History of Providence County, Rhode Island, Volume I, Part 75

Author: Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather), ed
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: New York, W. W. Preston
Number of Pages: 1036

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The New England Coffee and Spice Mills were established in 1851 by Thomas W. Sprague. He was succeeded by the present proprie- tor, George J. Hampson. The " Mills " occupy two floors of the build- ing at 77 and 79 Dorrance street, in size 50 by 80 feet, and are equipped with the necessary machines for the work, driven by a 20 horse power steam engine. Twelve or more hands are employed, and the manu- facture of flavoring extracts is carried on, in addition to the grinding. of coffee and spices, and roasting coffee.

The National Tubing Company manufacture flexible tubing for gas portables, gas stoves, elevators and medical purposes. Their works are in the rear of 270 and 272 Dyer street. Their goods are covered by patents held by Samuel Barr, who is and has been the principal proprietor and manager. The business was established in 1882 by Isaac Arnold and Samuel Barr. The works are on the third floor of a brick building 120 by 30 feet in area. Seven hands are now employed.

The National Worsted Mills were established in 1884 by Charles. Fletcher and Frederick S. Farwell. Their location is at 445 Valley street. They consist of several brick buildings, one of which is 340 by 40 feet and four stories high; another is 260 by 60 feet and four stories high, and another is 100 feet long, with an average width of 50 feet, and two stories high. The floors are all of 13 feet stud. In these commodious buildings the manufacture of worsted suitings is. carried on by 750 hands, attending the vast amount of machinery necessary to such an establishment. The annual product amounts to 900,000 yards of six-quarter goods. The present officers are: Charles Fletcher, president and treasurer; Frederick S. Farwell, superinten- dent and secretary, and two additional directors, viz., A. E. Farwell and E. A. Farwell.

The Nayatt Brick Company has its office and headquarters at 115 South Water street. The manufacturing plant is located at Nayatt, R. I., in the town of Barrington, about seven miles from the city ..

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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 625

Some 400 acres are held by the company at that place, a large portion of which is clay land. The brick are made by machinery, some 200 men at times being employed. Thus a capacity of 162.000 bricks a day is reached. A large yard is occupied in this city, whence brick are brought from the works in scows and unloaded directly into the yards, though large quantities are shipped direct from the works to customers in all parts of the state. The business was established in 1847. George B. Connley is the present treasurer and selling agent.

The New England Butt Company was established by N. A. Fenner and others in 1842. The works are located on Rice, Perkins and Pearl streets. The building is 131 by 500 feet on the ground and four stories high, constructed of brick. They manufacture braiding ma- chinery for silk, worsted and cotton braid, and for covering tele- graph, telephone, electric light and crinoline wire, single and double winders. They also manufacture all kinds of castings to order in their foundry. An average number of 175 hands are employed, and goods to the value of $250.000 to $300,000 per year are produced. Mr. Herbert N. Fenner is the present treasurer. The house is repre- sented by an agency in Boston.

The Nicholson File Company was established and incorporated in 1864, the moving spirit in its formation being Mr. William T. Nichol- son, whose inventions it was designed to produce. The works are located at 118 Acorn street, where the numerous buildings cover an area of about four acres of ground. The buildings are of brick. The usual number of hands employed is about 400. The manufacture of files and rasps and filers' tools and specialties is carried on, and the goods find sale in all parts of the country. The present management is in the hands of William T. Nicholson, president; George Nichol- son, treasurer, and Samtiel M. Nicholson, secretary.

The Nottingham Mills were established by Edward P. Taft, though we are not able to give the date. They are located at 314 Dyer street. Two large brick and stone buildings, one about 90 by 300 feet, the other about 100 by 450 feet, having four floors each, are occupied with machinery for the manufacture of cotton cloths. The mills when in active operation employ about 500 hands, using steam power. Mr. Edward P. Taft is treasurer of the company.

The firm of Thomas Phillips & Co. are extensively engaged in the manufacture of plumbers' work and all description of copper work, including drying machines, slasher cylinders, color kettles, seamless rolls and sugar mill work. Also proprietors of the Provi- 'dence Lead Company, as manufacturers of lead pipe, sheet lead, tin and tin lined pipe, solder and plumbers' supplies. Their works are located at 75 to 81 South Main street. This is the oldest house in its line in Providence. It was established in 1804. by Josiah Keene, under whose management it continued till 1830, when he was suc- ceeded.by the firm of Calder & Phillips, who continued the business

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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.

until 1853, when it passed into the hands of the present firm. The plant consists of a building 80 by 70 feet on the ground and two stories high, the upper floor and the cellar being devoted to manu- facturing purposes, in which 75 artisans usually find employment. A 20 horse power engine drives the various machines with which the plant is supplied. The house also deals in the various goods be- longing to their line of work, their extensive trade being both at wholesale and retail.

The business of the Phenix Iron Foundry was established in 1830, by George B. Holmes and others. It is located on the corner of Eddy and Elm streets. The main building is 1153 feet by 163 feet. constructed of stone and brick. There is also the Elm and Butler Machine Shop, a stone building two stories high, 63 by 200 feet, with an L 50 by 70 feet. The works are employed in producing machinery and iron castings of great variety and quantity. The average number of hands employed is 125, and the value of products reaches an annual amount of about $250,000. The managers of the business are: Charles R. Earle, president and treasurer; Amos W. C. Arnold, agent.

The firm of Presbrey & Myrick are manufacturers of kegs and packing boxes, their works being located on the corner of Summer and Meadow streets. In addition to the work already mentioned they are contractors and builders and dealers in pine kindlings. The business was established in 1850, by Mr. J. P. Haskins, who was succeeded by the present firm in 1879. Their works cover an acre of ground, and they have a well equipped shop, with improved ma- chinery operated by a 60 horse power engine. Employment is given to about 40 hands. The members of the firm, Messrs. A. A. Presbrey and E. O. Myrick, were both trained as apprentices in the work, tinder Mr. Haskins.

The business now carried on by the Providence Machine Com- pany was established by Thomas J. Hill, in 1846. Its location is at 564 Eddy street. Here it occupies a large brick building. 220 by 60 feet on the ground and three stories high. There are in addition several smaller buildings, in which particular branches of the busi- ness are carried on. The latest improved machinery with which the works are supplied. is driven by a Corliss engine of 120 horse power. The machinery manufactured here consists of cotton and worsted machinery, though it is to the former that their principal efforts are given. This business grew from that established by the Providence Machine Company. in 1834, in the buildings of the Providence Steam Cotton Manufacturing Company, at which time the demand for cot- ton machinery was in its infancy. In 1846 the business was removed to its present location, as we have before stated. In 1866 the present company was incorporated. Mr. Thomas J. Hill is its president and treasurer, and George J. Hazard its agent. The company employ

Hill

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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.

about 270 hands, and manufacture about $250,000 worth of machinery a vear.

The Providence Steam Engine Company occupy a large plant at 373 to 379 South Main street. The origin of this business goes back to the early years of the century. The names of R. L. Thurston and John Babcock are associated with the early developments of the business. The latter is said to have begun the work here in 1821. Since that time the work has been continued by various individuals and firms. In 1863 a joint stock company was incorporated, with a capital of $300,000. The plant was then greatly enlarged, the build- ings increased three-fold, new machinery and processes introduced, improvements made in various departments, and the whole establish- ment placed upon a footing which would enable it to take front rank and grasp the business which the progress of the times demanded. The plant now covers an area of 300 feet square, nearly the whole of which is occupied by buildings, several of which are very large. The works are conveniently located, so that heavy articles can be loaded on vessels directly from the yard, the wharves of the com- pany having a frontage of 225 feet on the river, and shear poles 90 feet high have been erected, which are capable of handling a weight of 100 tons. The works are divided into several constructive de- partments, where, with the assistance of 250 skilled mechanics, the manufacture of steam boilers and general machinery is prosecuted with a system and celerity hardly suspassed in any other establish- ment of its kind. An immense engine and a battery of boilers are required to move the machinery, all of which is remarkably ingeni- outs, much of it complex, and the greater part has been invented or adapted especially for the performance of certain given work. The main building of the plant is of brick and stone, three stories high, 60 by 450 feet. While these works were conducted by the firm of Thurston, Gardner & Co., they were involved in the celebrated con- troversy and litigation concerning the use of the automatic cut-off as applied to steam engines. This was the invention of Mr. Frederick E. Sickles, with whom the firm of Thurston, Gardner & Co. were identified in the controversy. The present company, soon after its formation. obtained certain important government contracts, among which were the fitting of two sloops of war. each with a pair of en- gines of 60-inch cylinder and 36-inch stroke, and with boilers and appurtenances complete; also two double enders with engines, one of 48-inch cylinder and 10-feet stroke, and the other of 59-inch cylinder and 8-feet stroke. One of these, the "Algonquin," became famous for its trial in New York. in the case of Dickinson vs. Isher- wood. One of the sloops had the honor of being selected as the flagship of the squadron. The company have introduced important inventions and improvements in the handling and construction of engines and boilers. Prominent among these are a machine for

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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.

holding boiler plates in close contact, with a pressure of several tons, while being riveted, and another machine for planing immense blocks of metal, of 20 tons or more in weight. In the years since the war the company have given much of their energies to the manu- facture of the Greene Engine, an improved engine with Noble T. Greene's automatic valve gear. The engine at work at the Hope Pumping Station, in this city, was built by this company, and is said to show a capacity of 85,000,000 foot pounds to every hundred pounds of coal consumed. The splendid results of this engine have directed the attention of manufacturers to the advantages of compound en- gines. This company have built engines of capacity as high as 600 horse power. The present officers of the company are: Rathbone Gardner, president; W. B. Waterman, treasurer; Theodore W. Phillips, secretary and manager.

The Household Sewing Machine Company, of which Mr. G. H. Dart is treasurer, is located at 103 Wickenden street. It continues the manufacture of the Household Sewing Machine, which was formerly manufactured by the Providence Tool Company. The last mentioned Company changed its organization about the year 1883, one branch of its work being taken by the Household Sewing Ma- chine Company, and another being taken by the Rhode Island Tool Company. The latter continued the manufacture of machinery at 148 West River street, while the former held the Wickenden street plant. The Providence Tool Company, during its palmy days, was one of the largest manufacturing establishments in the city. Its business was established previous to 1847, and at that time its annual product amounted in value to $70,000, and it employed 40 men, the monthly pay-roll amounting to $1,200. In 1875 the product reached $3,500,000; the number of hands employed was 1,500; and the monthly pay-roll was $100,000. The manufactures consisted of marine hardware, railroad supplies, breech-loading fire-arms, and sewing machines. The manufacture of fire-arms, which had been an important factor in their business, was discontinued at the close of the Turko-Russian war. Besides the Household sewing machine they also manufactured the Keats sewing machine. Their factories were on the most extensive scale, and included spacious and com- pletely equipped machine shops, forge shops, buildings for anneal- ing, case hardening, galvanizing, and other special work. Five steam engines furnished 1,000 horse power to propel the machinery, and there were 27 boilers for supplying steam. The factories cov- ered some four acres of ground. The fire-arms manufactured by them were the Peabody-Martini rifles. Their works were situated on Wickenden street, and at 148 West River street.

The Providence Worsted Mills, located at 445 Valley street, were established in 1875 by . Mr. Charles Fletcher, who is still the presi- dent and treasurer of the corporation. Under his management they

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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.

have attained a magnitude in their operations and achieved a success highly creditable to all concerned. The works manufacture worsted, mohair and genappe yarns, also floss, zephyr and Shetland, for knit- ting purposes. The plant of this concern is on Valley street, near Atwell's avenue, and consists of several buildings of large size, cov- ering more or less of several acres of ground. A 250 horse power engine drives machinery, when a water power of the force of 65 horse power is not sufficient. Among the machinery may be mentioned 10 sets of worsted cards, 12 combing machines, 1 set of preparing machines, 4 sets of drawing frames, 24 twisting and doubling frames, 22 dresser spoolers, 6 patent doublers, 12 rules, 1 three-bowl and 1 single bowl washer, and 4 cold air dryers. In 1884 the proprietor, in association with others, formed the National Worsted Mills and com- menced the additional manufacture of worsted cloth here.

The sawing, moulding and planing mill of Mr. E. R. Randall is an old established wood-working business. It was commenced by Eben Simmons about the year 1858. After passing through the hands of several successive owners, it came into the sole proprietor- ship of Mr. Randall in 1878. Some 15 or 20 hands are employed, and a 60 horse power engine furnishes power to drive the various ma- chines with which the establishment is supplied. It is located near the foot of South street. It was formerly known as the City Planing and Moulding Mills.

The Rhode Island Bleach and Dye Works are located at 632 Eddy street. They occupy two buildings, each two stories high and about 50 by 150 feet in size, and employ 100 hands. This is one of the old- est established manufacturing concerns in the city, having been founded in 1816 by Doctor Bowen, who commenced operations on Brook street in a comparatively small way. In 1838 the works were removed to their present location on Eddy street, where their capacity was from time to time increased, as the demands of the trade required. The plant now occupies about nine acres, two acres of which are covered with buildings. The mechanism here in use is of the newest and best ever invented for the purpose, and of such variety and quantity as to bring into requisition a 150 horse power engine to propel it. The capacity of these works is about six tons of sheetings and 800 pieces of dyed goods per day, and much of the time they are steadily run up to their full production. The work done here comprises the bleaching and finishing of sheetings, shirt- ings and other white goods, and the dyeing and finishing of cam- brics, plain shades, paper muslins, dress goods, silesias, and the like. Gray cloths are also calendered and baled. The firm under whose proprietorship and management the business is now conducted is composed of J. C. Butterworth, Jr., and James Whittle, both of whom have had long experience in the business. The style of the firm is Butterworth & Whittle.

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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.

The Rhode Island Braiding Machine Company was established in October, 1865, by Arnold S. Hood, Gilman K. Winchester and Benja- min B. Edmands, the latter of whom acted as agent of the works. The manufactory is located at 89 Aborn street, occupying one frame building, 40 by 70 feet, and two brick buildings, one 40 by 80 feet and the other 40 by 50 feet, all being three stories high. They manu- facture a variety of machines for braiding flat, round, square and fancy braids; also machinery for covering telegraph and telephone wire, and for other similar purposes. They employ about 20 men. and the value of their annual product is about $35.000. The present officers of the company, which was incorporated in 1885, are: Gilman K. Winchester, president; Arnold S. Wood, treasurer; Benjamin B. Edmands, secretary. Three or four small companies or firms hire rooms and power in connection with this establishment, and mant- facture braids, aggregating in their annual product about $8.000 worth.

The Rhode Island Concrete Company manufacture and put down "Abbott" asphalt street pavements, concrete driveways, sidewalks and lawn paths, basement floors and the like. Mr. E. D. Smith, the founder of this enterprise, associated himself with Providence about the year 1865. The premises occupied by the company for preparing the materials, on Dean street, cover about one-half acre. Here some 25 hands are employed in preparing the materials and in laying the walks, the principal machinery in use being heavy rollers for con- solidating the work. The Abbott pavement may be seen on Eddy street, between Broad and Pine streets: on Washington Row bridge; on Custom House street, and on walks in Prospect and Roger Wil- liams Parks, and on walks and streets in many other parts of the city. The work of this house extends throughout the southern part of New England, and, as Mr. Smith was the first to lay concrete in Rhode Island, the house is the oldest, and probably the most promi- nent, in the state. The present superintendent is William H. Shat- tuck, and the agent is John S. Whitehouse, whose office is at 9 Custom House street.

The manufacture of fire department supplies, among which a prominent specialty is that of patent round thread coupling and con- trolling nozzle, is carried on by the Rhode Island Coupling Company at 77g Dorrance street. This business was established in 1873 by Mr. E. M. Waldron, who is superintendent of the company. The factory is on the second floor, and is well equipped with machinery. operated by steam power. Their goods find sale in the cities through- out the country.

The Rhode Island Locomotive Works is one of the most extensive establishments of its kind in the United States. It is thoroughly equipped, and gives employment. in its various departments, to about 1,200 hands, its yearly pay roll aggregating more than half a million

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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.

dollars. The works are engaged in building locomotives and station- ary boilers. The locomotives built here are noted for their superior workmanship. power and finish, and are in use on many of the lead- ing railroads of the United Statesand British Provinces. The works are located on Hemlock, corner of Valley street, where they occupy about ten acres of ground. The main building is about 50 by 300 feet in area and 13 feet stud. About 250 locomotives are annually built here. The works were established in 1860 by Earl P. Mason, Charles Jackson, Isaac Hartshorn and others for the manufacture of rifles. The direction of the business was changed to the manufac- ture of locomotives in 1865. The present officers of the company are: Charles F. Mason, president; Earl Philip Mason, vice-president; William P. Chapin, treasurer; A. L. Mason, secretary; Joseph Lyth- goe, agent and superintendent.

The Rhode Island Machinery Agency, conducted by Hiram Peavey, was established in the latter part of 1882 by Mr. Peavey and Daniel Sullivan as the Providence Machinery Agency. Mr. Peavey took the lease May 1st, 1883. The works, at 211 Eddy and 66 Clifford street, are accommodated in a two-story building 50 by 200 feet, where the general work of a machine shop is carried on, six or eight hands being employed in the business. Specialties of the shop are repairing and putting up, as well as dealing in. engines, boilers. pul- leys, shaftings, hangers and iron and wood working machinery.

The Rhode Island Malleable Iron Works has its office at 564 Eddy street, while its manufacturing plant is at Hill's Grove. Its finances are ably managed by Mr. Thomas J. Hill, treasurer. The works were established in 1867. The plant at Hill's Grove, which is a suburb of Providence, comprises a one-story brick foundry, 60 by 180 feet, with a wing 100 by 175 feet and a core building 20 by 40 feet. About 50 hands are employed. The products consist of malleable iron cast- ings of all kinds, of the best quality of material. The annual product is valued at about $50,000, the trade extending to different parts of New England and New York.

The dye wood, drug and grain mills of William B. Rider, estab- lished in 1846, are located at 365, 367 and 373 Eddy street. The busi- ness, answering to an increasing demand, was begun by Mr. Rider in a comparatively small way, but it has since been considerably en- larged, its facilities increased and its influence extended. The premises owned and occupied by Mr. Rider for this business consist of three mills, covering an area of about 9,000 square feet. They are equipped with all necessary machinery and appliances requisite for the business, including four mills for drugs and grain and two dye wood cutters and improved elevating machinery, all operated by an engine of 60 horse power and attended by about eight men. Mr. Rider was born in Newport, R. I., in 1814, and has resided in Provi-

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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.

dence since 1834, nearly the whole of which period he has been actively engaged in promoting the industrial interests of the city.

The manufacture of all kinds of ladies' dress and cloak buttons is carried on by the firm of Royce, Allen & Co., at No. 66 Stewart street. The premises are commodious and admirably adapted to the busi- ness, and a large force of skilled and proficient hands are employed. The firm also import and deal largely in buttons of European manu- facture. Their trade extends throughout the United States and Canada, and their trade mark has won a high reputation. The pres- ent members of the firm are Edward H. Royce and Myron H. Fuller, Mr. Frederick W. Allen, who was one of its members, having died March 4th. 1888. The firm are represented by a branch on Broadway, in the city of New York.

The Slater Mill and Power Company was organized in 1882. with a capital stock of $300,000, in three thousand shares. The object of the company was to erect buildings for manufacturing and other pur- poses, and to let them to parties for a rental fee. The office of the company is at 37 Weybosset street. The name of the company was adopted in honor of the pioneer of the cotton manufacturing business here, Samuel Slater, of whom and the introduction of the business the historian, Staples, gives the following mention: "The first com- pany in the state for the manufacture of cotton was formed in Provi- dence in 1787. Their object was to make homespun cloth by hand. At first they built a jenny of 28 spindles, and after that a spinning frame, having eight heads, of four spindles each. They obtained the models of these machines from Massachusetts. They had also a carding machine. The jenny was first operated in one of the cham- bers of the market house. In the following year two Scotchmen came to Providence who knew how to use the fly-shuttle. A loom was constructed for one of them and set up in the same place. The spinning-frame was afterward removed to North Providence, to be worked by water, but it was found quite too imperfect for use. Samuel Slater, the acknowledged father of American cotton manu- factures, arrived at the same place in January, 1790. Before the end of the year he had started three cards, one drawing frame and seventy- two spindles, by water. From this small beginning have arisen the cotton manufactures in this country. The first cotton thread spun by machinery in Rhode Island was spun in the chambers of the market house in Providence. The first cotton thread spun by water in the United States was spun in North Providence." The Slater Mill and Power Company have built a series of buildings of brick, varying from three to seven stories high, and covering nearly an acie and a half of ground. These have light and convenient rooms, are furnished with steam power, and are equipped with elevators for freight and passengers, fire escapes and all modern conveniences. Mr. George E. Barstow is the treasurer of the company.

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History of Providence County, Rhode Island, Volume I, Part 75

Author: Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather), ed Publication date: 1891 Publisher: New York, W. W. Preston Number of Pages: 1036

Author: Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather), ed
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: New York, W. W. Preston
Number of Pages: 1036