumber on such sidewalk, shall be fined not less than two dollars, nor more than ten dollars.
"5. If any person shall suffer or permit any horse or other animal, car- riage, or vehicle of any description, belonging to him, or under his care, to stand or stop upon any cross walk in said town, for any other purpose except the taking np or setting down of passengers, or for any longer time than shall be necessary for such purpose, he shall be fined not less than two dollars, nor more than ten dollars.
"6. If any person shall place or cause to be placed, or shall suspend, or cause to be suspended from any house, shop, store, lot or place, over any street, any goods, wares, or merchandise whatsoever, or any other thing, so that the same shall extend or project into the public highway more than one foot, unless the same shall be at least eight feet above such street or high- way, shall be fined not less than one dollar nor more than ten dollars.
. "7. No awning or sign shall be placed or continued over such sidewalk, unless the supports and every part of such awning or sign shall be at least eight feet above the sidewalk, without the written permission of the Select- men therefor, which shall state the time such obstruction may be allowed, and every person who shall violate the provisions of this section shall forfeit and pay a fine not less than two dollars, nor more than ten dollars.
"8. Whenever any such sidewalk becomes obstructed, or made impas- sable by reason of the erecting or repairing of any building, or of the doing of any work, the person doing or causing the same to be done, shall place
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HISTORY OF MILFORD.
or cause to be placed a good and convenient temporary walk around such obstructions. Every violation of the provisions of this section shall be fined not less than two dollars, nor more than ten dollars.
"9. If three or more persons shall stand in a group or near to each other, on any sidewalk in such a manner as to obstruct a free passage for foot passengers, after a request to move on, made by any police officer or constable, they shall be fined not less than two dollars, nor more than ten dollars each.
" 10. If any person shall play at ball, or throw balls or stones or snow- balls or foot balls, or throw any missiles by hand or otherwise, within any of the streets or public places of said town of Milford, shall be fined not less than one dollar, nor more than five dollars.
" 11. If any owner or person having for a time the use of any horse or other animal, shall ride, drive, or permit the same to go at an immoderate rate, so as to endanger persons standing or passing in said streets, highways or public places in said town, every person so offending therein, shall forfeit and pay for every such offence not less than five dollars, or more than twenty dollars. Provided further, that all unnecessary riding or driving any horse or other animals, at a faster rate than eight miles an hour, shall be considered a violation of this By-Law.
"12. If any person shall throw or deposit, or cause to be thrown or deposited in any street, highway, or public place, any coal dust, soot, ashes, cinders, shavings, hair, shreds, manure, oyster, clam or lobster shells, or any animal or vegetable matter, or substance whatever, he shall be fined not less than one dollar, or more than twenty dollars.
"13. If any person shall coast or run down in, into, across, or along, any of the streets or highways in said town, on any hand sled, board or other thing upon the snow or ice, he shall for each offence, be fined not less than one dollar, or more than five dollars.
" 14. Every person who shall for the purpose of erecting or repairing any building, erect or cause to be erected any staging, or deposit any building materials or rubbish, or remains of any old building, in such manner as to obstruct the passage over more than one half part of any street or highway in which such staging is erected, or such building, materials, rubbish or remains of any building are deposited, without the written permission of the Selectmen therefor, shall be fined not less than two dollars, nor more than twenty dollars.
" 15. In erecting any building situated on any street or highway, or doing any other work, no person shall place or deposit, nor suffer to remain in any part of such street or highway, any lumber or other building material, nor any rubbish or remains of any old building for any longer period than may be necessary from time to time, for the prosecution of the work which may be going on, and in case any lumber or other building materials, or any rubbish or remains of any old building, must of necessity remain after dark, a sufficient light shall be kept over or near the same throughout the whole of the night, so as to give sufficient notice to all persons passing in or through such street or highway. Every person violating any provision of
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THE TOWN'S BY-LAWS.
this section, shall be fined not less than two dollars, or more than twenty dollars.
" 16. If any person shall tie or fasten any horse, cattle, or team, to any of the trees planted in any public highway or street, or on any public lands in said town, for shade or ornament, or any thing put up for the protection of said trees, he shall forfeit and pay for each offence, a sum not less than one dollar, nor more than ten dollars.
" 17. If any person shall maliciously, wantonly or carelessly throw down, extinguish or otherwise injure any lamp or lantern, erected for the purpose of lighting any street or highway in said town, whether the same shall have been erected by the town or any corporation, or by any individual, or who shall light such lamp without proper authority, shall be fined not less than two dollars, nor more than ten dollars.
"18. If any person shall maliciously, wantonly or carelessly, daub with paint, cut, deface or otherwise injure any public lamp or lamp post, trees, fences, buildings, or other objects useful or ornamental, shall be fined not less than two dollars, nor more than ten dollars.
" 19. If any person shall throw a carcass of any dead animal, into any of the ponds, streams or waters within the limits of said town, or if any per- son shall leave any such carcass of any such animal to decay on the sur- face of the ground, or insufficiently buried therein, near any building or any road, or other highway in said town, he shall pay for every such offence, a sum not less than five dollars, nor more than ten dollars.
" 20. If any person shall at any time whatsoever, empty into any public street or highway of said town, any part of the contents of any sink, cess- pool or privy, shall be fined not less than two dollars, nor more than ten dollars.
"21. If any person or persons shall, between the first day of May, and the first day of November, in any year carry into or through any public street or highway, any part of the contents of any sink, cesspool or privy, in any cart, wagon or other vehicle whatever, except between the hours of ten o'clock in the evening and sunrise, shall be fined not less than two dol- lars, nor more than ten dollars.
" 22. If any person or persons shall, at any time whatsoever, carry into or through any such public street or highway, any part of the contents of any sink, cesspool or privy, in any cart, wagon or other vehicle which shall not be effectually covered and water-tight, shall be fined not less than two dollars, nor more than ten dollars.
" 23. If any cart, wagon or other vehicle whatsoever, having therein the contents of any sink, cesspool or privy, shall be permitted to stand (except while loading), in any such street or highway, the owner or owners, driver or drivers of any such cart, wagon or other vehicle, shall be fined not less than two dollars, nor more than ten dollars.
"24. It shall be the duty of all owners or occupants of halls or other rooms of public entertainment or amusement in this town, to have all the doors of exit from said rooms swing out when they open, if the same can be done; but if said doors do swing in, then at the time of opening of said
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HISTORY OF MILFORD."
rooms or halls for the reception of the public, it shall be the duty of said owners or occupants to open said doors to their fullest extent, and to secure the same in that position with locks until the close of said entertainment or public gathering. Any person or persons violating this By-Law, shall for- feit and pay for each offence, not less than five dollars, nor more than twenty dollars."
" At a legal meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Milford, qualified by law to vote in elections and in town affairs, holden this, the tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, the said inhabitants, voted to adopt the foregoing By-Laws, as By-Laws for the town of Milford.
"Voted, that the Town Clerk present said By-Laws to the Superior Court for approval.
Attest :
LEWIS FALES, Town Clerk.
" The foregoing By-Laws of the town of Milford, being presented to the Court at the present term, are examined and approved by the Court.
Attest : JOHN A. DANA, Assistant Clerk.
A copy, Attest : JOHN A. DANA, Assistant.
A true copy, Attest : LEWIS FALES, Town Clerk."
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
" WORCESTER, SS.
"'At a legal meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Milford, qualified by law to vote in elections and in town affairs, holden this, the 21st day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred sixty- four, by adjournment from the eighth day of said month, when the said inhabitants voted to adopt the following By-Laws, proposed by the School Committee as amended, viz .: -
PROVISIONS, ARRANGEMENTS, AND BY-LAWS OF THE TOWN OF MILFORD, CONCERNING TRUANT CHILDREN AND ABSEN- TEES FROM SCHOOL :
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