USA > New Jersey > Passaic County > Paterson > Paterson, New Jersey : its advantages for manufacturing and residence: its industries, prominent men, banks, schools, churches, etc. > Part 21
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THE BARBOUR FLAX SPINNING COMPANY .- The Bar- bour family have for a century been among the greatest linen manufacturers in the north of Ireland, their works at Lisburn, near Belfast, being among the largest of the kind in the world. Their establishment at that place is com- plete in itself. Not only is the flax subjected to every pro- cess involved in the manipulation of the raw material from the crudest state, but the firm have immense machine shops of their own where they build all the machinery they
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need on either side of the Atlantic. For many years they had made large sales in America, Thomas Barbour hav- ing charge of their New York house. The imposition of the tariff of 1862 and the high rate of exchange led them to conceive the idea of establishing a branch of their im- mense factories in America, and looking about they con- cluded that Paterson was the most available place in which to locate. Thomas and Samuel Barbour carried the pro- ject into execution and in 1864 they bought the old Passaic mill No. 2, formerly run by John Colt for the weaving of fine sheetings and cotton duck, on Spruce street, opposite Oliver. The mill was a fine structure, though but a toy house compared to the mills at Lisburn. Here they em- ployed several hundred hands and added continually to their machinery until the building could hold no more; they enlarged it from time to time but still they lacked room. Having bought the entire block bounded by Prince, Grand. Spring and Slater streets, they proceeded in 1877 to erect thereon one of the finest specimens of mill architecture in New Jersey. It was fifty feet front on Grand street by two hundred feet deep and four stories high. The engine and boiler house is a very spacious building, while the chimney, octagonal in shape, and re- lieved at frequent intervals by light-colored belt courses and surmounted by a broad cornice at an elevation of one hundred and eighty feet, is ornamental as well as useful. But it is the inside of the mill that impresses the visitor with a sense of security and solidity. The stairways are all enclosed in solid brick walls and are themselves of brick and stone. Massive wrought iron beams span the interior from side to side and on these are built brick arches which support the floors above. These floors are of bluestone flags, inclining from the centre to the side walls, so that they can be readily flushed with water, which then runs off in gutters provided for the purpose. This is the style of construction throughout. The build- ing, if not absolutely fireproof, is as nearly so as the in- genuity of man can make it. It is not easy to see where or how a fire could make much headway in such a massive structure with so little for the flames to feed upon. But flax is a very inflammable article, and the danger of fire has been foreseen and provided against in other ways in addition to making the building itself proof against flames. On each floor and on each side are laid patent sprinklers, so constructed that at a certain degree of temperature they will open innumerable valves and throw all over the room copious jets of water propelled with all the force that a head of one hundred and eighty feet can give. There are other appliances also for throwing water into any part of the mill. The water is supplied from a pond on Garret Mountain, one hundred and eighty feet above Grand street. This magnificent building had scarcely been occupied and stocked with machinery brought over from their works in Ireland before they set about doubling its size, and in 1878 it was made as long again, so that it is now fifty by four hundred feet in area, four stories high. In February, 1879, the Spruce street mill was destroyed by fire. It was
at once rebuilt in imitation in all respects of the Grand street mill. Water and steam are both used for power and both mills are heated by steam. During the year ISSI they built another immense stone mill on Grand and Mor- ris streets, forty-eight by four hundred feet: the mill is known as the Granite Mill. from the stone used in its con- struction. This mill is leased to a number of silk manu- facturing concerns.
Within four years after establishing their mill in Pater- son, or in 1868, they were making about fifty-two thousand pounds of shoe thread, saddlers' thread and gilling twine every month-twenty-six tons of thread. They were also making about a ton of fine thread for the manufacture of hose. In addition to this product they spooled four thou- sand dozen spools monthly of the thread made by them in Ireland, and spooled seventy-five thousand pounds of tail- ors' thread, also made abroad. They now import the flax just as it comes into the market from the farms in the north of Ireland, where that crop has so long had its favorite home, and in their Paterson mills they hackle, dress, and spin it into all kinds of linen thread, shoe thread, sewing thread for tailors' uses, fine twine, &c. They also dye and bleach it on their own premises. They spin thousands of miles of thread every day, enough to put a girdle around the earth twice over. That means fifty thousand miles daily. It is needless to say that they have the most im- proved machinery to be had in the world. They have their principal store and office in New York city, with branch offices in Boston, Chicago, San Francisco and other cities. The business was originally in the name of the Barbour Brothers-Thomas, Robert and Samuel-but in 1866 they were incorporated as the Barbour Flax Spin- ning Company, and the industry has been carried on since that date by that corporation. The president is Robert Barbour : Thomas Barbour was vice president and treas- urer until his death when his interest in the corporation was transferred to his son William.
THOMAS BARBOUR was born on July 14, 1832, in the old family residence at llildon in Ireland. He became an American citizen in 1849. He was a man genial in man- ner and the very embodiment of hospitality and influence ; when any question arose demanding unusual energy he was never found unequal to the emergency of the case. Ile manifested a force and vigor of character difficult to oppose. He persistently refused public position but was connected intimately with many public and private enter- prises of importance. Ile was a member of the Commit- tee on Revenue Reform of the New York Chamber of Commerce and is widely known in this country in connec- tion with his successful defence of his firm and government on the infamous moiety system, and is recognized as the one who, by his personal sacrifices and exertions, caused the abrogation of a law which offered a fitty per cent. premium on official irregularity and imposition. He de- livered a forcible and practical speech on the subject be- fore the New York Chamber of Commerce in 1874 and on the following evening at Steinway Hall at a special meet-
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ing called for that purpose. Mr. Barbour subsequently proceeded to Washington and procured the passage of the bill abrogating the moiety system. Upon a subsequent visit to Belfast, Ireland, on October 29. 1874, he was ten- dered a public banquet by the merchants of Belfast and the province of Ulster, at which the Lord Mayor presided, in recognition of the important service he had rendered to the importing trade of New York and capitalists in breaking down a system so unjust in principle. Mr. Barbour was the first president of the Paterson Board of Trade, a direc- tor of the Hanover National Bank, a director of the Guard- ian Fire Insurance Company of New York, and a director of the Paterson & Ramapo railroad company. He was president of the Bedford Manufacturing Company of New- ark and for ten years a director of the Clark Thread Works of Newark. He owned a large amount of property in Paterson, including a fine residence on the corner of Straight street and Broadway. His summer residences were the Brookside Farm at Preakness and .Warren Point," the latter situated in Bergen County, just across the Broadway bridge. At the latter place on different oc- casions he entertained General Grant and other prominent citizens of this country. He was always regarded as one of the most liberal minded and public spirited citizens of Paterson. His death occurred at the family homestead in Ireland on January 19, 1885, and was lamented by ali who had ever had the pleasure of his acquaintance.
THE DOLPHIN MANUFACTURING CO .- This company was incorporated in 1843 under a special charter as the "American Hemp Company," but as its antecedents and its capital came from Scotland it was familiary known as the "Scottish Company." In February, 1846, as its busi- ness was making sail-canvas, the present name suggestive of the sea was adopted. John Taylor Johnston, Esq .. former President of the Central R. R. of New Jersey, was one of the original incorporators and is to-day a direc- tor and the largest stockholder. Alexander T. Van Nest. Esq., of New York city represents the next largest holding and is also a director. The remaining directors are Rob- ert W. de Forest, Esq., counsel for the Central Railroad of New Jersey, and Mr. Otto T. Bannard and Mr. J. Herbert Johnston, who are repectively president and vice president of the company. The manager of the mill is Mr. Henry Brown, formerly of Dundee, Scotland.
The property extends about 125 feet on Spruce street, near Oliver, and runs back nearly 600 feet. The opera- tives number about Soo. nearly three-fourths of whom are Scotch and as Mr. Brown is a Scotchman, the term "Scot- tish Company" might still be appropriately used. Both water-power and steam-power are used in running the mill, and an electric lighting system has entirely displaced gas. An ample storehouse was built last year to accom- modate the supply of raw material imported from India. and the new machinery is being constantly added to replace the older and less productive patterns. Nearly 5,000 tons of jute are manufactured each year in the "Dolphin" besides twine, for the grain fields, carpet
yarns, hemp carpets, napier mattings, upholsterers web- bings, canvas, burlap, sash cord, and miscellaneous twines. The present customs duty of twenty per cent. upon the raw jute has enabled Dundee competition to interfere seriously with certain branches of the jute industry such as carpet yarns, but hopes are entertained that Congress will soon remove this burden so that America may obtain jute as cheaply as Scotland and Canada. No jute is raised in this country. If such relief should be afforded to the jute industry the possibilities for manufacturing will be great as the use of jute in various articles is increasing and rela- tively few jute goods are made in this country.
The "Dolphin" as the pioneer jute mill of America is keeping pace with the progress of the times and each decade will find the growth and development of these mills closely following the growth and development of the United States.
THE ROSWELL BOBBIN MAMUFATORY .- The Roswell Bobbin Manufactory, named after the late Roswell L. Colt, was established in February, 1858, upon a compara- tively small scale by Isaac Scull, John R. Daggers and William Row. After the death of Mr. Scull in 1861 the business was continued by the surviving partners until the year ISSo, when, owing to the sickness of Mr. Row, the partnership was dissolved and the business continued by the present enterprising proprietor. Since then it has steadily increased and developed into one of the largest of its kind in the state. The factory occupied by Mr. Dag- gers has a trontage on River street of fifty feet and on Mulberry street of 120 feet, two-thirds of which is a three- story brick building and the remainder a two-story frame structure, fully equipped with improved designs of wood- working machinery for the manufacture of all kinds of silk. cotton, manilla, hemp, jute, flax and woollen bobbins, spools and similar articles used by manufacturers of textile fabrics. Mr. Daggers also devotes especial attention to wood turning in all its branches and employs from 25 to 30 experienced and skilled operatives ; his products are shipped direct to consumers and manufacturers of textile fabrics in all sections of the United States, and through jobbers, dealers and machine makers to all parts of the world.
JOHN R. DAGGERS Was born in Preston, Lancashire. England, on July 7, 1819. He came to this country in March, 1834, and in the same year began his apprentice- ship as machinist with Rogers, Ketchum & Grosvenor; he was subsequently employed at erecting cotton machin- ery in the south, notably in Alabama and Georgia, and su- perintended a number of these plants for some years. In 1868 he was appointed lay judge of the courts of Passaic County and served five years. He was again appointed to the same position in 1877 and served another term of five years. Mr. Daggers has always been one of the most prominent and public spirited citizens of Paterson. Pieas- ant in disposition, upright and fair in all his dealings he continually makes friends without ever losing any. As a Judge he was one of the most useful members of the
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bench ; he was ever ready to listen to the plea for mercy and no matter how degraded the criminal arraigned before him Judge Daggers was ready to listen to a kind word for him; his natural disposition inclined him to mercy and many convicted culprits owe to Judge Daggers the last chance which justice afforded to enable them to retrieve their lost reputations.
FREDERICK HARDING .- A prominent and progressive establishment in this city engaged in a useful and growing industry is that of Mr. Frederick Harding, a manufacturer of paper boxes. The industry was established in 1872 by Mr. Harding and he still maintains the supervision over the business assisted by his two sons, Albert James and William Frederick, who are both capable and energetic young men, having a thorough knowledge of the various branches of the business acquired under the tutelage of their father. The premises occupied comprise the entire structure Nos. 200 and 202 Straight street. The building is of brick, 40x90 feet and three stories high. It is fully equipped with the most improved machinery and appli- ances known to the trade, including the patent box strip- ping machines which greatly facilitate the covering of boxes and the laying on of the paper with mathematical precision. Thirty expert operators are employed and the machinery is driven by steam-power Mr. Harding manu- factures all sizes and different kinds of plain and fancy paper boxes, his outpot being unrivalled by that of other first-class houses ; he supplies a large number of factories in this city, New York, Newark, Passaic and other places. The cutting of blank Jacquard and Dobby cards for silk manufacturers and blank cards for carpet, damask and tap- estry manufacturers, in all sizes and qualities, is a special- ty and as many as twenty tons of this material are turned out monthly. Of late years Mr. Harding has introduced great improvements in the methods of paper box manu- facturing, bota as regards the rapidity with which boxes are produced as well as the increased beauty of the style and designs. Mr. Harding promptly gives estimates for any style or size of boxes, either plain or fancy, in any de- sired number and colors. The capacity of the factory is from three to ten thousand boxes a day and all orders are filled at the shortest notice."
FREDERICK HARDING was born in Melksham, Wilt- shire, England, on February 7, 1846. Hle attended the public schools of his native place until he was thirteen years of age. Ile then came to this country with his brother Alfred, and went to Rockville, Conn., where he worked in the woollen mills until he was seventeen years of age. His brother James had enlisted in the Union army and came home on a thirty days furlough, having served two years and five months. Before this furlough expired Mr. Frederick Harding had enlisted in the same regiment, which had been raised in Hartford, and went to the front, his enthusiasm in the cause of the Union being so strong that he did not wait until his brother accompan- ied him. Ile was one of the youngest volunteers in the army. He served under Generals Butler and Ord and
took part in the engagements near Richmond and Peters- burgh. He remained in service until the close ot the war and was discharged in October. 1865. Neither he nor his brothers sustained any wounds. At the close of the war Mr. Harding returned to England on a visit; his mother had died in the mean time; his father died when Mr. Harding was but six years of age. While in England he was married to a former schoolmate of his. He brought his bride with him to this country and returned to Rock- ville, where he again found employment in the woollen mills. After working for a few months, in 1867, he went to Newark, N. J., where he worked for some time at file cutting and wrench making, after which he was employed in a paper box factory. In 1874 he came to Paterson and started in business as a paper box manufacturer. His en- ergy and industry, supplemented by excellent business qualifications, ensured his success, and he stands to-day prominent among the manufacturers and public spirited citizens of Paterson. He is well known for his pleasant and genial manners. He has a fine suburban residence at Haledon, an illustration of which appears on another page.
PATERSON, DRAIN, SEWER AND WELL PIPE WORKS .- This establishment is located at Nos. 118 to 128 Park ave- nue, and is owned by Mr. Joseph Sharpe It is one of the foremost establishments of its kind in Paterson, its suc- cess being due to the energy and excellent business qualifi- cations of its proprietor.
It is only about twenty years since cement drain pipe was first introduced to the public, and though it has met with the natural opposition that any new and important invention always meets, it has steadily gained in popular favor, until to-day its manufacture has become a very im- portant industry ; in fact, the extent to which it has been used under the most severe tests of exposure, has so satis- factorily proven its durability that manufacturers have been led to mound this cement into other useful articles, among which may be mentioned horse blocks, flagging for side- walks, copings, sills, lintels, curbings, etc .. for all of which purposes and many others its practical utility has been thoroughly tested.
This branch of industry is prominently represented in Paterson by Mr. Joseph Sharpe, who has conducted the manufacture of cement drain, sewer and well pipe here since 1865, with annually increasing success. The manu - facturing plant covers about one acre, upon which is erect- ed a two story frame factory, which is equipped with all necessary appliances for the work in hand, from ten to twenty workmen being employed in the manufacture of the product. These works are the most extensive of the kind in the State and enjoy a reputation second to none for the style and quality of the product.
Many years of practical experiment and study on the part of the proprietor of these works have resulted in great improvements, both in quality and design. Mr. Sharpe has obtained a patent on the processes of manufacturing cement pipe, which greatly adds to the quality of the pipe
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made by this establishment, this process not being used by any other manufacturers in the country. In the manufac- ture of this cement pipe, Portland cement is used exclu- sively, making a pipe of great strength in a few days ; the older the pipe is the harder it grows, eventually becoming as hard as the hardest rocks ; it is warranted to last as long as the earth in which it is laid.
For drainage of every kind, acid and acid washes, or in short liquid matter of whatsoever description, these cement pipes are the best in the market.
The trade of this house extends throughout a radius of one hundred miles of Paterson, on the several railroad con- nections, where agencies have been established and stocks of greater or less dimensions are carried in store.
ISAAC D. BLAUVELT. - The Blauvelt family resided in Rockland County, N. Y., at an early date. Thomas Blau- velt, the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a justice of the peace of that county for many years and transacted a large amount of public business. He re- moved to Pompton, Passaic County, N. J., at an early period, where he operated a grist-mill and engaged in ag- ricultural pursuits. His son Daniel succeeded him at the same place and followed the same line of business.
Isaac D Blauvelt was born on September 6, 1827 His father was a shoemaker by trade and followed that pursuit in the city of Newark for several years. Mr. Blauvelt re- ceived only an ordinary English education and at the age of sixteen began to learn the trade of carriage making with Isaac Riker, of Little Falls. After about a year he enter- ed the employ of John Gardner, of Newark, and a short time afterwards of John D. Hogan, of Paterson, with whom he finished his apprenticeship and remained two years. He then went to work in the carshops of the Pat- erson & Hudson River railroad, which stood on the pres- ent site of St. John's Catholic church, where he remained two years in the wood working department. He then es- tablished the carriage business in a small way in Arch street, near North Main. He remained at this point for about four years and succeeded by close application to bus- iness in building up considerable trade and in making a reputation for himself in connection with the manufacture of carriages. Owing to the necessity for increased facili- ties for manufacture he removed his establishment to River street, nearly opposite the Passaic Hotel, where he re mained for a number of years. In 1860 he removed to the corner of Market and Prince streets and continued at that point until 1865, when he was burned out, and having no insurance, suffered a loss of about seven thousand dollars. In the same year he purchased from the Society for Estab- lishing Useful Manufactures the site of his present factory on Paterson street and erected the building. He has since been engaged in the general manufacture of carriages and sleighs of all kinds at that point and has the largest estab- lishment of that kind in Passaic County. He does a good class of work and is carrying on a large and successful bus- iness.
Mr. Blauvelt has confined his labors closely to his busi- ness and engaged but little in public affairs. At the same time, while no aspirant after political preferment. he has been called by his fellow citizens to fill several positions of importance. Ile represented the North Ward in the Board of Education for three years, and was a member of the Board when the present school system was organized. He was alderman from the same ward for two years and filled that position at the breaking out of the war. He also represented the Third District of Passaic County in the State legislature for two years.
WILLIAM L. BAMBER .- The business conducted by this gentleman cannot be better described than by the tollow- ing extract from the Scientific American : - "The leading house in Paterson, N J., and probably in the State, en- gaged in the manufacture of all kinds of marble and gran- ite work is Mr. William L. Bamber, of 30, 32 and 34 Willis street The business was originally established by Mr David B. Bamber in 1842, and after his death, which occurred in 1875, his son, Mr. William L. Bamber suc- ceeded to the business, when the present style of the firm was adopted. Mr. Bamber is regarded as an artist in his profession, and some of the finest work as seen at the Cedar Lawn Cemetery and elsewhere emanates from his establishment. As an instance special reference may be made to a monument erected in memory of his father. It is a magnificent piece of sculpture representing a life size figure of Mr. David Bamber in pure white marble, resting on a pedestal ol eight feet in height. It forms one of the great attractions of Cedar Lawn Cemetery. Mr. Bamber gives attention to all kinds of monumental work, and at his atelier may be seen beautiful specimens of monuments, headstones, statuary and memorials, all of tasty designs and embodying artistic conception to a high degree. His studio and workshop is well arranged and equipped with a variety of valuable appliances. A considerable force of artisans are employed all under his personal supervision. It is the aim to furnish strictly first-class work at reasona- ble prices. so that the public taste may be both gratified and educated. An active business is being done, with a tendency to increase. Designs and estimates are supplied whenever required. Mr. Bamber, it may be stated, is a gentleman in the prime of life, a thorough artist and an able business man ; his success is the natural consequence of the manifestation of ability, intelligence and integrity, and the genuine courtesy which is extended to all is another factor of the greatest importance."
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