USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Springfield > King's handbook of Springfield, Massachusetts : a series of monographs, historical and descriptive > Part 30
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
Second National Bank. These gentlemen fully maintain the probity and high integrity of the house. They have a keen insight for business ; and, having learned the wants of their customers from long experience, they are eminently fitted to meet the requirements of the great reading public. For years the business of the house has been steadily increasing. At their store can be found every thing that goes to make up a complete book estab- lishment. Their stock is particularly rich in the best editions of standard American and foreign authors and in fine illustrated works. They also have blank-books, office-supplies, and stationers' specialties. They have published several works of local history, including Morris's " History of the First Church," and " Green's Springfield Memories." Here it is that pro- fessional men and students have found their supply of books; here families come; and here churches and Sunday schools, from all the region about, secure their immense supplies. The thousands of school-children buy their books here for every term, - indeed, the path is well worn toward the " Old Corner Bookstore." Whitney & Adams are also wholesale and retail dealers in wall-papers, window-shades, and interior decorations, which yield results comparable with the happiest effects of mural paintings. There has been a rapid development of taste in this direction; and Whitney & Adams have always been leaders in its fashions, and have secured for themselves an enviable reputation. Excellent selections can be made from their exten- sive and elaborate stock of artistic goods. The success of this house is largely due to the straightforward and honorable policy by which their affairs ever have been and are now conducted.
Gill's Art and Book Store is one of the most popular resorts in Spring- field. It occupies the greater part of the handsome brick building, with stone trimmings, situated on the corner of Main and Bridge streets. The business includes an art-store, with an extensive stock of paintings, engrav- ings, fine-art goods, and artists' supplies ; a bookstore, with a choice assort- ment of books ; a stationery-store, with an exquisite supply of stationery and novelties ; a framing-establishment, where all kinds of frames are made to order ; a circulating-library containing 1,500 volumes ; and two art-gal- leries, unsurpassed in New England, wherein special exhibitions of noted works of art take place once a year, and where all the year round hangs a splendid collection. This place always is a surprise to visitors to Spring- field, who hardly expect to see, in a city of about 36,000 people, situated midway between New York and Boston, an establishment so well fitted up, and so creditably stocked ; and the many well-to-do people of the rich coun- try, within a radius of fifty miles of Springfield, find here whatever they need in fine arts and literature. A very large stock of miscellaneous goods is carried for wedding-presents, as well as a full line of the Rogers statu-
1878
GILL'S
C.W. 00
Z.C.RENNIE; ACT
MUTUAL
LIFE.H.Y.
UTUAL FE INS C
JAMES D. GILL. GILES KALL,
J O.LUTZ, SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
JAMES D. GILL,
FINE ART GALLERY, BOOKS, STATIONERY, &c.
Main Street, Corner of Bridge.
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
ary, the exclusive agency of which Mr. Gill has had ever since he began in business. In the stationery department is kept, or made to order, every thing needed in the way of blank-books, wedding and social outfits, and leather goods. The Universal Fashion Company have made this the de- pository for their long list of patterns. The proprietor and founder of this business is James D. Gill, who was born in Hinsdale, Mass., on the 27th of June, 1849. He came to Spring- field in 1867, and was employed by Lewis J. Powers, with whom he remained until 1869, when Mr. Powers disposed of his retail busi- ness to Charles W. Clark, in whose employ Mr. Gill continued till he formed a co-partnership in 1871 with Frederick R. Hayes. Five years later he became sole pro- prietor. In 1878 he arranged for the erection of Gill's Art Building, which he leased for a term of years. It was designed to accom- PRINTING AND. ENGRAVING modate the business, and has un- doubtedly been of great service in enabling the proprietor to reach his present success. Mr. Gill keeps employed, at all times, about fif- "STATIONERY MANUFACTURING teen persons ; and in holiday sea- sons, thirty-five or more. His good work is already felt throughout this locality, and many homes have been made beautiful as a result of his efforts to introduce the highest " LOUIS HORR & CO. grade of art. As he is still a young man, comparatively speaking, he is reasonably certain of securing that pecuniary reward to which his experience, reputation, and talents abundantly entitle him.
Louis H. Orr & Co. is the only Louis H. Orr & Co., 33l and 333 Main Street. young firm noticed in this chapter ; but their marked ability, and their evident enterprise, have already won them a prominent place in the community. The unique architecture of the
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
front of their new brick building, at 331 and 333 Main Street, will attract even any casual observer ; and the exquisite stock, its neat arrangement, and its great variety, will meet the tastes of the most fastidious. In some respects this is a new industry for Springfield. Heretofore fine steel-engraving and plate-printing, and a high grade of wood-engraving, were not actually done in the city ; but now, under this one roof, may be seen the progressive steps of designing, engraving on wood, steel, or copper, and printing any thing needed for commercial or social uses. Stationery outfits for weddings, par- ties, balls, etc., and supplies of all kinds (blank-books, printing, stationery, etc.) for counting-rooms, can be obtained here in as good style and of as fine quality as at any establishment in larger cities. Exquisite job-printing for menus, ball and entertainment programmes, church and society histories, and lists of members, and kindred work, is one of the specialties of this firm, and for which they take the lead in this city. The members of the firm are two young men, - Louis H. Orr and George B. Hooker; and it is safe, in their case, to predict a long and successful career in an occupation for which they seem to have exceptional qualifications. The extent to which their business has been developed within a few years maintains our position in presenting this house as one of the noteworthy industries of this city.
Forbes & Wallace. - The leading dry-goods house of Springfield suc- ceeded to a business begun in an unpretentious manner in 1866, in the Barnes Block, at the north-west corner of Main and Vernon Streets. Al- though the location has never been changed, the premises have been extended from time to time, until now the firm occupy upwards of 12 times the area of the original store. The establishment includes the main floor of the building, 200 by 50 feet, with a basement corresponding in size, and a second story not quite so large. At first the firm were simply the tenants of the small corner store : now they are the landlords of the large building. The building, too, has been several times altered to suit the demands of the business ; so that now the quarters of Forbes & Wallace present one of the most attractive establishments, as well as the largest of its kind, in the Con- necticut Valley. It is well lighted, not merely by numerous side and front windows, but also by an immense skylight. It is fitted out with the modern appliances for carrying on the business, - elevators, steam heat and power, cash-railways, etc. The stock, although nominally dry-goods, practically includes an unlimited variety of goods requisite for the wants of men, women, and children, - dry-goods, cloaks, millinery, fancy-goods, notions, furnishing-goods, toys, books, etc .; and in quality ranges from the cheapest of native to the costliest of foreign goods. Besides the local or retail trade, the firm do extensive wholesaling in supplying the dealers up and down the Connecticut Valley. The members of the original firm were
ORBES & WALLACE
FORBES & WALLACE
w
FORBES & WALLACE, DRY-GOODS ESTABLISHMENT.
Main and Vernon Streets.
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
Alexander Forbes and J. M. Smith, both of whom had had much experience in the trade; Mr. Forbes having been for some years with Churchill, Watson, & Co. of Boston. Mr. Smith, in 1874, withdrew from the firm to become connected with Churchill, Watson, & Co., afterwards Churchill, Gil- christ, Smith, & Co. At that time, Andrew B. Wallace, who for upwards of four years had been conducting a store at Pittsfield as an associate of Mr. Smith under the firm name of Smith & Wallace, came to Springfield to associate himself with Mr. Forbes, under the style of the present firm. Mr. Wallace, too, had at one time been in the employ of the firms of Churchill, Watson, & Co., and Hogg, Brown, & Taylor, two old and noteworthy firms of Boston. The two partners are Scotchmen, and combine, with their energy and ability, unquestioned integrity, and a strong characteristic deter- mination to bring to the front whatever they put their hands to. It is not surprising, therefore, to find that Forbes & Wallace have developed their once little retail store into the largest and most prominent wholesale and retail dry-goods house in Massachusetts, excepting only some of those in Boston.
Warren D. Kinsman, whose fancy dry-goods and novelties establishment occupies the corner stores of the handsome brick structure known as Kins- man's Block, on the west side of Main Street at the corner of Bridge Street, enjoys the distinc- tion of being at the head in his line in Western Massa- chusetts. This pre - eminence Mr. Kinsman has fairly earned by devoting his whole lifetime to the business in which he is still actively engaged. Warren D. Kinsman's Block, Main and Bridge Streets. He began as a clerk in a similar estab-
lishment in 1852, in Manchester, N.H .; and in 1858 went to Boston into the concern of his former employer, J. A. Howard. In 1861 he came to Spring- field in the employ of the brother of his then recent Boston employer, J. C. Howard, who died in 1862. The next four years he was associated in the
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
continuance of this same business with Luther G. Howard, another brother, under the firm name Howard & Kinsman, which continued until August, 1866, since which time Mr. Kinsman has conducted the business alone in his own name. At first, the store was on Main Street, a few doors north of State Street, now occupied by T. S. Stewart, in the Pynchon Bank Block ; and continued here until 1870, when it was moved to 360 Main Street, now occupied by L. S. Stowe & Co. In 1880 the final move was made into the present brick block, which was built by Mr. Kinsman on land purchased by him of the Hampden Savings Bank, and of the Trask family, where for a couple of generations stood one of the most noteworthy homes of Spring- field. Here one can see a model store in its line, - light, convenient, well arranged, fully stocked, and ably managed. Here one will be served promptly and intelligently, and go away satisfied that the goods are exactly what they purport to be. The premises include the first and second floors, and the basement, and comprise about 8,000 square feet. The business in- cludes not only the choicest local retail trade, but also a good line of whole- sale customers among the better class of kindred establishments in the Connecticut Valley.
Haynes & Co. are the leading clothiers of the city ; and, in fact, the his- tory of the clothing and men's outfitting business in Springfield can almost be written from the experience of the Haynes family, who have taken a prominent part in the later development of the city. In the chapter on Places of Amusement, may be seen a portrait of Tilly Haynes, who erected Haynes Hotel and the Haynes Music Hall, served for some time as State senator, and founded the establishment now under consideration. And it may be remarked, that while Springfield has been the home of many noted people, and has earned an enviable reputation as a model New-England city, its present growth and success have, after all, been due, to a great extent, to the energetic men of moderate means ; in which class would justly belong Mr. Haynes, who in his thirty-years' residence has done his full share in making the city what it is. He came here in the spring of 1849, and opened a branch of the famous "Oak Hall " in Boston, the pioneer house in this trade. His success sufficed in a short time to satisfy him, just then twenty- one years old, that he would be wise to buy the business. Up to 1849 very little made-up clothing had been sold in this city; and even that little was sold by several general stores who kept a small variety of the commonest sort, one or two tailors who kept a limited assortment, and one or two small shops that attempted to make an exclusive business of it. Mr. Haynes opened in a small building on Main Street, near State Street, where the Springfield Institution for Savings block now stands. The first year's business amounted to $8,000, the second to $20,000 ; and the third year he
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
rebuilt the larger stores adjoining on the north, on the Edwards estate, previously occupied by Gunn & Co. Here Mr. Haynes began to demon strate his capacity for pushing his business. He published an advertising paper, which he distributed at the rate of 80,000 copies per month ; and by this and other means he increased the business to upwards of $100,000 a year. In 1857 he pur- chased the house and gardens corner Main and Pynchon Streets, and built the first local theatre, and at the same time larger quarters for this business. Here he NEW ENGLAND associated with himself four or five younger brothers, and the busi- ness was brought up to over a quarter of a mil- HOMESTEAD lion dollars annually. In the great fire of 1864 this property was de- stroyed, together with other buildings belong- CUSTOM DLPARINENT HAYNES & CO| HAYNE S & CO FURNISHING GOGOS ing to Mr. Haynes, on the opposite corner. He, jo however, proceeded at once to not only rebuild the Opera House, but also to build the Haynes Hotel on the opposite corner. At this time the younger brothers, with Theodore L. Haynes at Haynes & Co., Clothing House, 346 and 348 Main Street. the head, made up a new firm, which has since
continued the business. They have constantly increased it, until now the establishment of Haynes & Co. is the leading house in Western Massa- chusetts. In 1880 the business was moved into the handsome brick build- ing, Nos. 346 and 348 Main Street, which had been built for McKnight, Norton, & Hawley, and admirably adapted to admit of an unsurpassed exhibition of the great stock of clothing always carried by the firm. The main floor is 40 by 204 feet, and 18 feet high. It is excellently lighted, and
35 ℃
KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
is probably the finest clothing salesroom in the Connecticut Valley. The building is the property of Theodore L. Haynes, the senior partner, and is one of the most attractive on Main Street. The business comprises four distinct departments : Ist, men's ready-made clothing ; 2d, boys' and chil-
CUSTOM DEPARTMENT
HAYNES& CO,
HAYNE SIU
Interior of Haynes & Co 's Clothing Establishment.
dren's clothing ; 3d, custom clothing; 4th, men's furnishing-goods. It may surprise even some Springfield people to learn that the firm's ready-made- clothing department alone has kept, since 1866, upwards of 150 people con- stantly employed. The firm are generally esteemed as thoroughly trust- worthy, and the goods they sell are always to be found just as they are represented; and the entire establishment is one of those local enterprises in which the citizens take pride.
352
KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
Homer Foot & Co. is one of the best known and most highly respected firms in Hampden County. They are importers, jobbers, and retailers of hardware, iron and steel, and kindred goods ; and, besides being the leading house in their own line in this city, they are one of the oldest business firms in any line in this county. The firm was organized in October, 1831, when Homer Foot and George Dwight formed a co-partnership under the style of Homer Foot & Co., a name which has remained unchanged for 53 years, notwithstanding that John B. Stebbins, after eight years service as clerk of the firm, was admitted as partner in 1841 ; George Dwight with- drew in 1854; Homer Foot, jun., was admitted in 1866; and Francis Dwight Foot was admitted a few years ago. The two latter grew up as clerks of the house, and have thus become thoroughly educated in the hardware busi- ness. The store first occupied was the old "Dwight store," on the north- east corner of Main and State Streets, where now the building of the Springfield Institution for Savings stands. In a few years the business developed to such proportions with the growth of the town and increased patronage from the adjoining towns, that it became necessary to seek larger quarters. Anticipating this need, Mr. Foot bought the old tavern property, known as " Uncle Jerry's," situated on the south-west corner of Main and State streets, diagonally opposite their old store. In 1846 Mr. Foot erected on this site, at a cost of $60,000, a four-story brick building, 86 by 126 feet in dimensions. Into the spacious and admirably constructed corner store on the first floor, the firm moved their business: in 1847 the "Foot Block," as this building is popularly called, and a part of its contents, were considerably damaged by fire. Mr. Foot obtained $10,000 insurance. In repairing the damages and adding the fifth story, $20,000 was expended on the building. The stock consists of every thing to be found in first-class hardware stores, and includes many lines of goods for which the firm are sole agents, such as Fairbanks' scales, Hazard's powder, Hoyt's belting, Boston Belting Company's rubber goods, American Screw Company's screws, London Wellington Mills emery, Peter Cooper's glue, and other specialties. Besides enjoying the largest local trade, the firm send out through western New England several travelling salesmen, by which means a large wholesale trade has been built up. Homer Foot, the elder, is one of the generally recognized "self-made men " of Springfield; and in the records of many of the charitable, religious, social, literary, financial, and commercial movements that have been inaugurated during the last half- century, his name will be found among the foremost and most constant.
Smith & Murray, importers and dealers in foreign and domestic dry and fancy goods, occupy the large building at the corner of Main and West- Court Streets, and are among the largest and most successful business
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
houses of the city. The extensive wholesale and retail business which this firm are conducting was established in 1879; since which time it has contin- ued to grow in popularity among purchasers of fine dry goods, until it has become a favorite resort for buyers in the city and vicinity. By fair dealing and a superior class of goods, the firm have not only secured the patronage, but the respect and confidence, of the community. The business has so
5.10
TH .
MURRAY 490 IMPORTERS FRETELEAST
BOSTONS KE Mnie.
SMITH & MURRAY
holo
Smith & Murray (" Boston Store "), Main and West Court Streets.
increased since 1879, that the firm have had twice to enlarge their store, so that they now occupy the entire block. Three floors are used, and between 70 and 80 accomplished salesmen and saleswomen are required to attend to the patrons. Many lines of goods carried by this house are first-class in every particular, and embrace complete assortments of American, British, French, and German dry goods, all imported directly from the foreign and domestic markets. Buying their goods direct from the manufactories, they are enabled to place before their patrons, at the most advantageous prices, carefully selected lines of goods in the following departments : silks, velvets, dress goods, cloaks, suits, laces, ribbons, notions, hosiery, gloves, cotton
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
underwear, linens, domestics, prints, etc. Occupying the corner of Court Square and Main Street, the rooms are well lighted by large windows; the wholesale department in the basement being as favored in this respect as the general salesrooms on the two floors above. The firm, finding their business still growing, have plans under way whereby the establishment will be still further enlarged and improved by the addition of the large store on Court Street, directly in the rear of that at present occupied by them. Messrs. Smith & Murray hold high positions among the merchants of Springfield; J. M. Smith, the senior member of the firm, having come to this city in 1866, when he became a member of the dry-goods firm of Forbes & Smith, remaining until 1874, when he returned to Boston, and became a member of the firms of Churchill, Gilchrist, Smith, & Co., and Smith & Watson. In 1879 he located permanently here. Peter Murray, the junior member, was for several years salesman with the well-known Boston firm of Hogg, Brown, & Taylor, and also with Churchill, Watson, & Co., and Smith & Watson.
The Fisk Manufacturing Company is situated on Walker Street, in the southern part of the city, and is one of the largest soap-works in the New- England States. This large and prosperous establishment was founded in 1853 by T. T. Fisk. Afterward the firm was known as L. I. Fisk & Co .; and in 1880 the present corporation was formed, under the name of the Fisk Manufacturing Company. The business has grown year by year, until the company's goods are known and used in every State in the Union, and also extensively in foreign countries. At these works 40 men are kept regularly employed, and an average of 150 tons of soap a week is turned out. The brands of soap which are made a specialty of are the "Japanese," " White Prussian," "Pale;" and in 1884 the company will put upon the market a new brand, called the "Golden Rule," for popular use. Aside from these, 15 or 20 grades of manufacturers' soaps-consumed by woollen, cotton, silk, and carpet mills - are made by the Fisk company, several hundreds of tons of these goods alone being shipped during the year. The latter class of soaps do not bear the company's trade-mark, but are sold entirely for the use of manufacturers. The works are roomy, well lighted, and excellently arranged throughout. The soaps are manufactured upon fixed scientific principles ; the boiling all being done by steam, while the machinery and ingenious apparatus for moulding and stamping are the best known to the trade, and compare favorably with the largest manufactories of the kind in the country. Improvements are constantly being made at the works, and the business is pushed with enterprise and honest dealing. The buildings cover 125 by 250 feet of ground. The main structure is of wood, four stories in height, every floor of which is used for some part of
Gw. C. Fisk
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
the manufacture of soap. The additions are of brick, the most important of which is a storehouse 30 by 80. The offices have been newly fitted at the beginning of the year 1884, and the private office is elaborate in its dec- oration and finish. It is finished in natural wood; the doors and panels being of highly polished cherry, and the floor of maple inlaid with dark woods. The furniture is of cherry, the chairs being richly upholstered in red leather. The wall-paper is dark in tone, the greens and bronzes being traced with gold. The office is a surprise and delight to the visitor, who, leaving the busy workshops, is ushered into this snug little room in one corner of the company's enclosure. The present officers of the Fisk Manu- facturing Company are : president, George C. Fisk ; treasurer, Noyes W. Fisk.
Kalmbach & Geisel, the lager-beer brewers, whose establishment is on the Boston road, just beyond the eastern terminus of the horse-car line, has grown, under the management of the present proprietors, to hold a high place among the industries of the city. The business was begun, in a very small way, in 1869; but it was not until bought by the present owners, Messrs. Kalmbach & Geisel, that it became an assured success. In 1869 the capacity of the brewery was barely 1,000 barrels of beer per year, while at the present time 40,000 barrels may be easily turned out.
The space now occupied by the company covers about ten acres, and the buildings are admirably constructed and arranged. Of these, the main brewery building is a three-story wooden structure, 40 by 150 feet. The ground floor of this building is used for the company's office ; an engine- room, where a large hydraulic-pump draws water from an artesian well, 180 feet in depth ; and an immense vat, holding 150 barrels of mash, where the first process of beer-brewing is carried on. From this vat the beer passes through pipes to a copper caldron, with a capacity of 130 barrels, on the floor above. After boiling, the liquid is forced to the cooler on the upper floor, and thence to the filterers and coolers, where it is made ready for the fermenting-vats in another part of the building. All the machinery and appointments of the establishment are of the most approved modern manu- facture. The greatest care is taken in brewing the Kalmbach & Geisel beer, about fifteen experienced workmen being kept employed during the busy season. The brick ice-vaults, erected in 1880, are considered among the best of the sort in the country. The building, 44 by 64 feet, and 90 feet in height, has three cellars, and holds 4,550 barrels of beer. The ice- chamber on the upper floor holds 1,200 tons of ice, the cellars below being cooled and ventilated by air-chambers and registers, all admirably planned. In addition to this, there is a second and smaller ice-house with a capacity of 4,000 barrels of beer. The wooden ice-house, for storage purposes, holds
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