USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > History of Providence County, Rhode Island, Volume I > Part 76
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
The business now conducted by Spicers & Peckham, stove foun- ders, was established in 1850 by Dutee Arnold & Co. Their works are located at the corner of Aborn and Cove streets, and they have a salesroom at 22 Exchange place. They also have warerooms in Bos- ton, Chicago and San Francisco. Their works are accommodated in a main building 50 by 200 feet, where they employ about 160 hands, and the work is carried on under the direction of men who have had many years experience in the business. The first stove made by them was called the " Roger Williams." They now have what is known as the "Grand Model " range as a specialty, and man- ufacture also both parlor and cooking stoves of about 40 styles, be- sides 12 or 15 other styles of furnaces and ranges. Their annual product amounts to about 2,000 tons in weight, with an approximate value of about $300,000. The present members of the firm are William A. and Henry R. Spicer, and Charles H. Peckham.
The flour, feed and grain mill and warehouse of S. S. Sprague & Co., at 144 and 146 Dyer street, was established in 1876. It is known as the Columbia Elevator and Grain Mills. It is located on the river, and is also connected with the railroad system by tracks running into the building. The elevator has a capacity for the storage of 75,000 bushels of grain. The mills contain five run of stone, affording capacity for the manufacture of 200 barrels of meal per day. Power is supplied by a 200 horse power steam engine, and 20 men, more or less, according to the demand of the business for the time being, are employed in the establishment. The firm also own warehouses at Taylorville, Stonington and Clarksdale, Illinois, where they purchase grain direct from producers and store it until needed by their trade. The members of this firm are Samuel S., Charles H. and Henry S. Sprague.
The business of the George W. Stafford Manufacturing Company was established in 1882, by George W. Stafford. It is located on Harris avenue, at the corner of Acorn street. The main building is a brick structure two and three stories high, 135 by 45 feet, with an L 100 by 24 feet, one story. There is also a detached frame build- ing, of one story, 140 by 45 feet. The goods manufactured are ma- chines for weaving textile fabrics and other supplies for the same class of industries, the specialties being Jacquard and fancy weaving machinery. About 50 hands are employed. The officers of the company are: Gardiner C. Sims, president; Charles H. Poland, secretary; and George W. Stafford, treasurer and general manager.
The works of the Stedman & Fuller Manufacturing Company were established in 1856, by the firm of Stedman & Fuller. The present company was incorporated in 1883. The location of the works are at Warren and Westfall streets, where they occupy a main building 50 by 190 feet on the ground and three stories high. The manufacture of card clothing and leather belting is carried
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
on, and about forty hands are employed. The company is managed by George A. Fuller, president; A. L. Kelly, treasurer, and John J. Hoey, agent.
The brass foundry of Stillman White, at No. 1 Bark street, was established by Mr. White, in 1856. It occupies a two story brick building, 25 by 100 feet, and employs six to ten hands in the manu- facture of brass castings and lining metal.
Horace Thurston began the manufacture of hardware and ma- chinery here October 1st. 1883. His works are at 419 Eddy street and 23, 25 and 27 Point street. A one story brick building 50 by 100 feet, is occupied and about 25 hands are employed, the man- ufacture being annually worth $25,000 to $30,000.
The Towel Rack & Novelty Company was started in 1875, by the firm of C. A. Brickley & Co., of whom F. F. Tibbetts was the silent partner. The company are engaged in the manufacture of novel- ties, the works being at 52 Aborn street. Ten to fifteen hands are employed, and goods to the value of about $7,200 are annually manufactured.
The Union Eyelet Company carries on the manufacture of jewelry eyelets, lacing hooks, excelsior button fasteners and novel- ties in brass. The business was started by David Heaton, in 1866. The works are located at 47 Borden street. The main building is 89 by 33 feet, and has a wing 67 by 21 feet. An average number of about one hundred hands are employed here. The officers of the company are: Stephen Harris, president: Fred. A. Young, treasurer.
The Union Oil Company is a corporation formed to develop the manufacture of oil from cotton seed. The inventor of the process. and the chief manager of the enterprise was Mr. Lyman Klapp, who died suddenly in September, 1889. Mr. Klapp was a native of West- hampton, Mass., where he was born in 1827. Being naturally in- clined to scientific investigation, particularly in the realm of chem- istry, he spent several years in perfecting processes and machinery for extracting and refining vegetable oils, visiting Europe for the purpose of gaining more perfect information bearing on the subject. About the year 1854 he perfected machinery for hulling cotton seed, and discovered a process refining the oil made from this seed. In 1855, the Union Oil Company of Providence and New Orleans, was formed, and the first mill for the manufacture of cotton seed oil was established in Providence. Mr. Klapp was made president of the company. The works of the company are located at 239 to 291 Toek- wotten street.
The Valley Worsted Mills were incorporated in 1872. They are located on Eagle street, the main building, of brick, being 200 by 70 feet, and four stories high. The goods manufactured are worsted yarns for manufacturing purposes, floss, zephyrs. knitted worsted. Shetland, Spanish, Saxony and frosted yarns. Some 450 hands are
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
employed, and about 700,000 pounds of yarn annually manufactured. The officers of the company are: James R. Doudge, of New York .. president; William R. Arnold, treasurer.
The What Cheer Paint Works are an outgrowth of the business enterprise of the firm of Oliver Johnson & Co. This firm are im- porters and wholesale and retail dealers in paints, oils, drugs and. medicines. The house was founded by Oliver Johnson in 1833, but the manufacture of paint was not begun until the year 1865. They then placed some machinery in the upper stories of their warehouse. and began grinding and mixing paints. Their business increased so much that they were obliged to enlarge their facilities, and in 1872 they erected a large factory at the corner of Eddy and Elm streets. This is a five story building, 60 feet square, and is thoroughly equipped with improved machinery for this business. A 50 horse power engine furnishes the motive power, and 20 hands are employed in the manual force. The factory produces "King Philip Lead." "Villa Paints," "Excelsior Paints." "Geneva Green." and other brands and colors. The present members of the firm are Oliver Johnson and Benjamin W. Spink. William S. Johnson, who was a. member of it some 35 years or more, died December 6th, 1887.
The baking establishment of Messrs. Rice & Hayward is one of the important manufacturing concerns of the city. It was estab- lished in 1849, by Fitz James Rice and George W. Hayward. They then occupied the present location, at the corner of Broad and Pearl streets. On the admission of William S. Hayward, in 1860, the firm name became Rice, Hayward & Co. In 1863 the senior members re- tired and the business was conducted by William S. Hayward. He continued alone until 1865, when Mr. F. J. Rice re-entered the busi- ness, and the firm name of Rice & Hayward was restored. From time to time the facilities of the house have been increased, as the business grew, until they are now sufficient for working up 125 barrels of flour a day. They have twelve ovens in all, the greater number of which are of large size and improved model. About 70 hands are employed in the establishment, and about a thousand dif- ferent kinds of goods are made.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE MANUFACTURE OF JEWELRY IN PROVIDENCE CITY.
Providence the Leading City .- Magnitude of the Interest .- Before the War of 1812 .- Later Progress .- Location of the Shops .- In Time of the War .- Short-lived Jewelry Houses .- Brief notices of the Principal Manufacturing Establishments now in Operation.
T 7 HE manufacture of jewelry is one of the conspicuous features of Providence industries. No other city in the Union is so largely engaged in this line of manufacture. The annual value of products in this line aggregate more than six million dollars, and the work gives employment to between three and four thousand persons. The first jewelry manufacturer in the city of which we have account, was Seril Dodge, who made shoe buckles of silver, about the time of the revolution. Among others engaged in the line about that time or a few years later were Calvin Wheaton, Ezekiel and William Burr, Caleb Wheaton, Edward Spaulding, John Gibbs, David Vinton and William Hamlin. Nehemiah Dodge estab- lished himself as a goldsmith and jeweler in the city, in 1794. John C. Jenks, Ezekiel Burr, and the firm of Pitman & Dorrance were en- gaged in the business in 1805. In 1810 there were about 100 work- men employed in the trade, who made about $100,000 worth a year. The business increased to nearly double these proportions in a few years, but its progress was checked somewhat by the war of 1812. After that, however, it was resumed and in 1820 it was estimated that there were 300 artisans at work in the trade, and that the manu- factured products amounted to nearly $600,000 annually.
Previous to 1850 the shops were mostly on North Main street, but soon after that time they began to move westward to the section of the city in which the more rapid growth was being made. From that time the jewelry manufacturers began to congregate in the neighborhood of Orange, Eddy, Page, Pine, Friendship and Broad streets. in the Fifth ward of the city, where the most of them are located to-day. Many of them were obliged to close up business in the stringent financial times of 1857, but soon after they resumed work again. Just preceding the panic there were 56 shops. In 1860 there were 86. The war that soon followed again reduced the life of the business, and in 1864 the number of shops was reduced again to 56. Some, however, who were prepared to seize the opportunities of
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
the moment prospered exceedingly. Those who turned their atten- tion to making badges and medals suggestive of the various men or scenes which the war made conspicuous, made money, as also did those who secured federal or state contracts for the manufacture of brass buttons, belt clasps and other soldierly trappings.
The period of existence of a manufacturing jewelry house is on the average a short one. The fluctuations of the business make it unstable. Of the number who were in operation in 1860, but 15 are found on the directory a quarter of a century later, though parts of some others may exist under different names. In recent years the manufacture of cuff and collar buttons has been a branch of promi- nent importance. A general tendency is observable toward closer margins in the manufacture, and the production of cheaper grades of goods. The plating business is an important auxiliary to this line of manufacture. Some of the largest establishments do their own plating, but the majority of manufacturers buy the rolled plate as they need it to use, the plating being carried on as a distinct branch. We purpose now to give very brief notices of the principal manufac- turing jewelry establishments of the city. Many of them, it will be seen, are of recent origin.
Mr. D. F. Adams established himself in 1881, at 66 Stewart street. He occupies a floor 40 by 100 feet, manufacturing onyx and mourn- ing goods. The business employs 45 hands and turns out some $60,000 worth a year.
The S. Albro Company manufacture rolled plate chains, at 80 Clifford street. The company was established in 1875, with Mr. S. Albro as manager, and Mr. S. K. Merrill as treasurer. This company are represented by an office at 176 Broadway, New York city.
The refining of gold and silver is carried on by John Austin & Son at 74 and 76 Clifford street. Mr. Austin has been engaged in this business since 1857. In 1873 he became sole proprietor. The works comprise three large brick buildings, one of three stories, 38 by 40 feet, another of one story, 40 by 55 feet, and a smaller build- ing. The annual value of materials refined amounts to about $1,250,000.
Thomas F. Arnold continues the business at 29 Point street, car- ried on a few years since by the firm of Arnold & Webster. The premises occupied are in the second story of the building, and have an area of 3,600 square feet. Twenty-five skilled workmen are em- ployed in the manufacture of solid gold band rings, of which over 300 patterns are made.
The firm of B. A. Ballou & Co. pursue the business at 61 Peck street, started by Mr. Ballou January 1st, 1870. They occupy a room about 40 by 80 feet, and employ 30 hands, producing jewelry to the value of about $60,000 annually. The " company " is Mr. J. J. Fry. The house has a branch at 10 Maiden Lane, New York.
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Nathaniel Barstow and W. T. Luther began business in May, 1881. They were succeeded by Nathaniel Barstow & Co. in 1887, and the firm name became Barstow & Williams in August, 1888. They are located at 29 Point street, and manufacture silver plated and gold plated jewelry, employing some 40 hands.
The business of Bassett Bros. & Co. was started in May, 1887, by Isaac P. and William B. Bassett. They are located at 102 Friendship street and manufacture gold jewelry of 10 caret fineness. They em- ploy six hands.
The business of the Barker Manufacturing Company was started on Snow street, in 1875. It was afterward moved to 9 Eddy street, and again a few years since removed to its present location at 38 Friend- ship street. The product of this house is patent graduated, stiffened, gold and silver thimbles.
Robert Barton carries on the manufacture of a full line of elegant jewelry at 30 Page street. He has been in the business something more than 30 years.
Messrs. S. B. Champlin & Son began the business in 1872. They are located at 74 Chestnut street, on the corner of Clifford. They occupy about 3,680 square feet of floor space, and manufacture solid gold stone rings. They employ about 30 hands. The mem- bers of the firm are Stanton B. and George B. Champlin.
Messrs. Coombs & Tuttle started in 1883. They are located at 42 Point street, and employ 12 hands in the manufacture of a gen- eral line of jewelry.
The business of Joseph P. Cory was started January Ist, 1872, by the firm of Johnson & Cory, which was composed of the present owner and Solon R. Johnson. They manufacture plate jewelry, in a building 30 by 80 feet in size, on Congress avenue, near Broad street. Mr. Cory, the present owner, employs 35 hands, and manu- factures annually about $40,000 worth of jewelry.
The manufacture of jewelry and novelties is carried on at 409 Pine street, by R. S. Cutting. Ten hands are employed and about $5,000 worth of goods are annually produced.
The house of Capron & Co. was established in 1875, by Messrs. Harford A., Frank E. and Herbert S. Capron. The first named re- tired in 1878. At their works at 407 Pine street they employ about 60 hands, and manufacture plated goods which are sold throughout the United States and Canadas, and to some extent in England.
The firm of A. B. Day & Co. are manufacturing a complete line of emblem jewelry in both solid gold and rolled plate, on the second floor of 121 Broad street. The firm, which is composed of Anthony B. Day and C. Henry Peck, started in business April 1st, 1889. They employ 10 or 12 hands.
The firm of J. E. Braman & Co., composed of Messrs. J. E. Braman, O. C. Devereux and S. P. Salisbury. was established January 10th,
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
1873. The firm name was changed to Salisbury & Devereux in Janu- ary, 1878, and a year later to the present style, O. C. Devereux & Co. Mr. Devereux is at present the sole owner. The business is located at 220 and 224 Eddy street, on the second and third floors. About 35 hands are employed, the product being men's jewelry in rolled plate, such as cuff buttons, studs, collar buttons, link buttons, scarf pins and " Stonine " jewelry for full dress wear. The value of goods an- nually produced is between $50,000 and $60,000. T. A. Reynolds is the New York representative, at 102 Chambers street.
The business of Charles Downs was established here in 1856. It is located at 61 Peck street, occupying a room 80 by 100 feet. The manufacture of plated jewelry and gold and silver cane heads and parasol and umbrella mountings is carried on, about 60 hands being employed.
Messrs. E. H. Dunham & Co. are engaged in the manufacture of rolled plate men's and ladies' vest and neck chains and trimmings with solid gold slides. They employ about 40 hands and manufac- ture about $50,000 worth of goods a year. Their location is at 29 Point street. The business was established March 1st, 1882, by H. Dewitt Smith, Lauriston Towne and E. H. Dunham, under the firm name of Smith, Dunham & Co. Mr. Smith retired from the firm in February, 1887, and Mr. Towne retired in February, 1889. The house is represented at 200 Broadway, New York.
Mr. E. L. Dunn established the manufacture of jewelry in 1875. He occupies a part of a floor at 67 Friendship street, and employs about 15 hands in white stone goods and rolled plate, the value of his annual products amounting to ten or twelve thousand dollars. This amount does not include the value of the white stone used in the goods. If that were included the figures would be about double.
The business now carried on by Mr. P. S. Eddy was established in 1879 by P. S. Eddy and A. V. Blake, under the name of Eddy & Blake. The latter retired in 1885. For several years the business was carried on at 407 Pine street, but within a few years Mr. Eddy has moved it to 27 Page street, where he occupies one floor. Ten hands are employed, and plated jewelry to the value of twelve to fif- teen thousand dollars is annually manufactured.
Messrs. Ettlinger & Safford carry on the manufacture of white stone goods in gold, silver and plate, at 42 Point street. They employ an average number of 15 hands.
Messrs. William M. Fisher & Co. continue the business which was established in 1874 by William M. Fisher, Thomas Dubois and Josiah W. Richardson. They are located at 226 Eddy street, and make gold and silver chains, patent split rings and a variety of chain trimmings. They have in some years sold nearly 200,000 of them. Formerly 50 to 60 hands were employed, but with improved machinery the work is now done by 40 to 50 hands. The present firm is composed of the
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
original Mr. Fisher and George H. Richardson, a son of J. W. Rich- ardson, who died October 13th, 1881.
The firm of Flint, Blood & Co. was started in 1869. The members were W. W. Flint and J. F. Blood. The style was changed in 1881 to Flint, Blood & Young, the third name representing James A. Young. This continued until a year or two since, when the name again be- came Flint, Blood & Co. Their shop is at 29 Point street, where they occupy a floor space of 3,500 square feet. They are engaged in the production of sleeve buttons, shirt studs and finger rings, the work furnishing employment to about 40 hands. The trade of the house ranges throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.
The firm of Fanning & Potter was intimately associated with the Providence jewelry trade from the year 1854 to 1888. Spacious and eligible premises were occupied by them at 125 Broad street, which were supplied with steam power. The firm was composed of Joseph H. Fanning and Alfred S. Potter. By the death of the latter, which occurred December 11th, 1888, the firm was broken up. Mr. J. H. Fanning continues the same line of business at 137 Broad street.
James R. Freely & Co. employ about 20 skilled hands in the man- ufacture of a full line of gold jewelry. They started in 1885, at 129 Eddy street, where they still continue.
Messrs. Fletcher, Burrows & Co. started business here in 1881, the members of the firm being Ansel L. Sweet, Henry Fletcher and E. G. Burrows, Jr. Mr. Sweet retired in June, 1889, and John Fletcher was admitted. The firm up to that time had been known as Sweet, Fletcher & Co., but was then changed to its present form. It carries on its work in the Fitzgerald building, at 53 Clifford street. They manufacture a fine quality of rolled plate white stone goods, employ- ing generally about 35 hands.
The business now carried on by Messrs. Foster & Bailey, at 60 Richmond street, was started by White, Foster & Co. in 1873. The firm was composed of Walter E. White, Theodore W. Foster and Samuel H. Bailey. A shop was then occupied at 185 Eddy street. About the year 1877 Mr. White retired from the firm, and the name was changed to its present form. They manufacture a general line of plated jewelry, and employ about 100 hands. The product of their factory reaches nearly $200,000 in the amount of its annual value.
The firm of Foster & Bennett was established in the manufacture of jewelry November 1st, 1888. They make solid gold fronts of all kinds. Ten men are employed in their works, which occupy the lower floor at the southeast end of No. 121 Orange street.
The business of the Fowler Brothers was started in 1874, by Mr. C. Anthony Fowler. His brother. Jeremiah D. Fowler, was admit- ted and is now a member of the firm. The factory is at 183 and 185 Eddy street, the building extending from Friendship street to Clif- ford street, and facing 100 feet on the former and 150 on the latter.
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
The buildings are composed entirely of stone and brick. The goods manufactured consist of a line of jewelry in " Fowler's English Crape Stone," real and imitation onyx, and a high grade of sterling silver goods in novelties, &c. From 50 to 100 hands are employed, the number varying with the demands of the trade. A large bulk of goods are turned out, to the value of about a quarter of a million dollars annually. Mr. C. A. Fowler has the entire charge at No. 198 Broadway. New York, and Mr. J. D. Fowler at the home works. The latter is ably assisted by John L., and Joseph L. A. Fowler. "Fow- ler's English Crape Stone " goods are patented in the United States, England, France, Belgium and Austria-Hungary, and are sold in all those, and many other countries, including Australia. From Apple- tons Annual Cyclopedia for 1884 the following description of " Crape Stone" is taken:
"CRAPE-STONE, an article used for jewelry to be worn by per- sons in mourning. Pins and brooches for fastening mourning gar- ments have commonly been made of wood and covered with crape; but the invention of crape-stone has largely supplanted them in all parts of the world, and it is now made into almost every conceivable article of jewelry. The manufactory is in Providence, R. I., where a large number of skilled artisans are employed. Crape-stone of the first class is made from onyx, which is cut with tools and abraded with acids to produce the crape-like corrugations. These are in series, side by side, or grouped in divisions; they are practically parallel, either longitudinal, lateral, or diagonal, sometimes waved; and the effect is perfected by the finer cross-lines. The stone. after being cut, is colored a lustreless black. The onyx is obtained in large quantities in our Western Territories, but a portion of the supply is from Idar, Oldenburg. The American stone is sent to Germany, where it is sawed into the desired sizes, cut, and prepared for the ornamentation. It is then returned to this country and sub- jected to the craping process at Providence. The workman cuts each corrugation and the finer cross-lines with the utmost care, after which the stone is subjected to the acid. Crape-stone of the second class is made of silicious compounds, with mineral or metal fluxes, and is formed in moulds. It is then covered with a film of wax at certain points, and placed in a bath of corrosive acid, and the com- binations produce the crape effect The processes, which are the invention of Charles A. Fowler, of New York, are the result of a long series of experiments."
The business carried on by Messrs. J. W. Grant & Co. was estab- lished in 1872, by J. W. Grant and C. H. Cook. It is carried on in the Slater Mill and Power Company's building, at 25 Calender street. - occupying two rooms, the floor area of which aggregate 3,600 square feet. The specialties of the firm are fine rolled plate and solid silver necklaces and ladies' and gents' chains, and bracelets. About 30
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
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