History of the city of Nashua, N.H., Part 80

Author: Parker, Edward Everett, 1842- ed; Reinheimer, H., & Co
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Nashua, N.H., Telegraph Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 652

USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Nashua > History of the city of Nashua, N.H. > Part 80

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AL. A

ESTABROOK-ANDERSON SHOE FACTORY. [PALM STREET VIEW.]

of the Worcester & Nashua division of the Boston & Maine railroad, between Palm and Pine streets, and consisted of two wings, one one hundred and ninety-five by fifty, and the other one hundred and twenty-two by fifty. It was thought at the time of erection that this building would supply the room needed for the business for all time, but in 1890 it was found necessary to add another wing to the north end one hundred and ninety-five by sixty-five, and the whole building is now fully occupied and more room is needed.

During these sixteen years the business has grown from a volume of $110,000 the first year to $2,000,000 at the present time, and as the value of goods has decreased very materially during this period, it is safe to say that the business of 1894 was twenty-five times as large as in 1879. The daily output is 10,000 pairs and is the largest out-put of any single factory in the world, and it is probable that no shoe factory in the country furnishes as steady employ- ment to its operatives. The number of its operatives is from nine hundred to one thou- sand. Theproduct isa cheap, serviceable shoe for men, boys, women, misses, and children, and being of a cheap grade, the number of em- ployees is less for the production than is re- ESTABROOK-ANDERSON SHOE FACTORY. quired for higher grade goods. It is, however, of a great advantage to make the cheaper grades, as they are worn by eighty to ninety per cent of the people, and therefore the demand is greater, and in hard times the demand is rather larger than in good, as the the people have less money to spend. This was illustrated in the panic years of 1893 and 1894.

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HISTORY OF NASIIUA, N. H.

when the business was the largest and most successful of any year since the business was started. During these years the methods of manufacturing have been revolutionized, and to-day. there is prob- ably not a machine used that was in service at the time the business was started. It is probable that 1,000 operatives can to-day manufacture as many goods as double that number fifteen years ago.

ESTABROOK-ANDERSON SIIOE FACTORY. [PINE STREET VIEW.]

The fine brick building of Brackett & Co., is a marked feature in the eye of most people who arrive in our city and of all who pass through it, and is an excellent exponent of our later day enterprise. The factory, which stands on East Hollis street, at the Nashua junction, was built in 1888 and is two hundred by fifty feet and five stories high. Its equipment is in all respects first-class. A model plant for turning out work of its kind as cheaply as the state of the art will admit. Such a plant looks like business, as if it had come to stay. It is in this respect so unlike many of the early enterprises of our city, which somehow had a temporary look, as if a good wind would blow them away, as the wind of adversity did so many of them. The company makes men's, youths', and boys' shoes, and now employs two hundred and fifty hands as against one hundred and fifty hands at the beginning. Large additions are now being made. Their pay-roll is $12,500 with an output of $500,000. For power they use a one hundred horse power steam engine.

Third, as to date, of the shoe manufactories of Nashua, stands the Nashua Boot and Shoe Manu- facturing company. It was incorporated in 1880 with a capital of $15,000 and was a Nashua enter- prise. The factory is on Allds road just east of the bridge, where its plant occupies a commanding position. It is under the able management of W. S. Farnsworth. The steady enlargement of its plant and increased out-put of goods argues good business methods. The company manufactures men's, youths' and boys' shoes. They began with sixty hands, a pay roll of $2,250 monthly, and a business of $100,000 yearly. Their pay roll is now. $7,000 monthly and an out-put of $300,000. A forty horse power steam engine furnishes the power and they employ two hundred and twenty-five hands.

CARD AND PAPER MANUFACTURE.

When we have in view, as an object lesson, a large, prosperous and ever increasing manufactur- ing business, one which has given employment to thousands at remunerative wages, it cannot be un- profitable to take a "look backward " to the inception of that business and to note how often men build better than they know. Under this head we will consider what is known as "The Nashua Card and Glazed Paper company."

In 1848 Charles T. Gill, then keeping a book store and bindery at what is now 67 Main street, then under the old Nashua bank, said to O. D. Murray, then publishing "The Oasis " in the room now occupied by W. W. Bailey in the same building, "Murray, I wish I could make playing cards in some rapid way, for California is going to sweep every pack from the east." Mr. Murray, who had formulated a printing machine for laying any number of colors on wall paper in rolls by a single

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HISTORY OF NASHUA, N. H.

operation-a method now in universal use, but then done with blocks, a single color at a time, and by hand-spoke quickly : "Gill, I can do it!" Gathering various articles he demonstrated the feasi- bility of printing all the colors used by a single manipulation. Mr. Gill said, "Work out your idea, and I will go into it. There is a fortune, and we might as well have it as anybody else."

In due time Mr. Murray sought a machinist with his plans for printing machines, and rotary cutters, which he had devised for stripping and cutting the cards from the rolls of cardboard, when printed. That machinist was John H. Gage, then running a business on Water street. He looked the matter over and said : "You need a machinist, and I don't want you to make all the money. I will go into it with you." And he did. Subsequently he said, "We all have business, but the building to be erected will need looking after, and my brother, who is out of business, would like the chance." And thus C. T. Gill, C. P. Gage, J. H. Gage and O. D. Murray formed a partnership under the firm name of Gill & Co.

The building, under the superintendence of Charles P. Gage, went up apace, on the north side of Water street, near Main, while Mr. Murray sought the only manufacturer of cardboard in rolls in the United States, located in Rhode Island, and at the same place contracted with calico engravers for the engraving of the copper rolls, at a cost of four hundred dollars each. The card board manufacturer proved to be a clergyman, who was greatly elated with the prospect of large sales. Incidentally he

NASHUA CARD AND GLAZED PAPER COMPANY. [SOME OF THE HELP.]

inquired as to what use the board was to be put. When informed, his eyes rolled in holy horror, and he peremptorily refused to furnish the board. This refusal of board for printing seemed a crusher ; but having expended so much money, it seemed absolutely necessary to go on and work out the problem within themselves; and from this necessity grew the manufacture of cardboard, and, correlatively, glazed papers. Mr. Murray having sold out his printing interests, on the tenth of September, 1849, the engine was started up, and the business has been in active operation to the present day.

It so chanced that within a year from commencing the business, Mr. Gill deceased. As no other member of the firm had any knowledge of the playing card market or any inclination to study it, that business dropped out without any printing having been done, and the big iron cylinder round which the rolls were to be arranged was thrust out doors to rust in the rains and snows of passing seasons, while the copper rolls-perhaps expensive would be the proper term-were confiscated by some enterprising thief.

HISTORY OF NASHUA, N. II.

In 1851 John HI. Gage sold his interest in the business to Virgil C. Gilman, the firm being known as Gage, Murray & Co. The works were partially burned out soon after, and the old and needed new machinery was set up in a building, just completed by Josephus Baldwin, directly in the rear, now occupied by W. H. Campbell in the manufacture of paper boxes ; while the company set about erecting a new factory building just west of Gage, Warner & Whitney's machine shop on Hollis street, taking the power from that shop. The business was very prosperous and profitable, and its expansion required increased room. While located on Hollis street, machinery for coloring in rolls was introduced, doing away with much sheet coloring by hand-a great revolution in the business. In 1857 Horace W. Gilman purchased a quarter interest in the business. In 1861 lack of room induced the company to purchase the extensive estate of the Nashua Watch company of Wal- tham, Mass., reference to which may be found elsewhere in these pages. This was an enlargement

....

NASIIUA CARD AND GLAZED PAPER COMPANY'S FACTORY ON FRANKLIN STREET.

greatly needed, and success was insured the company. In January, 1866, Gage and Murray sold their interest to V. C. and H. W. Gilman, who, with a brother, O. B. Gilman, under the firm name of Gil- man Brothers, continued the business. In 1869 O. B. Gilman deceased. In 1888 O. D. Murray pur- chased the interest of John F. Marsh in the Nashua Glazed Paper company, composed of Thomas P. Pierce, J. F. Marsh and George D. Murray, who were conducting business on Pearson's avenue, in the extensive plant now vacant there, and took the firm name of Murray, Pierce & Co. In the meantime, a new company had materialized on Water street, known as the Eagle Card company, Stevens, Clement & Co., proprietors-subsequently run by Morrill & Co., H. T. Morrill and C. P. Gage. In 1869 Gilman Brothers and Murray, Pierce & Co. consolidated their works under the cor- porate name of the Nashua Card and Glazed Paper company, the act having been secured by Gil-

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HISTORY OF NASHUA, N. H.

man Brothers from the legislature. Soon after the combination of works on Pearson's avenue, the Eagle Card company was purchased, and after running it a few months on Water street, everything was concentrated in the buildings on the avenue. Since then no attempt has been successfully made to start a new card shop.

The company organized, all the members being directors, by choice of O. D. Murray, president, V. C. Gilman, treasurer; T. P. Pierce, clerk. In 1872 V. C. Gilman sold his stock to the company for $72,000 and retired. The remaining four continued the close corporation, H. W. Gilman being treasurer, until 1881, when the death of G. D. Murray brought to the public knowledge of the large per cents annually divided by the stockholders,-having been for several years thirty-five per cent on the $150,000 capital. About this time Mr. Murray, who held eight hundred and sixty-five shares, commenced selling at private sale and by auction, at a large premium, until ready purchasers had absorbed all his holdings, and in January, 1883, he retired from the business, having been actively identified with it for more than thirty-three years,-the last fourteen as president of the corporation. In 1880 Col. T. P. Pierce, who for some years had largely taken charge of the manufacturing department, died. In 1888 H. G. Bixby secured control of the business, bringing a new element and new ideas into the management.

Competition was becoming fierce, new methods and machines were being adopted in other factories and the time had come when changes must be made if the business was to be held. Wisely or unwisely, a radical change was decided upon. With characteristic energy Mr. Bixby pushed the building of a new plant on Franklin street beside the railroad, where the factory, which is the pride of our city, was erected, and in which was placed every device that human ingenuity could devise for the rapid and economical manipulating of the material used. As a result of this push and enterprise we have the largest and most perfectly equipped plant of its kind in the world. It may be of interest to note the changes that have come in the cost of stock and in the price of the finished goods. At first bristol stock cost from thirty to thirty-five cents per pound; it is now six cents; common stock sixteen, now five; middle stock ten to twelve, now three. At first colors were all imported and cost twice as much as the American colors now used. The price of finished goods has changed even more. Finished papers that sold for forty dollars per ream are now sold for five dollars, and others that sold for twenty dollars per ream are sold for three dollars. The price of labor has doubled.

It may be of interest to know that most of the timbers of the largest ship ever built in America, the four masted clipper ship, the Great Republic, were prepared in the Nashua ship yard of Luther A. Roby, as well as the timbers of more than one of those ocean flyers, the clipper ships of which we were so proud. Mr. Roby has from the first taken stock and part ownership in vessels for which he furnished the timbers, until it is literally true that his ships sail on every sea. At one time he was interested with George McQuesten in running the saw mill at the north end of the Jackson company's dam.

A. H. Dunlap came to Nashua in 1831 and found employment in the Jackson mills until failing health compelled him to leave the mills and seek other business. In 1849 he began the business of preparing small packages of garden seeds in suitable form for retail. The business is peculiar in that the seeds to be sold should be fresh each year, and to secure this result it became necessary that all unsold packages should be removed from the retail stores and a new and fresh supply furnished for the following year. To secure this end Mr. Dunlap employed traveling salesmen, who, with horse and wagon, distributed assortments of seeds to the retail stores on sale, and gathered up the unsold remnants of packages and collected pay for the goods sold. Gradually the business extended so as to include all of New Hampshire and Vermont and a part of Canada. The headquarters for the business is in Dunlap's block, where a busy gang of help is to be found preparing and filling small packages. The company takes especial pains to secure the best seeds, both as to quality and kind.

In 1846 appeared in the Telegraph the advertisement of a daguerrotype gallery in Boston and in 1849 Lane advertised to take pictures in Nashua. We have not been able to fix the date of his ad- vent in Nashua as an artist. In 1849 he sold his business to S. B. Richardson. In 1851 Haines had a saloon in town, and in 1852 J. M. Perry was taking pictures in Long block. He probably bought out Haines. The first photographs taken in Nashua were made by S. B. Richardson in 1853 or 1854.

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HISTORY OF NASHUA, N. H.

Among the names remembered in this connection are those of Miller, Johnson, Glenton, Austin, Lindsey, Read and others, professional artists. Among the amateur artists who have acquired great skill in the art, Dr. C. B. Hammond deserves honorable mention.

Early in the history of Nashua, P. B. Putney made confectionery in a building which stood upon the site of the present Lowell railroad station. Jonas Kempton peddled for Putney until 1844 when he purchased the business and remained in the same location until the fire of 1848. He then took rooms in Hunt's bakery south of the Worcester & Nashua railroad and remained in that place until his removal to West Pearl street. In 1874 he sold his business to Charles Holman. Mr. Holman had been employed by Kempton for some years, had hired rooms in his factory and made a line of goods not made by Kempton, and in 1861 he opened an independent factory on Eldridge street, where in 1874 he was burned out. He then purchased Kempton's plant and remained there until 1882, when he leased a building on Main street of John A. Spalding. In 1883 he was again burned out. He then erected the brick block on Main street which bears his name, where he has since carried on the business. He has a practical knowledge of his trade, and, taking a broad view of the range and pos- sibilities of the situation, he has built up a fine business and plant which is a credit to our city, and furnishes another example of the result sure to follow enterprise when coupled with right business methods. In the early morning of Oct. 25, 1895, his entire plant was burned to the ground.

The manufacture of bakers' goods, particularly that of crackers, was first established in Nashua about 1820 at the Harbor on Main street, in a building now occupied as a dwelling by Mrs. David Dunn. Here Stephen Bates baked, the principal products of his labor being crackers, bread and "old fashioned gingerbread." With a small tile oven, heated with fagots, without machinery of any kind, Mr. Bates in a crude way made crackers. When his dough was mixed and ready, the women of the neighborhood, summoned by the blowing of the tin horn, rolled and cut the dough ready for the oven, and at the completion of the baking received their compensation in crackers. The late David Coombs, when a young man, drove Mr. Bates team to the adjoining towns.

Ten years later Thomas Munroe, grandfather of F. O. Munroe of this city, built ovens in a building upon Main street, north of the residence of Charles Holman. Mr. Munroe was succeeded by Wyeth & Stimpson, who a few years later, located ovens in a building upon Railroad square, where now stands the Whiting building. Here Joseph Upton, Abel Bowman and Seth D. Chandler successively carried on the baking business. In 1849 Sylvester Winn built a bakery upon Mulberry street, where now stands the cracker bakery of Charles H. Burke, cracker machinery propelled by horse power was used. This business was purchased by S. D. Chandler, who closed his Railroad square bakery. Mr. Chandler continued the business at this location from 1855 to 1860, when he disposed of his interest to James C. Smith. Mr. Smith, after remaining here for three years, put in ovens in the old card and glazed paper factory upon Hollis street. The business was largely increased and upon Mr. Smith's decease in 1866 was purchased by the late Nahum W. Burke. This factory was burned in 1873. Mr. Burke formed a co-partnership with his son Charles H., under the name of N. W. Burke & Son, and purchased the old bakery upon Mulberry street, removing the same and building the commodious factory now owned by the C. H. Burke Baking company.

N. W. Burke died in 1883. Since this time the business has been conducted by Charles H. Burke, who has enlarged the plant, put in modern ovens, one of which, Rayney's patent revolving coal oven, is the largest in the state, having a baking capacity of thirty barrels of flour a day. Mr. Burke has kept abreast of the times, replacing his machinery with that of the latest designs, and with electric power and continuous baking ovens, has unsurpassed facilities for the manufacture of all bakers' goods. The advancement and improved methods of manufacturing in the baking business have mostly been brought out since 1860, namely, rapid and continuous mechanical coal baking ovens over the old style fagot and wood-heating ovens, as well as the time and labor saving improved mixing, rolling and cutting machinery over the old methods of slow hand work.

In 1845 Thomas Chase began the business of selling flour, grain, lime and cement in the store on Main street just south of the Worcester & Nashua railroad. Mr. Chase sold out to Hurlburt & Sackrider, and the business was conducted in their name for some years. In 1866 S. D. Chandler was induced to buy the store and business. Up to this time the facilities for handling the goods had been extremely crude; for instance, corn was taken from a car in baskets and passed into the store through the window and carried to the place of storage by hand. For meal the corn was put into

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HISTORY OF NASHUA, N. H.

bags and sent half a mile away to be ground, then brought back to the store. Seeing that it would not pay to do business in that way, Mr. Chandler in 1877 put in elevator machinery, and three runs of mill stones. He now removes the grain from the car to the bin by power and grinds his own corn, and delivers the grain to the hopper of the sets of stones by sluice and valve at will, and the meal is conveyed by power to its alloted place. The elevator capacity is 40,000 bushels of grain, or 3,000 barrels of flour per day, grinding capacity 8,000 bushels per day. Eight men are employed.

In 1868 Mr. Chandler bought of Thomas Chase the business of making cement sewer pipe, which had just been started by Chase & Willis in a small way, and has continued it to the present time. The pipe is made by a patented process and has given good satisfaction for all pipe of, or below twenty-four inches in diameter. At first it was made only in warm weather, but since 1890, when the works were removed to the new building and grounds, the pipe has been made the year round.

A diploma was given Mr. Chandler in 1868 by the New Hampshire state fair, and a bronze medal in 1875 by the New England fair.

The Francestown Soapstone company was incorporated in 1865 with a capital of $150,000, which was increased to $300,000 four years later. They first located in Milford until the present shop at the Junction in Nashua was built. The quarry is located at Francestown, and was worked in a small way by its owner as early as 1812, sending some years two hundred tons of stone to Boston. The property was for a time mostly owned and managed by David W. and Charles Gillis, but in May of 1875 the control of the business passed into the hands of Charles Williams & Co., (of Manchester), who secured the entire property of the company both at the quarries and at the shops. The company also own the Hawks mountain quarry at Perkinsville, Vt. This company furnishes all manner of soapstone articles called for, from a hand warmer to the front of a palace. The works are extensive, covering 30,000 square feet and are well fitted up. A one hundred horse power steam engine is used and a large force of help is employed both at the factory and quarry.

In 1867 S. S. Davis began making boxes in Nashua. In those days the demand was limited and the methods and machinery were crude. In 1886 W. H. Campbell purchased the business. With the introduction of improved machinery and a supply of better stock at reduced price, there came a great expansion of the box business, requiring a large factory and extensive plant. The factory is on Water street in the brick building back of Goodrich block.

The annual business is some $40,000 with a pay roll of $1,000 monthly. Employment is given to about forty hands. The works are run by an eight horse power electric engine.

The enterprise of Hall's hair renewer was started in a small way by R. P. Hall in Amherst. Mr. Hall prepared the mixture in his house and peddled it from door to door. In 1861 Charles Gillis as- sociated himself with Mr. Hall and the enterprise was removed to its present location on High street. Acting upon the advice of Dr. Ayer of Lowell, E. A. Bigelow was employed as managing agent and large sums of money were spent in advertising the business. The success of the business was marked from the beginning. In 1864 Mr. Hall sold his interest for $75,000 and in 1871 Mr. Gillis sold the entire business to Ayer & Co. of Lowell for $600,000. The company still sends large invoices of goods to all parts of the world. The compound used has always been a secret. Values lay entirely in the trade mark and patented label used by the company. Henry Knowles manufactured a hair restorer for some years with good success.

In building up a city like Nashua the supply of stone for foundations, for curb stone, and other work is an important matter. For many years the Shattuck ledge, owned by Z. Shattuck, furnished stone for most of the buildings on the north side. About twenty-five years ago it was found dangerous to blast the rock in this ledge because houses had been built so near to it, in one instance a rock of one hundred pounds weight went crashing through the roof of a house on Granite street. "The ledge," so-called, is the property of the Nashua Manufacturing company, and the foundations of their mills were taken from it. In "the ledge" may be found an unlimited quantity of stone. This ledge has been worked by various people who blasted the rocks and carried the fragments to the village. For some years Andrew Shattuck and a Mr. Lirsis operated it; to be followed by Capt. Daniel M. Fiske, Samuel Wright, Reuben and Alfred Godfrey, and Alfred Godfrey alone. In 1872 Weston & Stevens, who for two years had been working the Shattuck ledge, bought Alfred Godfrey's claim upon "the ledge" and the tools, and, in 1877, Charles W. Stevens became the sole proprietor of the rights under lease from the Nashua Manufacturing company, in whose hands it now remains.

10.4

HISTORY OF NASHUA, N. II.

At the time Weston & Stevens took the property, the stone for underpinning for our best houses came from Concord and Milford. Quarrymen and stone-cutters said the stone from the Nashua company's ledge could not be split or cut to an edge. Mr. Stevens thought otherwise, and soon convinced them that "the ledge" would produce as good stone as could be obtained at Milford or Concord, and at greatly reduced prices. As a result of Mr. Stevens' enterprise we find under most of our modern houses fine foundation stone, adding greatly to the beauty of our city, and it is a matter of pride to be able to say, "This is Nashua stone prepared by Nashua workmen."

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History of the city of Nashua, N.H., Part 80

Author: Parker, Edward Everett, 1842- ed; Reinheimer, H., & Co Publication date: 1897 Publisher: Nashua, N.H., Telegraph Publishing Company Number of Pages: 652

Author: Parker, Edward Everett, 1842- ed; Reinheimer, H., & Co
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Nashua, N.H., Telegraph Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 652