Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 53

Author: Curtis, Gates
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1328

USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 53
USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people: a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 53

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and inaugurator of the talc industry. The colonel having been in the service of the Agalite Fiber Company, as superintendent of its mining operations, withdrew from its employ in June, 1877, and soon after an- nounced the discovery of the genuine fibrous talc on the Brayton farm at Freemansburg, town of Edwards, which has since proven such a big "bonanza." Having secured by lease the mineral rights of the farm (which he subsequently purchased), he tried, for a time, in vain to find a man of means who would put up capital against his valuable find and help open and develop mines.

December 26, 1877, the colonel entered into a written agreement with John S. Honeycomb of Gouverneur, in which he covenanted to assign a share in his lease in case he should induce a capitalist to fur- nish sufficient money to develop the business. Heneycomb secured the co- operation of S. B. Van Duzee of Gouverneur, who agreed to furnish the money required, and articles of incorporation were formed and filed May 7, 1879, under the name of the "Gouverneur Pulp Company," with Henry Palmer, president ; S. B. Van Duzee, treasurer; and John S. Honeycomb, secretary ; each of the three incorporators owning one- third of the capital stock.

So modest were their ideas and ambitions at the start, that they con- sidered the very limited quarters first used by McCrea & Menden am- ple for the requirements of the proposed business. The basement of the Starbuck & McCarty planing mill was refitted and when in "full blast," about two tons per day of marketable material was pro- duced by simply grinding the crude talc with ordinary buhr stones.

The business, which was a success from the start, grew so rapidly that the company was unable to fill the demand, and arrangements were soon completed for enlarging the business. Thirty acres of land, with a fine water power, were purchased one and one-half miles up the Oswegatchie River, and in December following a splendid new mill was in operation and turning out an average product of twenty tons per day. The business prospered and in 1882 was purchased by, and consolidated with the

Adirondac Pulp Company. In 1880 Amasa Corbin, jr., A, G. Gillett, L. M. Gardner and Samuel Graves, all of Gouverneur, organized the " Gouverneur Talc Company," and erected a fine mill on the Oswe-

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

gatchie River, one mile south of Hailesboro, town of Fowler. After continuing the business with marked success this plant was sold to the Adirondac Pulp Company. The latter company continued the business until 1893, when it also became a part of the great International Pulp Company.

Mr. John Manning, a prominent paper manufacturer of Troy, N. Y., who was identified for many years with the Adirondac Pulp Company, is largely interested in the International Pulp Company, and is one of its directors.

St. Lawrence Pulp Company .- In 1884 Messrs. M. Belding, G. H. Kenedy, W. B. Putney, and Austin Stevens purchased of Fred Haile twenty acres of land, on which was good water power, between Gouver- neur and Hailesboro, and after organizing the "St. Lawrence Fiber Pulp Company," erected a magnificent mill. Having the benefit of all past experience in the talc business, this company profited by the experi- mental knowledge of all who had preceded them, and in erecting their mill so combined the excellence of all as to earn the reputation of hav- ing the " Model Mill." Their talc was obtained from newly discovered mines south of Fullersville, town of Edwards. Their finished product did not prove to be suitable for the paper trade. They tried foliated talc with the same result. Financial embarrassments arose and the prop- erty was sold under mortgage foreclosure. The company was reor- ganized under the name of the "St. Lawrence Pulp Company." Ma- terial for grinding was now obtained from the Freemansburg territory, and business proceeded in a profitable manner until 1893, when it was merged in the " International Company."

All parties closely connected with the "St. Lawrence " are largely interested in the "International," and their views and experience have due weight in its councils.

The Gardner Pulp Company .- In 1880 Capt. W. L. Palmer, of Ro- chester, N. Y., was instrumental in organizing the " Northern New York Manufacturing Company." The parties interested were Captain Pal- mer, " Arch " Kennedy, and Donald McNaughton, of Rochester, N. Y., Josephus Collett, of Terre Haute, Ind., Hon. Leslie J. Russell, Wm. H. Kimball, and Milton Packard, of Canton, N. Y.

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THE TOWN OF GOUVERNEUR.

The company purchased land and erected a steam power mill, with a daily capacity of fifteen tons, near the R. W. & O. R. R. track on the west side of Gouverneur village. Talc for grinding was obtained from the Woodcock farm in Fowler and adjoining the Abner Wright prem- ises. The mill was started and run but a short time when, by lack of unity of business sentiment, the mill was shut down and remained closed until 1892, when L. M. Gardner, of Gouverneur, purchased the prop- erty, repaired the mill, and after increasing its capacity to twenty tons per day, started the works the following September. Soon thereafter Mr. Gardner sold a half interest to Josephus Collett, of Terre Haute, Ind., and a quarter interest to Wm. Whitney, of Gouverneur. After running the business but a short time Gardner purchased Collett's half, and by selling another quarter interest to Whitney they became joint and equal owners of the business. In December, 1893, the entire plant, including mines and mineral rights, were purchased by A. S. Bigelow and L. M. Hair, of Rochester, N. Y., F. H. Munson and F. W, Streeter, of Water- town, N. Y., and A. L. McCrea, jr., and L. M. Gardner, of Gouverneur. Upon a reorganization the company name was changed to the " Gard- ner Pulp Company." The officers are : A. L. McCrea, jr., president ; F. H. Munson, vice-president ; and F. W. Streeter, secretary and treas- urer. The company is doing a fine business, and have extensive mines on the Abner Wright farm, town of Fowler, being the original mines of the Agalite Fibre Company, which were the first mines that were suc- cessfully worked. Having sunk these mines to a considerable depth the nature of the material has changed to a fibrous character, and im- proves in quality and value as greater depths are reached.

The Gardner Pulp Company's mill was completely destroyed by fire March 5, 1894. As this company owns a fine waterpower on the Oswe- gatchie River and has ample financial ability, it is safe to predict that, with the well known enterprise of the owners, it is more than probable that they will soon erect a new mill that will stand second to none in completeness and capacity.

The United States Talc Company was organized March 30, 1891. Its officers are : Newton Aldrich, president ; F. M. Burdick, vice-presi- dent; and W. R. Dodge, secretary and treasurer, all of Gouverneur.

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

Their plant is located seven miles south of Gouverneur on the Oswe- gatchie River, town of Edwards, and consists of seventy-five acres of land, covering both sides of the river ; a magnificent water power with a fall of twenty-six and one half feet ; a sixteen cylinder mill with a capacity of sixty tons of finished product per day. Both mill and power are fully equal to a daily output of 100 tons, to which capacity the mill is soon to be increased.

This mill, which was constructed in 1893-4, combines all improve- ments which past experience in the business have proven desirable. The mill is so situated, with reference to the adjacent high land, that the crude talc rock goes in at the top and is carried downward by the inexpensive force of gravity, through the various processes of manufact- ure, from floor to floor until it reaches the bottom a completely finished product, sacked and ready for shipment on the cars of the G. & O. R. R., a branch of which runs to their doors. These works are located at a railroad station known as Dodgeville, and named in honor of Mr. W. R. Dodge, one of the active promoters of this splendid enterprise. The company has erected nine commodious dwellings, convenient to the mills, for the occupancy of some of its employees. The company's full force consists of fifty-five men.

The American Talc Company was incorporated in 1891, Its officers are : C. C. Gray, president ; C. P. Darling, secretary and treasurer ; and F. G. Wallis, general superintendent. A fine mill was erected in 1892-3, equipped with all modern improvements, and is located on the famous Balmat farm in the town of Fowler, one and one-half miles southeast of Little York and seven miles south of Gouverneur. The power is steam, supplied by a battery of boilers, which runs a fine Cor- liss condensing engine. The company's mining rights cover 200 acres, and the talc outcroppings indicate an unlimited supply of the foliated variety which grows more fibrous as the mines increase in depth. A chemical analysis of their talc shows a remarkable freedom from iron and carbonates, and contains from thirty six to eighty per cent. of mag- nesia. The mills have a daily capacity of thirty tons, the usual force of men employed is forty when in full operation.

In connection with the mines now open, which are near the mills, is a storing shed with a capacity of 6,000 tons of crude rock, which is

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THE TOWN OF GOUVERNEUR.

conveyed to the mills, a distance of 350 feet, in cars operated by a cable. The mill machinery includes two Blake crushers, three buhr-stone mills, and three Alsing pulverizing cylinders.

The Asbestos Pulp Company was incorporated in April, 1892, with the following officers : E. M. Upton, of Charlotte, N. Y., president ; M. Doyle, of Rochester, N. Y., vice-president ; A. H. Green, of Rochester, treasurer ; and H. S. Predmore, of Gouverneur, secretary.

This company was organized for the purpose of buying out and com- bining the partnership known as the "Gouverneur Asbestos Pulp Company " and the L M. Gardner mill and mines at Freemansburg.

In 1891 L. M. Gardner, of Gouverneur, who owned a grand water power and had developed what is known as the Gardner or Gid Free man talc mines at Freemansburg, erected a first class talc mill equipped with four large sized Alsing pulverizing cylinders and other necessary machinery for producing twenty-five tons of finished product per day. This plant and mines were transferred to the Asbestos Pulp Company in February, 1892.

In 1891 A. L. McCrea, jr., and James M. Sparks, of Gouverneur, F. W. Streeter and " Frank " Munson, of Watertown, N. Y., who com- prised a company known as the Gouverneur Asbestos Pulp Company, purchased the Abbott woolen mills at Hailesboro' and fitted them up as a talc mill, with a capacity of twenty tons per day. The mill had been in operation but a short time when the plant and business was, in April, 1892, sold to the Asbestos Pulp Company. This company also purchased of "Fred " Haile a lease which he held of the original and therefore famous Col. Palmer mine at Freemansburg.

By improvements in mines and mills this company has increased their output to over fifty tons per day, employing about fifty men.

International Pulp Company .- This company was organized early in 1893 by capitalists of New York city, who count their wealth by figures of such dazzling dimensions as to make the denizens of old St. Law- rence county dizzy when attempting to comprehend the real meaning of so many millions. The officers are: Augustus G. Paine, president ; H. Walter Webb, treasurer; Alfred Rindskopf, secretary ; C. R. Dimond, jr., manager ; and A. J. McDonald, of Gouverneur, superin- tendent.

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

The company's New York city office is No. 79 Times Building ; its superintendent's office is in the Union Hall building, Gouverneur, N.Y. Its directors are : Chauncy M. Depew, H. Walter Webb, George H. Daniels, John A. Manning, J. Touro Robertson, Theo W. Bayard, L. C. Fuller, Thomas L. James, John W. Welch, Augustus G. Paine, Edgar Van Etten, Alfred Rindskopf and Wm, J. Arkell, mostly of New York city.

The organization of this company resulted in the consolidation of the mining preperties and milling plants of four of the largest and most successful concerns in the talc business up to the time of such consoli- dation, viz. : Natural Dam Pulp Company, Agalite Fibre Company, Adirondack Pulp Company, and St. Lawrence Pulp Company.

The mining territory and mineral rights acquired cover a sufficient portion of the fibrous talc district, so far as at present known, as to practically insure an unlimited quantity of the unmined material. The milling plant consists of six large and well equipped mills, with a pres- ent capacity of not less than 200 tons per day, and which with the company's unused water powers can be made equal to any demand that is likely to be made upon them. The number of men now employed by this company averages 260 daily.

Since taking possession of these various properties the company has connected all of its mines and mills with the Gouverneur and O. R. R. by spurs and trestles, thus minimizing the expense of handling both the crude material and finished product. Their mills have been submitted to the most critical inspection of practical and scientific experts, with a view to adding to their efficiency, both as to output and quality of marketable material. Large warehouses have been erected at each mill for storing any surplus above present demand, so their milling opera- tions may be continuous. While these changes and improvements have entailed an enormous expense, the cost is justified by the fact that the average expense of production is lessened and the output increased.

We have learned from a reliable source that it is the intention of the International Company to take up other industries in the near future, and thus utilize several valuable waterpowers on the Oswegatchie River which this company owns but which are now lying idle. Those who are at all familiar with the business habits of the officers and directors

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THE TOWN OF GOUVERNEUR.

of this company consider it of the utmost advantage to this section that their energy, experience and great wealth have been brought to bear upon the development of the almost limitless natural mineral resources of this portion of St. Lawrence county.

Talc Mining .- This mineral, whose presence is indicated through a wide district by talcose tracings, crops out on the surface in many lo- calities in the towns of Fowler and Edwards. The great talc find in Freemansburg was uncovered many years ago by the grading down of a rocky side hill for a roadway, and was heedlessly passed over by hoof and wheel until 1877, when the trained eye of the veteran miner, Col. Henry Palmer, appreciated its value and thereby laid the foundation of the handsome fortune which he had accumulated before his death.

Talc exists in veins which sometimes grow to a vast deposit ; often the vein pinches out to very small proportions and then expands into "pockets " of great and small dimensions.

Talc is mined by drilling and blasting and the product when broken to a suitable size for handling, is hoisted to the surface by the various devices used in raising ores, sometimes by horse power, but generally by machinery whose motive power is steam.

The depth of talc veins are not known. Some of the mines that have been longest worked have reached a depth of 350 feet, the material growing finer and more valuable as the mine increases in depth.

Different Kinds of Talc .- In the fibrous variety the fiber permeates every part of the material, being devoid of grit and soft enough to be readily sawed or cut. It is readily reduced to the consistency of flour by grinding with the ordinary buhr stones. The foliated kind is com- posed of an infinite series of micaceous scales which so successfully re- sists the action of the stones that no matter how it is ground it retains its scaly condition, only the scales are smaller.

Process of Manufacture .- In many respects a talc mill is constructed on a plan quite similar to an ordinary flouring mill, with hoppers, buhr stones, elevators, etc. Talc is brought to the mill in the shape and size of rough stone used by masons in constructing foundation walls. It is first reduced to a size that will admit its being put through a stone crusher, whose ponderous jaws mash it to the maximum size of a robin's egg. Then it goes to the hopper, and by one or more grindings is re-

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

duced to a powder similar to flour in appearance. Fibrous talc can be made fit for some purposes by the grinding process alone. But the finer grades are bolted to rid them of impurities, then conveyed by ele- vators to the floor on which the cylinders are located.

Alsing Pulverizing Cylinders .- These cylinders had formerly been used for reducing silica and other refractory materials to an impalpa- ble powder for pottery purposes. The Agalite Fiber Company, having to deal with foliated talc, was the first to introduce the cylinders, which proving a perfect success ; the example in this regard has been followed by all other companies.

The cylinders are made of cast iron, strongly bolted together. They are from six to eight feet long, six to eight feet in diameter, lined with thick porcelain brick, also having chilled-iron heads. The cylinders, each having a " man-hole " for filling and emptying, are filled about one-third full of the hardest known pebbles or flint stones, averaging one and one-half inches in diameter, which are brought from the coast of Labrador. The cylinders are then nearly filled with talc, from the buhr stones, and the "man- hole " is securely fastened. The cylinders are hung by means of a pinion at each end, so they can be revolved by machinery, and in from three to five hours after starting, the most stub- born material is reduced to a suitable condition for market.

Uses and Market of the Product .- Although this industry is still in its infancy the product is already known and used in varying quantities almost around the globe. Orders are received and talc is shipped from Gouverneur to Enland, Germany, Spain, Italy, Russia, all over Europe, and even to far distant India. It is principally used as a filler in the manufacture of paper. Being very heavy it has largely taken the place of the various clays both as a filler and a make-weight by paper makers. It is largely used as an adulterant of white lead, and undoubtedly finds its way into many articles of general use where its presence is neither suspected nor detected. It is extensively used in pharmacy for pow- ders, cosmetics, also in making various kinds of soap. Much is used by pill manufacturers for coating, but as it is not deleterious to the hu- man system, there is little if any danger from its use as an adulterant.

The Press .- Although several attempts had been made to establish a newspaper in Gouverneur, nothing was actually accomplished in this

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THE TOWN OF GOUVERNEUR.

direction until 1849, when, in April, W. M. Goodrich and M. Wilson issued the first number of the Northern New Yorker. It was a credit- able paper, but passed into the hands of Nelson Bruet & Company, and was discontinued in 185 1.

On the 20th of July, 1852, a paper called The Laborer was issued by Martin Mitchell, of Fowler, but after a time he secured an assistant, Mr. Mason, when the name of the paper was changed to the Free Press. Harley Mitchell afterwards succeeded Mr. Mason, and the title was made The St. Lawrence Free Press. In 1854, when it appeared an impossible task to make a newspaper self-supporting in the place, J. J. Emmes, of Hammond, assumed the control of the enterprise and endeavored to form an organization to liquidate the indebtedness and raise a fund for future emergency. While considerable sums were subscribed to this fund, they were not at all realized, and after a short time the whole venture was abandoned. The next effort to establish a paper here was made in 1864, when F. E. Merritt, who had started The Times in Sandy Creek, Oswego county, was induced to remove to Gouverneur. He came in July and called his paper the Gouverneur Times. This paper was, April 1, 1880, sold to The Herald, which then became The Herald- Times

The Gouverneur Herald was established April 10 1873. It had several owners within a short time and was then purchased by H. C. Reynolds, who continued until November, 1874, when Frank L. Cox purchased a half interest. Mr. Cox went out of the firm October 28, 1878, his half interest being purchased by Jesse T. Reynolds, who now became its editor. Prior to this the paper had been neutral in politics, now it became uncompromisingly Republican. At this time the Her- ald's circulation was about 900, but with the vigorous and spicy edi- torials of the new editor it rapidly gained both popularity and patronage.

April 1, 1880, the Times was consolidated with the Herald, making it the Herald Times, and thus adding about 300 to its circulation. That the paper was now ably managed was demonstrated by the fact that its circulation, which became general throughout St. Lawrence county, continually grew until it reached a little over 5,000 (being the largest ever reached by any county newspaper in Northern New York).

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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.

May 10, 1887, H G. Reynolds became its sole owner, and continued its management until May 23, 1892, when he sold it to R. S. Sackett, who consolidated it with the Northern Tribune.

The Northern Tribune was established in 1887 by Prof. M. R. Sack- ett. Meanwhile the Free Press had been started, and it was clear enough that Gouverneur had more newspapers than could be supported. This state of affairs resulted in May, 1892, in the consolidation of the Tribune with the Herald- Times. The name of the new publication was made the Northern Tribune and Gouverneur Herald- Times, as at pres- ent. The name of the organization is. the Gouverneur Publishing Company, which was properly capitalized. M. R. Sackett is secretary of the company and editor of the paper. The paper is Republican in politics and is ably conducted, having a circulation of over 4,000.

The Gouverneur Free Press was established in March, 1882, by B. G. Parker, who is still the editor and proprietor of the paper. Mr. Parker is a practical printer, having learned his trade in Gouverneur, and at nineteen years of age started the Norwood News, which he pub- lished five years. He has made the Free Press a recognized authority and influence in Republican politics and given it a circulation of about 4,000.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.

Baptist Church .- The first church organization in the town was ef- fected on the 18th of February, 1811, when a committee of three per- sons of the First Baptist church of Hartford, Washington county, N.Y., namely, Elder Amasa Brown, Timothy Atwood, and Eli Carrington, met at the house of Isaac Austin and organized the First Baptist church with eighteen members. Jonathan Payne was appointed deacon and soon afterward was licensed to preach, and ordained as the first pastor. The church joined the association in 1812. Mr. Payne continued pas- tor until 1816, from which date until 1825 there was no settled minister, but the church was supplied most of the time by various elders and licentiates. For eleven years meetings were held in dwellings, barns, or in the school-house, but in 1822 the first church building was erected. This was a plain wooden structure and was used until 1850, when it was sold to James Spencer and removed, and the present church erected

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on the site. The church has been prosperous during most of its his- tory and now has a membership of more than two hundred, with a largely attended Sabbath school. The present pastor is Donald Dun- can Munro, who came January 1, 1890. The society is prosperous and the attendance large. A Baptist church was in existence at North Gouv- erneur from about 1840 for a short time; was reorganized in 1859, but disbanded nearly twenty years ago.

Congregational Church .- As before stated, meetings of this denomi - nation were the first held in the new settlements, which were continued for several years without a formal organization. The first regular or- ganization of the society took place in May, 1817, under direction of Rev. Nathaniel Dutton, of Champion, Jefferson county, with fourteen members, eight were received on profession of faith. On the 27th of July the sacraments were first administered by Mr. Dutton, when ten more, on profession of faith, united with the church. The church was legally incorporated April 13, 1820, with the following as trustees : John Spencer, Richard Kimball, William Cleghorn, William Colton, Rockwell Barnes, and James Parker. Prior to this time the members had met in the school house, or in their dwellings and barns ; but when the organization was perfected, a beginning was made upon a church. It progressed far enough that year for occupancy by January, 1821, and Rev. James Murdock, the first regular pastor, began his service. The house, a plain but convenient meeting place, costing, $1,400, was completed in 1824. This building was occupied about twenty years, when a second and large edifice was erected, and dedicated August 29, 1844, costing $3,500. Several years later it was considerably enlarged, the school-room improved, and a parsonage built. A few Presbyteri- ans at first united in the formation of the church. Their numbers were greatly increased during the succeeding years by the Scotch Presby- terians who had settled in that vicinity, when the society became known as the " Presbyterian Congregational Church." The time arrived when it became necessary to repair and refurnish the church. and it was in- timated that if the name was changed to Presbyterian, the means to make the repairs would readily be furnished. Therefore a meeting was called to act upon the proposition. The Congregational element had been greatly weakened by the formation of a second church of that de-

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Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York, Part 53

Author: Curtis, Gates Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1328

Author: Curtis, Gates
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1328