Standard history of Essex county, Massachusetts, embracing a history of the county from its first settlement to the present time, with a history and description of its towns and cities. The Most historic county of America., Part 74

Author: Tracy, Cyrus M. (Cyrus Mason), 1824-1891, et al. Edited by H. Wheatland
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Boston, C. F. Jewett
Number of Pages: 450

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Standard history of Essex county, Massachusetts, embracing a history of the county from its first settlement to the present time, with a history and description of its towns and cities. The Most historic county of America. > Part 74

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The Essex Company also engineered and built for owners, and, in some cases, built and sold to their present owners, the Atlantic Cotton Mills, the Upper Pacific Mills, the Pemberton, Duck, and Machine- shop buildings. Much of the work of first years was bread cast upon the waters. Profits were prospective. The Lawrence of the future, not the city of that day, was to be the paying customer. Time, patience, and unbounded faith were needed to work steadily on to success.

The capital of this company was at first $1,000,000 ; subsequently, it was increased to $1,500,000, and borrowed capital was temporarily used to the extent of nearly $1,000,000 more. After the first and most costly works had been completed and paid for, and the company had been largely re-imbursed by sale of land, water-power, mills, and other products, so large a capital was no longer needed for their ope- rations. The capital was first reduced to $1,000,000 by cancelling shares of stock which had been received in payment for lands ; and subsequently to $500,000, by repayment of $500,000 in cash to stock- holders.

Abbott Lawrence was president of the company from its organiza- tion until his death, in 1855, with the exception of the interval when he was in England as minister of the United States, when the office was filled by J. Wiley Edmands, Mr. Lawrence still remaining a director. Charles S. Storrow has served continuously as treasurer and agent from the first organization to the present time. Since December, 1869, Hiram F. Mills has held the office of chief engineer of the company, with entire charge of all hydraulic and other engineer- ing. The cashiers have been George D. Cabot, John R. Rollins, Henry H. Hall, and Robert H. Tewksbury.

The Bay State Mills. - The extensive buildings of this pioneer company (now the property of Washington Mills) were very thor- oughly built, under the superintendence of Capt. Phineas Stevens, of Nashua, N. H., a veteran engineer and builder of more ability than culture. Messrs. Reed & Powers were the contracting masons. The river and wing buildings combined were 1,480 feet long, and from three to five stories high. There were, at first, three central or main mills ; the westerly, or No. 3 mill, being the last erected. The No. 4 mill and dye-house are still later works. As now com- pleted by the Washington Mills there are three woollen mills, one mill for worsted and one for cotton manufacture, and the dye-house, with spacious storehouses, repair shops, and packing rooms,

The works were laid out April 11, 1846. Building actually com- menced upon the massive foundations June 7, 1846. The water- wheel of the river mill first turned, by power from the canal, Feb. 24, 1848. Active operations in cloth production began June 9th, follow- ing, though machinery was run, in the river mill, as early as March 19th, preceding. The third of the three central mills was not finished until 1850. The mill was first lighted by gas Jan. 16, 1849. Samnel Lawrence was treasurer aud general manager. At the com- mencement, M. D. Ross, still active as a Boston merchant, was local agent. Samuel Webber afterwards acted as agent .for a short time, when Capt. Oliver H. Perry became permanently the local manager in charge, remaining several years ; when he was succeeded by Capt. Gustavus V. Fox, afterwards Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Alfred P. Clark was paymaster and book-keeper through all changes in the

company's fortune, from near the first, and now has the position of cashier for the Washington Mills. Edmund B. Herrick, who died Nov. 9, 1878, was continuously in charge of yards and storehouses from the beginning of the older company. Benjamin Hodgman was another veteran mechanic who had long service, and died in harness.

Lines of woollen goods now in constant and increasing demand, then new in American manufacture, had their origin with this com- pany. A lavish use of capital was made, stimulating inventive genius to design, perfect, and establish demand for staple products in woollen manufacture, and a class. of all-wool dress fabrics formerly obtained exclusively from France. The all-wool plaid shawls, of American make and moderate price, were here first successfully woven in America, and have come to be known as the "Bay State Shawl," the mill introducing them in 1848, and, in the year 1850, manufactur- ing no less than 315,000 in number. The exhibit of shawls by these mills at the first International Exposition (1852), and at the Paris Exposition, was extensive, and the articles highly commended. The home production by American mills is now immense, excluding foreign goods of the kind from home markets.

Making of felt carpets was early attempted, but not successfully established. The machine-shop of these mills was extensive. Albert Marshall, Esq., was in charge, and much new machinery was built for the mills in their own shops, and many experiments tried with new inventions and designs. The business of the Bay State Mills was the making of fine woollens, cassimeres, plaids, and shawls, and a general line of woollens new in American manufacture. The industry became a vital one in the city; its apparent success a source of local and national pride. The failure of the company in 1857, and the disturb- ance caused thereby, is elsewhere mentioned. Two years of inactivity followed failure, when mill buildings, machinery, dwellings, and rights passed into possession of the Washington Mills, a new cor- poration formed largely by creditors of the former company, who capitalized their debts in the new stock and contributed such further amounts as were necessary to start and operate the works.

The Washington Mills. - This company was chartered by the Legis- lature, session of 1858, and organized with a capital of $1,650,000, and Joseph S. Fay as treasurer and ageut. The corporation rose out of the mercantile ruin of the Bay State Mills, and securely re-estab- lished a vital industry ; the managers displaying the energy of their predecessors with more of wisdom and balance. The new company commenced operations in 1859. In the general depression of the woollen interest a part of the works were changed and run as cotton- mills.

Perhaps the noticeable, distinctive product has been worsted goods, superseding, to a great extent, fancy cassimeres for men's wear. These worsted coatings, made of combed wool, were originally a French manufacture. Hou. E. R. Mudge, of Boston, was instru- mental in first making these goods in American mills, importing, when managing director in 1868-69, the requisite machinery for making these fabrics. Twilled blue flannel coatings, indigo and wool dyed, are also a distinct American product, this company leading in the manufacture ; the fabric has a cloth finish, yet retains the lightness and flexibility of flannels. These mills also introduced the widely used opera flannels.

The company is now (1878) replacing the old-style breast wheels, constantly used for thirty years, by turbines of the Boyden patent made by the Ames Manufacturing Company of Chicopee. A renovating process goes on continually, old machinery being replaced by new, of approved patterns. In 1877, the mill operated with 1,380 looms (543 worsted), 2,100 work-people, 1,000 of the number males. Robert S. Scott is now superintendent. The treasurers have been Joseph S. Fay, Joshua Stetson, and the present incumbent, Henry F. Coe. Former local agents have been Gustavus V. Fox, Edward D. Thayer, and William H. Salisbury ; superintendents, Parker C. Kirk and John H. Needham. Granville M. Stoddard is superintendeut of the worsted department.

The Atlantic Cotton Mills. - This company was incorporated Feb. 3, 1846, with an authorized capital of $1,800,000. The great mill was constructed in three divisions. Ground was broken for the first, June 9, 1846; commenced foundations June 28, the same year ; wheels started in the west wing, or No. 1 mill, May 10, 1849. The first cloth was woven in May, 1849. The No. 2 mill started wheels Sept. 4, 1849, and commenced actual manufacture October 1, follow- ing. Jan. 12, 1849, the first cotton for a Lawrence mill arrived, consigned to the Atlantic Cotton Mills. Feb. 15, 1850, ground was broken for the central or No. 3 mill. The Essex Company built the machinery for this central mill at their new machine-shop. It was

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

originally the intention of this company to erect four separate mills, occupying the space between the Upper Pacific and the Washington Mills entire. The building of the central mill, uniting the two first detached buildings in one great structure, gave substantially the producing capacity sought, on a smaller area, and building of the two projected easterly mills was abandoned.

The buildings, with the wheel-pits, water-ways, and all the appur- tenances, were constructed by the Essex Company, their engineer, Capt. Charles H. Bigelow, furnishing all the plans and directing the exceution. The carpenter work was by Morris Knowles, and the brick-work by Levi Sprague. No 1 of this company's boarding- houses was the first brick dwelling erected in the city, and was opened as a boarding-house, Jan. 4, 1847.

Abbott Lawrence was the first president of this company, and Charles S. Storrow, treasurer for the first year. William Gray then became treasurer and financial agent, holding the place continuously for thirty years, until his resignation in 1877, when, after a short interval, he was succeeded by his son, William Gray, Jr.

Gen. Henry K. Oliver was local agent for the first decade. Joseph P. Battles, the former superintendent, succeeded him, and still remains. Within the last eight years the mill buildings have been greatly changed in appearance, and space obtained by the addition of a mansard roof.

The managers have kept the property in excellent condition, what- ever the outlook ; but so heavy was the cost of repairs and changes, and so sharp the fall in priees previous to 1876, that it was found nec- essary to reorganize the company. The capital stock, which was then $1,500,000, was reduced to $1,000,000, the stockholders surrendering five shares of the old stock for one share of new, virtually reducing the old stock to $300,000, but adding $700,000 in cash, actually paid in, to secure the new capital of $1,000,000. This was radical action, so promptly done as to start the company in what is believed to be a new era of prosperity.

The mill is a model of neatness and method, running 90,000 spin- dles, 1,800 looms, and employing 1,000 people, 300 of whom are males, and producing nearly 500,000 yards per week of sheetings and shirt- ings. A large new mill, known as No. 4, in rear of No. 1, was started as a worsted mill for the manufacture of worsted braids. This attempt to diversify the produet was abandoned, and only white cotton goods are made. A library was maintained by work-people in these mills until the free library was established.

The Lawrence Machine-Shop. - The machine-shop of the Essex Company, built and operated by that corporation on its own account until the year 1852, was then conveyed to a new company, the Law- rence Machine-Shop, and thereafter run as a separate establishment. The capital of this company was $750,000, - 15,000 shares, at $50 per share. The buildings were all constructed of stone, even to the im- mense circular chimney. Work was begun on the foundry building July 10, 1846. The race-way for the great shop was eonimenced November 13th of the same year. December 5, 1848, water was let upon the turbines.

Anything in iron-work, from a spindle to a locomotive, was made. Soon after starting, the construction of locomotives was made a specialty. The first one sent out was the "Essex," running from Law- rence to Boston ; the second, of the same name, ran from Lowell to Boston ; the " Welland " and " Trent " went to Ogdensburg ; several others to the Erie Railway. Perhaps no company, at the outset, brought to the new city so many families of industrious people, so likely to per- manently establish themselves as enterprising citizens, as did this machine-shop, in the palmy days when skilled labor centred there from all quarters.

The portable engine, known as the "Hoadley Engine," was first made at this shop. Some of the best mechanics and manufacturing firms had carly training here. The steam fire-engine was perfected by employees in the form soon after brought into general use. That wonder in mechanics and exceptional mechanical success, - the Mckay Sewing-machine, -was invented, perfected, and manufacture of the same established, by a former agent of this company. In the business depression of 1857, and immediately thereafter, railway and mill inter- ests being depressed, this company went down, disturbing greatly the business community.

While operated by the Essex Company, Caleb M. Marvel was superintendent ; afterwards the officers of the Lawrence Machine-Shop were Samuel Batchelder, president; J. H. W. Page, treasurer ; Gor- don Mckay, agent; John C. Hoadley, superintendent (the latter succeeding Mckay as agent).

Standing idle for two years or more, the buildings and lands of this company were sold for a nominal sum, and the Everett Mills took

possession of the premises. After thorough reconstruction of the interior, the new company started in 1861, changing entirely the line of manufacture, the great stone mill being filled with cloth-producing machinery. Thus the one great industry of the eity became still more completely paramount.

The Pemberton Company. - Vieissitudes of fortune, almost unprec- edented, fell to the lot of this company. First incorporated in 1853, and known as the "Pemberton Mill," the works were started with John E. Chase as agent. Operating at a loss, on a falling and de- pressed market, the year 1857 was the date of its financial ruin. The mill was idle for two years. David Nevins, and George Howe, of Boston, purchased in February, 1859, the entire property, including machinery and stock, for $325,000. The new firm operated under the name of the " Pemberton Manufacturing Company." John E. Chase was local agent as before. Fred. E. Clark (now agent of the mill) was paymaster. On the 10th of January, 1860, without a moment's warning, the whole structure fell, burying 600 operatives in ruin as instantaneous and complete as man has ever looked upon, resulting from no outward cause ! The calamity is elsewhere fully described.

The " Pemberton Company," in which those veteran manufacturers, David Nevins, George Blackburn, and Eben Sutton,* have been eon- trolling owners and directors, rebuilt the mill, on the old foundations, in 1860, going into operation in 1861. The capital is $450,000. The goods manufactured are cotton and woollen in variety, both faney and plain. David Nevins is president, Henry S. Shaw is treasurer, Fred. E. Clark agent, and Samuel M. Newhall cashier. Six hundred and fifty operatives are employed, producing, with modern machinery, what nine hundred accomplished at the time of the disaster in 1860.

Pacific Mills .- These mills are the largest, most important, most successful, though not the oldest, of Lawrence corporations. The buildings of the main mills were erected by the Essex Company ; but large additions and great alterations have been made. Ground was broken for the foundation May 24, 1852, at five o'clock, morning. The first stone was laid June 1st, at two o'clock, afternoon, at the south-east corner of the first main mill. Work upon the main build- ing (the easterly end, from the tower, was added in 1860), and upon the print works, or river and wing buildings, progressed rapidly, under the direction of Capt. Charles H. Bigelow, Morris Knowles being the mechanic in charge of wood-work.

The company was incorporated in 1853, the original capital being $2,000,000 (since increased to $2,500,000). The company con- templated the manufacture of ladies' dress goods, "from wool wholly, from cotton wholly, and from wool and cotton combined."

The buildings and machinery were intended to combine, in approved and novel form, all the appliances for such manufacture, including print and dye works.

The building and setting in operation of so important an industry stimulated business in every department of private industry, brought great increase of population and wealth, and gave to the local manufacturing interest its second grand advance towards undisputed permanence.

Construction of the works and supplying machinery on so large a scale exhausted the capital and created a debt. Adding the cost of starting, and furnishing raw material, the great mill was, at the beginning, embarrassed by indebtedness, with no very flattering outlook.

In this emergency, Abbott Lawrence, president of the company, proved himself a bold, far-seeing, and spirited leader, in the enterprise which has in faet been the one marked and distinctive success in Lawrence manufactures. He had not undertaken to lead with any intention of shirking responsibility. On his own name he raised large sums to carry the enterprise through the day of trial.

Jeremiah S. Young was the first treasurer and agent of the mills. He had been lessee, from 1850 to 1853, of the Ballardvale Mills, at Andover, Mass., a company incorporated in 1836, which introduced in this country the manufacture of fine flannels, making the first piece of fine white flannel woven by power in the United States, in 1836. The mill, at first very small, was extended from time to time. This same Andover mill, John Marland, agent, introduced the manufacture of delaines in this country in 1844, combing wool by hand and print- ing from blocks. Much of the skilled help of this mill was trans- ferred to the Pacific Mills at starting. Mr. Young had also been connected with Portsmouth, N. H., mills. He labored faithfully to establish the company upon a firm basis. So diligently did he apply himself, and so completely identify himself with the interests of the

* Deceased.

224

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

company. that failure to realize expectations was to him a personal sorrow and trial. There may have been a want of training for so great an enterprise, of which he was painfully conscious. A clond rested upon his later life. He was tried by physical weakness, and shadowed by mental disturbance.

Mr. Lawrence, the president, died in August, 1855. Mr. Young died in 1857.

After a short service hy George H. Kuhn. Esq .. J. Wiley Edmands succeeded Mr. Young as treasurer and the responsible active manager of the mills. In 1853 Mr. William C. Chapin, from the Globe Print Works, Providence, R. I., came to superintend the Pacific Print Works. He soon became the local agent and manager, resigning in 1871, after eighteen years of service.

Mr. John Fallon took charge of the print works. as a chemist and designer. skilled in that branch of manufacture ; and when Mr. Cha- pin retired from the agency, in 1871. Mr. Fallon became acting agent. and has since continued as such, giving most faithful and intelligent service.

J. Wiley Edmands, the treasurer, died in 1877, having served faithfully and continnonsly for twenty-two years. He had been educated in the house of Mr. Lawrence, and he gave the labor of his ripest years to lifting this struggling enterprise out of danger and threatened failure to established permanence. Success was not alone due to Mr. Edmands, though his guiding hand and active brain were powerful. There were willing hands and active brains among work- men specially skilled in the several departments of labor, design and control. who worked faithfully, shrewdly, and cautiously to improve. perfect, and economize, in processes new to American workmen. Mr. Edmands and local agents justly appreciated valunhle service. by whoever rendered. The wages of employees in these mills have always been among the highest paid for like labor, and the company owns nearly three hundred dwellings, leased to overseers, workmen, and keepers of boarding-houses, at low rents.

The >elling agents for this corporation, Messrs. James L. Little & Co .. merchants of the highest character and standing. contributed largely to its success, which seems to have resulted from a combina- tion of the three prime requisites ; viz .. financial and administrative ability in the treasurer. skill in manufacture at the mills, and forecast, intelligence, and sagacity in the mercantile department.

At the outset many alterations and additions were needed to bring so extensive an establishment into harmonious operation. Though the mills were worked at a small profit, not sufficient income was netted to wipe out indebtedness, compensate wear and waste, and furnish any amount of quick capital. In the dark days of 1857, many shares of stock were sold at from $75 to $200 per share (par valne $1.000) ; but it rallied, and $500.000 additional capital was paid in. mostly by old stockholders. Since then the shares have frequently commanded $2,000 in open market.

From 1862 the remarkable prosperity of this corporation seems to date. Active and progressive management, with increased facilities. secured a constantly increasing product, reaching (including cloth purchased for printing) 65,000,000 yards in 1877. Sixty per cent. of this product was stuff or worsted goods.

In 1864 the central Pacific mill was erected on central mill-site, separated from the upper Pacific by the Atlantic cotton mills. These central mills are of modern construction, low, wide, and extremely well lighted. So prosperous has been this branch enterprise that frequent alterations and large additions have been made from time to time.

At this writing (1878) the corporation has twelve mill huildings, 5.393 operatives, of whom 3,093 are women and girls, 2,300 men and boys. There are 4,472 looms, 156,000 spindles. forty-one acres of flooring. The flecces of 1,000 sheep give a week's supply of wool. Of dvestuff's $400,000 worth are annnally used. It is calculated that each operative supports and feeds two others ; thus this one mill would draw around it a city of 15,000 inhabitants. Beyond these imme- diate dependents upon one great industry. those engaged in gathering and transporting raw material. and distributing and selling manufac- tured goods, may be added, and we see the force of the remark of Centennial judges, from whose statistics many of these partienlars are taken. They say : "How vast is the wave of production set in motion by the wheels of a single mill ! how broadly extended are its enlarg- ing circles. The productive stimulus of this industrial centre moves labor. not only in fields of the South and pastures of the West, but on the plains of India, in the forests of Brazil. and on the islands of the equator."

A library of 7,000 volumes, for the use of the employed, is well

selected, comprising both standard and miscellaneons works. Both library and the reading-room, heated, lighted, and opened, day and evening, are well patronized by operatives. A Relief Society, for work-people, temporarily ill, or injured at their work, is a beneficent. provision, managed and sustained by the employed.

The Paris Exposition of 1868 awarded managers of this mill 10,000 francs. for " accomplishing most, in a series of years, to secure har- mony between employers and their work-people, and most success- fully advancing the material, intellectnal and moral welfare of em- ployees,"- the only award of the kind to American manufacturers.

Ex-Mayor John R. Rollins has been cashier of these mills since 1866. Albert R. Field is superintendent of the cotton department. Waldo L. Abbott, the superintendent of yards and stores, has been in the company's service from boyhood. J. Clinton White is foreman of wood repairs. The special products are fine worsted dress-goods and fine cambrics. We smile now to find on the records of another corporation a peremptory order of stockholders to sell Pacific Mills stock at the ruinous prices it commanded in the trial days of 1858-59.

The Lawrence Duck Company. - The mill of this company is next east of the Pemberton. The Act of incorporation passed in 1852, and the mill was erected the same year. Commenced running in 1853. Albert Fearing (deceased). Isaac Thatcher, and David Whiton were the original owners, all of Boston. Isaac Hayden has been local agent from the first ; and Willard B. Hayden, cashier and superintend- ent for several years. The capital is $300,000, in 300 shares of $1,000 each. The product is cotton sail-duck and twine, of nnusual strength, sought after by navigators, who know its value.

The Lawrence Woollen Company. - The plain but substantial mill buildings of this company are east of Union Street, the most easterly of the permanent brick mills for the making of cloths. The yards and out-buildings are patterns of neatness. Capt. Oliver H. Perry * was a principal owner and sole manager since operations commenced in 1864. The line of product is fancy woollens, cloakings, snitings, opera flannels, shawls, &c. George P. Upham is treasurer. Perry, Wendell, Fay & Co. are the selling agents. The capital is $150,000, in 1,500 shares, of $100 each. The company has been very successful and the management judicious.

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Standard history of Essex county, Massachusetts, embracing a history of the county from its first settlement to the present time, with a history and description of its towns and cities. The Most historic county of America., Part 74

Author: Tracy, Cyrus M. (Cyrus Mason), 1824-1891, et al. Edited by H. Wheatland Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Boston, C. F. Jewett Number of Pages: 450

Author: Tracy, Cyrus M. (Cyrus Mason), 1824-1891, et al. Edited by H. Wheatland
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Boston, C. F. Jewett
Number of Pages: 450