USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Lancaster > Lawrence yesterday and today (1845-1918) a concise history of Lawrence Massachusetts - her industries and institutions; municipal statistics and a variety of information concerning the city > Part 14
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The mills at Lawrence employ 7,600, and the weekly payroll amounts to $136,000. There are in the local plant 214,448 cotton spindles, 92,880 worsted spindles, 3,833 cotton looms, and 3,435 worsted looms.
In cotton goods the Pacific turns out mousselines, percales, lawns, organdies, challies, draperies, flannelettes, suitings, satins and crepes; in worsted goods, poplins, alpacas, cashmeres, hen- riettas, serges, brocades, diagonals, voiles, taffetas and challies. All the printing is done at the local plant. To the Dover and Columbia mills are chiefly reserved the year-in and year-out cotton staples, while the product of the Lawrence mills is more varied.
The officials of the corporation are Robert F. Herrick, president ; Edwin Farnham Greene, treasurer. Walter E. Parker is the local agent and manager of the great plant in Lawrence, and has occupied that position since January 1, 1887, coming here to take charge of the cotton department of the mills April 1, 1881.
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THE ARLINGTON MILLS
ARLINGTON MILLS,
To tell in full the story of the founding and development of the Arlington Mills, from the original small wooden structure, in which the concern was established, to the great system of mills now operated by the corporation, it would take a fair sized volume in itself.
The plant today is one of the city's greatest manufactories, giving employment to 6,500 operatives and its buildings covering a ground area of 20 acres. It has a floor space of 2,275,076 square feet. The area of its entire holdings, including yards, land and water, comprises 49 acres.
The corporation is capitalized for $8,000,000. The last valuation placed on the mills by the city assessors amounted to $4,620,050. It was the first corporation of any magnitude to adopt the system of weekly payments to its employes, a method now required by law.
These mills have every modern appliance necessary for the production of worsted men's wear and dress goods, worsted yarns and tops. They have the distinction of having introduced into this country the manufacture of black alpacas, mohairs and brilliantines. They are famous for the quality and variety of their yarns, there being numberless kinds of yarns made by these mills. Arlington fabrics are noted for their texture. Whether the weave be plain or fancy, the colors solid or combined in plaids, figures or stripes ; whether the fabric be made of white yarn for subsequent piece dyeing, or yarn dyed in the wool or top, commonly designated as slub dyed ; whether the width be 36 inches or 58 inches, or the weight 3 ounces or 16 ounces to the square yard, all these specialties are made as required by the trade.
When running to its full capacity, the Arlington has a weekly payroll of $115,000. It consumes about 1,000,000 pounds of wool a week. It produces each week 450,000 yards of worsted fabric and 275,cco pounds of worsted yarn of every description, all of which is now woven in its looms. The plant consists of a large number of separate buildings. It is equipped with 117,000 worsted spindles, 2,700 looms, 118 combs and 150 cards.
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LAWRENCE'S INDUSTRIES
The corporation had its beginning in 1865 when an act of in- corporation was secured by Robert M. Bailey, Charles A. Lombard, Joseph Nickerson and George C. Bosson who comprised the stock- holders. They commenced business with a capital of $200,000, in the old Stevens piano case factory on the Spicket River. The original name of the concern was the "Arlington Woolen Mills", and the early products were only fancy shirting flannels and wool felted fabrics. In 1866 the plant, with machinery, was totally destroyed by fire, but it was rebuilt on a larger scale the following year when the capital was increased to $240,000.
The tariff of 1867 materially changed the conditions of the worsted goods trade, and the company at once turned all the facili- ties of its new plant to the production of women's worsted and cotton warp dress goods, the plant being well equipped with a variety of worsted machinery, including 160 looms. Many difficulties were encountered in establishing the new enterprise, and less determined men would have become disheartened and abandoned the venture. In 1869 the corporation became financially embarrassed, but the stock- holders paid into the treasury the whole amount of the capital, $240,000. A change in the management was also made, by the election of Joseph Nickerson as president and William Whitman as treasurer and general manager. These men laid the solid financial foundation of the great plant, and to them and the present head, Franklin W. Hobbs, the corporation is largely indebted for its wonderful develop- ment.
In 1871 began the work of remodelling the plant and increasing the productive capacity, and since then there have been large ad- ditions of buildings and machinery. In 1875 the name "Arlington Mills" was adopted. By this time an enviable reputation for various special lines of goods had been built up, and the mohair, alpacas and brilliantines manufactured by this company were known to the trade of the entire country. Thence the growth of the business was very rapid, but perfectly wholesome. Considerable more land in both Lawrence and Methuen was purchased. To keep pace with the demand for the products of the mills, it has been several times necessary to increase the capital stock for the purpose of enlarging the facilities for manufacturing, notwithstanding that a considerable portion of the yearly earnings are devoted to the improvement of the plant.
A noteworthy departure of the company was the erection in 1896 of a worsted top mill which is devoted exclusively to carding and combing wool for the use of the spinners. Another feature of the top mill business has been the construction of a solvent plant for removing grease from wool by the application of naphtha. This process is now recognized as effecting a considerable saving and is
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of material advantage to the quality of the product. The Arlington Mills own all rights to the process in the United States.
In the early history of the business, cotton spinning was in- troduced to accommodate its own looms and those dealing in this class of goods, and a specialty was made of prepared warps for the various kinds of dress materials. Until very recently the sale of cotton yarns was an important feature. In April, 1917, the cotton business of the Arlington Mills was sold to the Acadia Mills.
In 1905 and 1906 the Arlington spent nearly a million dollars in the erection of several modern brick buildings. These, with the other buildings, spread over an immense area, the plant extending into the adjacent town of Methuen. The top mill, alone, is a huge structure. Its actual dimensions are 757 feet 8 inches in length by 109 feet 8 inches in width over all, with a wing 84 feet 8 inches long by 87 feet wide over all. The main building and wing have each four stories and basement. This mill is upon the site of a former group of dwellings which for years were the homes of operatives, and most of the newer structures extend over what was formerly Stevens pond. Among the later buildings erected are the large weave shed, a dye house, a finishing and warp dressing mill, and an up-to-date central power house.
Franklin W. Hobbs, the president of the Arlington Mills, has been connected with the plant since 1891. He held the office of treasurer until 1913, at which time he was succeeded in that office by Albert H. Chamberlain. John T. Mercer is the resident agent. A few years ago the treasurer's office was removed to Lawrence. The selling agents are William Whitman Company, Inc., with the main office at 78 Chauncy St., Boston, and branches in New York, Philadelphia and Chicago.
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EVERETT MILLS
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The Everett Mills are among the plants that have brought fame to Lawrence as a textile centre. The fabrics of these mills have a country-wide reputation for quality and style. They include ginghams, shirtings and denims. The ginghams are familiarly known as the "Everett Classics".
The company was incorporated in 1860, its incorporators being James Dana, Samuel Batchelder and Charles W. Cortwright. The stone buildings of the original Machine Shop, erected by the Essex Company, were secured, and operations commenced that year.
Since then, the plant has been greatly enlarged and improved. The equipment has been kept abreast of the times, so that today the manufacturing facilities will compare favorably with those of any other plant of its kind in the country. Its buildings spread over an area of 17 acres. In 1909-10 a mammoth brick mill was added, which is said to be the largest cotton mill under one roof in existence. This structure extends a great distance along Union street. It has six stories, and there are 12 acres of floor space within its walls. The assessed valuation of the property of the corporation for 1917 was $1,833,750.
The Everett Mills consume a quarter of a million pounds of raw cotton every week, and the production per week amounts to 1, 170,000 yards of cotton goods. There are 143,296 spindles and 4,680 looms in operation. The plant gives employment to 2,000 people. The weekly payroll is $34,000.
The capital of the corporation is $2,100,000. The officers are Herbert W. Sears, president and Fred C. McDuffie, treasurer. The agent of the mills is James I. Milliken.
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ACADIA MILLS
The Acadia Mills, formerly the cotton department of the Ar- lington Mills, were established in April, 1917, with a capital of $2,000,000. They are located in both Lawrence and Methuen.
When the Arlington Mills' cotton department was sold to the Acadia corporation, it was explained that the cause of the action of the parent corporation was the result of the changes that have taken place in the development of the worsted industry and the changes and growth of the business of the Arlington Mills. Early in the history of the latter corporation the cotton department was an adjunct of the worsted department, but in recent years it had ceased to be such, no portion of the product of the cotton plant being consumed by the worsted plant.
Such being the case, it was deemed advisable to separate these two distinct branches of the business, in order that each might be conducted independently along its special lines, and be developed with the highest possible degree of efficiency and economy. With this idea in view the Acadia Mills came into being, and they take their place as a very promising factor in the Whitman system of textile corporations.
The plant consists of five brick mill-construction manufacturing buildings, together with the necessary storehouses, engine and boiler houses, repair shops, etc. The buildings cover a ground area of 192,522 square feet. The floor space, in square feet, is divided as follows :- Manufacturing, 495,942 ; storage, 146,190; miscellaneous, 17,442; total, 659,574.
The concern manufactures combed cotton yarns, mercerized, bleached and dyed. It makes a very high quality of combed yarns. It also makes a specialty of high grade mercerized yarns. Mercer- izing is a big feature of the business. The process adds lustre to a cotton yarn, strengthens it, and makes it resemble silk. The Ar- lington corporation was a pioneer in this process of manufacture, which has been developed to an extraordinary degree of efficiency in the Acadia plant.
The yarns are delivered to the trade in skeins, cones, tubes, quiller cops and warps. The finished product per week amounts to 200,000 pounds. In raw material, 120,000 pounds of cotton are used every week, and 125,000 pounds of yarn are received for finishing processes. There are 1,100 operatives employed, and the weekly payroll amounts to $20,000.
The officers of the corporation are William Whitman, president, and Ernest N. Hood, treasurer. William A. Pedler is the agent of the mills. The selling agents are the William Whitman Co., Inc., with offices in Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Chicago.
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MONOMAC SPINNING COMPANY
The Monomac Spinning Company was established by William Whitman in 1910 for the manufacture of French spun worsted and merino yarns. William Whitman is president, Ernest N. Hood, treas- urer, and Walter M. Hastings, agent. The company was incor- porated in 1913. The capitalization is $1,200,000.
The plant is of modern mill-construction, the buildings occupy- ing about 72,000 square feet of land on South Union street. The property owned by the corporation contains seven and one half acres. The actual floor space in the mill is five and three quarters acres.
The mill produces about 3,000,000 pounds of merino and worsted yarn on the French System yearly. The product is sold through William Whitman Company, Inc. The business has been very successful from the start, and in 1915 arrangements were made to increase the machinery by 50%.
The company employs 350 operatives, and has a weekly payroll of approximately $7500. The employes of the company work in very healthful surroundings. The plant is clean and sanitary. Fresh air is forced into the mill, and is heated in winter and cooled in summer to maintain an even temperature throughout the year. Since the war started the unused land in the yard has been plowed and fertilized for the use of the operatives. This has resulted in many attractive vegetable gardens.
The power plant consists of a Cooper-Corliss condensing engine of 1450 horse power with rope drive and a boiler plant of four Heine boilers. A cooling pond 200x125 feet is maintained for con- denser purposes.
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KATAMA MILL
One of the newest of the factories of the Whitman corporation, and one of the busiest of Lawrence's industrial plants, is the Katama Mill on South Union street. The development of this plant has been remarkable. In less than two years its capital stock has been tripled, as has been its productive capacity. Its product, duck fabric, is shipped all over the United States, and has a national reputation for quality and durability.
The concern was established in 1916, with a capital stock of $500,000. In July of that year the plant started up with 124 looms. Today it has 338 looms in operation, and recently the capital stock was increased to $1,500,oco. The capacity of the mill is 185,000 pounds a week. Over 300 operatives are employed. The weekly payroll averages $5,000. The plant consists of a large factory build- ing and a storehouse. There are 111,000 square feet of manufac- turing space, and 21,600 square feet of storage room. The assessed valuation for 1917 was $214,000.
The principal product is tire duck which is woven from the best combed Sea Island yarns that are noted for their durability. This fabric is used in the manufacture of high grade automobile tires. For several months the mill has also been engaged in the production of special material for the United States government. This work has so taxed the facilities of the plant, that a section of the storehouse is being used for manufacturing purposes, extra looms having been set up there, in order to keep up with the deliveries.
The mill is modern in every respect. The lighting and venti- lation are of the best. It is equipped with the latest machinery, and many new practical ideas are in use in its operation. A notable improvement is the absence of belting and shafting. Every loom has an individual motor. Thus is the danger of accident minimized. By this scheme there is also avoided the necessity of shutting down an entire room when any difficulty occurs with the power, as is the case with ordinary equipment. Another feature worthy of mention is a trolley system that is used for moving the heavy rolls of yarn and fabric. This suspended railway extends over the whole plant. It is a great improvement over the old trucking method. An Allis- Chalmers turbine engine of 1,000 horse-power generates the electricity required for the operation of the plant.
The officers of the corporation are William Whitman, president, and Walter C. Ballard, treasurer. John W. Alexander is the agent.
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LAWRENCE'S INDUSTRIES
IFRIGHT MANUFACTURING COMPANY
A manufacturing concern which has a wide reputation for the quality of its product is the Wright Manufacturing Company, located on Island street. The company manufactures cotton and mohair braids.
In 1854 Algernon S. Wright, an overseer in the Atlantic cotton mills, with Artemus W. Stearns and Dr. Alfred J. French, formed a partnership for the manufacture of woolen yarn, and leased a mill for the purpose. Later the project was abandoned, and, at Mr. Stearns' suggestion, the mill was equipped with suitable machinery for making braids. Fifty braid machines were installed. From the beginning the enterprise has had marked success. The growth of the business was rapid, and the number of machines has been increased to keep up with the demands upon the capacity of the plant.
In 1873 the company was incorporated with a capital of $60,000, and organized by the choice of Dr. French as president, and A. W. Stearns as treasurer. A. S. Wright was superintendent of the plant.
At first the production was confined to cotton and alpaca braids for skirts and men's wear. Later the company introduced the manufacture of mohair braids, and, by processes of its own invention, it was able to produce the finest grades on the market, and at prices that defied competition. In recent years the manufacture of skirt braids and braids for men's wear was discontinued, owing to the change of styles, and the production of various military and trim- ming braids taken up.
Today the concern turns out a great many kinds of braids for uniforms, awnings, shoe laces and cloth bindings, ranging from fine mohair silk down to the common cotton yarn variety. A big feature of the business is the manufacture of various kinds of braids for the shoe trade. The company makes a specialty of a patented braided article used in button shoes, which is sold to 95 percent. of the shoe factories of the country.
The plant was purchased from the Stearns estate in 1910 by a company of which Richard Ward is the president and treasurer, besides having the controlling interest. Many improvements have since been made in the facilities, and the production has been greatly increased.
The concern occupies a four-story frame building, 250 feet long, fronting on Island street. There are about 30,000 square feet of manufacturing space. The output is about 20,000 gross yardage a a week. The plant has I,&co braid machines, and when running to its full capacity employs 3co people.
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CHAMPION-INTERNATIONAL COMPANY
In the Champion-International Company Lawrence has one of the largest coated paper manufacturing concerns in the world. The company makes a specialty of high grade surface coated papers which are used by many of the leading periodicals in the country.
This concern is the outgrowth of an industry established in Lawrence in the early 50's by William Russell and his sons. The business was incorporated in 1864, under the name of the Russell Paper Company. In 1898 it became a part of the International Paper Company.
In 1902 the present company was formed by the purchase of the Champion Card and Paper Company's mill at East Pepperell, Mass., and the repurchase of the paper and pulp mills from the International Paper Co. At the same time a large coating mill was built in Lawrence.
Not only is the concern one of the largest of its kind in the world, but it is one of the finest equipped. The newest and best methods and equipment for paper manufacturing are used by it, and to it is accredited the introduction of many progressive ideas into the paper-making industry.
These mills have had an important part in the development of the industry. They were pioneers in the introduction of the use of ground wood pulp in the manufacture of news paper, and later in the introduction of soda and sulphite pulp in the manufacture of the higher grades of paper. It was in these mills that, when the sulphite pulp process was on the point of being abandoned for want of a suit- able acid-proof lining, with which to line the receptacles in which the process of reducing the wood to pulp was carried on, such a lining was developed. This lining was universally adopted, both here and abroad, and is in use today in every successful sulphite pulp mill.
The capacity production of the plant a week is 100 tons. The employes number 600, and the weekly payroll amounts to $12,000.
Worthy of special note is the fact that the Russell family has been identified with the business since its inception. Hon. William A. Russell who for many years was in control was prominently identified with municipal, state and national affairs. For several years he represented this district in Congress.
The present head of the concern, George Fred Russell, is the third generation in its management. Extensive improvements have been made in the plant since he became president and general manager.
The company is capitalized for $650,000. The assessed valuation of the property in Lawrence for 1917 was $540,550. The treasurer is P. A. Hammond.
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PLANT OF THE CHAMPION-INTERNATIONAL COMPANY (Insert-The Mill at East Pepperell)
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THE GEORGE E. KUNHARDT CORPORATION
One of the most steadily operated of the city's manufacturing plants is The George E. Kunhardt Corporation which has an excellent reputation for the quality and texture of its fabrics.
This concern was established in 1886 when George E. Kunhardt purchased the plant, owned by the Lawrence Woolen Company and familiarly known as the Perry Mill. The Lawrence Woolen Company had been incorporated in 1864, during the Civil War, its projector and principal founder being Capt. O. H. Perry. The company had a struggle trying to keep the plant in operation, due to depression in the woolen industry, and when Mr. Kunhardt took over the mill it was shut down.
Since, the development of the plant has been remarkable The original buildings have been remodelled and the old machinery replaced by new. For some time the firm name was Philips & Kunhardt, but in 1895 Mr. Philips was obliged to retire on account of ill health.
Under Mr. Kunhardt's management large additions have been made and the capacity of the mills has been greatly increased.
The concern manufactures men's wear woolens and worsteds, and uniform cloths. Its woolen fabrics, especially, are in much demand, the company having established an enviable reputation for this class of goods. The weekly output of the plant is 40,000 yards. In raw material, every week the mills consume on an average of 50,000 pounds of scoured wool. There are 700 operatives employed, and the weekly payroll amounts to $15,cco.
The officers of the corporation are :- George E. Kunhardt, pres- ident ; James Hoyt Knapp, vice-president ; Joseph W. Booth, treasurer and agent. The capital is $2,000,CCO. George Richardson is the superintendent of the mills.
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PLYMOUTH MILLS
One of the busiest of Lawrence's industrial plants is the Plymouth Mills which manufacture fibre rugs and matting. The concern was established in 1906. The capital is $325,000. Its development has been rapid, and recently a large modern brick factory building was added to the plant in order to meet the increasing demand upon its facilities. The plant covers a ground area of 80,000 square feet. It has a floor space of 240,000 square feet. In raw material it uses each week 100,000 pounds of wool, cotton, jute and paper, and its finished product per week amounts to 75,000 square yards. There are 300 employes. The weekly payroll amounts to $5.500. The assessed valuation of the property for 1917 was $269,100. The agent of the mills is H. A. S. Read.
About the others of the larger manufacturing plants the following data is given :
LAWRENCE DUCK CO .:- Established in 1853; manufactures cotton duck ; weekly output, 100,000 pounds ; employes, 600; weekly payroll, $9,500; assessed valuation of property for 1917, $395,150. This concern has made sails for all of the America yacht cup defenders.
UNITED STATES WORSTED CO .:- Established in 1908; manufactures worsted and woolen men's wear and dress goods ; weekly output, 140,000 yards; employes, 1,500; weekly payroll, $27,000; assessed valuation of property for 1917, $796,150.
PEMBERTON COMPANY :- Established in 1853 (present corporation formed in 1860 after the fall of the original mill) ; manufactures cotton goods and flannels, tickings, awnings and shirt- ings; weekly output, 70,000 pounds ; employes, 600; weekly payroll, $7,500 ; assessed valuation of property for 1917, $431,100.
WALWORTH BROS., INC .:- Established in 1895; manufac- tures dress goods and men's wear; weekly output, 18,700 yards ; employes, 275 ; weekly payroll, $3,500 ; assessed valuation of property for 1917, $90,000.
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