USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Springfield > Springfield directory 1851-1852 > Part 9
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market for these productions is a wide one. Passen- ger cars were shown to us, completed and in course of construction, destined for Railroads in Ohio, Illinois, Alabama, Virginia, New York, and Michigan. Four beautiful cars were finished and ready for shipment to the new road at Panama. It is a gratifying fact that, with the exception of the finer woods used in the construction of the passenger cars, and the fabrics used in their upholstery, they are all, in material and workmanship, the product of this town and region of country. The oak timber, both of the freight and passenger cars, is grown within 25 miles of the shop, the car wheels, second to none in the world, are made in town, the wrought iron axles, ditto, as well as the lamps and mirrors that enter into the finishing and beautifying of the interior. In the upholstering of the passenger cars, about 3,000 pounds of curled hair are used annually, and 1,200 yards of heavy silk plush Few properly appreciate the exquisite finish now be- stowed upon passenger cars. They are little eise thar mammoth and magnificent specimens of cabinet ware, with car wheels for castors, and we doubt whether there is an establishment in the country where the arts of high finish and decoration are more thoroughly un- derstood and applied than in this of Mr. Wasson .- The concern is one of great importance to the town and we trust that its proprietor and his stalwart army of workmen, may long prosper, and find plenty o. people " ready to take the cars."
STURTEVANT'S BAKERY.
This extensive manufactory of the " staff of life" is situated on North Main street, above Fountain Row and finds employment for 13 hands. The business amounts to $25,000 annually. Nine horses are kep busy in the disposal of bread, crackers, &c. Mr Sturtevant uses up annually about 2,100 barrels o flour, more than one half of which goes into the man ufacture of crackers. He also uses, for sweetening
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s cakes, cookies, &c., 40 boxes of sugar annually ; id 10 hogsheads of molasses are diffused in the same eriod through probably as many square acres of gin- erbread. Of lard and butter, the annual consump- on is about 15 tuns. In the manufacture of brown 'ead, $600 worth of corn meal are annually used, ad this, with the whole 2,100 barrels of flour, are iked with $500 worth of wood. Mr. Sturtevant hav- g made for several years the most successful appeals the popular taste, is, of course, a thorough artist.
POWDER FLASK MANUFACTORY.
Messrs J. H. Batty & Co. carry on this establish- ent, at the corner of Maple and Central Streets, and irn out an article long known and understood to be e best in construction, and particularly the best in nish, of any made in this country. They employ 12 ands, and manufacture under contract probably more an for the general market. Recently, they have irned out 1,000 flasks monthly for Colt, the inventor the celebrated revolver, and have worked under equent contracts with the Government in times past he annual consumption of material, and the annual roduct, are statistics which we were unable to obtain.
OX & CO'S COFFEE & SPICE MANUFACTORY.
This fragrant little establishment, situated at the ot of Howard Street, in Harris & Colton's building, carried on by John Fox & Co. It employs three ands, the business being that of roasting, grinding ad putting up in barrels and packages, every variety coffee, and of grinding and putting up in boxes and ackages the common spices. The amount of coffee asted and ground is about 1 tun per week. Pepper ground at the rate of 200 pounds a week, and mus- ird, cinnamon, all-spice, ginger and cloves at the ite of 150 to 200 pounds a week, in the aggregate. he mill used is of New Haven manufacture,-the
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Patent burr stone mill of Harrison. Fifty thousand tin boxes a year are used in putting up spices, and these boxes are obtained in New York. The larges amount of coffee used is the Java. Messrs. Fox & Co. have given us an opportunity of trying their cof fees, and they are certainly second to none in the market, and it is a comfort to know that we have es tablishments like this in town where spices can be ob tained free from the slightest adulteration.
SIMONS' COFFEE MANUFACTORY.
Cicero Simons, grocer, corner of Main and Stat street, has a small establishment on Market stree where he roasts and grinds, principally for sale fron his own counter, from 600 to 1,000 pounds of coffee : week, with the spices disposed of in his general busi ness. The mill used is Bogardus' Eccentric Iron Mil which is driven by horse power.
LELAND'S BOOT MANUFACTORY.
Mr. J. P. Leland employs in the manufacture o boots, in Byers' building, corner of Main and Eln streets, 25 hands, and turns out, as the product of thei labor, 5,000 pairs of fine boots annually, of which on half are of American calf, and the other half of French The value of the boots manufactured is about $15,000 The market for these boots is entirely in Springfield.
PUMP MANUFACTORY.
Mr. Levi Littlefield, in the Car and Engine Compa ny's buildings, employs four hands in the manufactur of Improved Suction and Force Pumps, designed fo stationary Fire Engines, Railroad stations, Pape Mills, &c.
HIXON'S BOOT AND SHOE MANUFACTORY.
Mr. John R. Hixon, store on Main Street, abov Hampden Hall, employs, on an average, 50 hands il
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le manufacture of the different varieties of boots and 10es, who turn out annually the amount of $15,000 orth, and use up, in the same time, $5,000 worth of ather. The boots and shoes are disposed of entirely t this town, and region of country.
WESTERN RAILROAD.
No notice of the industrial pursuits of Springfield could be complete that did not embrace those flowing 'om the Western Railroad corporation, whose center f operations is in this town. The repair shops of the orporation employ a large number of the best me- hanics of the place. The machine shop, under the uperintendence of Mr. Wilson Eddy, employs 40 ands. It was here that the splendid engine " Addi- on Gilmore " was manufactured, though it is no part f the regular business to make new machinery. The lacksmith's shop employs 33 hands, and the carpen- er's shop 60 hands, making the entire number of men mployed on repairs, 133. The stock of iron, wood, 'zc., purchased for repairs of cars, engines, &c., du- ing 1850, amounted to $49,152.15, and there was tock on hand at the commencement of the year mounting to $40,454,45. The amount of stock con- umed during the year was $54,816.89.
By a carefully prepared statement, we are enabled o give the number of those running on the trains, chose stopping place and home is in Springfield. The number of passenger car conductors is two- Messrs Adams and Parker-the two oldest conductors on the road. Then there are two principal freight onductors, Messrs. Wm. Jennings and W. G. Denni- on, the one having the general charge of all the freight trains running East, and the other, of those unning West. Added to these are ten conductors of ingle freight trains, thirty-one brakemen, seventeen ngineers, and nineteen firemen, making in all, eighty ne.
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There are four clerks and thirteen men employed ir the freight house, Addison Day being freight agent There are two teamsters, two baggage masters, one messenger, six watchmen, eight laborers in the engine house and yard, and two cleaners of passenger cars besides others in various situations irregularly em- ployed. There are the Superintendent of the Road eight clerks and one messenger, in the Western Rail- road office. Another recapitulation gives us an addi tional aggregate of forty-nine men, which, added to former aggregates, makes a grand total of two-hund- red and sixty-three men, with an average of good wa- ges, all living in town, and in the employ of this cor poration.
GEO. W. WILSON'S PRINTING HOUSE AND BOOK BINDERY.
This comparatively new establishment is located or the corner of Main and State streets, and is carried or with much enterprise. Mr. Wilson employs an aver- age of twenty-five hands, four of whom are connected with his bindery-a portion of the establishment-and three of whom are girls. The concern is furnished with one double medium platten power press, one letter sheet " Ruggles' Rotary Printing Engine," five hand printing presses, including one of Imperial size for large posters, and has building to order one o Adams & Co's unequalled power presses for fine Book and Job work, three standing presses, two paper and three card and board cutters, one ruling machine,one rolling and embossing machine, one piercing press six cutting and gilding presses, and all the fillets, rolls stamps, dies, and other tools and appurtenances of a modern and fashionable bindery. In addition to the press work done in the office, Mr. W. pays from $40 to $50 per month for use of the Republican steam Napier Press. The establishment occupies six rooms, each de partment being as nearly independent of the others as practicable The work turned out is about equally divi-
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led between the different varieties of job, book and pe- iodical work ; the latter embracing the printing of the ' Mechanics' Reporter," the " Spirit Messenger and Harmonial Guide," the " Shekinah," a Quarterly Re- view of upwards of one hundred pp. octavo, "devo- ed to the philosophy of human progress," and that pet of the High School boys and girls-the "Portfolio."
The office contains about three hundred different fonts of type, upwards of five hundred different patterns of borders, capable of more than fifty thou- sand styles of combination, and chases enough to keep
seventy-five forms standing locked up at once, which together with his large amount of type, affords him great advantage in busy seasons. During the past year, Mr. Wilson has used more than five thousand sheets of card stock, which, had it been cut up into cards of size No. 3, would make about 500.000 cards in number, or 10,000 packs. He also used, of the different kinds of paper, including the large amount consumed by the Mechanics' Reporter, about four thousand reams. Mr. Wilson carries on the only book-bindery and blank book manufactory in town, and specimens of the work, turned out to order, will bear honorable comparison with any city work we have ever seen.
H. S. TAYLOR'S PRINTING OFFICE.
Mr. Taylor's office is located on Sanford street, next door to the Republican office, and occupies the whole building recently purchased by him. He employs eighteen hands, one third of whom are girls. His machinery is driven by a four horse power steam en- gine, built by Harris & Carpenter of Springfield. His machinery, which is of the best and strongest description, consists, mainly, of one Tufts' Power Press, one Gilman Power Press, one Ruggles Job Press, one Yankee Card Press, two Tufts' Hand Presses, one Stuart's Standing Press, one Combina- tion Screw Standing Press, two paper cutting ma-
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chines, and two card cutters. The work turned out consists mostly of general job work, into which all kinds of blanks for Insurance Companies, Banks, &c. with immense quantities of Railroad Tickets, largely enter. The number of card sheets used last year was about ten thousand, which, cut up into cards of the common size, would amount to but little less than a million in number. The establishment is furnished with the usual varieties of type and border, to be found in a first class concern of a similar character.
F. C. ANDREU'S PRINTING OFFICE.
This is a small, general job office, located on Main street, opposite the Exchange Hotel. It is furnished with a common hand press, a card press, a card cut- ter, and with choice varieties of type and border. Mr. Andreu's types for large posters are remarkably fine and well selected.
And here, in closing with the Springfield printers, it is but justice to say that no town of the size of Springfield can boast their superiors. Except in the most extravagant kinds of fancy printing, we meet with no better work than they uniformly turn out from their several establishments.
SIZER &. CO'S IRON FOUNDRY.
This establishment adjoins the Car and Engine Manufactory near the Depot, and employs twenty hands. The kind of work turned out consists almost entirely of car wheels, and general Railroad castings. The variety of car wheels manufactured is "Dun- ham's Improved." The amount of iron used annual- ly is one thousand tons, which, of course, turns out its equivalent in weight of castings. The iron used is from Berkshire County, principally, that for the best castings, however, coming from the Salisbury mine in Connecticut. Sterling (N. Y.) iron, from the line of the Erie Railroad, has been used recently,
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in considerable quantities. The amount of hard coal consumed annually is four hundred tons. The ma- chinery used is furnished with power from the Car and Engine Manufactory's engine-amounting to a six horse power, by the usual estimate.
AMERICAN MACHINE WORKS.
This large and important establishment is located on Springfield Hill, and, although it commenced but four years ago, with comparatively a small capital, it has been the most remarkably fortunate and is now the most successful of any concern of the kind with which we are acquainted. Operations were com- menced in 1847, in a small wooden building, on a capital of $19,000. This building has since been re- moved to make place for extensive and convenient structures of brick, and the capital has been increased to $40,000. Since operations were commenced, there has never been a time when the orders on hand, for machinery of various kinds, did not amount to more than the capital of the Company, and during this time, the Company have never, except on one occasion, borrowed a dollar of money. A personal examination of the books of the Company enables us to give its exact standing and prosperity. The last year of the Company was, for certain purposes of accommodation made up of sixteen months, and a dividend was made of the profits of this period, of thirty-three per cent., on the amount of capital stock then existing, the divi- dend amounting in all to upwards of eleven thousand dollars. This is a tolerably large story, but a larger remains. After the dividend was made, there remained an unexpended balance of profits in the hands of the Treasurer of $23,403,14. The actual manufactures of the last year of sixteen months amounted to up- wards of $160,000. The greater portion of the work turned out consisted of stationary steam engines, of a construction peculiarly simple and strong, and pecul- iar, we believe, to this establishment. During the
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past year, and for some time previous, one room in the concern has been appropriated to bringing out the new contrivances of inventors There are now on the works one engine for the New Orleans Mint, of fifteen horse power ; one for the South Carolina Railroad, thirty-four horse power ; one for E. & C. Chapin of Holyoke, one for Charles T. Sheldon of Tennessee, and one for Charles Duffus of Charleston, S. C.
The principal departments of the establishment are a machine room, a foundry, a forging room, a boiler manufactory, and pattern room. The machinery con- sists principally of twenty-six lathes, five drilling ma- chines, three boring machines, five planers, and one steam hammer, (Nasmith's direct action.) These, with the blower of eight forges, are driven-with the exception of the steam hammer-by a double twenty- four horse power steam engine. There are now about one hundred and thirty men employed in and about the establishment, one hundred and twenty-one of whom are employed as follows : seventy-one in the machinery department, fifteen as blacksmiths, seven as pattern makers, fifteen as founders, four as boiler makers, two as watchmen, four as laborers, and three as draftsmen.
The amount of castings made annually is not far from five hundred tons, though since the first of May the amount has comparatively been much larger, reaching $12,000 in value, and four hundred tons in weight. Three hundred tons of hard coal are con- sumed annually, and last year $6,547 worth of boiler iron was consumed, all of which was of Pennsylvania manufacture, and purchased at one house in Philadel- phia.
We cannot, in justice, close this notice without an incidental allusion to the manner in which the busi- ness is conducted, and the effect of the business on the adjoining territory. The system of book-keeping is perfection itself. Every job occupies a large page, so ruled as to have charged to it every day's work, and
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fraction of a day's work, done upon it, and the cost of every item of stock that enters into its construction. This system, too, is carried into minuter matters, every machine in the concern having charged to it the work and stock required in its repair. The repairs on machinery, last year, cost exactly $1,441.78. The land in the immediate region of the works has doubled in value within the past year or two, and, as is usual in the vicinity of every prosperous manufacturing concern, the people are participating in its benefits.
It is well known that the operating agent of this company is Mr. P. B. Tyler, to whose business and mechanical talent its prosperity is in a great degree attributable.
FIEDER'S CABINET WARE MANUFACTORY.
The Cabinet Ware establishment of Louis C. Fieder is located on State street, directly opposite Foot's block. The work turned out is " drawing room work," almost entirely, and is done to order for individuals in all the different New England States. It is but just to say that in the most elegant varieties of ornamental furniture, Mr. Fieder's establishment has no superiors and few equals in the United States. His designs and drawings for furniture are all made by himself. He employs fifteen hands, ten of whom are regular workmen, while the remaining five are engaged, two in upholstery, two in carving, and one in varnishing. Connected with the ware rooms is a curtain depart- ment, furnished with all the different styles of curtain fixtures. The business of last year amounted to sev- enteen thousand dollars. There were worked up, during the year, fifteen hundred feet of mahogany, from two to three thousand feet of rose-wood, and up- wards of sixteen thousand feet of black walnut. One thousand windows were furnished with curtains last year, and from two to three thousand yards of differ- ent elegant fabrics were used up in upholstery work,
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the latter work also absorbing from three to four thou- sand pounds of curled hair.
SMITH'S CARRIAGE MANUFACTORY.
This concern is carried on by David Smith, corner of Main and Union streets, and has been accompanied with steady success and prosperity for many years. The average number of men employed is twenty, while the number of carriages, of all kinds, turned out annually, taking last year as the standard, is eighty. The amount of sales last year was $13,717, of which $4,724 were in Boston, six hundred dollars to individuals in Southern States, and two thousand dollars in foreign countries. The repairs and other work done amounted to three thousand dollars, ma- king the aggregate of last year's proceeds, $16,717. The consumption of broadcloth last year, in upholstery and trimming, was seven hundred yards. Ten tons of iron and steel, two thousand bushels of charcoal and six hundred bushels of sea-coal are other impor- tant items of last year's consumption. The excellent quality of Mr. Smith's productions is well known.
TAYLOR & CRANE'S ESTABLISHMENT.
Messrs Taylor & Crane, South Main street, employ eight hands in the manufacture of heavy wagons, ploughs, carts, railway trucks and similar heavy work. They made last year two hundred railroad carts and fifty ploughs. Their machinery is driven by an improved adaptation of horse power. The amount of last year's work was not far from twelve thousand dollars ..
J. & W. LOOMIS'S CARRIAGE MANUFACTORY.
This concern is located on Sandford street, and is engaged in the manufacture of light carriages, and still more largely in general carriage repairing. About twenty-five buggies, with and without tops, were manufactured last year. Messrs Loomis employ eight
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hands, and use up, annually, about three thousand dollars worth of stock.
UNITED STATES ARMORY.
As this establishment is one of a general and na- tional interest, we propose to enter into some details concerning it, which would not be called for in the no- tice of a concern possessing only a local and limited. importance. Its extent and efficiency, and the liberal expenditures which have made it what it is-one of the most prolific manufactories of arms and capacious arsenals in the world-are legitimate subjects of na- tional pride. Accordingly, it has become the resort of visitors, and constitutes one of the principal attractions of our beautiful locality : at no public establishment in the United States can the eye be gratified with the sight of so much beautiful and ingenious machinery, so large, skillful and well paid a company of laborers, such finely laid out and well kept grounds, and so thorough and orderly a system of operations, as here.
The arsenal, the offices, and the principal manufac- turing and storing buildings of the Armory, are loca- ted on Springfield Hill, and overlook the Connecticut valley at a charming elevation. The heavier opera- tions of the concern are effected at three localities on Mill river, known as the Upper, Middle and Lower Water Shops. The land owned on the Hill by the Government amcunts to seventy-two acres two rods ; at the Upper and Middle Water Shops, nineteen acres sixty-six rods ; at the Lower Water Shops, ten acres one hundred two rods-total land owned by the Gov- ernment in town, one hundred two acres ten rods. The principal building is the new arsenal. This is two hundred feet long by seventy wide. Its height is fifty feet, which is divided into three stories, each story being sufficiently large to contain one hundred thousand muskets. The front is finished by a pedi ment of seventy feet by twelve; one of the rooms
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formed by the pediment, it is designed to convert into an exhibition room, of old and curious arms, and relics appropriate to the establishment. The tower is eighty nine feet high and twenty-nine square, the flag staff rising sixty feet above the deck of the tower. Another large building is the new brick structure for storing lumber and musket stocks. This is four hundred feet long, fifty-five wide, and two stories high. Here a stock of four years in musket stocks is constantly kept that the timber may be properly seasoned. The prin- cipal of the three old arsenals is one hundred twenty by forty feet on the ground, and three stories high ; the other two are respectively two stories high, and, in their other dimensions, one hundred feet by thirty-four. The other principal buildings are the work shops ; though extensive, they call for no description. There are located on the Hill ten dwelling houses which are owned by the Government, at the Upper Water Shops, two, Middle two, and Lower two-total sixteen
The total expenditures of the Armory for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1851, were $271,308.33. Of this sum, $179,216.29 were paid out for labor alone. To show the extent and variety of the stock and ma- terials used, we give the items consumed last year : Refined Iron four hundred forty-six thousand six hun- dred twenty-eight pounds; Cast Iron forty-one thou- sand two hundred ninety-eight pounds ; Inferior Iron three thousand six hundred seventy-seven pounds ; Wire Iron one thousand seventy-nine pounds ; Cast Steel sixty-three thousand one hundred forty-six do ; Shear Steel six hundred fifty-one pounds; Nails two thousand three hundred twenty six pounds ; Wood Screws one hundred sixty-three gross; Sand Paper three hundred twenty-six quires; Sulphuric Acid two thousand eight hundred twenty-three pounds; Boards and Plank one hundred forty-five thousand thirteen feet ; Timber thirty-two thousand two hundred four feet ; Bricks twenty thousand ; Leather one thousand seven hundred eighty-eight pounds; Thong thirty-one
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skins ; Sperm and Whale Oil two thousand three hun- dred eighty gallons; Assorted Files eight thousand six hundred thirteen; Grindstones fifty-two thousand six hundred thirty-four pounds ; Charcoal forty-six thousand five hundred ninety-eight bushels ; Anthra- cite Coal two millions four hundred thirty-eight thou- sand nine hundred twenty-four pounds ; Pit Coal fifty two thousand seven hundred pounds; Fire Stone four thousand four hundred eighty pounds; Furnace Clay one hundred thirty-four bushels ; Wood two hundred (two feet) cords.
The result of the operations of last year is as follows :
Percussion Muskets complete, 21,000
Percussion Musketoons complete, 2,000
Muskets altered from flint to percussion, 57,272
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