USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Littleton > History of Littleton, New Hampshire, Vol. I > Part 31
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There was a dearth of purely instructive entertainments, as dis- tinguished from those designed to be merely entertaining. In the autumn of 1845 an itinerant professor gave an exhibition in Brackett's Hall.2 His subject was electricity, and he unfolded to an audience that half filled the small room some of the mysteries of that marvellous science, which was then in its carly infancy. The skeptical in the audience regarded his array of machinery,3 chemicals, and magnets much as they would the outfit of a sleight- of-hand mountebank, and smiled as the professor in modest phrase
1 The writer remembers that at a political meeting addressed by Harry Hibbard, held in Granite Hall, probably in 1852, lie lingered, after the audience had dispersed, to obtain a nearer view of the speaker, tlien a member of Congress, and when Capt. James Dow was introduced to the orator of the afternoon, as a soldier of the War of 1812, the Captain remarked that he had met Mr. Hibbard before, and related this incident : " It was at the trial," he said, " of a case where you fought Esquire Bellows in 1842, and when you made your plea I had two men at work in the shop, but we just locked up, and all hands went to hear the arguments." A not uncommon occurrence.
2 The attic of the building now occupied by F. H. English.
3 It consisted in part of a Le Roy friction generator, and a Morse transmitter and receiver, - the first telegraphic instruments exhibited in town.
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recounted the possible achievements of the telegraph, which had then been in operation between Washington and Baltimore a few months ; while the most optimistic could not, in their wildest flights of imagination, have dreamed of the electrical triumphs that were destined to crown the closing years of the century.
The manufacturing industries of the town were for many years con- fined to the production of potash and lumber, but the making of the salts at this time ceased to be profitable and had been discontinued.
At the beginning of this period six saw-mills manufactured lum- ber for the foreign market: these were the old Rankin mill ; the Fitzgerald, at South Littleton ; the Bowman, the first mill at the village ; the Brackett, on the present site of Eaton's bobbin mill ; and the Carleton mill, at the Scythe Factory village. As early as 1846 two of these, that at South Littleton and the Rankin mill, did custom work only. By 1847 Philip H. Paddleford purchased the Fitzgerald property, and erected a plant for the manufacture of grist and saw-mill machinery. He did an extensive business, all the mills in the Ammonoosuc valley being dependent upon this establishment for new machinery as well as for important repairs.
These mills were of the same general type that had been in use since the settlement of the town, the only variation being one of degree. They were equipped with an up and down board saw, having a capacity to cut four or five thousand feet of boards per day, shingle and clapboard machines, and, a few years preceding their abandonment for manufacturing purposes, machinery for cutting lathe was added to their equipment. The Brackett mill was the best in the Ammonoosuc valley, and when built marked the improvements that had been made during a century in the methods of manufacturing lumber. Trifling as that advance seems in the light of the improvements of recent years that have revolutionized the business, they were not inconsiderable, and served every purpose for which lumber was desired at that time. The shingle used in this section before the introduction of the shingle-mill, and to some extent long after that event, were rived, or shaved. These were three or four feet in length and very durable ; they were laid parallel with the gable end of the roof, and until the comparative first cost became excessive, were pre- ferred to the product of the mills.1 Clapboards were cut from the best yellow pine, from ten to sixteen feet in length and free from
1 In his centennial address the late F. J. Eastman makes this reference to these shingle : "In 1840, said one, just as he was leaving town with two good-sized loads of No. 1 shaved shingles, 'Fifty years ago my father left me the farm, and the barns were covered with Littleton pine shingles. I want to leave them as good for Fran- cis ' (Frank Drew, North Danville, Vt.) " Littleton Centennial, p. 79.
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sap, knots, and wane. The product of these mills, all of yellow pine, is no longer manufactured east of the Great Lakes and will not be produced anywhere in a few years.
The ground extending along the south side of Saranac Street from the residence of Mrs. Edward Buckley to the works of the Saranac Glove Co. was used as a mill-yard. A canal running along the water front of this land served to float the logs to the flume and thence to the mill. The tract from the mill to Main Street, between the residence of R. P. White and Mrs. Mary E. Town, was also used for a like purpose. Each winter for many years great piles of logs drawn from Dalton and Bethlehem cov- ered this ground.1
The Brackett was the first mill in town, if not in this valley, to be equipped with a circular board saw and machinery of modern type for cutting shingle and clapboards. This change was made early in the fifties, and the productive capacity of the mill in- creased many-fold. Soon after, the Carleton mill, then under the proprietorship of Calvin F. Cate, was remodelled after the same fashion and became the largest producer of lumber in Littleton.
When the yellow pine which once covered our hills and valleys with its stately forms had been drawn into the consuming vortex of these mills, the spruce and hemlock soon followed, until they too ceased to furnish a sufficient supply to keep the machinery in motion, and for a time silence reigned where the buzz of saw, the whir of wheel, and the uplifted voice of busy men once filled the air with the music of a great industry.
The building of the woollen mill in 1839-40 was opportune, as the welfare of the town was seriously menaced by the vanishing timber supply. This enterprise kept the tide of business moving forward with an accelerated motion. The Littleton Woollen Com- pany was chartered by an act of the Legislature in 1835. The creation of railroad and manufacturing corporations received an immense impetus in 1835 from the building of the twenty-six miles of railroad which connected Boston and Lowell. The same session of the Legislature that created our first incorporated manu- facturing company chartered the Boston and Maine, the Concord, the Keene (subsequently the Cheshire), and Nashua and Lowell railroads, and numerous manufacturing companies.
The incorporators named in the charter of the Woollen Manufac- turing Company were Henry A. Bellows, Moses P. Little, Phile-
1 The supply of yellow pine in this town had been practically exhausted before the Brackett mill was built.
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mon Putnam, John Farr, Guy Ely, George W. Ely, Adams Moore, Steplien C. Gibb, John Merrill, Prescott White, William Brackett, and Edmund Carleton. They were, by their charter, authorized to "carry on the business of manufacturing cotton and woollen goods, or either of them, in all their various branches, together with such other branches of trade as are, or from time to time may be necessarily connected with the town of Littleton." The power here granted is as broad as that of the " general welfare " clause of the Federal Constitution. It covers nearly everything that might be regarded as likely to contribute to the prosperity of the town.
The company was soon organized, and measures taken to carry out the plans of its projectors. Two committees were appointed, one to draft by-laws for the government of the corporation and the other to solicit subscriptions to its capital stock, which had been fixed in the charter at two hundred thousand dollars. Before this work was completed a year had passed, and the country was shaken by the disastrous financial panic of 1837. All that had been accomplished was undone. Bankruptcy overwhelmed some of the most enterprising men of the town, among them those who were the prime movers in the woollen company. The char- acter, courage, and enterprise of these men is shown by the fact that within two years they had so far recovered from the effects of the panic as to be able successfully to enter upon the work of reorganizing the company, building the mill, and putting it in operation. Henry A. Bellows was the first President of the com- pany ; John Farr, Secretary and Treasurer, and Truman Stevens, Chairman of the Building Committee.
In the spring of 1840 two sets of machinery were in operation manufacturing white flannel. John Herrin was superintendent of the mill. For reasons which do not now very clearly appear, the company was not successful and soon went out of business. Mr. Herrin leased the mill, added two sets of machinery to the equip- ment and continued the business. He had little or no capital, and depended largely upon the financial aid of personal friends and of the business men of the town who " loaned their names" in order to keep the mill in operation. But the day of the old factory's prosperity had not then dawned, and Mr. Herrin too failed in 1844.
John Herrin was an unlettered son of the Emerald Isle who had acquired what knowledge he possessed of manufacturing as a mill hand. When he came to Littleton he possessed no experience as a general manager of the business, but was familiar with the con-
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struction and repair of such machinery as was used in this mill. He was slight of stature, nervous, and rapid of movement ; he possessed great energy and a will that enabled him to surmount many and varied difficulties and finally reach the goal of his ambition.
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About the time of his failure he acquired notoriety as the victim of a self-inflicted robbery. He had been in Boston to effect a set- tlement with his consignees, and when he started on his return was supposed to have in his possession a large sum of money with which it was expected he would discharge numerous pecu- niary obligations. At Andover, Mass., he stopped for a short time at an inn, and near nightfall continued his homeward jour- ney. Soon after, he returned to the inn in a dishevelled condition, his clothing torn and covered with dirt, and his person bruised in many places, while a bullet had passed through his hat at a point just high enough to escape the crown of his head. A search for the perpetrators of the robbery was instituted, but, of course, without success. Doubt was cast upon the truth of his report by the discovery of several conflicting statements in the story as told to different persons, and the officers turned their attention to him as the real criminal, with the result, after the matter was investi- gated by the courts, that the attempted robbery was fixed upon the supposed victim.
After this incident Mr. Herrin was under a cloud, but his real ability as a manufacturer and master of expedients enabled him soon to emerge, and he engaged in business at Waterville, Vt., and not only succeeded in regaining credit as an honest business man, but amassed a fortune of several hundred thousand dollars through the successful conduct of a business similar to that which brought him nothing but disaster in this town. It is more than likely that the experience acquired here to which many of the citi- zens of this town were heavy but involuntary contributors, laid the foundation for later success in another field of business activity.
The factory remained idle for nearly two years, when, early in 1846, Joseph Warren Hale and his nephew, E. J. M. Hale, of Haverhill, Mass., purchased the property, and at once put its machinery in operation. This was the beginning of a long period of business prosperity, both for the town and for the enterprising proprietors. The elder Hale had been engaged in the business of a flannel manufacturer for many years, first as an employee and afterward as a partner with his brother.1 He became a resident of the town and took charge of the mill. He was a well-informed,
1 The brother of E. J. M. Hale.
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industrious man, and kept constant watch of every department of the business. Ezekiel James Madison Hale continued his resi- dence at Haverhill, Mass., but came here frequently. He was for many years one of the most prominent manufacturers and finan- ciers in New England, was a director, and for a time president, of the Boston and Maine Railroad, a director in the White Mountains Railroad, and many other corporations. While living, his benefac- tions to his native city were many. He founded its library and its hospital, and in his will left each a generous endowment. His business capacity was of the first order. At the beginning of the war for the preservation of the Union he saw more clearly than many others the character of the struggle upon which the country was entering, and the effect the contest would have upon the com- mercial and manufacturing interests of the nation. This led him to become a heavy purchaser of wool and other mill supplies. He not only stocked his own mills for several years, but bought heavily on speculative account, and amassed a large fortune by Mr. Hale was of striking personal appearance, a man upon whom the eye would' rest in an assemblage of thou- sands ; not tall or commanding of stature, he fixed the attention by a singular union of strength and beauty of countenance. His complexion was florid, the eye full and penetrating, the features strong yet regular, and his head crowned with an abundance of brown hair, which gave him at a first glance a leonine appear- ance. His bearing was always that of a well-bred gentleman who knew the world and could not be deceived or cheated by any pre- tence, however specious. He was far-seeing and masterful, and the possession of these qualities was impressed upon all with whom he came in contact.
. the transaction.
The factory was originally designed for six sets of machinery ; but the Hales, about 1857, by erecting an additional building for a picker room and putting in cloth-drying machinery, found room for seven sets. This addition nearly doubled the output of the mill. Another change, made tliree or four years earlier, was the addition of a dye-house, and the production, not only of white flan- nel, but of colored, principally scarlet, orange, and blue. These were largely twilled goods.
In 1854 E. J. M. Hale sent his son, Rufus B. Hale, to learn the business, and he soon acquired a share in the concern, and in 1860 also purchased the interest of Joseph Warren Hale, who retired, and in 1866 removed to Lexington, Mich., where he re- sided with his daughter, Mrs. Arthur M. Clarke, until his death in 1888. The son inherited much of the father's business ability,
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and soon took high rank as a manufacturer. He, however, ac- quired sporting habits, which, while they did not seem to with- draw his attention from a successful management of the business, did deprive him of the rest and leisure which were essential to the preservation of his health under the exactions which that business placed upon him. His health failed, and he expired at the Revere House in Boston, Nov. 12, 1868, at the early age of thirty. A brilliant business career was extinguished by his death.
Soon after the destruction of the first customs fulling mill by fire in 1815, it was rebuilt by Ebenezer Cushman, who sold it in 1824 to Timothy A. Edson and Josiah Kilburn. The property was subsequently owned in succession by Jefferson Hosmer, Sylvanus Balch, Joseph Roby, Bellows and Stevens, and John Gile.
Under the ownership of Mr. Gile the old mill was abandoned as a carding-mill, and a new one erected on the site next below the original factory,1 and the first mill was subsequently converted into a linseed-oil mill by Aaron Gile, but was not long used for that purpose.
In 1849 or 1850 the fulling-mill was leased by Deacon James Hale, a brother of Joseph W. The product of this mill was fin- ished at the lower factory. In 1854 Deacon Hale purchased or leased the woollen mill at Dover (since known as Sawyer's mills), and removed to that place, where he died in February, 1856. The deacon was much respected. He possessed an even temper and obliging disposition. He was a fine-looking man, having many of the physical traits which characterized lis more distinguished nephew, E. J. M. Hale, wanting, however, the forceful peculiar- ities of that gentleman.
An important addition to the productive industries of Littleton was the establishment in 1848 of a foundry and machine shop by Josiah Kilburn & Son. Benjamin W. Kilburn had learned the . trade of an iron founder at Fall River, while his brother Edward was acquiring knowledge as a machinist. Both returned home and joined their father in establishing the new enterprise. The demand for such an establishment was apparent. There were scores of manufactories in this northern section of the State, in- cluding woollen factories, carding-mills, starch factories and saw- mills that were dependent upon shops far distant for machinery, castings, and other supplies. Once these had been obtained at our very doors from the New Hampshire Iron Manufacturing Company at Franconia. But the fires of their foundry no longer glowed, and
1 The property is the present grist-mill of I. C. Richardson.
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their machinery was silent and corroding with rust. Our town had become the centre of the lumber business, and the demand for a nearer source of supply for mill machinery was answered by the new company. Their first shop was a small affair on the site of the old shingle mill on Palmer Brook. near Union Street. This was found inadequate after a trial of a few months, and a new and much larger shop was erected on Saranac Street. This shop, after it was abandoned by the firm, was converted into a tenement by the Whittakers, and is still in use. It stands on the north side of the street, opposite the old Brackett and Abbott saw-mill, from which its power was derived by running a belt from the saw-mill to the foundry, a distance of fifty yards. This belt was run on numerous pulleys, supported on posts that lifted it high above the street. The main structure was two stories high, the lower floor being used as a machine shop and the upper occupied by David Page Sanborn, who was pattern maker for the firm as well as a manufacturer of an excellent line of carpenters' tools that were in demand in several States. An ell extended toward the bank in rear of the schoolhouse, in District No. 8, which was used as a fonndry. The firm, beside casting for mill machinery, made ploughs, cultivators, harrows, stoves of various patterns, ranges, and did general custom work.
By 1854 the business had outgrown its home and the fulling mill was purchased and converted to the use of the company which continued at this shop for thirty years, doing a prosperous business. In 1884 the senior member of the firm retired from business, and the junior having become interested with his brother Ed- ward in photography, the business was transferred to Charles F. Everett, an old employee of the retiring firm, who continued it a few years with indifferent success.
When the foundry was transferred to the carding and fulling mill, its nearest manufacturing neighbor was the sash and blind shop of S. C. Kimball & Co., which stood on the site of the original fulling-mill. This business had been established in 1853 by S. C. Kimball and Capt. A. C. Wallace, who came here from Manchester in that year. Captain Wallace withdrew at the close of the year, and his interest was acquired by Gen. Edward O. Kenney and Arial Holmes. In August, 1854, General Kenney retired and his interest was taken by Luther T. Dow. This establishment manu- factured doors, sash, blind and window frames and dressed lum- ber for shipment to other markets. It was a large and prosperous business for many years, giving employment to about twenty skilled laborers. Before the end of the decade Mr. Kimball sold
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his interest to Ai Fitzgerald who is now the senior member of the firm.
Carriage-making was one of the industries common to every considerable village fifty years since. In earlier times there were several mechanics in this town who combined blacksmithing with building and repairing the better class of farm wagons and carts, but it was not until 1835 that this class of work was undertaken by one who made it an exclusive business. At that time George C. Ewing came here from Walpole and opened a shop on the pres- ent site of Richardson Brothers' livery stable. He did not remain long, and is said to have returned to Walpole. He was succeeded in this line by James W. Merrill in 1838. His shop is now occu- pied by Samuel Parker Nurse, as a residence.
In 1852, through the influence of Col. L. A. Russell, Daniel and Albert H. Quimby came from Lyndon and occupied a shop, built for them by Colonel Russell, at the westerly corner of Main and Brook Streets, and began building carriages on a large scale. They also did an extensive business in painting and repairing coaches and mountain wagons - a class of work it had hitherto been necessary to send to Concord. Their work was honest, and wagons and sleighis manufactured at their shop fifty years ago are still in use, and may outlast in point of time the "one-horse shay " sung by Holmes. The Quimbys brought with them as trim- mer Asa C. Weller, and as painter, Franklin G. Weller, both of whom were masters of their art, for art it was. All these men were important additions to our citizenship, -intelligent, honest, in- dustrious, and possessing varied talent, they took an important part in advancing the social, musical, and artistic pleasures of the com- munity. All but the elder Weller ended life's mission in their early prime, but their memory is still fragrant with all who knew them.
During the closing years of this period business of all kinds was stimulated by the advent of the railroad. Many new enterprises were inaugurated ; some of them prospered through many years, adding to the wealth and prosperity of the community. Others were of a more experimental character, and never became per- manently established in our midst. Some of these were the manu- facture of friction matches, linseed oil, hayrakes, and bedsteads. The match factory was located at the Scythe Factory Village 1 and was built in 1852 by Manuel and Brown. It did a considerable business, making about 200,000 matches a day. On July 22, 1854, the buildings, stock, and machinery vanished in flame. The prop-
1 Now Apthorp.
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erty was uninsured, and its owners left without capital to rebuild and continue what had promised to be a substantial addition to the industries of the town.
About this time Charles Nurse leased the abandoned foundry on Palmer's Brook and there began the manufacture of hayrakes and loe-handles. Soon after the inception of this enterprise, in com- pany with William J. Bellows, he entered into a contract with a Boston firm to furnish it with a large number of bedsteads, and for this purpose the business was transferred from the old foundry to the carding-mill on Mill Street. The purchasing firm being un- able, on account of financial complications, to fulfil its part of the contract, the manufacturers sold this branch of the business to Deacon John Merrill, who continued it for two years, while Mr. Nurse resumed the making of rakes.
The building of the woollen factory required many other im- provements in the village. New roads, dwellings, and stores were constructed. Eastman, Mattocks, & Co., who had for several years occupied the " Old Yellow Store," now built the one at present occupied by Kimball & Richardson. The upper front portion of the building was soon fitted up for a lawyer's office, and it was here that, in 1846, Harry Bingham found his first legal home. A small store was put up by R. H. Curtis at the westerly corner of Main and Mill Streets, and occupied by him as a grocery store. The stock of ardent spirits was furnished by another firm, who were to divide the profits with Mr. Curtis. This arrangement, which would seem to have been equitable, did not prove satisfactory to either party. These profits were not as large as the volume of business would appear to warrant, and the consignors demurred when an accounting was had. On the other hand, the consignee had not at first intended to make the sale of these liquors anything more than an incident to the general business, but greatly to his disappointment, after a year's trial, found that they constituted more than eighty per cent of the sales during that period, and that his boon companions had been, as the books showed, his best customers. Mr. Curtis claimed that the division of profits should be based upon cash receipts and the collectable accounts. This view of the matter was not acquiesced in by the other parties to the contract, and the result was so discouraging to Mr. Curtis that he concluded to retire from business.
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