USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Holyoke > Holyoke to-day : penned and pictured 1887 > Part 3
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houses are new, essentially modern in design and character, literally furnished with the most approved apparatus, and their accommodations adequate to the requirements of the present school population.
All the principal religious denominations common to this part of the country are represented here and have reared their altars of worship. In point of architectural appearance and interior appointments, the most of these church buildings will compare favorably with similar edifices in any city of equal size in the State. There is also a large number of societies of a benevolent, beneficial, and literary character, which are liberally supported, and whose unostentatious work is a valuable force in furthering the specific purposes for which they exist and in promoting the general welfare
of the community. The educational equipment of no Massachusetts town is complete without its public library. It belongs in the same category as the church and school-house, and one of the fixed and indispensable institutions is its library. The Holyoke public library was incorporated April 22, 1870, and has cheerful and attractively furnished rooms in the City Hall building. It contains upward of twelve thousand judiciously selected volumes, which are being constantly added to, and which are absolutely free to the public, with privilege to take books to their homes; it is very generally patronized by our citizens, especially the younger generation.
The water-works system is confessedly one of the best and most efficient of any city in New England, the tariff is moderate, and the water is both pure and abundant. The works were
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completed in the summer of 1873, are constructed in the most thorough and substantial manner, the principal supply main and the permanent street mains being cast-iron, and the latter extending to every portion of the city. Ashley's and Wright's ponds, situated within the corporation limits, and but three miles and a half from the City Hall, are the chief sources of supply, which was still further augmented in 1884 by turning several mountain brooks into the main pipe. It is estimated that the supply is adequate to requirements of double the present population.
The arrangements for the subjection of fire are complete, and the equipment is thorough and of the most improved character. A competent force of zealous and experienced men, four steam fire- engines with the usual modern accessories, the system of city hydrants, together with that of the many mills and manufactories, in conjunction with a general telephone and fire-alarm service, render this department practically perfect.
The administration of municipal affairs is vested in a Mayor, Board of Alderman, and Common Council. Election is held on the first Tuesday in December of each year, and the government is formally organized on the first Monday of the following January. The Board of Alderman is composed of seven members, one from each ward, and the Common Council of three from each ward. The first city government was organized in January 1874, and the first Mayor of the city was Hon. W. B. C. Pearson, now judge of the police court, who held the office three years. The
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succeeding Mayors have been Hon. William Whiting, at present a congressman from the 11th District, R. P. Crafts, William Ruddy, F. P. Goodall, James E. Delaney, and Dr. James J. O'Connor, the present executive,-this being his second year.
By those living not far from Holyoke, and knowing but little about its industries, the question has been asked : "Why is every one going to Holyoke?" We have not only answered the question, but have spread before the reader the reasons why one SHOULD go to Holyoke. The payment of several hundred thousand dollars every month, most of the amount to be expended in the city by those receiving it, makes the city a fine place for the merchant. All the trades, besides, are in great demand, the best quality of work in each being especially sought for. Much money has been made in land speculation and by those who have built houses to rent or sell, and the opportunities for making money in the same way are just as good as ever. The account of Holyoke's development from nothing to be one of the important cities of the world has been a ceaseless and continual repetition of the story of business venture, quick action, shrewd judgment, skill, economy, and aggressive conduct. The industries that have been built up here, stand, each one of them, upon a firm foundation, with every prospect of growing to do still more and still better work. Locations for new manufactories are plenty and their desirability is in most respects unequaled. The city is still in its childhood, and grow it will, and grow it must, without interruption of its prosperity.
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INDUSTRIES.
As may be expected from the large amount of fine paper made in Holyoke, it is over half the amount of fine paper made in the United States, and one-half of the remaining quantity is made in Western Massachusetts outside of Holyoke, so that three-quarters of all the fine paper made in the United States is made within a territory of seventy-five miles square.
Where does all this paper go to, is it asked? Only an inconsiderable amount goes to foreign countries ; the principal portion of it remains in the United States and is consumed here. It is difficult to find a single town in this nation where writing paper cannot be found with the water mark of some Holyoke mill upon it.
The quality of the paper made in Holyoke is unexcelled anywhere on the face of the globe. We think we are warranted in going a step further than this and in saying that the best paper made here has not elsewhere its equal in quality. A well-known firm in New York that deals in
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the best stationery to be obtained, wherever it may come from, at home or abroad, gets all its paper from the largest producer in Holyoke. The customers of that firm are people who want the BEST, the price being a secondary consideration, so that they care not whether their stationery comes from England, France, Germany, or the United States, so long as there is no better. This supply of the best paper to such customers in this country has, until lately, come from Aberdeen, Scotland, where the grade of the paper made is certainly admirable. The fame of Holyoke's excellence in paper manufacturing processes has penetrated to remote parts, and it is a frequent occurrence for men from Germany and France to come here and work in one or more of the paper mills for two or three years with the object of learning wherein it is that Holyoke stands so high in the paper goods that are made. The English are not given to doing this, for John Bull's strongest peculi- arity is expressed in, "I know it all, and you can't tell me anything." The fact remains, however, that he has lost in this country his prestige as a paper manufacturer, and that Brother Jonathan, the child who, nevertheless, takes unbounded pride in his parentage, has come, by improving upon the faculties inherited from across the water, to look upon the mother country from behind in this industry and to stand in the front rank of the van of the world's paper manufacturers. The nominal capital of these mills is $3, 159,000, but the capital actually invested amounts to $6,000,000 at a moderate estimation. Many of the companies have made so much money within a
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DEY GOOD
COMMERCIAL HOTEL,-DELANEY'S MARBLE BLOCK.
few years after beginning business that the profits were often used to pay for new buildings, new machinery, etc., so that the capital stock has remained the same. In the great incorrectness of the last census relative to the paper-making industry, it is hardly worth while to make with it any comparisons of Holyoke paper business. Besides the paper mills, there are eight other companies in the city engaged in making pulp, envelopes, glazed paper, paper filler, paper bags, stationery, etc. The shipping conveniences for all these mills, as well as cotton, woolen and other mills in town, are of the best. Branches of the railways have been built to all the mills, so that stock has but to be unloaded from cars upon the warehouse platforms, and the operation reversed with the finished product.
Taking up the manufactures of the city, one of the first was that of E. Whitaker, who, in 1852, began the manufacture of loom and dresser reeds, a business that he has continued, without break, to the present time.
The first one besides the Hadley Falls Company to use the water power controlled at this place, was the Parsons Paper Company, which opened the paper-making industry in Holyoke in 1853, with a capital of $60,000, under the business management of Mr. Joseph C. Parsons, one of the prominent owners. So successful was this enterprise for that time that in ten months 200 tons of stock had been used and fine writing paper made worth $50,000. The pressure of the expanding business soon required another mill, which was built in 1859. In November, 1860, one of the
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mills was burned at a loss of $60,000, but the insurance of $30,000 helped to erect another building. So remarkable has been its prosperity that, while the capital stock remains the same, the surplus capital is $600,000. The daily product of paper was at first two and one-half tons, a very large quantity at that time, but now, by the erection of new mills eleven to twelve tons are made every day. £ These kinds of paper are made: Fine writing, envelope, bristol board, bond, bank note, and first class ledger. The goods go to all parts of this country and to South America and Australia. Three hundred and fifty hands are employed at a monthly pay roll of $10,000. Eight mill powers and four steam engines are used. John S. McElwain, agent, E. P. Bagg, treasurer, and E. C. Weiser, secretary.
The Lyman mills corporation was organized in 1854 with a capital of $1,470,000. Two of its three mills were erected and operated for a short time previously by the Hadley Falls Company. Lawns, sheetings and drills are made in these mills to the amount of 80,000 pounds, or 400,000 yards per week. The business has greatly expanded, especially of late years. One mill was extended in 1873 to make room for 20,000 spindles, and recently 5,000 spindles more were added, so that 80,000 spindles are now in use in the mills. Large quantities of the drills are sold in China where the English manufacturers have been driven out of competition by the better and cheaper goods of this and other manufactories. The milll powers used are 2112, hands employed, 1,300 and more,
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and the monthly pay roll is about $28,000. The corporation owns seven large brick blocks, containing 205 tenements. A slight idea of the area of the mills may be obtained from the statement that there are a little more than eight and one-half acres of flooring in all of the buildings. Theophilus Parsons, treasurer, E. Lovering, agent.
Holyoke's second paper-making company was the Holyoke Paper Company, which was organized in 1857 with a capital of $50,000. The product at first was one ton per day, but the business increased so rapidly that in 1866 the buildings had to be greatly enlarged and the facilities for manufacturing increased. The paper made is animal sized, loft dried, fine writing paper in the varieties of American Linen, Bankers' Parchment, bond and envelope. Seven and one-half tons of these papers are now made every day. Three hundred hands are employed at a monthly cost of $10,000 in wages. The capital stock was increased in 1865 to $300,000, which, however, is less than the capital actually invested in the business. All the power used is derived from 812 mill powers. This company received a gold medal at the Paris exhibition in 1878 for bond and linen paper, and the highest medal at Melbourne, Australia, in 1881, for the same kinds of paper. trade extends far and wide, not only in this country but in South America and elsewhere. O. H. Its Greenleaf, president and agent, O. L. Greenleaf, treasurer.
The first iron works were the wire mills of Geo. W. Prentiss in 1857, subsequently and at
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present owned by Geo. W. Prentiss & Co. One-half ton of wire per day was made at first, but the product has now come up to five tons. Wire of every description and for all purposes is made from Swede's and charcoal iron, Siemen-Martin and Bessemer steel. Special attention is given to wire fine in size and quality, wire of the smallest size being three and one-half thousandths of an inch in diameter and weighing five and one-third ounces to the mile. Much of the small wire made by this manufactory is used in making artificial flowers, and the trade extends to all the limits of the United States. Eight men were employed in 1857, but the number has increased to 65 men who receive $700 per week. Two mill powers are used.
In 1863 the Hadley Thread Company was organized with a capital of $600,000, and began business with 16,000 spindles. This number was increased in 1877 by 11,488 spindles, which, with other additions, make the present number 42,784. The weekly pay roll is $4,900 for 721 hands. Eleven mill powers are used. The goods manufactured are as follows : Spool cottons, fine yarns, warps, harness and seine twines, shoe threads, etc., the annual product being 1,300,000 pounds. The mills contain over four acres of flooring. The trade in seine twines, especially, is extensive, and the yarn is of such fine quality that it is used in making silk-mixed goods. Arthur T. Lyman is treasurer, Wm. Grover, Agent, and C. L. Farrington, Paymaster.
The woolen manufactory of Beebe, Webber & Co. was also started in 1863, being a partnership
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with about $200,000 capital. So rapid was the progress of this enterprise that the business doubled two years after it began. The annual product is 600,000 yards of fancy cassimeres. From 125 to 150 hands are employed and the monthly pay roll ranges from $3,500 to $5,000.
The third enterprise of 1863 was the Holyoke Machine Company, which first had a capital of $40,000. This increased in 1871 to $80,000, and in 1872 to $150,000, again to $300,000 the present capital. The value of the first annual product of its business was $60,000, and fifty men were employed. The present annual product is not far from three-quarters of a million dollars' worth
The of machinery, and 325 to 350 men are employed, with a monthly pay roll of $14,000. company has large machine shops and foundries; and manufactures turbine water wheels, paper machinery, hydraulic presses, and other machines of various kinds. It makes a specialty of water wheels and machinery for paper mills, and in this manufacture has won a world-wide reputation. Finishing machines have been shipped to Scotland, France and Germany. N. H. Whitten, president, S. Holman, treasurer, H. J. Frink, agent.
The New York Woolen Mill was built in 1864 and sold to A. T. Stewart of New York in 1870, at a time when he began to make some of the goods that he sold. In this mill were made 360,000 yards of cloth per annum, but in 1880, after Stewart's death, Judge Hilton, to whom the property was given, discontinued the business as unremunerative, and after remaining idle for several
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years it was purchased by Connor Bros. in the spring of 1882, and is now successfully run by them in the manufacture of satinets. They also manufacture wool extracts, shoddy and flocks and produce 600,000 yards 6-4 cloths per annum, employ 375 hands with a monthly pay roll of $9,000.
Paper-making in Holyoke held out such promising prospects that in 1865, William Whiting, who had been a clerk for the Holyoke Paper Company, organized the Whiting Co., in association with L. L. Brown and E. F. Jenks, with a capital of $100,000. About three tons of paper were made at first, but the trade soon became so extensive that a second mill was built out of the profits of a few years. The present nominal capital is $300,000, but the actual capital invested amounts to over a million dollars. The finest kinds of paper are made by this company, including bond, envelope, ledger, bristol board, machine hand-made, and every other variety of fine writing paper. Tiffany & Co. of New York, dealers in the finest stationery sold in the United States, or, indeed, in the world, obtain all their paper from the Whiting Paper Co. This company has a third mill at Wilbraham in this state, but the business is operated here. They are now making twenty-three tons of the paper above mentioned every day. About 850 hands are employed and the monthly pay roll is very nearly $20,000. L. L. Brown, president, Wm. Whiting, agent and treasurer.
Another of Holyoke's large manufactories is that of the Merrick Thread Company, which came from Mansfield, Ct., in 1865, for better accommodations for its rapidly increasing business. The
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capital in 1865 was $200,000, which was enlarged in 1868 to $350,000, and recently increased to $500,000. Six cord, soft finish, satin finish spool cottons and fine yarns are made, the value of the yearly product being a million dollars or more. About 4,000,000 dozen spools of cotton are made during the year. Over 1,100 hands are employed, and these receive upwards of $26,000 per month. The furnishing of a thread and bobbin fitted for use in the shuttle of a sewing machine, thus avoiding the necessity of fitting the iron bobbin in the usual way, has grown to be quite an important branch of the business, which this company controls under contract with the patentee. L. R. Hopkins, president, Timothy Merrick, treasurer, C. W. Rider, secretary.
The Germania Mills, for the manufacture of fine beavers, chinchillas, castors, overcoatings and suitings, was organized in 1865 with a capital of $300,000. The business became prosperous under shrewd and economical management, so that a few years ago it was doubled. The company manufactures goods of very fine quality, which, through its agent in New York, have a wide sale. They produce annually 250,000 yards 6-4 cloth. Over 300 persons find employment in the mills and the monthly pay roll is $9,500. Herman Stursburg, Jr., treas., Wm. Maur, sec'y., L. Bume, Supt. The year 1866 developed three new paper companies, the Riverside, the Franklin, and the Valley. The Riverside Paper Company started with a capital of $100,000, and the pressure of its expanding business raised it to $150,000 in 1870. Two tons of paper were made each day at the
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start, but the product was soon doubled. Three mill. powers are used for 24 hours. Two hundred hands are employed at $5,000 per month. The very finest kind of writing, linen and ledger papers are made. J. H. Appleton, president and treasurer.
The Franklin Paper Company was organized by the present owners, and the capital nominally made $60,000, though its business represents much more. It formerly made great quantities of collar paper, and at one time used for its cloth-lined paper 1,000,000 yards of muslin annually. Since 1876 the mill has manufactured fine book, writing and envelope paper, white, tinted, and in colors. One ton per day was made in 1866 and for several years thereafter, but the calls for more paper became so loud that the buildings had to be enlarged and the daily product was made three tons. Seventy-five hands, two mill powers, and two engines, 100-horse power, and 40-horse power, do the work, the pay roll is $2,500 per month. J. H. Newton, president, F. H. Chamberlin, treasurer.
The Valley . Paper Company has a capital of $200,000, which was, on account of its growing business, made necessary by adding to its original capital of $125,000. The mill was built for a two-ton capacity, but it was enlarged several years ago so as to make six tons per day. Three hundred hands find employment in the mill at a monthly pay of $7,000. Four mill powers, 100- horse power engine and two small engines are used. The paper made is fine writing, linen, envelope and bristol board. Hiram Smith, president, A. W. Esleeck, agent and treasurer.
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SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH.
#
Following 1866 there was an interval of three years during which there was hardly a new enterprise in Holyoke, but in 1869 began an accelerated march of progress in this respect that is most remarkable. In that year the Albion Paper Company was organized with a capital stock of $60,000, and began to manufacture paper at the rate of one and one-half tons per day. Gaining on this product it was necessary to build a new mill in 1879 and increase all the facilities for carrying on a larger business. This company now makes fifteen tons of book paper and engine- sized flats every day. Twelve mill powers are used, and 120 hands are employed with a pay roll of $5,000 per month. E. C. Taft, agent and treasurer.
The Holyoke Warp Company was organized in 1869, and has a capital stock of $60,000. It manufactures plain and fancy warps, and makes 2,000 pounds per day. From 100 to 125 hands are employed with a monthly pay roll of $3,500. James Renfrew, Jr., president, J. L. Burlingame, agent and treasurer, H. H. Smith, paymaster. In the same year the Holyoke Steam Boiler Works came into existence for the purpose of making steam boilers, rotary bleachers, water and oil tanks, and doing heavy plate iron work. The company employs about 50 hands. Pay roll $1,500 monthly.
The year 1870 saw another new paper company, which took the name of the Union Paper Company. The capital stock was $200,000, and three tons of paper per day were made on the start. But the business increased considerably in the past few years, so that large additions both
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in machinery and buildings had to be made. Loft dried, engine sized writing papers are made, and chromo papers are a speciality. 7 Five tons of paper made daily and 150 hands are employed with a pay roll of $3,800 per month. L. J. Powers, president and treasurer, E. Dickinson, agent.
In the same year, 1870, the Springfield Blanket Company began to make horse blankets. It has a capital of $150,000 and is one of the largest establishments of the kind in the country. 500,000 blankets are made annually. About 400 men and women work in the mills and receive $8,000 per month. W. H. Wilkinson, treasurer, E. H. Wilkinson, superintendent.
. Another new paper company came into existence in the next year, 1871, the Crocker Manufact- uring Company, which organized with a capital of $60,000. One machine was used at first, but in a few years the capacity of the mill was doubled. In 1878 the company bought the old Albion mill and employed it in the extension of its business. It engages largely in the manufacture of a peculiarly colored and ornamental paper, made by a patented process, which it owns, the paper being used for safety tickets and other purposes. Besides the specialties in colored papers, engine- sized flats are made. The capital has been raised to $100,000. Employs 75 hands with a monthly
pay roll of $2,500. C. A. Crocker, treasurer, J. W. Mullen, Superintendent.
The Beebe & Holbrook Company of 1872 grew out of the Hampton Paper Company of 1871, and started as a partnership with a capital of $100,000. In 1878 it was incorporated and the
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capital raised to 150,000, though that amount does not represent all the capital that is really invested in the business. The business called for a ton and a half per day at the start, but it has gradually grown to five towns at present. Loft dried, animal sized writing paper is made in all varieties, flat and folded, white and tinted. A specialty is the very finest kind of wedding papers, in which this company has an excellent trade. The company's first customers have continued to trade with it ever since. 150 hands are employed at a monthly pay of $5,500.
The Massasoit Paper Company, originally the Greenleaf & Taylor Company, built its first mill in Huntington in this State. In 1870 it changed its name to its present one, and in 1872 built its Holyoke mill and increased its capital stock to $300,000. Four mill powers are used, and 170 hands receive $6,000 per month. The business has grown from a ton and a half of paper per day to six tons at the present time. E. C. Rogers, agent and treasurer, C. B. Wells, superintendent.
In the first year of the city, 1873, the Farr Alpaca Company was organized with a capital of $250,000, though $50,000 more has subsequently been put into the business. About 350,000 yards of worsted dress goods per year were made at first, but the business grew so that the yearly product has now come to be 6,000,000 yards. Six mill powers are used and the monthly pay roll is $32,000 for upwards of 1,000 hands. Timothy Merrick, president, J. Metcalf, treasurer, H. M. Farr, agent. The Excelsior Paper Company in the same year, was organized and proceeded to manufacture
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principally book paper, of which it now makes three tons per day. 1 They employ 50 hands and the pay roll is $1,500. Owners, Geo. R. Dickinson, D. M. Dickinson, John E. Clark. The Massa- chusetts Screw Company also, was established in 1873, with a capital stock of $50,000. It turns out a product worth $70,000 and over every year. Employs 65 hands, with a pay roll of $1,500. John C. Newton, President, D. H. Newton, Vice President, James S. Newton, Treasurer.
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