The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 85

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards
Number of Pages: 1220

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The most delicate part of the process in the man- ufacture of oil-cloth is the printing of it in va- rious colors, which at these works is artistically performed by skilled workmen with blocks in the form of squares. There are two buildings devoted to this department. Number 6, a three-story brick structure, sixty by one hundred and thirty feet, was erected in 1876. The third story of this building is used for printing the cheap grades of goods, and the first and second stories for printing sheet-goods and other better qualities. Building Number 3 is forty by one hundred and twenty teet, and also three stories high, built and arranged for convenience in printing the different grades. Af- ter the various tints are systematically applied and this part of the work completed, the cloth is con- veyed to drying-houses and hung in a vertical po- sition. These buildings are then kept closed and steam-heat is applied, requiring two weeks to com- plete the drying effectively. In building Number 4, thirty-two by one hundred and ten feet, and built in 1870, the lower grades of cloth are dried. In building Number 7, which is built of brick, sixty by one hundred and twenty feet, and two stories high, the better grades of oil-cloth are dried in about two weeks. The capacity of the drying de- partment is very large.

The last building needed by the Messrs. Reeve for the accommodation of their increasing business was erected in 1882-83. It is a substantial and commodious two-story brick structure, with base- ment, sixty by one hundred and thirty feet. It

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THE CITY OF CAMDEN.

contains a conveniently arranged business office on the first floor. In an adjoining apartment the varnishing and finishing of the cloth is done after being thoroughly dried. It is then placed in the storage room to await the time of shipment to the trade and to the Philadelphia office and salesroom at 917 Filbert Street. The extent of these works is shown by the steadily increasing amount of business done, the growth of which is to be fairly attributed to personal attention to details and the adoption of more perfect processes and the reduc- tion in the cost of production brought about by the use of labor-saving machinery.

The Reeve family has been one of the influential families of Southern New Jersey for nearly two hun- dred years ; their ancestor, Mark Reeve, came to America from England with "Fenwick's Colony." He is said to have been possessed of rare mental endowments, and became the owner of large tracts of land in Cumberland County, N. J. He was a member of the Assembly which met in Burlington in 1683-85, was a prominent member of the Society of Friends, and died in 1694. His descendants were among the leading citizens of Southern New Jersey. Wm. Reeve, the grandfather of Richard H., Benja- min C. and Augustus Reeve, was born 11th of 12th Month, 1766, and married Letitia, daughter of Josiah and Letitia Miller, of Mannington, N. J., and had nine children, five of whom were sons, viz., Josiah Miller, William F., Mark M., Richard M. and Emmor Reeve. Josiah M. Reeve, with his two younger brothers, William F. and Emmor, carried on ship-building successfully for a number of years at Alloway, N. J. These three brothers, each, at different times, represented their county (Salem) in the upper house of the State legislature. They also contributed largely to the growth and prosperity of the town of their adoption by erecting large and substantial buildings.

RICHARD H. REEVE, the senior partner of the firm, was born at Alloway, Salem County, N. J., October 5, 1840, and is a son of William F. and Mary W. (Cooper) Reeve, his mother being a daughter of William Cooper, who for more than half a century was one of the best known and most influential citizens of Camden. Mr. Reeve obtained his education in the schools of his native place and at the well-known Westtown Boarding- School, in Chester County, Pa. He afterwards took a commercial course at Crittenden's Business College in Philadelphia, at a time when that insti- tution had attained its greatest popularity and success. In 1862 he engaged in the lumber trade at Alloway and continued in that business there until his removal to Camden, in 1868, to become

associated with his present partner in the manu - facturing establishment which has been described. He and his partner are lineal descendants of a family which for many generations past have been connected by faith and membership with the Society of Friends, both being members of New- ton Meeting.

Mr. Reeve was married, June 3, 1863, to Sallie W. Carpenter, daughter of Samuel P. and Hannah A. Carpenter, her father being a lineal descendant of Samuel Carpenter, once the owner of the site upon which the central part of Camden is built, a con- temporary of William Penn and next to him the most influential of early settlers in Pennsylvania. The children of this marriage are Augustus H., Hannah C., Mary W. and Alice M. Reeve.

Though Mr. Reeve devotes his time almost ex- clusively to his business, his usefulness has been brought into requisition as a director of the Cum- berland National Bank, treasurer of the Camden City Dispensary and a member of the board of managers of Cooper Hospital.

BENJAMIN C. REEVE, the junior partner of the firm of R. H. & B. C. Reeve, was born on September 23, 1844, at Alloway, Salem County. He is a son of Emmor and Prudence B. (Cooper) Reeve, the latter being also the daughter of the late William Cooper, of Coopers Point, Camden. After ob- taining the rudiments of an education at home, Mr. Reeve entered Westtown Boarding-School, in Chester County, Pa., and remained in that excellent institution for a period of three years. He then entered the Polytechnic College, in Phila- delphia, and after completing the entire course was graduated with the class of 1865. Not desir- ing to follow the profession of a civil engineer, for which he prepared, in 1868 he associated himself with his present partner in the establishment of the manufacturing business to which he has since steadily devoted his time and energies. In recog- nition of his success as a business man, a few years ago he was chosen a director in the Camden Safe Deposit Company, and has filled other posi- tions of trust and responsibility. Mr. Reeve was married, October 3, 1877, to Mary R. Carpenter, daughter of Samuel P. and Hannah A. Carpenter, of Salem, N. J. They have two children-Rachel C. and Herbert E. Reeve.

AUGUSTUS REEVE, a leading manufacturer ot Camden for the past twenty years, was born in Alloway, Salem County, N. J., August 31, 1833, and was a son of William F. and Mary W. (Cooper) Reeve, the former a native of Burlington County (though his father was from Cumberland County), and the latter a descendant of William and Mar-

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

garet Cooper, the original settlers of Coopers Point (of whom a sketch appears elsewhere in this work). Both families were members of the Or- thodox Friends. The boy hood of Augustus Reeve was spent in his native town, and his school edu- cation was completed at Haverford College. After he had attained his majority he carried on for some time the lumber business at Allowaytown, and in 1862 went to the Safe Harbor Iron Works, on the Susquehanna River, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where he had charge of the com- pany's store. In 1866 he came to Camden and purchased the Pea Shore Brick Works, now known as the Pea Shore Brick and Terra-Cotta Works. He materially enlarged the manufactur- ing plant from time to time, became a thorough master of the details of the business, and in 1876 added the line of manufacture which made neces- sary the second clause in the title of the manu factory, and began the production of a line of terra-cotta goods which has been constantly in- creased in variety. The manufacture now in- cludes all kinds or grades of red brick, vitrified drain and sewer pipe, terra-cotta pipe in all of its branches, flue pipes, chimney pots, vases, flower pots, rustic hanging baskets, window boxes and many other articles of combined utility and beauty. The works, employing about one hundred men, are upon the Delaware River, four miles above Cam- den, and at Fish-House Station on the Amboy Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, which gives the proprietor excellent advantages for ship- ping goods either by rail or water.

Mr. Reeve is a Republican, but not an active politician. He has been a member of the Camden City Council, but was chosen to that position more because of his being a representative business man than upon any other consideration. He also has been a trustee of the Cooper Hospital from its commencement.

He married, June 25, 1862, Rebecca C., daughter of Isaac H. and Elizabeth H. Wood, of Haddon Hall, Haddonfield. They have four children,- Elizabeth Cooper, William F. (in business with his father), Laura and Charles Gaskell.

FARR & BAILEY, manufacturers of floor oil- cloth, have their works and office at Seventh and Kaighn Avenue. This firm is composed of Sam- uel T. Bailey and his nephew, Edward L. Farr. The family to which they belong has been in the oil-cloth business for four generations. Ezekiel Bailey, grandfather of S. T. Bailey, and great- grandfather of E. L. Farr, began the manufacture of table oil-cloths in Winthrop, Me., about 1825. His seven sons have all been engaged in the busi-

ness. Moses and Charles M. are the most promi- nent of these sons. Samuel T. Bailey was brought up in the family of Charles M. Bailey, his father having died while he was a boy, and for nineteen years was employed in his uncle's store in New York City and the greater part of the time he was manager of it. C. M. Bailey still resides in Win- throp, Me., where he has several large oil-cloth works. Moses Bailey was also engaged in manu- facturing at Winthrop, but about 1872 or 1873 sold his factory to his brother, Charles M. In 1875 he purchased the factory and ground in Camden, now occupied by Farr & Bailey, from a Mr. Eng- lish. He associated with him in the management of the business Lincoln D. Farr, the husband of his niece, adopted daughter and sister of the present S. T. Bailey. From that time until 1883 the business was conducted in the name of Lin- coln D. Farr, under whose management the busi- ness greatly increased. Originally there were four buildings and five more were added by him, mak- ing nine in all, and thus the facilities for manufac- ture were quadrupled. Mr. Bailey retained a silent interest in the business until his death, in 1882. Lincoln D. Farr died in January, 1883, and the business was continued from that time until De- cember, 1884, by his estate, under the management of his son, Edward L. Farr, and Samuel T. Bailey, who had been employed as salesman in New York City. In December, 1884, the present firm was formed. The lot upon which the works are located is four hundred by seven hundred feet, upon which are eighteen principal buildings, six of which are forty by one hundred feet. Of these buildings, six are constructed of brick, the balance of wood. There are three boilers aggregating one hundred and ninety horse-power, with four engines aggre- gating eighty horse-power. The buildings are fitted up with the latest improved machinery. Employment is given to about one hundred men. The weekly production is about twenty-five thou- sand yards of floor oil-cloth. This firm manufac- tures floor oil-cloths, rugs, mats and stair-cloth. The goods are sold in all parts of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains and also in Canada.

. THE FLOOR OIL-CLOTH MANUFACTORY at the corner of Seventh Street and Jefferson was erected and the business established, in 1882, by J. C. Dunn, Jr., & Co. The building is sixty-six by one hundred and twenty-five feet in dimensions and is specially designed for the manufacture of floor oil-cloths from one yard to two and one-half yards in width. The various departments are provided with sizing, rubbing, varnishing, painting and other

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THE CITY OF CAMDEN.

machines used in the business. The full capacity of the factory is nine thousand nine hundred yards of finished cloth weekly, and constant employment is given to thirty-five workmen. The manufactured oil-cloths of this establishment are sold through Philadelphia and New York business houses. In February, 1886, J. C. Dunn, Jr., purchased an additional acre of ground, and, during that year, erected another large two-story building, sixty-two by one hundred and forty feet, which increased the capacity of manufacture, and, when put in operation, furnished employment to eighty work- men.

KAIGHNS POINT OIL-CLOTH WORKS, occupy- ing an acre of ground at Ferry Road and Atlantic Avenue, have been built and put in operation since February, 1886. The main building is of frame, two stories high, and is fifty-four by one hundred and twenty-six feet in dimensions. It is completely fitted up with new machinery, includ- ing sizing, rubbing, coating and varnishing ma- chines. The interior department is used as the drying-room, with ranges, tiers and racks, and in front there are two paint-mills and two feeders, from which the cloth passes to the different dryers as the several coatings are applied. The machin- ery is driven by two engines. The main engine is a twenty-five horse-power, and runs the general machinery and shafting ; a small engine of five horse-power runs the sizing machines. Floor oil- cloth from one yard to two and one-half yards in width is manufactured and shipped to New York and Philadelphia merchants. The proprietor is P. J. Murphy, who has his office at the works. Twenty hands are employed, under the care of John B. Hutchinson as general manager.

.L. B. RANDALL, who for eighteen years has been superintendent of the oil-cloth works of R. H. & B. C. Reeve, of Camden, in 1884 began the manu- facture of oil-cloth and wall-paper blocks, a new invention used in the printing department of oil- cloth and wall-paper manufactories. His place of business is at the corner of West and Washington Streets. His son, Frank H. Randall, has been engaged for a period of twelve years as an employee in the manufacture of oil-cloth, and is now fore- man of the works of which his father is superin- tendent.

WOOLEN AND WORSTED MILLS.

THE LINDEN WORSTED MILLS, one of the largest and most productive manufacturing establishments of its kind in the Middle States, is situated on the square bounded by Broadway, Fourth, Win- slow and Jefferson Streets, in South Camden. The enterprising proprietors of this industry are How-

land Croft and Herbert Priestly, who, in 1885, pur- chased the building which they now occupy, en- larged it and fitted it up for the manufacture of worsted yarns. The machinery used is of the best improved kind, being nearly all entirely new. The arrangements and surroundings of their establish- ment are admirably suited for the purposes de- signed, and the facilities for the production of worsted yarns of fine quality is equal to that of any worsted-mill in America. The senior proprietor, Mr. Croft, under whose intelligent and skillful management it has attained such vast proportions, is a thoroughly practical manufacturer, having been continuously engaged in the business since he first entered a worstered-mill as an employee in his native country, England, thirty-years ago. The Linden Mill is substantially built of brick, four stories high, and situated in the centre of a large plot of ground which is also the property of the firm. The numerous windows in the mill admit a plentiful supply of light into all the departments, and the heating accommodations are well arranged. Excellent fire apparatus is connected with the mill, with a line of hose on each floor and a water- tank on the top of the tower, so that in the case of accidental fire, it could be quickly extinguished by the appliances at ready command. Adjoining the large mill is a wool warehouse, in which twenty- two wool-sorters are occupied in handling the finest domestic and Australian wool that can be obtained and preparing and arranging it for the wool-washing process. The washing and carding of the wool is done on the first floor of the large mill, and adjoining this department is the engine- room, containing a compound Corliss engine of four hundred horse-power, which is used as the motor to run the extensive machinery.

After the wool is washed and carded it is con- veyed to the combing department on the second story, where there are eleven combing-machines, nine of which are new. Here the wool is care- fully combed and prepared for the drawing depart- ment, located on the third floor, where four large drawing-machines perform the delicate operation of drawing out the top from the combed wool into rooving and preparing it for spinning. In the fourth story the wonderfully interesting operation of spinning and twisting the yarn is done, with the vast number of seven thousand spindles upon an intricate combination of machinery, which, when moving, is interesting to behold. The last operation is that of reeling and spooling the yarn, the production of which, at this mill, ranges from 20s to 100s. The manufactured wool made by Croft & Priestly is sold throughout the Middle and

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

New England States. The weekly consumption of wool is twenty-five thousand pounds, and four hundred men and women are regularly employed at the Linden Mills.

HOWLAND CROFT, the active head and senior proprietor of the industry just described, was born January 16, 1839, at Wilsden, in Yorkshire, Eng- land, and is a son of John and Hannah Howland Croft. His father was a coachman for Major Benjamin Farrand, a large land-owner of that country. His mother is of Scotch descent, as the name indicates. Young Croft became an orphan at the early age of three years, when his father was fatally injured by being thrown from a horse, and the boy was placed upon his own resources to gain a livelihood. As soon as he was large enough to perform manual labor he was employed in a wor- sted-mill in his native place, spending one-half the day in school and the other half in the mill, until he arrived at the age of twelve years, when he de- voted full time to his work in the mill, and con- tinued thus employed until he was seventeen. Being an active boy and quick to learn the busi- ness, he then went to the town of Farsley, in York- shire, and took charge of a small factory, and while there met Mr. Briggs Priestly, father of his present partner, now a member of the English Parliament, and a large manufacturer and land-owner of Brad- ford, England. Mr. Croft remained in that position until 1867; in the meantime the mill was enlarged. During that year he concluded to come to America. He located in Philadelphia, and immediately there- after became superintendent of one of the depart- ments of the worsted-mill of John and William Yewdell, then the only manufactory of its kind in that city. After an engagement of three weeks he was sent by his employers to England to purchase improved machinery for their enlarged mill, and upon his return he brought his family with him. After an engagement of two years in the employ mentioned, Mr. Croft was solicited by George Camp- bell to superintend the establishment and manage- ment of a new worsted-mill at Twenty-first Street and Washington Avenue, Philadelphia, which soon developed to be the largest worsted manufactory in the city. He continued in that responsible position and built up the interests of his employer until 1879, when he retired from the position, went to England to purchase machinery for a new wor- sted-mill to be located at Front Street and Linden, in Camden, and of which, upon returning, he became the senior proprietor, under the firm name of Croft, Midgely & Rommel, who operated the first worsted-mill in New Jersey. This partner- ship existed for two and a half years. In 1884 Mr.

Croft purchased the interest of his partners and called in as his new partner Mr. Herbert Priestly, and formed the present firm of Croft & Priestly, and they also operated a mill in Philadelphia, along with the Camden mill. In 1885 the firm of Croft & Priestly disposed of their other mills and pur- chased the one which they now own and operate.

Mr. Croft was married, in 1859, in Farsley, Eng- land, to Mary Granger, daughter of William Granger, of that town. By this marriage were born eight children, six of whom-Annie, John William, Miranda, Clara, George and Samuel- are now living. John William, the eldest son, is engaged with his father in business. The two youngest sons are attending school near Harrow- gate, in England.

A. PRIESTLEY & Co., during the year 1886, es- tablished a mill for the manufacture of worsted suitings at the corner of Broadway and Jefferson Street, in South Camden. This enterprising firm, composed of Arthur Priestley and Herbert Bot- tomley, for five years previously had operated a mill in the manufacture of the same kind of goods at Second Street and Columbia Avenue, in Phila- delphia. Obtaining the eligible location which they now occupy, they erected a weaving shed of brick, two hundred and five by ninety-one feet, which has a capacity of one hundred and sixty- eight broad looms. The present plant contains forty broad looms, which will soon be increased to seventy-two. These, with the finishing and other machinery necessary to the production of the manufactured goods, will occupy the capacity of the present shed. When all the space is thus taken up, the firm contemplate erecting an addi- tional mill for the machinery and filling up the shed now used with the looms. The mill has been put into operation and will in a very short time, by the completion of the plans already formulated, be one of the most important industries in Cam- den, and will employ a large number of workmen.

THE CAMDEN WOOLEN-MILLS COMPANY on State Street near Coopers Creek. This is a corpo- ration which was organized in December, 1882, with Henry Bottomley, president; John T. Bottom- ley, treasurer ; William M. Capp, secretary ; and S. B. Stitt & Co., selling agents. They operate the Camden woolen-mills, which were built in 1863, and of which Henry Bottomley was then superintendent aud S. B. Stitt treasurer. The buildings, ten in number, are built of fine bricks and include the mill proper, three hundred by fifty-two feet, half of which is three stories in height, the other half two stories ; an L extension three stories high, ninety by thirty-three feet;

Howland Groft

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THE CITY OF CAMDEN.

engine-house, boiler-house, two dye-houses, one dry-house, one picker-house, one raw stock ware- house and one warehouse for finished goods. There are also thirty-nine tenement-houses of two and three stories in height upon the property. The total area occupied is about seven acres. Many kinds of cloth, both woolen and worsted, for men's and women's wear, are manufactured. These mills are favorably known to the trade and have a wide- spread reputation for superior equipments in machinery and for the superiority of the goods produced. The improved and automatic machin- ery supplied to the mills include sixteen sets of cards and one hundred and two broad looms, with other necessary machines for woolens and worsteds. The motive force is furnished by a high-pressure Corliss engine of two hundred and fifty horse- power, which is run by six cylinder and two steel tubular boilers. There are three hundred and seventy-seven employees constantly at work. The products are sold through S. B. Stitt & Co., whose offices are located at No. 221 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, and No. 49 Leonard Street, New York City.

HIGHLAND WORSTED-MILLS are at Ninth and State Streets and on Coopers Creek. They were built by a company in 1884. This company was incorporated early in the year 1884 with S. B. Stitt as president; John T. Bottomley, treasurer ; William M. Capp, secretary ; and Henry Bottom- ley, agent. The mills cover an area of four hun- dred and fifty by one hundred and fifty feet, and include one large four-story mill, engine and boiler- house, store-house and office, all of hrick. These buildings were specially designed and constructed by the company with every improvement suggested by the highest style of architecture and with every precaution against destruction by fire, being pro- tected by automatic water-pipes as a safeguard. The company is yet in its infancy and only a portion of the mills is in operation. Two large operating-rooms, two hundred by sixty feet, have recently been furnished with new and improved machines, which will enable the company to man- ufacture more than triple the amount previously produced. In the original building there were in running order nine carding-machines, six combing- machines, three sets of drawing-machines and forty-four hundred spindles, which produce worsted yarns of all kinds known to the trade. The en- tire machinery is driven by a compound condensing Corliss engine of five hundred horse-power, run by two Galloway boilers of three hundred horse- power each. The draught-stack for these boilers is one hundred and eighty-three feet high and six

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The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 85

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928 Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards Number of Pages: 1220

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards
Number of Pages: 1220