USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Sutton > History of the town of Sutton, Massachusetts, from 1876 to 1950, Volume II > Part 58
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Next, on the stream, was the sawmill of John Moe and Sons. They built the mill and dam below the stone bridge at the B. A. Whitcomb farm, put in a sluiceway and built an undershot water wheel, which was used in sawing birch and oak hoop poles. These poles, in the 1890s, found a ready market in Worces- ter for strapping casks and boxes. No part of the mill remains.
Adjoining the Moe farm is the pond of the Pleasant Valley Mill, operated, in 1876, by Fred B. Smith, and, after his death in 1882, by the administrators as "Fred B. Smith's Estate." The mill burned, in December 1885, with no insur- ance, but was rebuilt and started in the following May, with pickers, flock ma- chines and scouring machinery. The mill was enlarged and more flock machines installed, in 1890, and the tenements and farm buildings repaired. The admin- istrators turned over the property to the two sons, Fred S. and W. Everett Smith, in 1890. Fred S. bought out W. E. Smith's interest and carried on the business as F. S. Smith until 1910. In 1895, at a $4000 outlay, the dam at Clark Reser- voir was repaired and partially rebuilt and the spillway moved to the north- eastern end of the dam. The mill was running day and night during the years 1890 and 1891. A new and larger boiler was installed and a storehouse built, in 1892. Business was dull and good by turns after the 1892 slump. In 1910, the property was sold to H. O. Sutcliff and A. D. Windle. They changed to wool scouring and operated the mill until 1912 when the mill and storehouse burned, "partially insured." They did not rebuild. They took down the Coogan mill at this time.
The Providence Drapery Rod Co. bought the property, in 1913, built a new two-story brick mill, and did a big business for a number of years, employing about twenty hands, making round drapery rods.
November 3, 1927, a rain, starting at 9 P.M., put a five-inch rainfall into the streams along this water course. By daylight of the 4th, water was running over the tops of all the dams below Clark Reservoir. All were caught with the summer flashboards on, which could not be taken off under the great pressure. The dams at the Houghton Gristmill, Woodbury Mill and the D. T. Dudley & Son Co. went out, and an attempt to blow off the boards with dynamite at the Drapery
522
HISTORY of SUTTON
Rod Co. at Pleasant Valley was not a success. The Drapery Rod Co. dam was carried away about noon, the water sweeping the valley as far as the Blackstone River. A suit, brought by the Drapery Rod Co. against the Town of Sutton, in 1928, claiming the dam was wrecked to save the highway, was decided for the defendants in Superior Court. Several other suits, arising from the same condi- tions, were never brought to trial. The dam and road have not been rebuilt. The new superhighway from Worcester to Providence supersedes the former road. In 1931, the Engineers of the County Commissioners wrecked the dam at the Clark Reservoir and the Coogan Mill as alleged "flood control."
H. H. Malkasian, owner of the Drapery Rod Co., died in 1932, and the place was sold to H. A. Taylor of Millbury about 1935. He made the factory over into a cold storage plant, using electric power and stored here the fruit from his several large orchards. The stream has no storage for power at present. The natural flow is all that is now available.
COLD SPRING BROOK. WOODBURY VILLAGE TO WILKINSONVILLE
The next mill property below Pleasant Valley was the Woodbury Village Mill, owned by Elias Crawford, in 1876, and operated by John C. Scott of Millville, Winfield Scott, Superintendent. After John C. Scott's death about 1880, Win- field Scott leased and operated the mill till about 1886. The next lessee, Nathan Norris of Charlton City, with a Mr. Capen as Superintendent, made satinets for a year, but did not renew the lease. George A. Bigelow of Worcester with Daniel Tucker as Superintendent ran the mill until 1890. He did not lease again, and Crawford sold at auction to Charles T. Aldrich, Jr. of Cordaville, Mass. He be- gan improvements at once, practically rebuilding the mill. He put in a new water wheel, boiler and engine, built a picker house and a stockhouse, installed new machinery and had a model 2-set mill.
The mill did a good business until about 1897 when financial troubles closed it temporarily. While preparing to start again, the mill burned. The wheel and water power remained and Theodore Chase, the next owner, built a small mill on the same site, running pickers and cards on mattress stock and upholstery batts. The mill burned in 1904 and was rebuilt by Mr. Chase. He, later, started the same business in North Grafton.
The mill was sold to Charles Miller about 1912. He made batts and mattress stock. He built an icehouse below the dam and began the ice business, which prospered, and, in time, froze out the mill business. The 1927 flood carried away the icehouse and damaged the mill when the dam was washed away. The ice- house was rebuilt on a larger scale; the mill was repaired for a garage. After Mr. Miller's death, in 1934, the ice business was continued by Mrs. Miller and his son, Charles E. The ice was cut on the millpond, south of the road, and was of superior quality and very convenient to house, and to deliver. The business was discontinued, in 1947, since with the introduction of electric refrigerators, there was little demand for this ice.
A short distance down the stream from the Miller property, was the Joel Houghton Mill and dwelling house. Joel Houghton came from Newton and made cotton batts until changing over to custom grinding of corn for nearby farmers, from which developed the grain business. At Mr. Houghton's death,
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INDUSTRIES and RESERVATIONS
in 1893, the mill and real estate was bought by Henry Houghton, a son, who occupied the house with his family, running the gristmill while continuing his business in Millbury. After his death, in 1914, the place was sold in two parcels: one comprising the mill and water rights to D. T. Dudley and Son Co .; the other, the house, barn and land to Alida Vashon. The latter was leased to Mrs. Jennie Tyla Smith for a short time and sold to her, in 1922. In 1927, the dam was washed out by the flood, carrying the mill with all the machinery down- stream. Neither dam nor mill has been rebuilt.
The next property below is The D. T. Dudley & Son Co., manufacturers of shuttles and shuttle irons, the last plant on the Cold Spring Brook, before it joins the Blackstone River, and the only manufacturing business left on the stream, in 1950.
D. T. DUDLEY & SON CO.
This business was established, in 1825, and was the first of its kind in the United States. Shuttles were previously brought over from England. Two years after the Slater Mill was established, in 1823, and operated by David Wilkin- son, Jefferson Bellows started at Pleasant Falls to manufacture this important accessory in the weaving industry, using native applewood. Following several changes in ownership and location, the business became permanently located on this stream, in 1866. Following the sale of the property by David T. Dudley and son, Henry T., and to save the business from going out of the State, a num- ber of local people had the firm incorporated as The D. T. Dudley & Son Co., in 1894. At the present time, Daniel S. Smith is President and Daniel M. Chase, Treasurer.
The shop was burned, February 15, 1885, and was rebuilt at once. It suffered severe loss by the flood of 1927. In 1922, a generator was installed to make electricity, supplemented by connections with the Worcester Suburban Electric Co., and, in 1938, following the hurricane, this was the only place having elec- tricity for several weeks. Native applewood has been replaced by dogwood and persimmon from the Southern States, and the product has been shipped to points as faraway as India, China and South America. At times, employment has been provided for thirty to forty people. In World War I, three from this plant went into the service and during World War II, eighteen left for service in Army, Navy, Marine Corps and the Waves.
INDUSTRIAL SOLVENTS & CHEMICALS INC.
In 1950, the Industrial Solvents and Chemicals, Inc., Thomas P. Conner, President and William D. Connery, Treasurer, started business of reclaiming and handling of solvents and chemicals on land of Daniel M. Chase, at the corner of the Providence and Hatchery Roads. This is a new industry coming into town and the two men, veterans of World War II, expect to have an expanding busi- ness.
SLATER MANUFACTURING CO. AND SUCCESSORS
The Slater Manufacturing Co., in 1876, on the north side of Depot Street near the bridge at Wilkinsonville, was running on cotton print cloth, G. H. Searles, Agent. The dam at the mill went out, in the 1876 spring freshet. Mr.
524
HISTORY of SUTTON
Searles resigned about that time and Joel Smith followed as agent. When Smith resigned about 1883, accepting a similar position in the South, Mr. Butterfield became agent and continued until 1894 or 1895. The dam was rebuilt, in 1896. After 1895, Nehemiah Hicks served as agent and was followed by Ernest Clark, who remained until the mill was stopped and the machinery and business were moved to the North Webster Plant of the Slater Co. Mr. Clark and some of the employees also went to Webster. This was about 1898. In the early 1890s, the Pleasant Falls dam was faced with granite and a new dam at the Wilkinsonville mill was built by the Fowler Bros. of Northbridge. Both dams were fine and ex- pensive work.
The Slater Mill stood idle several years. It was sold at auction to William Dunn and transferred by him to the Army and Navy Cotton Duck Co., in 1904, with J. H. Myers, President, and run as the Anco Mills from about 1915. Exten- sive repairs and additions were made. A model weave shed was built on the west side of the mill; a powerhouse was erected on the east side of the river and two turbine wheels and generators installed with all modern equipment. A large brick storehouse built on the railroad was sold, later, to William Greene, who converted it into a cold storage plant.
From the time the repairs and renewals were completed, the Anco Mills did a heavy business, and in 1916 and 1917 had a number of Government Contracts for Army Uniform cloth. In 1918, a large part of the output was sent by express, and it was not unusual to stop the express trains on the N.Y. N.H. & H. R.R. to load on a two-horse load of finished cloth. After World War I, a large part of the business was transferred to another plant of the Company at Canton, Mass., and dyeing machinery was installed in the weave sheds. Mr. Meyers' death left the affairs of the company in a rather muddled state, and the mill was idle for several years. The various houses on the mill property were sold at auction, in 1926. The dam was wrecked about 1927 in an effort to use the Cold Spring Brook water, via the old pond bed, free from the Blackstone River pollution, but this did not prove a success. Under normal conditions, the river was carried in the old canal, from Pleasant Falls to the powerhouse, only the overflow going into the old river channel.
The Town of Sutton bid in the property of the Anco Mills at a Tax Sale, in 1928, and it was sold to William Greene, in 1933. "We took over in 1933," Mr. Greene states, and adds that the mill had been vacant for eight years. He divided the property into smaller areas.
The office building space was headquarters for Meiklejohn's Woodworking and Wood Trim Co. and, later, was occupied by the H. M. Hale Woodworking Co. At present, the Imperial Woodwork Co. is located in the area. Albert Ehret and Everett Mortar are the proprietors and are craftsmen of a very high order. Their specialty is the woodwork of churches; they make pews, altars, lecterns and other furniture, all hand-carved. Their work may be found in many parts of New England, especially in churches in Boston. They do cabinet work also, and have recently paneled the interior of a bank in Southbridge. They work mostly with Honduras mahogany, knotty pine and oak. They brought the business to Wilkinsonville, in 1951, from Millbury, where they had been for about two years.
525
INDUSTRIES and RESERVATIONS
In one area, Sheldon's Motor Rewinding Co. did repair work on motors and electrical equipment for a time, and, at present, Worcester Deburring Go. is be- ing established in the same section. Stampings Incorporated also occupied one of the buildings but moved, about 1950, to another location. Thaddeus Krula has a turkey business in the old power plant.
Julian Street Merigold Inc. has a mill in the former storehouse. The Merigold factory employs about forty people and they make knitted piece goods and polo shirts. They have occupied this area since 1946 and have an extensive national market for their products. It is interesting to note that their factory is on the border of the old Blackstone Canal, which was built for the transportation of passengers and freight from Worcester to Providence. It was opened, in 1828, and continued in use for only a few years, partly because of need of more water in the channel and also because the railroad was built down the valley. It is reported that one of the canal locks was in Wilkinsonville. An old lockstone is now on exhibition at the Purgatory Reservation.
SIBLEY RESERVOIR SYSTEM
THE SHUTTLE FACTORY AT MARBLE VILLAGE
The Shuttle Factory, operated, in 1874, by Ezra Washington Marble, was in full production at that time. Textile mills were busy, requiring shuttles and other shuttle manufacturers used the Marble shuttle irons, which were pro- tected by patents. After Mr. Marble's death, in 1904, the business was carried on by Henry Wheelock, E. W. Marble, Jr. not wishing to continue the work. In 1931, at the death of Mr. Wheelock, the mill was sold to Charles Tebo, who manufactured the shuttle irons until a few years before his death, in 1951.
THE SUTTON MACHINE TOOL CO.
Lawrence Tebo, son of Charles Tebo, operates the Sutton Machine Tool Co. in the shuttle factory building. The company is engaged in Tool and Die Making. The plant is electrified and no water power is used.
SIBLEY RESERVOIR CO.
Ezra Wesley Marble is now owner of the Rights and Land, to the highwater mark, of the Sibley Reservoir. His great-grandfather, Ezra Sibley Marble, was the first member of the family to manufacture shuttle irons. He was succeeded by his son, Ezra Washington Marble, who was one of the promoters of the Sibley Reservoir Co., in 1865.
The following notes are from the records of early meetings of the Sibley Res- ervoir Co.
"November 14, 1865. At a meeting held by those interested in the erection and maintenance of a Reservoir in the Northerly part of Sutton, Eseek Saunders, Samuel Prescott, E. W. Marble and H. D. Fisher being present, Eseek Saunders was chosen chairman, H. D. Fisher, Secretary and William R. Hill, Treasurer.
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HISTORY of SUTTON
"Voted that a Committee be appointed to report on the distribution of the water. Eseek Saunders, H. D. Fisher, Ezra Marble, Samuel A. Prescott and H. N. Slater, Jr. were appointed as that committee.
"November 28, 1865. Voted that E. W. Marble & Co. and Samuel A. Prescott have the right to draw sufficient water from the Reservoir now in course of construction to drive their present works, and no more, when all other sources fail to supply them, prior to the first day of August of each year, after which time the water is to be drawn in the following manner to wit: viz. one-sixth part thereof in the month of August, two-sixth part thereof in the month of September, and the remaining three-sixths parts in the month of October of each successive year.
"Voted to sell all the wood, now standing on land purchased for the purpose of flowing, to Eseek Saunders, Agt. of Saunders Cotton Mills, for the sum of six hundred dollars, with the following reservation: viz. Said Saunders is to de- liver at the saw mill of Samuel A. Prescott, sufficient timber to build a flume at said Reservvoir.
"March 14, 1867. Voted to recommend to an adjourned meeting to raise by assessment fifty per cent, on the amount paid in to pay the indebtedness of the Company and complete Reservoir. (This assessment was voted the next week. )
"September 24, 1867. Voted to sell the surplus land of the Company-that is all the land not flowed by the dam 20 feet high-reserving sufficient land above the dam on the east side of the pond to take gravel, to keep the dam in repair or rebuild if necessary-at public auction.
"Voted not to take any action in regard to putting in a rolling way. Chose Alfred Morse a committee to see those who have not paid their assessments.
"May 13, 1868. The Stockholders of the Sibley Reservoir Co. met at the dam of the Reservoir and after viewing the premises and consulting together ad- journed to the office of the Treasurer (W. R. Hill).
"Voted to pay the Treasurer twenty-five dollars per year for his services, com- mencing with the organization of the Company.
"Voted to make an assessment of twelve per cent upon the amounts previ- ously subscribed and assessed for the purpose of putting the dam in safe condi- tion and paying debts of the Company.
E. W. Marble & Co.
$1500.00
TAX $180.00
H. S. Stockwell
750.00
90.00
H. A. Fisher & Co.
750.00
90.00
J. P. Stockwell
375.00
45.00
J. Houghton
150.00
18.00
D. T. Dudley & Son
187.50
22.50
Eseek Saunders
750.00
90.00"
Marble Village, the site of the Shuttle Factory, was the first on the stream from the Sibley Reservoir or "Stumpy," as it is known locally. The latter name was given to the pond because, when the wood was cut for the reservoir, large stumps were left which showed at low water. Most of these remnants have been lifted by the ice, formed about them in the winter, and have drifted to the shore of the pond and have been used for different purposes.
527
INDUSTRIES and RESERVATIONS
The second mill on the Sibley Reservoir was the Prescott Mill, "Button- woods," now operated by Perley Aldrich as a chair factory. The water was brought from the pond below the Marble Shuttle Shop by a trench on the side hill, 700 or 800 feet, securing a fall of about twenty-seven feet. S. A. Prescott operated a sawmill and box shop here, in 1876, using water power only. About 1878, Mr. Prescott changed over the sawmill for shoddy picking and carding, and installed a boiler and engine. He did a good business until his death, in 1900, after which the business was carried on by his widow, Ann M., with her nephew, C. S. White, as superintendent. Mr. White died, in 1905, after an appendicitis operation.
Peter Lynch bought the property about 1908 and ran the shoddy mill two years, and then, in company with Mongeon, operated here the Valley Wet Wash Laundry until about 1918. The next owners were the Staxman & Vestor Co., a firm which made ladders. They were suspected of making money in defiance of the Volstead Act; the aroma arising from the place was accounted for as varnish used on the ladders. The mill was purchased by P. & V. R. Aldrich, in 1920, who ran it as a chair factory.
A fire, caused by lightning, partially wrecked the upper floor of the mill but quick work by the Sutton and Millbury Departments saved the building. The tornado, in 1938, tore off the roof and top story of the mill and carried them a distance of 150 feet. It also tipped over some large elms in the yard. Repairs were made at once. Since 1930, the business has been carried on as a chair fac- tory by Perley Aldrich.
From the Buttonwood mill, the water goes to the Girard pond, once used for power by J. P. Stockwell's gristmill and, later, by P. Messier and son for a saw- mill. After the deaths of the Messiers (Peter Messier, in 1920 and Napoleon Messier, in 1922), the property passed to Joseph Shambo, and then to George Young, who tore down the mill and barn, in 1934. Fred Girard is the present owner. The water goes to the Woodbury Pond from here and joins the Cold Spring Brook Stream.
THE RICE-DOBBY CHAIN CO.
In 1883, Henry F. Rice, a native and resident of Sutton, started manufactur- ing Dobby Chains and, during the same year, invented a Dobby Peg to be used in connection with the Dobby Chains. The part of the work requiring power was done at the Shuttle Shop of the late Ezra W. Marble in Marbleville and the handwork at a small shoeshop at the home of Mr. Rice on Dudley Road. In 1885, Mr. Rice built a shop near his home and equipped the same with machines and steam engine and continued making this chain here until 1892.
At this time, Mr. Rice bought what was known as the Parsonage, on Single- tary Avenue in Sutton Center. He remodeled and enlarged the house, built a new barn and moved the shop from its old location to a lot near his new home. There he continued the business, until 1913, when he sold a half interest to Warren B. Harris of Millbury and the business was moved to that town and managed by Mr. Harris under the firm name of Rice-Dobby Chain Co. From this time the business has steadily increased with new lines added, including dobby cords, sheaves, lug straps and many other accessories used in weaving fancy cotton fab- rics. Mr. Rice died, in 1936, and Mr. Harris is now owner of the Company and
528
HISTORY of SUTTON
continues the business, employing fifteen men. The products were shipped to mills throughout New England, but the chief market now is in the South.
Mr. Rice became blind at the age of seventy-five. He invented, for his own use, a writing board by means of which he could pen his own letters. The board is so arranged that a slot, just as wide as the written letter is high, acts as a guide for the pencil. When the letter is one which extends below the line, a hinged apron can be swung back so there is room to write. There is also a device to shift the board down for the next line.
Mr. Rice taught himself to read by the Moon system and was able to play cards and dominoes, using the forms made for the blind.
THE SUTTON TOOL CO.
William A. Bashaw erected a shop for the manufacture of edge tools on land which he had bought from his father, Eustace Bashaw, and carried on this busi- ness for some time. Later, he changed to the manufacture of shuttle irons, and built up a very prosperous business under the name of The Sutton Tool Co. His shop was destroyed by fire, in 1925, but he rebuilt on a larger scale, and at the time of his death, June 6, 1931, he had installed machinery for the manufacture of the complete shuttle.
After Mr. Bashaw's death, the property was sold to the Woonsocket Brush Co., which continued the manufacture of shuttle irons and added some novel- ties. During this period, Wesley Morse acted as manager, and it was at this time, about 1934, that the shop was again partially destroyed by fire. The part de- stroyed was rebuilt in fireproof construction. Subsequently, Joseph W. Crowell leased the property and operated the same. Daniel S. Smith purchased the farm and factory, in 1940, and operates the shop in conjunction with The D. T. Dud- ley and Son Co. with which he is affiliated.
THE SUTTON WATER CO.
William A. Bashaw, in search of water to furnish steam for his engine, lo- cated an underground supply, north of and adjacent to his shop. He did this by means of the divining rod, in the use of which he was expert. Water was found in such abundance that a water-supply system was inaugurated by Mr. Bashaw and John C. Dudley, in 1914, under the name of Sutton Water Co. A pipe line was laid to Wilkinsonville, extending beyond the Blackstone River, the pipes crossing below the river-bed.
The demand for water increased so that, in 1918, an auxiliary tubular well, 285 feet deep, was drilled and about seventy-five families were supplied. Mr. Bashaw's half-interest was sold to the Woonsocket Brush Co., in 1931, and sole ownership was acquired by John C. Dudley, in 1940. Daniel Smith bought the Water Co., in 1947, and, at the present writing, supplies one hundred six fami- lies.
THE CENTRAL TOOL CO.
The Central Tool Co. is situated on Dodge Hill Road and is in the building owned by Daniel Smith. James Conner, proprietor, manufactures many kinds of hand tools and types of electric-hammer tools. He sends all sizes of wood chisels,
529
INDUSTRIES and RESERVATIONS
star drills, bars, punches and cold chisels to hardware jobbers in Kentucky, Mis- sissippi, Alabama, Washington State, Florida and Illinois besides filling orders for companies in the New England States. Mr. Conner also does general repair- ing and welding.
THE COLONIAL WEAVERS, INC.
The "Colonial Weavers, Inc.," at Hall's Corner, Wilkinsonville, was formerly the "Colonial Studios." Roland Ross, President and Treasurer, started this busi- ness, in 1930, just after the 1929 depression. With two looms in a small factory behind his house, he made slip cover material for automobiles. In 1936, the com- pany was incorporated and is now the Colonial Weavers, Inc., with seventeen looms. This change necessitated building-expansion of the factory. The material made here now is called, "mechanical cloth." Mr. Ross has built up a very suc- cessful business.
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