USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Professional and industrial history of Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Volume III > Part 44
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Seth Adams was born in Rochester, N. H., in 1806, and learned the machinist trade with a brother. He was a member of a firm engaged in the manufacture of printing presses at South Boston, his brother Isaac and George H. Everson being his partners. They were the in- ventors of the famous Adams and Hoe presses, and eventually sold out the business to Messrs. R. Hoe & Co., of New York city. He then turned his attention to the business of refining sugar, in which he ac- complished phenomenal success, building the extensive works now known as the Standard Sugar Refinery at South Boston. He died in 1873, and by his will provided for the establishment of the now cele- brated Adams Nervine Asylum at Jamaica Plain. He also made lib- eral bequests to other charitable organizations.
The Boston Type Foundry was founded in 1817, and is the oldest in its line in New England, and one of the oldest in the United States. The business was originated in Charlestown, where it was continued until 1822, when it was removed to Harvard Place, opposite the Old South Church. In the following year it was transferred to Salem street, where a disastrous fire nearly destroyed the whole plant in 1825. Subsequent to this event the firm increased its facilities by the introduction of the first practical casting machine, invented by Edwin Starr, and in 1843 it developed and perfected the more successful one invented by David Bruce. In 1829 the foundry was removed to Spring Lane, to Water street in 1865, and to Kilby street in 1870, whence the
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firm was expelled by the great fire of 1872. In 1824 the foundry was established at its present quarters on Milk street. The reputation of this foundry for perfection in type is widely established. Four to five thousand styles of type are made. David Watson is president of the company.
Michael Dalton was one of the pioneer type founders of Boston, the establishment which he founded being still in successful operation. He was born in Boston in 1800. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to Aaron Breed, the mathematical instrument maker. Through failure of Mr. Breed he did not complete his trade, but engaged in the type founding business, which he pursued for nearly sixty consecutive years. In 1845 he formed a partnership with Sewall Phelps under the firm name of Phelps & Dalton, and the business is still carried on by their successors under the same firm name. Thorough practical knowledge of the business in every detail and unremitting toil assured success, and Mr. Dalton lived to see the foundry grow from small beginnings to be one of the leading concerns of the country. He died in 1879, and at the time of his death was one of the oldest type founders in the country.
One of the oldest and most interesting industrial enterprises carried on in Boston at the present time is the cocoa and chocolate manufac- turing establishment of Walter Baker & Co., which is not only the old- est but the largest of its kind on this continent. The business was first started in a small mill on the Neponset River as early as 1765. It was connected with a saw-mill, operated by water-power, and was regarded as a somewhat doubful experiment. The initiation of the enterprise was due to John Hannan, an Irish emigrant, who had learned the art of chocolate-making in England. The new industry prospered in a small way, and on the death of Mr. Hannan, in 1780, the plant came into the possession of Dr. James Baker, who was succeeded later by Walter Baker, his grandson, in whose name the business has since been conducted. Hon. Henry L. Pierce has been at the head of this estab- lishment since 1854, and under his management it has been highly pros- perons. The establishment now comprises five large mills thoroughly equipped with the latest and best machinery for the manufacture of cocoa and chocolate. Over twenty medals have been awarded to their products at the great International and other exhibitions, including the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia in 1876, the Paris Expositions in 1864 and 1878, the Vienna Exposition in 1873, and the most important
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expositions held at various points in this country during the last forty years.
Boston has been the field where the most important development of color printing has been accomplished. Here, in 1827, William S. Pen- dleton founded the first lithographic establishment in the United States, which was immediately successful. In 1856 Louis Prang, whose name has become so well known in connection with art publications, formed a partnership with a lithographic printer, and in July of that year the new firm opened an office in a small room on Doane street, Boston, un- der the title of Prang & Meyer. Their specialty was to be color work, and their first production executed in four colors for a magazine. This color print is of interest to lithographers as the result of the first crayon transfer ever made.
The business at 1: Doane street grew slowly but steadily. A re- moval of headquarters to the corner of Doane and Kilby streets in time ensued; from thence to Merchants' Row, and again to 159 Washington street, every removal representing a step forward and upward in the volume of transactions. While occupying the Merchants' Row quarters, Mr. Prang bought out his partner, and founded the new concern of L. Prang & Co., long since become familiarly known in every civilized country. About this time the Civil War began, and the business so laboriously builded up came near a disastrous ending in consequence of that event. Nothing but the prompt and enterprising publication of war maps, portraits of generals, etc., of which the sales were immense, prevented such result. The development of the business kept pace with the growth of the country, and the publication of beautiful album cards-wild flowers, autumn leaves, birds and butterflies, bits of sea- view and landscape-took place; these were soon universally admired and sought for.
In all the thought and experiment which he had thus far lavished on his art, Mr. Prang had carried in his mind a definite ideal, towards the realization of which he had worked from the first. This was the pro- duction of chromolithographs, equal in execution to anything of the kind that the highest development of the art in Europe had ever brought forth. In 1864 he returned to Europe and looked over the whole litho- graphic field. The latest processes were examined, and a staff of artists, selected with special reference to their skill, was engaged. The next year two landscapes by Bricher, and a group of chickens by Tait, ap- peared, and were soon followed by others equally good, including the
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famous " Barefoot Boy," after Eastman Johnson. These faithful and beautiful copies of oil-paintings soon became famous throughout this country and Europe as Prang's American chromos. This trade desig- nation, adopted by Mr. Prang for his finest class of reproductions, . created the word "chromo," now applied to nearly all color-prints. Prang's chromos made speedily the tour of the world, and the newly- coined word found a recognized place in every language.
In 1864 the business had grown to such dimensions that an establish- ment, designed especially for the requirements of chromolithography, became a necessity, and a large building was erected in the Roxbury district of Boston, at 286 Roxbury street. This building was partly destroyed by fire in September, 1827, entailing a loss of over $100,000; but with characteristic energy new quarters were fitted up in an old abandoned brewery, and in a week the works were running day and night to meet all previous engagements for the holiday season just opening. The damaged building was repaired and enlarged, and oc- cupied anew in March, 1878; but was soon found inadequate to the rapidly increasing business of the firm, and in the spring of 1881 addi- tions were made to the workshops and machinery, which nearly doubled their space, facilities and effectiveness.
The earlier productions of Mr. Prang were presented through the mediumship of a hand press, involving slow and tiresome processes, but steam printing presses are now exclusively used. During the past ten years this firm has paid ont to artists who have originated the subjects of his works, upwards of $500,000 in cash. The artistic productions, thought and teachings of the world have been brought to bcar in the development of his schemes, and the highest practical inducements to originality and invention among artists everywhere have been set forth. In the department of mechanical appliances, the same general course has been pursued, and by the introduction of the steam press to his business, the thousands of his productions at once became millions, and almost numberless new designs and varieties of art work were added to his catalogue.
In 1874 the Prang firm took up the publication of a series of drawing- books for public schools, prepared by the late Prof. Walter Smith, then State director of Art Education in Massachusetts. These books were soon introduced into the leading schools of the country, and became the basis of an educational business of a very important character. In 1882 this educational business was separated from the business of the firm of
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L. Prang & Co., and a new concern, The Prang Educational Company, was formed for the prosecution of this special business. Of this com- pany Mr. Prang is president.
Another large and important concern for the production of litho- graphic and color work was established in Boston, in 1875, under the name of the Forbes Lithograph Manufacturing Company, which has a capital of $175,000. The large manufacturing premises of the com- pany are located at Chelsea, where four hundred and fifty persons are employed in the execution of every description of lithographic work. The business of the company extends to every part of the United States, branch offices being maintained in New York, Chicago and San Francisco.
Previous to 1830 this country was almost entirely dependent upon foreign manufacturers for a supply of saws. At that time there was not, probably, more than three saw manufactories in the United States, and the value of the saws made by them did not exceed, it was esti- mated, three thousand dollars per annum. In that year Charles Griffith, who had been engaged in the manufacture in Great Britain, came to the United States and determined to establish himself in Bos- ton, though the attempt to make, in this country, circular saws was pronounced visionary, and his failure predicted. Within a short time he was joined by William Welch, establishing what became the well- known firm of Welch & Griffith. For a long time the obstacles in the way of success were numerous, as there was a strong prejudice existing in the mind of many against American saws, which it was difficult to combat, but the unrivaled skill of Welch & Griffith in manufacturing a superior grade of saws, such as required for cutting lumber and ship timber, circular, mill, pit and cross-cut saws, overcame all obstacles, and the enterprise was speedily established on a firm basis. For many years the original proprietors conducted the business which is now car- ried on by Albert Griffith, a son of Charles Griffith, under the old firm name of Welch & Griffith.
The manufacture of India rubber goods began to receive attention in Massachusetts soon after 1825. In 1828 the Roxbury Rubber Com- pany, with E. M. Chaffee and others as proprietors, was incorporated. The Boston & Lynn, the Boston, the New England, the South Boston, and the Suffolk companies were all incorporated in 1834. At this time, however, little was known of the practical uses to which the gum of the India rubber tree could be put. It was prior to the great discoveries
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of Charles Goodyear and Nathaniel Hayward, and only pure rubber was used, in which form it was liable to rapid deterioration. It became rigid in winter and soft and inert in summer. The tribulations that befell the pioneer manufacturers of this valuable but intractable material were, indeed, very great. They could not master the sub- stance; the public acquired a distaste for its use, and all of the first factories started in or near Boston failed in business.
The Roxbury Rubber Company, after undergoing various vicissi- tudes, changed its name in 1845 to the Goodyear Rubber Company, and in 1847 to its present title, the Boston Belting Company. This company made the first rubber belting in the United States. To-day the belting, steam packing, engine hose and other articles in vulcan- ized India rubber, made by this company, for mechanical and mnanti- facturing purposes, are sold in nearly all parts of the civilized world. The company operates under a capital of $1,000,000. Its factory oc- cupies an entire block in Roxbury, and employment is furnished to 500 hands. W. S. Eaton is president of the company; James Bennett Forsyth, manufacturing agent and general manager; J. H. D. Smith, treasurer. The board of directors embrace W. S. Eaton, James Ben- nett Forsyth, I. P. T. Edmands, G. A. Miner, James Pierce, J. H. D. Smith, and George Whitney.
The Boston Rubber Shoe Company was incorporated in 1853; has a capitalization of $3,000,000, and controls two extensive factories, one at Malden and the other at Melrose. The production consists exclusively of rubber boots and shoes, the output amounting to 45,000 pairs daily, employment being furnished to 3,000 persons. The officers of the company are J. W. Converse, president; E. S. Converse, treasurer and general manager; C. S. Converse, assistant treasurer; and H. E. Con- verse, secretary.
The Davidson Rubber Company was founded more than a quarter of a century ago by Hamilton Davidson. It is now operated by Rhodes Lockwood and Philip C. Lockwood. The factory is located in Charles- town, where employment is given to 150 hands. The goods mannfac- factured consist of all kinds of druggists', surgeons', and fine rubber specialties.
The Boston Rubber Company was incorporated in 1878 by George H. Hood. Two factories are operated by the company, one at Chelsea and the other at Franklin, Mass. At the latter rubber foot- wear is manufactured and at the former clothing and diverse articles.
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Employment is furnished to 700 operators. George H. Hood is presi- dent and treasurer of the company, and Fred C. Hood, secretary.
The Revere Rubber Company, with extensive factories at Chelsea, the American Rubber Company, and several other minor establish- ments, with those previously mentioned, make the volume of rubber goods manufactured in Boston reach the sum of fully $15,000,000, of which rubber footwear probably amounts to $7,200,000, and rubber clothing $2,000,000. Large capital is invested in the manufacture of rubber hose, belting, packing, and mechanical specialties. The annual output of goods of this kind amounts to nearly $5,000,000.
In 1834 John Brown, who had lately visited England to enquire into the process of sugar refining, returned to Boston, and was largely in- strumental in organizing the East Boston Sugar Refinery Company, which was incorporated March 25, 1834, with a capital of $250,000. Two years after beginning operations eighty workmen were employed, and twenty-five thousand boxes of sugar were annually produced. During the financial panic of 1837 the company was forced for a time to suspend, but has since had a prosperous career.
In 1858 the Adams Sugar Refinery at South Boston was erected. This, one of the largest in the country, succeeded one burned in that year, the property of Seth Adams, who had embarked in the business in 1849, having previously been connected with his brother in the man- ufacture of printing presses.
Among the prominent ropemakers of Boston in the first half of the present century was John Webber. He was born in Marblehead in 1793, and when a lad was apprenticed to Josiah Dunham, of South Boston, and learned the trade of ropemaking. After acquiring his trade he erected a small factory in Roxbury, which later on was enlarged and finally grew to large proportions. By the laying out of Harrison avenue his works were cut in two. He then built two rope-walks, each about 700 feet long and two stories high. These were burned in 1836. He built again, and introduced new and improved machinery. This factory was also burned, when he built what at that time was the largest cordage factory in this country. The New England Cordage Company was afterwards formed, with a capital of $400,000, and Mr. Webber as president. This was successful, employing nearly 200 men, and man- ufacturing upwards of 3,000 tons of cordage per annum. Mr. Webber finally withdrew from this company and built an establishment on Norfolk avenue, known as the Suffolk Cordage Company. Afterwards
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lie disposed of the Suffolk Company, and commenced the experiment of making rope in a square room, dispensing with the long rope walk. For this purpose he built a stone mill at the corner of Harrison avenue and Hunneman street. The new method proved a success, and the inill was conducted for several years. Mr. Webber retired from busi- ness in 1856, after having been actively engaged in the manufacture of cordage for nearly fifty years. He died in West Roxbury, May 12, 1863.
The name of Thomas Blanchard deserves a prominent place among the inventors of useful mechanical contrivances such as have made Boston famous. He was born in Sutton, Mass., in 1788, and at the age of eighteen was employed by an elder brother, who was operating a tack factory in an adjoining town. Young Blanchard's employment consisted in heading tacks with a hammer, each tack being separately held in a vise for that purpose. The process was necessarily slow, and the tacks themselves comparatively uneven and rough. But this ex- perience served as the proper incentive to the development of the latent powers of the young man. Before many months he had invented and built a machine which would both cut and head the tacks with great rapidity, making besides a much better article than could be made by hand. This first machine made by this stripling was so per- fectly designed and made that it was used without material alteration for many years. In the same town was a small gun factory. Here the round section of the barrel was readily turned, but the octagonal part was finished by filing and grinding. To turn the whole, Blanchard designed a lathe which accomplished the object. He then invented a inuch more difficult lathe, which successfully turned a gun-stock, a device which revolutionized gun making. Soon after the completion of the latter device he was engaged by the government to superintend the stocking of guns at the Springfield armory. The machine was still further perfected until it would make a gunstock complete in every particular, including the cavity for the lock, the whole being finished in a manner superior to anything made at that time by hand by the most skillful workmen. The principle of this machine was at once applied to lathes for making tackle blocks, spokes, lasts, yokes and other irregular forms. Like many other inventors, Blanchard did not at first make any financial success commensurate with the magnitude of his labors. He applied to Congress to extend his patent, and to illustrate the possibilities of his invention, he erected a lathe in the
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rotunda of the capitol at Washington, and turned marble busts of members of Congress from plaster models. The bill to extend the patent was introduced by Daniel Webster, then senator from Massa- chusetts; and his colleague, Rufus Choate, wittily remarked that a Yankee inventor was turning the heads of congressmen. He invented a machine for bending ship timber to the required shape while retain- ing its original strength. He made wheel felloes in one piece, and also the frames for scholars' slates. His lathe was exhibited in the great Exposition at Paris in 1857, and created a profound sensation. He turned a marble bust of the Empress Eugenie in the presence of the Emperor, who was greatly impressed with the value of the invention.
During Mr. Blanchard's career he took out twenty-four patents. The principle of the rotary cutter, as applied in a machine for planing lum- ber, it is said, originated with him, although he received no pecuniary benefit from it. While at Springfield he gave considerable attention to the best method of propulsion for stern-wheel steamboats plying in rapid currents. After protracted and expensive litigation he succeeded in obtaining judgment in the Supreme Court in his favor and thus fully established the validity of his elaims for his gun-stock lathe. In ren- dering a final decision Judge Story remarked: "That after much trouble, care and anxiety he will be able to enjoy the fruits unmolested of his inventive genius, of which he had a high opinion, and that it afforded him much pleasure in thus being able publicly to express it." It was a singular coincidence that in after years Mr. Blanchard bought and occupied the house on Tremont street, in Boston, formerly the property of Judge Story.
When the reports of the success of Mr. Blanchard's gun-stocking ma- chine reached England they were received with incredulity, and a com- missioner was sent to this country with samples of the hardest English oak, manifestly for the purpose of testing to the utmost the virtues of the Yankee machine. Thinking, perhaps, that if the truth was known, Mr. Blanchard would shrink from so severe a task, they visited his works in the guise of his own countrymen, curious to have some gun- stocks made from their own timber, and were greatly astonished to find that the peculiar hard nature of the wood brought from across the ocean contributed to produce a more perfect stock than could be made from a softer variety of wood. The result was a large order for machines from the British government, which subsequently fully recognized Blanch- ard's great merit as an inventor.
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Mr. Blanchard died at the age of seventy-six years at his home in Boston. Visitors to Mount Auburn may find on Spruce avenue a mar- ble monument, which was erected to his memory, surmounted by a bust, which is a faithful representation of the great inventor. The sides of the monument bear four bas-reliefs, representing four of his most important inventions.
One of the oldest iron concerns in Boston is that of Smith & Lovett. The business was established, in 1813, by Daniel Safford, who several years thereafter admitted a partner, and the firm became Safford & Lowe. Albert W. Smith was afterwards admitted, and the name was changed to D. Safford & Co. In 1840 Joseph Lovett became a mem- ber of the firm. In 1845 Mr. Safford died, and Mr. Lovett and Mr. Smith succeeded to the business, under the firm of Smith & Lovett. In 1855 Mr. Smith retired, and his nephew, Ammi Smith, was admitted to partnership. Ammi Smith died in 1876, and Mr. Lovett has continued under the old firm name of Smith & Lovett to the present time, The manufacture of iron work for buildings is the exclusive business of this establishment, having furnished the iron for such buildings as the Quincy Market, the South Market street blocks, the old State House, the Charlestown State Prison, the Taunton Prison, the Winthrop Square building, before the fire of 1872, and many after the fire in the burnt district. The works were formerly on Devonshire street, between Milk and Water streets; but when the post-office building was begun they were removed to the present location on Albany street. Mr. Lovett has been connected with the works since 1822, and is still actively in- terested in its management.
One of the oldest and largest of the manufacturing concerns of the city is the Boston Lead Company, which was organized in 1829, and has since been in successful operation. A reorganization was effected in 1879, when the present name was adopted. While lead and zinc, dry and ground in oil, red lead and litharge, lead pipe and sheet lead are manufactured and sold in every part of the United States. The fac- tory, corner of Swett and Hampden streets, Boston Highlands, is one of the largest of its kind in this country. Samuel Little is president of the company and William J. Bride treasurer.
The manufacture of masts and spars has long been quite an impor- tant industry in East Boston. In 1830 Henry Pigeon began the busi- ness, and in 1868 admitted his two sons, Henry Pigeon, jr., and Abram Pigeon. Business is now conducted under the firm name of H. Pigeon
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& Sons. In 1851 Joseph Caldwell embarked in the business, and was the first in Boston to handle Oregon timber for mast purposes. Mr. Caldwell's enterprise was the nucleus of the present Boston Spar Com- pany, which was formed in 1882, of which Frank W. Bentley is presi- dent, and William E. Bailey is vice-president and superintendent of the manufacturing yards, and Joseph Caldwell, the founder of the business, is secretary and treasurer.
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