USA > Rhode Island > Biographical history of the manufacturers and business men of Rhode Island, at the opening of the twentieth century > Part 22
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E. S. Mclaughlin & Co .- Manufacturers of a general line of electro-plated jewelry. Busi- ness established in 1889 in the city of Pawtucket, and after carrying on the business there for a few years they moved their plant to Providence, locating on Stewart street, but soon after moved to the present location at 157 Orange street. Employ about 50 hands. Edward S. McLaugh- lin, General Manager.
Hamilton & Hamilton, Jr .- Manufacturers of a great variety of gold filled chains, sterling silver goods, etc. Business established in 1871 by R. S. Hamilton, Ralph S. Hamilton and George C. Hunt. Em- ploy about 175 hands. Works located at 7 Eddy street, Provi- dence.
Joseph W. Grant.
American Ball Co. - Manufacturers of steel balls for ball bearings. Business actively established in 1901. Incorporat- ed in 1900. Works located at the corner of Eagle street and Kinsley avenue, Providence. Officers: W. Penn Mather, of the Queen Dyeing Co., President; W. S. Friedlander, Vice- President; William T. Eyer, Treas - urer and Secre- tary. About 60 hands are now employed by the company.
Combination Overall and Garment Co. - Man- ufacturers of patent overalls, cycle suits, pajamas, etc. Business established in 1901 by J. M. Welch and M. N. Cartier. Incorporated in 1901. Capitalized for $25,000. Employ 25 hands. Works located at 223 Harrison street, Providence. Officers: John M. Welch, Presi- dent; M. N. Cartier, Treasurer.
Welch & Co .- Manufacturers of lace and knit curtains, art goods, and dry goods specialties. Business established in 1898 by J. M. Welch. Incorporated in 1899. Capitalized for $50,000. Employ 50 hands. Works located at 223 Harri- son street, Providence. John M. Welch, President.
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AND BUSINESS MEN OF RHODE ISLAND.
BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND.
Outside of its ship building interests, cotton goods and rubber productions of recent years, the town of Bristol has not been known as much of a manufacturing centre. The town has, how- ever, had its share of work in helping to make up a creditable manufacturing record for the State of Rhode Island. Like nearly all of the other Rhode Island towns, Bristol began with her grist mills, and for want of water power, she made use of the strong breezes that came hurrying over Mt. Hope Bay from old Ocean, by numerous wind mills that were erected in different parts of the town, the first of which appears to have been built about 1680 by Major John Walley. In 1707 or 1709 Col. Byfield
when Bourne & Wardwell built the fourth one where the Namquit Mill now stands. At one time there were five distilleries in Bristol turn- ing molasses into rum, which was shipped to Africa, and which tradition says was used to pay for slaves which were brought over to Cuba and sold in the Southern States. For many years this was one of the most important indus- tries of the town. There were tanneries located in the town, which did quite a large business. One was located on Tanyard Lane, now Woodland avenue, and another on the water front on the site now occupied by the Herreshoff Mfg. Co. Philo V. Cady and James Stetson manufactured cigars in the town for a number of years. Oil works for the refining of whale oil existed here in 1830 and for many years afterwards, where
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Water Front and Harbor, Bristol, R, I.
built a grist mill, which was a tide-mill on the Papoosesquaw Road. Wind mills have been made use of in grinding Bristol corn from that time on until as late as 1850, Thomas Lindsay being the last owner of such a mill, which was situated on Fort Hill, about a half mile from the centre of the present village of Bristol. Along about 1740 rope walks began to be estab- lished here, the first walk being the public street. In 1747 Peck & Potter were the owners of a large rope walk, but Tilley's walk on Wood street was the largest of all, employing some seventy hands. Samuel Sparks was the owner of the last rope walk, which was located on Constitution street. Some time prior to the beginning of the rope manufacture, a distillery had been erected in the town, and a second one had been built in 1751. Prior to 1792 a third still had been established on Thames street,
sperm candles were also manufactured. William B. Spooner afterwards refined petroleum. A sugar refinery was established on Thames street, where the oil works were located, and Norris & Barnes were the first owners in 1849. The business was later sold out to another company which enlarged the plant, and later the works were carried on under the name of the Phenix Sugar Refinery, operating the plant as late as 1870. The same building was sold to the Provi- dence Shade Roller Co. which carried on the shade roller business for a few years and then closed the factory, which is now occupied by the Bristol County Gas and Electric Co. Major Ambrose E. Burnside began the manufacture of breech-loading rifles in Bristol, and the works being destroyed by fire he erected a building on Burnside street, which afterwards became the property of the Herreshoff Mfg. Co. The
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF THE MANUFACTURERS
manufacture of rifles closed about 1857. Butts, hinges and castings were made here in the town from 1844 to 1852. The oakum works, which were located on what is now Munro avenue, were burned in 1858. The Pokanoket Cotton Mills were built in 1839 and burned in 1856. Capt. John Norris was the treasurer of the com- pany and they manufactured cotton goods. The mill was rebuilt and sold to the Reynolds Mfg. Co., which company made sheetings, and was afterwards turned into a yarn mill. The factory is now owned by the Cranston Worsted Mills. Shipbuilding has for a number of years been one of the important industries. Among the early owners of shipyards were Stanton & Skinner and Thompson Brothers, who built schooners, brigs and barges. Later the Her- reshoffs and Saunders & West have brought the business down to the present year, although the latter concern has removed to Warren, R. I. Both concerns have built some remarkable boats, but the Herreshoffs have given the town and State a world-wide reputation for building the fastest yachts that have ever been produced at home or abroad, and their torpedo boats and crafts of other kinds have proven equally fast for their class. Following these came the National India Rubber Co., which was estab- lished by Ex-Governor Bourn in 1864, the larg- est manufacturing plant in the town. The Namquit Mill, established about 1840, the By- field Rubber Co., and the Cranston Worsted Mills, which, with the ship yards of the Herres- hoffs, make the town one of our principal manu- facturing centres.
Herreshoff Manufacturing Co .- Builders of steam yachts, torpedo boats, launches, high speed marine engines, and tubular boilers. Busi- ness established in 1861. Incorporated in 1879. Employ about 250 hands when the works are running to their full extent. Officers: John B. Herreshoff, President and Treasurer; N. G. Herreshoff, Superintendent; C. W. Young, Secretary. Works located in Bristol, R. I. The machine shops and designing rooms, which occupy three large buildings a few hundred feet from the harbor front, are thoroughly equipped with all kinds of machinery and every appliance necessary in the manufacture of boats and marine engines and boilers. There are two large boat houses or erecting shops on the har- bor, where all of the famous yachts have been
built that have successfully defended the America's Cup for many years, which include the Vigilant, Defender, Columbia and Consti- tution. The Constitution, which was built to defend the America's Cup against Sir Thomas Lipton's Shamrock II., 1901, did not develop enough speed to outsail' the Columbia during the trial races off Newport, and consequently the Columbia was again chosen by the Com- mittee of the New York Yacht Club to defend the cup a second time. It is the belief among yachtsmen that the reason the Constitution did not develop more speed was owing to her bad suit of sails. She outsailed the Columbia on several occasions, but the Columbia proved the better boat in the series of trial races. The company have built a large number of yachts of various sizes, that have become famous for their speed. They have also built torpedo boats for the U. S. Government.
Cranston Worsted Mills .- Manufacturers of worsted, mohair and novelty yarns. Business established in Cranston, R. I., in 1886 and in- corporated the same year. Capitalized for $ 100,000. Mills now located on Thames street and the harbor front, in Bristol, R. I. Employ 200 hands. Officers : J. Howard Manchester, President ; C. B. Rockwell, Treasurer ; W. L. Manchester, Secretary. Charles B. Rockwell, the Treasurer of the company, is a native of West Winsted, Conn., where he was born in September, 1848. After carrying on the busi- ness in Cranston for about five years, Mr. Rock- well purchased the mill property in Bristol, which had been idle for some ten years, and ex- tensive improvements were begun to make the plant as complete as any yarn mill in the coun- try. In July, 1892, their Cranston plant was re- moved to their new Bristol factory, and new machinery was added to equip the mill through- out, which was the latest and most up-to-date yarn machinery made. An improved Greene engine of 400 horse power was put in to furnish the power for the plant, and every other appli- ance was added that should make the works complete in every particular. The manage- ment have made a specialty of fancy yarns for over twenty years, making everything from the raw material to the finished product, dyed and put up in any form desired by manufacturers, and making yarns only. In this feature of the business this concern stands alone in the United
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States to-day, and without a single competitor, fully equipped in every respect. On the regu- lar lines of worsted and mohair yarns, in white and colors, they compete with the trade of the country, and were awarded a medal and diploma at the World's Fair in Chicago for their exhibit of worsted, mohair and novelty yarns.
The original factory built upon this site was erected along about 1840, and was known as the Pokanoket Steam Mills, their product being cotton goods, and some years afterwards the
used, but gradually new uses were found, and fabrics were produced which offered all the ad- vantages of service with peculiarly improved style, so that to-day no line of goods woven for outside wear is complete that is not very largely made up of material composed wholly or in part of worsted. The combed yarn permits of so much more perfect effects in weaving, the colors are so clear, the wearing qualities are so much increased, that worsted goods stand at the head wherever style, finish and durability are sought for.
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Cranston Worsted Mills, Thames Street and Harbor Front, Bristol, R. I.
mills were run by the Reynold's Mfg. Co., also manufacturers of cotton goods. The mills now have a floor space of about 60,000 square feet, and it is one of the best textile plants in the State.
The use of worsted and mohair yarns in the manufacture of goods for men's and women's wear has become the regular practice, where twenty to thirty years ago it was almost wholly unknown. Fabrics used for linings, composed of a cotton warp and worsted filling, were among the first where worsted and mohair were
Henry A. Keech Co .- Manufacturer of paper boxes and canvas and imitation grain dress suit and extension cases. Business established in 1899. Works located in Valley Falls, R. I., in the Keach & Brown Factory. Henry A. Keech was born in Dudley, Mass., Sept. 28, 1872. He learned the paper box manufacturing business of A. Kingsbury & Son, of Willimantic, Conn., now of South Coventry, Conn. He was mana- ager of the Putnam Box Corporation, of Putnam, Conn., for about seven years before establishing the present business.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF THE MANUFACTURERS
The E. M. Dart Mfg. Co .- Manufacturers of Patented Specialties. Office and Factory 136 Clifford street, Providence, R. I. This
E. M. Dart.
business was founded in 1865 by E. M. Dart, who continued it until 1894, when the present company was organized. The product of this industry is the well known Dart Patent-Self Lubricating Stop Cocks for steam, gas, water, oil, etc., gas fixture appliances of a superior quality, steam glue heaters, Dart Patent Union Couplings, flanges of all kinds, and elbow unions, made in all the different sizes and forms required by the users of such articles. This company occupies a part of the building located on Chestnut, Ship and Clifford streets and numbered 136 on the last named street; the officers consist of E. M. Dart, President and Manager; George B. Champlin, Treasurer; J. Milton Goff, Secretary. About fifty persons are employed. The Fairbanks Co., 311 Broad- way, New York, are their principal sales agents in the United States, and sole export agents. The business has been progressive, and is now well established, with an increasing yearly trade.
S. B. Champlin Co .- Manufacturers of solid gold stone rings, and gold filled chain. Business established by Stanton B. and George B. Champ- lin in 1872 on Elm street, corner Eddy, and
after the death of Stanton B. Champlin in 1895. the business was incorporated in 1896 under the name of the S. B. Champlin Co., and capitalized for $75,000. Works located in the Champlin Building, 116 Chestnut street, Providence. Em- ploy 50 hands. Officers: George B. Champlin, President and Treasurer; Edwin R. Knight, Jr., Secretary. Mr. Knight is a native of Warwick, R. I., where he was born December 18, 1866. He bacame a member of the company in 1896. Mr. Champlin who is also a member of the Dart Manufacturing Co., is a native of the city of Providence, where he was born September II, 1851.
Champlin Building, Chestnut street .- The Champlin Building, which is located at the junc- tion of Clifford, Ship and Chestnut streets, Prov- idence, with new addition just completed, is one of the largest and most substantial manufac- turing structures in the city devoted principally to the jewelry industry. The main portion of the building was erected in 1888 by S. B. Cham- plin & Son, which contained about 19,500 square feet of floor space, six stories, and equipped with a good combination passenger and freight
George B. Champlin.
elevator. Upon the death of Stanton B. Cham- plin November 16, 1895, his son, George B. Champlin, became the sole owner of the build-
AND BUSINESS MEN OF RHODE ISLAND.
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ing, and this year, 1901, he has completed an addition the full height of the old building, which contains about the same amount of floor space, making a total of 39,000 square feet. The structure is built of heavy timbers and thick walls, so as to provide ample strength for heavy manufacturing. Power for the works is supplied by a fifty horse power Harris-Corliss
and muslin shirt waists. Business established in Valley Falls, R. I. Employ about 150 hands. The only manufactory of the kind in the State. Power supplied by an Armington & Sims 50 horse power engine. Have their own electric lighting plant. The members of the firm are Walter E. Keach and Moses M. Brown, the lat- ter gentleman being a native of Valley Falls.
EM.DART MFG.Co
Champlin Building, Clifford, Ship & Chestnut Streets, Providence, R. I.
engine, and a Bigelow boiler of eighty horse power. The building is occupied by the S. B. Champlin Co., Read & Lincoln, S. K. Merrill & Co., Edwin Lowe & Co., and the Dart Manu- facturing Co. The increased size will admit of several new concerns or an increase for the present occupants.
Keach & Brown .- Manufacturers of muslin underwear, muslin curtains, flannelette garments,
Mott Covering Co. - Manufacturers of the Mott patent asbestos and magnesia coverings for steam pipes, boilers, etc. Frank B. Mott, proprietor. He began business in 1889 as a partner in the Manville Covering Co. He sold his interest in this company and organized the present business, his plant being located at 157 Orange street, Providence. Also dealer in pure asbestos and magnesia cement.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF THE MANUFACTURERS
River Spinning Co. - Manufacturers of fine wool and merino yarns on the French system. Business established in 1891 by W. F. and F. C. Sayles and others. Incorporated the same year. Capitalized for $250,000. Employ 150 hands. Factory located corner of Kendrick avenue and Drowne street, Woonsocket, R. I. Officers : F. C. Sayles, President ; F. S. Drowne, Treas- urer ; Andrew Adie, Agent. Frank S. Drowne, the Treasurer of the company, is a native of Warren, R. I., where he was born November 5,
for about six years. He came to America in 1893, and was employed as selling agent of the River Spinning Company. In 1896 he was elected Agent of the company and still holds that position. The mill property covers about ten acres, with a floor space of about 110,000 square feet. The factory is equipped with the most modern French, English and American machinery, producing yarns from 15 cut to 60 cut, the mill being specially adapted for fine numbers in pure white, solid colors and mix-
Plant of the River Spinning Co., Woonsocket, R. I.
1842. He was elected Treasurer upon the in- corporation of the company. He is also Treas- urer of the Warren Manufacturing Company, and has devoted the greater part of his life to the textile manufacturing business. Andrew Adie, the Agent of the company, is a native of Dollar, Scotland, where he was born December 23, 1867. He completed his education in the Dol- lar Academy, and entered "Devondale," in Tillicoultry, one of the oldest established and leading textile concerns in Scotland, to learn the woolen textile business. Here he remained
tures, in merino and wool. A special feature of this plant is its adaptability to make fine wool- spun compound cotton mixtures, suitable for the manufacture of fine cotton goods, for shirt- ings, dress goods, etc. Power for the plant is supplied by a 300 horse power Harris-Corliss engine, with auxiliary power for the prepara- tory department, where the scouring, carboniz- ing and dyeing is done. The plant as a whole is thoroughly equipped with every modern de- vice for making it a complete establishment in the way of heating, lighting, circulation and
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sanitary provision. The mill is one of the most attractive in the State and is conveniently located to the tracks of the N. Y., N. H. and H. Railroad, thereby affording the best of ac- commodations for shipping and receiving goods.
Miller Press & Machine Co .- Manufacturers of rotary steam cloth presses, for pressing all kinds of woven fabrics and felts. Business es- tablished by George W. Miller in 1872 in the old wooden building which is now a part of the Glenark Knitting Co.'s works at Woonsocket Falls. Incorporated in 1898. Capitalized for $25,000. Works now located at 113 Front street, Woonsocket, R. I. Employ 14 hands. Officers: John J. Miller, Presi- dent and Mana- ger; George W. Miller, Treas- urer and Secre- tary. John J. Miller was born in Woonsocket, R. I., March 17, 1859. Helearned the trade of a George W. Miller. machinist of his father, and worked for him as manager of the works until the incorporation of the business in 1898, when he became a stockholder, and upon the death of his father he was elected Presi- dent and Manager of the corporation. · George W. Miller, Jr., was born in Woonsocket, R. I., in 1867. He became a stock- holder in the corporation in 1898, and upon the death of his father he was elected Treasurer and Secretary of the corporation.
George W. Miller, the founder of the busi- ness, was born in Erfelden-on-the-Rhine, in the State of Hessendarmstadt, Germany, March 19, 1839, died November 23, 1899. He was born a farmer boy, and came to America in 1857, at the age of 18. He was first employed in the mill of the Woonsocket Company, which was owned by Philip Allen. He worked there under Samuel and Paul Green, manufacturers of sheetings, for six years, and was for a time second hand in the carding room. He went to
Lonsdale and learned the trade of a machinist, remaining four years, and here he sowed the seed of an inventor. He went back to Woon- socket and was employed at the Woonsocket Iron Foundry until 1865. In this year he started a repair shop, and after a year Mr. Joseph Banigan became a partner. This co-part- nership continued for one year, and then Mr. Miller bought out Mr. Banigan's interest. After continuing the business 18 months, he sold the entire plant and business to the Woon- socket Rubber Company, and was employed by the company as master mechanic until 1879. That year he started his present business and
The Miller Steam Rotary Cloth Press.
continued along alone until 1884, when his busi- ness and that of the Woonsocket Machine and Press Company were consolidated under the latter name. This co-partnership continued until 1891, when he withdrew from the com- pany, and since carried on business under the name of The Miller Press and Machine Co. He brought to the new company the same en- ergetic spirit that aided so much in advancing the interests of the former company, and the re- sult has been success from the beginning. Mr. Miller's sons are young men of enterprise, and they are endeavoring to maintain the same high standard in the manufacture of these presses that their father established.
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Geo. W. Voelker & Co. - Manufacturers of the Voelker rotary cloth presses, dewing ma- chinery, cloth roll trucks, burling tables, clear- ing and brushing machinery. Business estab- lished in 1892. Works located rear 65 Union street, Woonsocket, R. I. Geo. W. Voelker was born in Woonsocket, R. I., July 18, 1855. When he was two years of age his parents moved to Indiana, where he was brought up, receiving his education in the public schools. He learned the trade of a carpenter and in 1876 came back to the place of his nativity and engaged with the Hautin Sewing Machine Co. Here he ob- tained his first experi- ence in the machine business. He after- wards engaged with G. W. Miller & Co., traveling among the woolen manufacturers selling and erecting some of the first ro- tary cloth presses, called the Springborn & Baush, they having rebuilt a press which was imported from Germany, the same construction having been patented here in 1835 by Mr. Bailey of Amesbury, Mass. The machine had one bed, and one contact, the pressure beingobtained by compound leverage. In 1892 Mr. Voelker began manufacturing his rotary cloth press which is his specialty. He invented several parts that he believes have placed this press where it can do the finest work that it is possible to make, producing an even finish the full width of the cloth and maintain- ing the same under any pressure. The most important improvement in the Voelker cloth press is the two presser beds, each having two contacts with the cloth as it passes through the machine around the cylinder, one bed being fixed, the other movable with the cylinder, the pressure being thereby automatic and positively equalized in four points of contact on two presser beds each, constructed with two arcs of
George W. Voelker.
the same diameter, but greater than the diameter of the cylinder. Mr. Voelker is the inventor of this important improvement and the sole manufacturer of a cloth press with four points of contact, the presses that have been made heretofore providing for one and two points of contact only, the original press being made with only one point where the cloth was pressed as it passed through the machine. As the Voelker press does four times the work that the original press did, the value of the improve- ment can readily be seen. Both beds of this machine, as well as the cylinder, are hollow and are heated by steam. The machine is simple in construction, there being no worms, worm wheels, or bevel gears on the pressure-impart- ing mechanism. The pressure is obtained by a series of vertical levers and toggle-links operated by cams. The Voelker dewing ma- chine, for dampening woolen, worsted and cotton fabrics, before and after pressing, was patented by Mr. Voel- ker February 28, 1899, and is consequently one of the latest im- proved machines of this kind. The machine is simple in construction, and requires no water pressure, pumps, blow- ers, filters, pressure gauge, or nozzle, the dew being made by centrifugal force. The mois- ture required can be regulated to 78 ounce to the yard, and the change can be made in less than five seconds. These machines, together with his cloth presses, are used extensively throughout the country where textile manufac- turing is carried on. The plant where these machines are made is equipped with modern machinery, and the latest devices for handling the heavy parts while in course of construction.
National Pile Fabric Co. - Manufacturers of corduroys, cotton dress goods, shirtings, etc. Business established in 1899 and incorporated
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