USA > Rhode Island > Biographical history of the manufacturers and business men of Rhode Island, at the opening of the twentieth century > Part 24
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Jeffrey Davis.
Quidnick, R. I., on the line of the N. Y. & N. E. Branch of the N. Y., N. H. & Hartford Railroad. The village of Quidnick, of which the extensive farm with its massive stone walls and neat, well- appointed mill tenements of this company form the chief part, is one of the handsomest to be found in the Pawtuxet Valley, and is also one of the oldest. The Spragues spent over a million dollars upon this property during their owner- ship in developing the water power and improve- ments, and it was the last of their vast property to be relinquished by them, and then only after a long and expensive litigation. The property finally came into the possession of the present
John H. Hambly.
company which was organized in 1884, by William D. Davis, Henry A. Hidden and others. Up to this time the production of the mills were 64 by 64 print cloths, and the corporation at once commenced to make improvements, additions and changes in the machinery, replacing the print cloth looms with wide looms, so that at present the mills are equipped for the manu- facture of wide sheetings, twills, fancy goods, etc., for the converting trade. The present capacity of the mills is about 45,000 spindles and 1000 looms. Originally there were two woolen mills standing upon this estate, which were owned by the Tafts, and known as the Taft Mills and Print Works. These were taken
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AND BUSINESS MEN OF RHODE ISLAND.
down, and in 1848 the Spragues built the No. I stone mill, which had two extensions, one at each end, of only two-and-one-half stories. Since then these extensions have been built up to the height of the main building, and an addition on the northern end has been added of the same height, which makes the mill much larger than when first built, having a length of 425 feet. The No. 2 stone mill was built about 1875, and is 225 feet in length. Mr. William D. Davis was born in Davisville, R. I., and is a descendant
ing by the old hand looms, they conducted from 1811 to 1824. In 1824 they began the operation of woolen looms by water power at the same locality where their ancestors had ground corn at their grist mill for over a century. Mr. William D. Davis is a son of Jeffrey Davis. Had been a woolen goods manufacturer nearly all of his life prior to the establishment of the Quidnick Mfg. Co. Jeffrey Davis, the President of the company, is the son of William D. Davis, and was born in Centreville, R. I., September 2, 1850. He began in the manufacturing busi- ness in 1870, after graduating from Brown Uni-
Mills of the Quidnick Manufacturing Co., Quidnick, R. I.
of the founders of the village of Davisville, North Kingston, R. I., where they settled some time prior to 1700. The first Jeffrey Davis was born here in 1708, where he followed the milling business until his death in 1782. His name has been handed down through several gener- ations, the last to bear the name being the present President of the Quidnick Mfg. Co. Jeffrey Davis, 2d, with his brother Ezra, was one of the earliest woolen manufacturers in the State of Rhode Island, their business being carried on under the firm name of E. & J. Davis, their factory being located at what was then known as Davis's Mills, now Davisville. They began with a wool carding and cloth-dressing establishment, which, in connection with weav-
versity, and was elected to the Presidency of the Quidnick Mfg. Co. in 1894. Was Treas- urer of the Quidnick Mfg. Co. until 1893. Mr. Davis is also a director of several banking institutions, insurance and manufacturing com- panies of the State. John H. Hambly, Treas- urer of the company, was born in Massachusetts, Oct. 22, 1861. He began the manufacturing business in Fall River, Mass., and was elected Assistant Treasurer of the Quidnick Mfg. Co. in 1891 and Treasurer in 1893. Mr. Hambly was elected President of the Providence Board of Trade in 1899 and re-elected in 1900. Mr. Ham- bly has been a member of the Executive Coun- cil of the Board for a number of years, and chair- man of the Finance Committee for five years. The recent success of the Board is in a large measure due to his enterprise in advancing its interests.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF THE MANUFACTURERS
Capron & Co .- Manufacturers of rolled gold and electro-plated collar buttons, cuff buttons, studs, etc. Business established January I,
Herbert S. Capron.
1878, the firm then consisting of Harford A. Capron, Frank E. Capron and Herbert S. Cap- ron. The two latter members being brothers, the first named being an uncle. After a few years Harford A. Capron sold his interest, and the business was carried on by the brothers un- til the death of Frank E. Capron, when the business passed into the hands of Herbert S. Capron. The business was moved to 43 Sabin street, Providence, the present location, in 1895. The firm has been very successful from the start. Herbert S. Capron died June 16, 1900, leaving a widow and one son, Herbert W. Capron, who was born in Providence, July 5, 1882. The business is now carried on by the mother and son under the management of Mr. Thomas F. Kilkenney, a practical jewelry manufacturer.
Baldwin Motor Wagon Co .- Manufacturers of all kinds of steam automobiles, from an ordi- nary carriage to an omnibus. Business estab- lished and incorporated in 1901, under the laws
of Maine. L. F. N. Baldwin is the general man- ager of the business. Mr. Baldwin is one of the pioneers in the manufacture of automobiles. He made the first steam carriage that was brought out in the city of Providence, which was a de- livery wagon for Shepard & Co. This carriage has been very much improved upon, until to-day the company that he is at the head of have a carriage that is said to be equal in speed and power to any steam carriage made in this coun- try. The company are now making three steam omnibuses to be sent to Porto Rico, which have a seating capacity for fifteen passen- gers. The works are located on Calender street, Providence. Mr. Baldwin was formerly superintendent of the Cruickshank Engine Works of Providence, and for many years prior to this time he was employed in the leading machine shops of the city as an expert machin- ist, his inventive genius proving of value to any concern wherever he was employed.
Silverman Bros .- Manufacturers of season- able novelties in rolled gold plate and electro- plate. Business established in 1898. Works located at 19 Calender street, Providence. Em- ploy 85 hands. Archibald Silverman was born in Russia, March 5, 1880. Charles Silverman was born in Russia in 1877. They both came to Amer- ica about the year 1891, locating in Providence, where they learned the jewelry business and were employed by a number of Providence con- cerns before establishing business on their own account.
Johh T. Cuddy & Co. - Manufacturers of rolled gold plate and electro-plated jewelry ; general line for ladies. Business established about 1885. Works located at 25 Calender street, Providence. John T. Cuddy died about the year 1892, but his interest was retained by members of the family. John A. Fleming, the active member of the firm, who is gen- eral manager of the business, was born in Paw- tucket, R. I., July 3, 1858. Their goods are sold extensively throughout this country, and export some of their lines.
Ralph Colwell & Co. - Manufacturers of . worsted goods for ladies' and men's wear Business established by Hopkins & Rhodes in 1887. Works located at 9 Calender street, Providence. Employ 43 hands. The mem- bers of the firm are e Ralph Colwell, a native of Scituate, R. I., and Uriah R. Col- well, a native of Glocester, R. I.
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Retthot LinQ. Co
Factories of the Fletcher Manufacturing Company, Providence, R. I. [See Page 119.]
NORTH -EAST FROM TIMES BUILDING.
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FTH ARNOLDA SON SUMMER STREET STABLE
SOUTH-EAST FROM TIMES BUILDIN G
SOUTH-WEST FROM AMES BIMENE
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AND BUSINESS MEN OF RHODE ISLAND.
PAWTUCKET, R. I.
Sometime prior to the opening of the Revolu- tionary War, in 1775, the manufacturing life of Pawtucket had begun in the form of forges in the working of metals for various purposes, which were owned by Joseph Jenks, Jr., and about 1783 Oziel Wilkinson established a forge for similar purposes near the Falls, where the Jenks forges were located. He made anchors, tools, and different kinds of implements, includ- ing shovels, spades and scythes, doing quite an extensive business for the ship owners and resi- dents of the adjoining town of Providence. While the industrial foundation of Pawtucket
products that they produce, knitting machines, etc., as made by the Fales & Jenks Machine Co., Easton & Burnham Machine Co., Charles A. Luther & Co., the Pawtucket Manufacturing Co., the William H. Haskell Co., George W. Payne & Co., Potter & Atherton Machine Co., A. E. Tenney Manufacturing Co., James Brown and a number of others, all producing the high- est grade of goods in their various specialties. The city, however, is looked upon by the outside world as more of a textile manufacturing center, with the modern plant of the Slater Cotton Co. on Main street, a creditable representative of the name of Slater, both in the appearance of the mill structures and the class and volume of
BRIDGE MILL POWER
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Pawtucket Falls, 1901.
was laid in the iron and steel industry, when Samuel Slater completed his spinning frame here in 1790, the town of Pawtucket became famous as the home of the textile industry in America, and forever afterwards to be credited with creat- ing the first successful spinning frame that was invented in this country. While this invention somewhat changed the natural tendency of the town to become a producer of iron and steel goods, it did not lessen that industry, for other metal working plants have been built from time to time since the Jenks and Wilkinson forges were started, giving the present city of Paw- tucket a wide reputation as a producer of textile machinery, bolt and nut machinery and the
goods produced. Then there are the works of the Conant Thread Co., among the largest in the World, the Greene & Daniels plant, Hope Web- bing Co., the Littlefield Manufacturing Co., John J. Kenyon's plant in Darlington, Cumber- land Mills Co., Lorraine Manufacturing Co., Dexter Yarn Co., D. Goff & Sons, near Paw- tucket Falls, makers of the famous braids ; Leb- anon Mill Co., Blodgett & Orswell, and others. These, combined with the manufacturing plants in the adjoining city of Central Falls, which are included within the same radius, make this one of the greatest manufacturing centers in cotton, woolen, iron and steel goods to be found in this country in so compact an area.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF THE MANUFACTURERS
J. & P. Coats, Limited. - Manufacturers of six cord spool cotton. Business established in 1868 by Hezekiah Conant, under the name of the Conant Thread Co. at Pawtucket, R. I., where the works are still located. Mr. Conant is a native of Dudley, Mass., where he was born July 28, 1827. He attended the common schools of his native town, and later attended Nichols Academy, for a number of terms, an important institution of learning in the town of Dudley. In 1845 he began to learn the printing business, but after serving about three years he abandoned this line of business to learn the machinist trade. In 1856 he went to Web- ster, Mass., and in- vented a machine for sewing selvages on the woolen goods that were being woven by the Slaters of that town. Among other inven- tions, Mr. Conant brought out a machine for winding thread automatically on to spools, two hundred yards in length, and the Willimantic Linen Co. purchased a one- half interest in the patent right, and Mr. Conant was employed by that company to be their mechanical ex- pert, February 1, 1859, where he remained nine years. During this time he visited England and Scotland in the interest of the company, inspecting the thread works of those countries, which was in 1864. In Willimantic he invented what was known as a " ticketing machine" which sticks the round labels on both ends of a spool of thread, at the rate of 100 a minute. After leav- ing the Willimantic Linen Co. in 1868, he moved to Pawtucket, R. I., and organized a new thread company, which was chartered by the Gen- eral Assembly under the name of the Conant Thread Co., with a subscribed capital of $30,000, Mr. Conant being elected Treasurer and Mana. ger. The first factory was built of wood, 4I
Hezekiah Conant.
feet wide and 96 feet long, two stories high, op- erating twisting and winding machinery, their yarn being imported from England. From this No. 1 Mill in 1868 the great plant of J. & P. Coats, Limited, has developed, and Mr. Conant is entitled to the success that has followed the undertaking since its beginning. Arrange- ments having been perfected to manufacture the J. & P. Coats thread for America, the capital stock was gradually increased until it reached a large amount, and the plant was gradually in- creased in size until it now consists of four main buildings three and four stories high, built of brick, besides an office and other small buildings, making it one of the largest man- ufacturing plants in this country, employ- ing upwards of 3,000 hands. The power for the works is supplied by Corliss engines of more than 4,000 horse power. Mr. Conant has not only devoted his time to the manu- facture of cotton thread, but for many years he has done much in the line of philanthropy. He built several school build- ings for Nichols Acad- emy, of Dudley, Mass., the place of his nativ- ity, besides providing other improvements for the institution. When the Congregational church of Dudley was destroyed by fire Mr. Conant built a new edifice to take its place, the corner stone of which was laid in 1890. In Pawtucket he has also shown his liberal spirit in many ways, outside of the great manufacturing plant which has been of so great a benefit to the city, which was transferred to J. & P. Coats, Limited, within the past few years. The works are located west of the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. tracks, some little distance away, in the greatest manufactur- ing part of the city, several other large manu- facturing plants being located in this vicinity.
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AND BUSINESS MEN OF RHODE ISLAND.
Loridan Worsted Co .- Manufacturers of fine worsted yarns by the French system. Business incorporated in 1901. Capitalized for $100,000. Works located at 43 Sabin street, Providence. Employ about 30 hands. Mill now in course of construction in the city of Woonsocket, R. I., which will be ready for occupancy the first of January, 1902. The Loridan Worsted Co. plant will then be removed to this new factory, which is situated opposite the River Spinning Co. fac- tory. Officers : Charles Loridan, President and Manager ; Ambrose Feeley, Secretary and Treasurer. Mr. Loridan, who was the prime mover in the establishment of the business, is a native of Roubaix, France. He was a first
Co. in the city of Providence, and very soon plans were completed to build a mill for the company in Woonsocket, as already mentioned. The new factory will have a capacity of about 5,000 spindles, and it will be equipped with the best machinery that is made for the spinning of worsted yarns. Mr. Loridan is an enterprising young man, possessing unusual ability as a mechanical engineer and manufacturer. Am- brose Feeley, Judge of the District Court of Woonsocket, whose enterprise is doing a great deal of good for the city in the way of business improvements, has charge of the financial end of the business of the corporation.
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Plant of J. & P. Coats, Limited, Pawtucket, R. I.
graduate of the National School D'arts et Metiers, and after following the occupation of an engineer for several years he became inter- ested in the manufacture of worsted yarns. He built a mill in France for the manufacture of yarns, and after its completion the owners placed him at the head of the business as gen- eral manager, since which time he has devoted all of his energies in the line of textiles. He came to America as a representative of the Lafayette Spinning Co. in February, 1899, and built, in the city of Woonsocket, the Lafayette Worsted Co.'s Mill, near the Hamlet Mill. After remaining a little over two years, he left that company to establish the Loridan Worsted
Fred M. Swartz .- Manufacturer of a general line of ladies' jewelry, charms, lockets, and novelties for mail order business. Business established in October, 1900. Works located at 25 Calender street, Providence. Employs 20 hands. Fred M. Swartz was born in Galecey, Austria, in June, 1879. Came to America about 1892.
Providence Sizing Co .- Manufacturers of laun- dry and mill soaps, sizings, cotton softeners, fin- ishing pastes, etc. Business established in 1897. Works located at Cranston, R. I. Members of the firm are : John R. Butterworth, President ; John R. Butterworth, Jr., Vice-President ; Wal- ter Yates, Treasurer.
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BIOGRAPHICAL, HISTORY OF THE MANUFACTURERS
Sayles Bleacheries .- William F. Sayles, who established the Sayles Bleacheries, in Sayles- ville, R. I., was born in Pawtucket, R. I., Sep- tember 2, 1824. After receiving a good classical and mercantile education, in the Fruit Hill Classical Institute, the Seekonk Classical School in Rhode Island, and in the Phillips Academy, of Andover, Mass., he entered the mercantile establishment of Shaw & Earle of Providence as book-keeper, later as salesman, and then be- ing intrusted with the financial affairs of the concern. He began manufacturing in 1847. He purchased a small print works establish- ment in the town of Lincoln, near Paw- tucket, and he at once erected new buildings and converted the plant into a bleachery, with a capacity of about two and a half tons daily. Knowing very little about the bleaching business, and his capital being very limited, it was a strug- gle for a number of years, but he finally mastered the business and made it a great success. In 1854 the capacity of his plant was four tons daily, and his reputation for doing the best of work brought a steady busi- ness to his bleachery. In June of that year his entire plant was destroyed by fire. He im- mediately began to rebuild the works on a much larger scale, erecting buildings of a more endur- ing character, and before the close of the year 1854 the bleachery was again in operation with a capacity for six tons daily. From that time new buildings and additions were erected as the business of the bleachery increased, until the capacity of the plant reached more than fifty tons a day, which amounted in yards to about three thousand of bleached cotton goods. The illustration of the works shown herewith repre- sents the plant as it appears at the present with the exception of a new building now in course
William F. Sayles.
of construction. These bleacheries are said to be by far the largest of any in the world.
In 1863 Mr. Sayles' brother, Frederick C. Sayles, who became the first Mayor of the city of Pawtucket, became a partner in the business, the firm name then being changed to W. F. & F. C. Sayles, although the plant was always known as the Sayles Bleacheries. The firm built the Moshassuck Valley Railroad, connect- ing Saylesville and their works with the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad at Woodlawn. The firm were also the builders of the Lorraine Mills, a little farther down the Moshassuck River Val- ley, and one of the largest plants in the State. William F. Sayles died May 7, 1894. At this time he was President of the Slater Cotton Co., of Pawtucket, of which he was the originator, also a director in the Pone- mah Mills of Connecti- cut, and a director or stockholder in various mills and enterprises in Massachusetts and elsewhere. He was . also President of the Slater National Bank of Pawtucket, and a di- rector in the third Na- tional Bank of Provi- dence. He served two terms in the State Sen- ate, but beyond this would not accept public office. He was a mem- ber of the Board of Trustees of Brown Univer- sity, and in 1878 he donated the sum of $50,000 to that institution for the erection of a building as a memorial to his son who died during his Sophomore year in that college. He later in- creased the gift to $100,000, and the Sayles Memorial Hall was completed and dedicated in June, 1881. His son, Frank A. Sayles, is at present the sole owner of the Sayles Bleach- eries, as well as the Phillipsdale Bleacheries, both of which he operates, his general manager being Charles O. Read.
Frederick C. Sayles, who was so long identi-
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AND BUSINESS MEN OF RHODE ISLAND.
fied with the business of W. F. & F. C. Sayles, was born in Pawtucket, July 17, 1835. After completing his education at the University Grammar School, and the East Greenwich Academy, where he graduated in 1853, he entered the bleachery that had been established by his brother at Saylesville, earning five shil- lings a day for doing the sweeping of floors, in- voicing goods, and other minor services. For ten years he labored in nearly every department of the business, making himself familiar with every detail, so that when he was admitted as a member of the firm in 1863, he was master of every department. In 1900 Mr. Sayles built a new bleachery in Phillipsdale, after he had sold
J. A. McCarron & Co. - Manufacturers of rolled plate and electro-plated jewelry, including scarf pins, brooches, ear drops, rings, etc. Busi- ness established in 1895. John McCarron, the proprietor, was born in Providence, March 13, 1871. Works located at 16 Calender street, Providence.
Almy, Stone & Co. - Refiners of gold and silver. Business established in 1901. Works located at 33 Mathewson street, Providence. The members of the firm are William F. Almy, who is a native of Providence ; William H. Stone, also a native of Providence, where he was born April 23, 1866, and Thomas Hanley.
TRADE
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FINISHED H
W. F.SAYLEK
WTUCKER
SAYLES BLEACHERY.
Sayles Bleacheries, Saylesville, R. I.
his interest in the bleacheries at Saylesville, which was constructed of light colored brick, the tall chimney being composed of the same light colored material, making it very imposing and attractive, because it can be seen from a long distance on account of its white appear- ance. These works were sold or leased to Frank A. Sayles, the owner of the Sayles Bleacheries, both of which are operated by him. F. C. Sayles has been one of the influential men of the city of Pawtucket, being its first Mayor, was the first man to sign the call for the Pawtucket Business Men's Association, a progressive body, and in many other ways he has shown his public spirit.
John A. Hamblin .- Manufacturer of electrical goods, his specialty being arc lamps. Business established in 1899. Works located at 16 Calen- der street, Providence. John A. Hamblin was born in Falmouth, Mass., January 14, 1864. His goods are sold in all parts of the country.
Manufacturers Specialties Co .- Manufacturers of machinery specialties. Business established and owned by Abel T. Atherton, who is a native of Lowell, Mass., where he was born in August, 1839. Works located at 12 Beverly street, Providence.
A. L. Stearns & Co .- Manufacturers of cellu- loid combs and novelties. Business established in 1880 by Bailey & Stearns. Works located at 16 Calender street, Providence. Albert L. Stearns, Proprietor.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF THE MANUFACTURERS
CENTRAL FALLS.
While the Jenks' and Wilkinson forges were in operation in the town of Pawtucket, there were a few ambitious men in the adjoining town of what is now the city of Central Falls, who made use of the waters of the Blackstone River for various kind of manufacturing. In 1777 Benjamin Cozzens of Providence, who was at this time operating a fulling mill at Pawtucket Falls, purchased a water privilege in Central Falls on the Blackstone River, about where the Stafford Manufacturing Co.'s plant is now lo- cated. He evidently intended to utilize the water power, but in 1780 he sold the property to Charles Keene, who built a dam across the river the same year that the purchase was made, which was the first dam built in the town across the Blackstone. He proceeded to erect a fac- tory for the manufacture of scythes and other edge tools, one part being used by a Mr. West, manufacturer of chocolate, which gave to this section of the village the name of "Chocolate Mills." In 1784 Mr. Keene sold to Levi Hall, a merchant of Providence, a one-third interest in this water privilege, and these gentlemen were the sole owners of the entire water power of Central Falls at this time. Upon the death of Charles Keene and Levi Hall, their widows sold the entire property in 1796 to Stephen Jenks, Stephen Jenks, Jr., and Moses Jenks, and in 1806 Stephen Jenks was the principal owner of the Central Fall water power. In 1808 the old Chocolate Factory was occupied by the Smithfield Manufacturing Co., manufacturers of cotton yarns, with 400 spindles. In 181I Stephen Jenks built a machine shop upon this site for the manufacture of muskets for the United States Government, part of which was afterwards used as a machine shop by Stephen Jenks & Sons, and the balance of the building for the manufacture of cotton cloth. This building was burned in January, 1829, and soon after a mill was built by Lemuel H. Arnold and Palemon Wolcott, for the manufacture of cotton duck, which was known as the "Duck Mill." Charles Moies and George F. Jenks bought the Duck Mill estate in 1832, and the firm of Moies, Ingraham & Co., began the manufacture of cot- ton thread. The lot on which the mill stood was sold to Rufus Stafford, and is now a part of the Stafford Mfg. Co. property. In 1833 the owners of the Central Falls water privilege had
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