USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Amherst > The history of the town of Amherst, Massachusetts, pt 1 > Part 37
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In 1865, a man named Gardner manufactured lucifer matches in a shop at East Amherst that had been built by Oliver Clapp. These matches had not long been in use and were commonly known as " Loco Foco" matches. The business was small, and was continued only for a short time.
David Watson came from Spencer to Amherst in the early part of the present century and started a tannery near the house now occupied by Oscar F. Morse, where he continued in business until his death in 1815. In 1827, his son Oliver, having served an apprenticeship to the trade in Hadley, started in the tanners' business on the same site where his father had located. Meeting with good success he continued the business until about 1832, when he sold out to William B. Caswell who carried it on for
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
a number of years. For several years before and after 1827, Enoch Whit- ing conducted a tannery near the premises now occupied by John M. Hyde ; it was from the location of this tannery that the name "Tan Brook " was derived. Statistics for 1837 show there was one tannery in operation in Amherst ; the number of hides tanned was 1,200, the value of leather $2,500, the capital invested $1,000, the number of hands employed two. In 1845, there was one tannery; the number of hides tanned was 650, the value of leather tanned and curried $1,600, capital invested $1,500, number of employes two.
When Oliver Watson sold out his tannery in 1832, he engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes at East Amherst. In this he was very successful, soon acquiring a handsome competence. The boots and shoes he manufactured were honest goods, commanding a ready sale wherever introduced. Statistics for 1837 show that during the preceding year 1, 150 pairs of boots and 3,000 pairs of shoes were manufactured, valued at $8,550 ; the number of males employed was 11, of females three. In 1845, the factory turned out 918 pairs of boots and 2,833 pairs of shoes, valued at $5,870 : the number of males employed was 18, of females four. In 1855, there were manufactured 3,650 pairs of boots and 2,700 pairs of shoes, valued at $13,500 ; the number of employes was 29. In 1865, 1,400 pairs of boots and 250 pairs of shoes were manufactured, valued at $11,000; the capital invested was $10,000, the number of employes 12.
Roswell D. Howard began the manufacture of brick at Hadley in 1820. In 1836, he removed to Amherst and started a brick-yard in the east part of the town in what is known as Kelloggville. He continued in business until his death in 1889. In 1869, the product of his yard was upwards of 700,000 brick, that sold from seven to ten dollars a thousand. In 1830, Hervey Gilbert advertised for sale a good brick yard about one and one-half miles south of Amherst College. In 1887, C. L. Alexander & Co. leased land of W. F. Williams at South Amherst and engaged in the manufacture of brick, on a large scale. They became insolvent in 1892, and the property passed into the hands of Marcy & Gardner who have since conducted the business. The average number of brick made at the yard in the course of a year is from three to four million, the average number of employes is from 35 to 40: Most of the product is sold in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Statistics for 1845 show the number of brick manufactured in Amherst the preceding year to have been 85,000, valued at $225 ; the number of employes was two. In 1855, 250,000 brick were made valued at $1, 125 ; the number of employes was . ten.
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AMERICAN BUTTON COMPANY.
In the early '6os, the American Button company was organized, com- posed mainly of Amherst men, for the manufacture of a patent button. The following paragraph, quoted from the Hampshire Express under date of May 3, 1866, gives a good idea of the beginning and nature of the enterprise :
" A new enterprise has been developed by the business men in this vicinity within the past few days. Mr. I. F. Palmer of Springfield has invented a patent button which is attached to any kind of clothing without sewing. The shank and cap of the button are made separate. The cloth is pierced with a bodkin and the shank, which has a cap upon the under side, inserted. The button then fits on to the shank and is fastened in its place with a spring, and can only be removed by cutting the cloth. This patent was assigned by Mr. Palmer to Rev. George Cooke, J. S. & C. Adams, and W. H. Keith, president of the Waltham Watch Co. They have organized a joint stock company, with a capital stock of $100.coo. to promote the manufacture. All of the stock was taken in a week's time, and a large portion of it in this vicinity. Parties are now offering.io per cent premium for it. Although the company is not yet organized, yet the proprietors of the patent have machinery already manufacturing, and have made contracts for the manufacture of the button until they shall have established a factory of their own. The location of the fac- tory is not yet decided upon. The button has been patented in England, France and Belgium."
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The factory was situated a little south of the New London Northern railway depot. A notice of the annual meeting held in Boston in May, 1868, gives the following list of officers : President, Henry F. Hills ; clerk and treasurer, E. A. Kingsley ; directors, J. S. Adams and W. M. Cutler of Amherst, Charles Roberts of Boston, Hon. Edward Southworth of Springfield, L. N. Granger of North Hadley; general agent, Edward Kingsley. The company met with little success in its enterprise, and a notice in the Amherst Record under date of Nov. 19, 1868, announced that the Button company had disposed of half its machinery, tools and fixtures at private sale, but had not disposed of its patents.
David Mack engaged in the business of manufacturing ladies' hats sometime between the years 1835 and 1840. The business was carried on in a block built by him on the site now occupied by Cook's block. His son Samuel E. was associated in business with him. They employed about 100 hands, on an average, sometimes, in the busy season, as many as 140. These employes were nearly all girls and women, only about ten men being engaged in the business. They usedl foreign straw, bought in New York, and carried on the complete business of hat manufacture. The goods were sold in New York, Philadelphia and New Orleans. The business was sold out in 1848 to Joseph Payson of Easthampton, who conducted it until 1852 or '53, when it was given up. David Mack died in Amherst in 1854. Samuel E. Mack removed in 1848 to St. Louis, Mo., where he died in 1866.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
For many years O. M. Clapp was engaged in the manufacture of bonnets and artificial flowers. Concerning this industry, his daughter, Mrs. A. M. Bardwell, now a resident of California, writes as follows:
" It was about 1840, I think, that father began, in the front room of the house now occupied by the family of Noah Dickinson, the manufacture of straw bonnets. the material being largely furnished by the busy fingers of Pelham's industrious daughters. Some six or eight girls were employed in the sewing-room at that time, but as the goods found favor with New York parties, imported braids were used and the number of employes in the shop was increased to about 25. The business having been removed to the house north of the store, general millinery was added, and the demand for artificial flowers caused father to engage in their manufacture. In 1844. I was sent to New York to learn the business, and that department was given into my charge. The greatest number employed at any one time, I think, was ten. It was continued three or four years. many of the flowers going to wholesale houses in Boston. The importation of French flowers increas- ing rapidly, rendered the business less profitable and it was abandoned. The large importation of foreign braids, and the introduction of machinery in their manufac- ture, rendered the making of straw goods also unprofitable, and about 1848 he gave it up, but enlarged the millinery department so as to retain most of his old employes. The millinery business was continued until about 1856."
About 1850, O. M. Clapp bought out the marble works which had been established by Chandler Sabin. He manufactured monuments, head- stones and all kinds of marble work, employing three or four men most of the time. He continued in the business until his death in ISS7. On his death the business was purchased by Samuel P. Clutia, who has since con- ducted it, removing the works to the center village in 1890.
As early as 1854, Ira C. Haskins began the manufacture of gold pens in Amherst. For several years his brother, J. C. Haskins, was associated with him in the business under the firm name of Haskins Bros. Gold pens were manufactured in nearly fifty different patterns. In 1867, by special act of the General Court, the Haskins Gold Pen manufacturing company was incorporated, for the manufacture of pencils and gold pens in Shutesbury and Amherst. The capital stock was not to exceed $100,000. The company was never organized under the charter.
In 1839, the General Court passed an act to incorporate the Amherst Silk association. The persons whose names were given in the charter were Nelson Rust, Oliver M. Clapp and Matthew Porter. The business of the association was to manufacture silk in the town of Amherst, and the capital stock was not to exceed $20,000. So far as can be learned, there was never any organization under the charter.
For several years William Cutler conducted a lampblack factory on the site now occupied by The Hills Co's factory. At different times many persons have engaged in the manufacture of brooms and brushes in Amherst. Since 1880, A. H. Brown has conducted a broom and brush
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RAILWAYS IN MASSACHUSETTS. .
factory at North Amherst, employing from three to five hands, the annual product being about 4,000 brooms. Shoe-heels were manufactured for a time by C. O. Parmenter and S. W. Gilbert. C. R. Stickney manufactured in 1869 a patent pocket light, consisting of a small match-box and candle- stick combined, the whole not larger than an ordinary match-box. Edward P. Cushman was for a time engaged in the manufacture of cigars. Of saw-mills and grist-mills and cider-mills the town has had its quota, but it is a practical impossibility to trace their ownership from generation to generation.
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CHAPTER XXXVIII.
THE FIRST RAILWAY IN MASSACHUSETTS .- CONNECTICUT RIVER ROAD .-- HAMPSHIRE AND FRANKLIN RAILWAY COMPANY .- MOUNT HOL- YOKE RAILWAY COMPANY .- AMHERST BRANCH RAILROAD .-- THE AMHERST AND BELCHERTOWN RAILWAY COMPANY .- NEW LON- DON NORTHERN ROAD .- MASSACHUSETTS CENTRAL RAILWAY COMPANY.
The efforts made by Amherst's citizens to secure railway communica- tion with the outer world furnish material for an interesting chapter in local history. These efforts began at an early period in the history of railway construction in New England, and were continued until crowned with success, witnessed to-day by the two railway lines that pass through the town, the one accommodating travel to the north and south, the other to the east and west. The story of their construction is one of persistent labor, liberal expenditure and patient waiting ; labor that engaged the time and talents of the most prominent citizens of the town, expenditure that added largely to the town's indebtedness and burden of taxation, waiting which taxed patience and public spirit to the utmost. The first railway project designed to benefit the citizens'of Western Massachusetts originated in 1827, when a board of commissioners was appointed to survey one or more routes for a railway between Boston and Albany. The board examined two routes, one crossing the Connecticut river at Northampton, the other at Springfield. In making their estimates, they figured on the use of horses for motive power, the development of steam power being as yet in its infancy. As a result of these surveys, the Boston & Worcester rail-
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
road company was incorporated ; later on, in 1833, the " Western Railroad Corporation " was chartered, for the purpose of constructing a road from Worcester, the terminus of the Boston & Worcester railroad, to the New York state line, with a capital stock limited to $2,000,000. The corporation was organized in January, 1836, the work of construction began in 1837, and Oct. 1, 1839, the road was opened to travel from Worcester to Spring- field. The western extension of the road to Albany was not open for travel until September, 1842.
The completion of the Western railroad was a signal for the inaugu- ration of new enterprises in railway building in Western Massachusetts. In March, 1842, John Clarke, Samuel L. Hinckley, Stephen Brewer, Jonathan H. Butler, Winthrop Hillyer and their associaties were granted a charter as the " Northampton and Springfield Railroad Corporation," for the purpose of building a road " commencing within one mile of the Court House (Northampton), crossing Connecticut river near Mt. Holyoke, and passing down the valley of said river on East side thereof, through a portion of Hadley, South Hadley and Springfield, to meet the track of the Hartford and Springfield corporation at Cabotville, or diverging from said line, at or near Stony Brook in South Hadley, and passing over the plain, and crossing the Chicopee river near the Falls, uniting with the Western Railroad, easterly of the depot in Springfield." The capital stock was limited by the original act of incorporation to $400,000, but by special act of the General Court, passed in 1844, was increased to $500,000. In January, 1845, Henry W. Clapp, Ralph Williams, Henry W. Cushman and their associates were incorporated as the "Greenfield and Northampton Railroad Company," and were authorized to build a railroad from North- ampton to Greenfield. By the act of incorporation, the Greenfield and Northampton and Northampton and Springfield companies were authorized to unite under the name of the Connecticut River railroad company ; this union was brought about in July, 1845. March 21, 1845, a special act was passed authorizing the Northampton and Springfield company to change its route to the present location on the west side of the Connecticut, cross- ing the river at Willimansett. In April, 1846, an act was passed authoriz- ing the Connecticut River railroad company to extend their tracks north- ward to the Vermont state line.
The inhabitants of towns on the 'east side of the Connecticut. having every reason to believe that the tracks of the Northampton and Springfield road were to be laid on their side of the river from Springfield to Mt. Holyoke, took prompt measures to secure an extension of the road to the north through Hampshire and Franklin county towns. With that end in view, a railroad convention was held at Sweetser's hall in Amherst, Dec. 17, 1844. Martin Grout of Montague was chosen president of the con-
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RAILROAD CONVENTION AT AMHERST.
vention and Horace Lyman of Sunderland and Newton Fitch of Amherst secretaries. Resolutions, were passed to the following effect: That the prospect of the early completion of the Vermont and Massachusetts rail- road as far west as Grout's in Montague, and the increasing business upon the route through the valley of the Connecticut river, justified and required that immediate efforts be made to secure a charter for a road to connect the Northampton and Springfield road at Hockanum with the Vermont and Massachusetts road at or near Grout's; that the construction of a road over the proposed route would complete a great circle of railway commu- nication between New York and New England, and furnish a more direct communication between this part of the Connecticut valley and Boston ; that the survey made by an experienced engineer on the contemplated route showed it as feasible as any that had been examined and that the road could be constructed as cheaply as any in New England ; that a com- mittee be appointed to take all necessary measures to obtain a charter from the next Legislature. A committee of six was appointed, Amherst being represented by Dr. Timothy J. Gridley. . The Hampshire and Frank- lin railroad company was incorporated by an act of the General Court passed Feb. 1, .1845. The names of the incorporators were Timothy J. Gridley, Luke Sweetser, Parsons West, and others. They were empowered to locate, construct and fully complete a railroad with one or more tracks from some convenient point in the village of Hockanum in the town of Hadley, passing through the towns of Amherst, Hadley and Sunderland. to some convenient point on the Vermont and Massachusetts railroad. in either of the towns of Montague or Erving. The capital stock was not to exceed $600,000. The location of the road was to be filed with the county commissioners in two years and the road to be completed in four years. The road might unite with the Vermont and Massachusetts road at either Montague or Erving, and with the Northampton and Springfield road at Hockanum, should the latter road be constructed to that village. The Vermont and Massachusetts railroad company was incorporated in IS44, and authorized to build a railroad from Fitchburg to Vernon, Vt.
When the incorporators of the Hampshire and Franklin railway com- pany learned that it was proposed to alter the route of the Northampton and Springfield road, and lay its tracks on the west side of the river, great indignation was aroused. The action was considered a breach of faith on the part of its projectors and of the General Court. It was realized that the Hampshire and Franklin railroad, if constructed, must have a southern connection, and if this could not be secured at Hockanum, with the North- ampton and Springfield road, then an independent line must be built. With this end in view the incorporators of the Hampshire and Franklin road secured from the General Court in March, 1846, a charter for the
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
Mount Holyoke railroad company. The names mentioned in the act of incorporation are John S. Adams, Luke Sweetser and Samuel Nash. They were authorized to locate, construct and complete. a railroad from the southern terminus of the Hampshire and Franklin railroad, in the village of Hockanum in the town of Hadley, passing through a part of Hadley, South Hadley and Springfield to some convenient point on the Connecticut River railroad at or near Willimansett in Springfield. The capital stock was to be not more than $200,000 in shares of $too each. The location of the road was to be filed in one year and the road completed in three years. It might unite with and take the name of the Hampshire and Franklin railroad.
. A meeting of friends of the Hampshire and Franklin railroad was held at Sweetser's hall in Amherst, May 5, 1846. It was called to order by Hon. Edward Dickinson. Permanent officers were chosen as follows : President, James White of Northfield ; vice-presidents, Hon. Zebina Field of Leverett, Gen. Parsons West of Hadley ; secretaries, E. G. Bowdoin of South Hadley, Newton Fitch of Amherst. A committee was appointed to report business to the meeting. The incorporating acts of the Hampshire and Franklin and Mount Holyoke railway companies were read, also the acts authorizing the extension of the Connecticut River railroad, and an act in addition to an act incorporating the Vermont and Massachusetts railroad. The committee reported a preamble and resolutions, in substance as follows :
Whereas, the Legislature in 1842 granted a charter to the Northampton and Springfield railroad company to build a railroad on the east side of the Connecticut river from Cabotville to Hockanum, thence crossing the river to Northampton, and
Whereas, the Legislature of 1844 extended the charter two years, and
Whereas, the people living on the east side of the river in 1844 made application to the Legislature, procured the necessary surveys and took all preliminary measures required by law for obtaining a charter to extend the road up the east side of the river, and obtained a charter for such extension from Hockanum to Grout's at Millers River, and
Whereas, after a charter was granted for such extension, the Legisla- ture gave leave to the Northampton and Springfield railroad to cross the Connecticut river between Willimansett and West Springfield, and build their road on the west side of the river for eight out of the twelve miles between Cabotville and Northampton, and thus abandon two-thirds of the originally chartered route on the ground of saving in expense of construc- tion, and
Whereas, the friends of the originally chartered route have felt obliged
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to apply to the Legislature for leave to build a railroad over the route above named. and have obtained a charter for that purpose,
Resolved, that a railroad on the east side of the Connecticut river is needed as imperatively now as when the charter of the Northampton and Springfield railroad was granted in 1842, and as when, in 1844, the time for construction was extended, and that a road on the west side of the river does not afford us reasonable accommodation ;
Resolved, that the route of the Mount Holyoke and Hampshire and Franklin railroads is feasible, that they can be built at reasonable expense and in our opinion would pay good dividends ;
Resolved, that the interests of the people on the line of the road, in the valley of the Connecticut river, and the interests of the public gener- ally, require that a railroad should be built from Grout's on Miller's river to Willimansett at the earliest practicable period, and that we will exert our- selves to the utmost of our ability to accomplish this object.
After brief discussion, these resolutions were adopted by unanimous vote. Professor E. S. Snell addressed the meeting, giving the results of his investigations as to the feasibility of constructing a railroad around the west end of Mt. Holyoke, illustrating his remarks by drawings. He expressed the belief that such a road could be built at reasonable expense. Hon. James White, president of the convention, stated that in his opinion the proposed road between Grout's and Willimansett would prove an important part of the river road and that in many respects its interests were identical with those of the Vermont and Massachusetts road. A com- mittee was appointed to solicit subscriptions for stock in the towns through which the road would pass ; those appointed from Amherst were John Leland, Thomas Jones and Charles Adams. The Express, under date of May 14. 1846, announced that stock subscription books had been opened in Amherst, May 7, and in one week over $72,000 had been subscribed, with the prospect of a considerable increase. Within three weeks, at least one-fourth of the capital stock of $425,000 was subscribed for in the towns of Amherst and South Hadley. June 25, 1846, announcement was made that Amherst citizens had subscribed $90.ooo of the amount needed. These subscriptions were made by no less than 200 individuals : the largest amount subscribed by any one man was $6,000. Hadley citizens had subscribed to the amount of $20,000. All this time a fierce controversy was being waged between the residents of Northampton and those in Amherst over the merits and demerits of the railway lines projected on the east and west sides of the Connecticut. The weight of money, if not of argument, rested with Northampton. The Connecticut River road was opened for travel, from Springfield to Northampton, Dec. 13, 1845 ; the extension to Greenfield was completed in November, 1846.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
In October, 1846, the Express announced it was probable that the Hampshire and Franklin and Mt. Holyoke railroads would be united and the line definitely located that fall. Oct. 27, the stockholders of the Hamp- shire and Franklin road met at Sweetser's hall in Amherst and proceeded to organize under their charter. The following persons were chosen as directors of the company : Charles Adams and John Leland of Amherst, Horace Henderson of Sunderland, John S. Ward of Montague and Samuel Powers of Hadley. The directors chose Hon. John Leland president and John S. Adams, Esq. clerk and treasurer. On the same day, the stock- holders of the Mount Holyoke railroad company met at Smith's hotel in South Hadley, for organization, and chose as directors, William Bowdoin, Alonzo Bardwell, Erastus T. Smith, Moses Montague and Hiram Smith, all of South Hadley. Hon. William Bowdoin was elected president and E. G. Bowdoin, Esq. clerk. Nov. 4, 1846, the two corporations agreed to unite under the name of the Hampshire and Franklin railroad company. The united companies chose as directors Hon. John Leland, Luke Sweetser, Esq. and Charles Adams of Amherst, Hon. William Bowdoin of South Hadley, John A. Morton of Hadley, Horace Henderson of Sunder- land, John S. Ward of Montague, Hon. Otis Everett of Boston, and George W. Warren, Esq. of Charlestown. A party of eight or ten men was set at work, under direction of A. F. Edwards of Fitchburg, civil engineer, to make the preliminary survey and locate the road.
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