USA > Rhode Island > Picturesque Rhode Island : pen and pencil sketches of the scenery and history its cities, towns, and hamlets, and of men who have made them famous > Part 10
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From the "old mill" at Pawtucket, with its few imperfect machines, to the large factories of the present day, is an immense advance. Yet there has been no invention since that time embody- ing new principles. All this change has been brought about by the improvement and adaptation of the existing machinery. The process of development is still going on. The tendency is toward making all the machinery automatic. Much has been accomplished in this direction ; no doubt there is room for further progress. The follow- ing statistics will convey an idea of the growth of the business throughout the country :
" The number of cotton-factories in the United States in 1810
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PAWTUCKET, NORTH PROVIDENCE, AND LINCOLN.
was reported to be 241 ; the num- ber of spindles was estimated at 96,400, an average of 400 for each mill. According to a re- port of a committee of Congress in 1815, $40,000,000 was then invested in cotton manufacture, and 100,000 persons were em- ployed ; 27,000,000 pounds of cotton were consumed, produc- ing 81,000,000 yards of cloth, valued at $24,300,000. In Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Con- necticut were 165 mills, with 119,310 spindles ; and it has been estimated that the total number of spindles at that time was 350,000. Power-looms soon afterward coming into general use, as already stated, the num- ber of spindles increased to The First Baptist Church. 1,500,000 in 1830, and 1,750,000 in 1835. Complete and trustworthy statistics of cotton manufacture seem to have been first reported by the census of 1840. There were then in the United States 1, 240 mills, with 2,284,631 spindles, and 129 dyeing and printing establishments. These establish- ments employed 72, 119 hands, and produced goods valued at $46,- 350,430. The amount of capital invested was $51,102,359. The leading cotton manufacturing States were Massachusetts, having 278 mills, with 665,095 spindles ; Rhode Island, 209 mills, with 518,817 spindles ; New York, 117 mills, with 211,659 spindles ; and Connecticut, 116 mills, with 181,319 spindles. There were no cotton-mills in Illinois, Missouri, Michigan, Florida, Wisconsin, Iowa, or the District of Columbia. The following totals for the United States, from the federal census, will afford a comparison of this most important industry, with its condition prior to the Civil War :"
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PICTURESQUE RHODE ISLAND.
1850.
1870.
1850.
Establishments.
956
1,004
1.ooms.
230,223
157,810
126,313
Spindles,
10,921,147
7,132,415
5,235,727
Hands ..
181,628
1.35,360)
122,025
92,296
Capital
$140,706,291
$98,535,260
$74,500,931
Wages
$39,044,132
$23,938,236
Raw Cotton, Ibs
Bales, 1,586,491
395,302.257
422,704,975
288,555,000
All materials,
8111,736,936
$57,485,534
$34,835,056
All products ..
$177,489,7.39
$115,681,774
$65,501,687
The growth of a large manufacturing industry brings with it more changes than many agencies which occupy a larger place in municipal and state records. Though not so noticeable as an act of a Legislature, nor so liable to be observed and commented upon, the building of a factory often means far more, and its influence is much broader and deeper. A new industry in a community growing grad- ually to large proportions, will, in the course of events, produce new social combinations ; may, perhaps, create a new class ; and will in some instances induce changes leading almost to social and political revolutions. This is true of the cotton industry in New England, and particularly in this State.
When Slater began to construct the Arkwright cotton machinery at Pawtucket there was no dominant mechanical pursuit in this part of the country. The farmers had a very limited market for their produce. Poverty pressed hard upon many ; the means of nearly all were small. What was needed was work, and the necessity was supplied by the cotton business. As the industry increased, and new improvements were made each year in the machinery, mills were erected wherever water-power was available, and villages soon grew up around them. The operatives were at first drawn from the native population ; they were the children of the farmers and mechanics in the surrounding towns and villages, reinforced, perhaps, by a few foreigners familiar with the business. The majority of the strangers were English. The factory population thus formed was homogene- ous in its character, with similar habits and customs, and a common ancestry. There was a large class that fluctuated between work on the farm and work in the factory. An easy independence was thus maintained by the working-class. The opportunity for diversity of employment preserved and nurtured that individuality which is the peculiar characteristic of New England, and which is only in very
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PAWTUCKET, NORTH PROVIDENCE, AND LINCOLN.
rare instances found in a people compelled by the force of circum- stances to follow one calling. The population of these factory vil- lages were orderly, well-behaved, and moral.
The change which has taken place was brought about by the stream of emigration which began to flow from Europe to America during the second quarter of this century. The Irish came in the largest numbers. In 1850 there were in this State 15,944 natives of Ireland, -sixty-nine per cent. of its entire foreign population. At the same time the English numbered 4,490, or a little over nineteen in every hundred of the foreign population. Both nationalities on their arrival engaged in factory labor ; the English were already skilled in the business; the Irish soon became so. While these accessions were made to the ranks of the factory population, an exodus was at the same time taking place. The native American sought employment in directions where more opportunities were to be had for individual enterprise. In the city and the larger towns carrying on diversified industries the proportion of native Ameri- cans was larger than in the small factory villages. Since the War of the Rebellion the French Canadians have been thronging to the fac- tory districts. The increase in their numbers between the years 1865 and 1875 was a little more than that of the Irish within the same period. In many vil- lages in the State they at present outnumber the Irish, whom they have supplanted as the Irish did the Americans.
The factory village of to-day is very different from The Old Slater Mill. that of half a century ago. The various nationalities are not welded together. They remain distinct, in a measure preserving their own peculiarities and customs. What the result of this condition of things is to be, is a question of grave importance. If the " cotton industry " is maintained in New England, the children of these aliens must be American citizens.
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PICTURESQUE RHODE ISLAND.
Dr. Snow, the superintendent of the last State census, who is prob- ably more familiar with the characteristics of the operatives than any other man, says that the French Canadians, "more than any other class of the population, keep every child possible at work in the mills, to the utter neglect of schools and education. It is an urgent duty to them and to the State to compel them and their employers to obey the laws in relation to the employment of children." This may with truth be applied to all the elements composing the factory population. It is, however, very doubtful if these laws can be enforced. The 'situations of most of the villages in districts where the factories, houses and lands belong to a single firm, by placing such power in the hands of a few makes improvement depend too much upon the material interest of the owner. Where that interest conflicts with the enforcement of educational laws, law in too many cases inevi- tably yields to interest.
According to the special report of the tenth census on the cotton manufacture, by Edward Atkinson, the number of persons employed in this industry in Rhode Island in 1880, was 22,228; spindles in motion, 1,649,295 ; looms, 30,274; and cotton consumed, 161,694 bales.
In Pawtucket, according to the state census of 1875, there were nineteen establishments engaged in various branches of cotton manu- facture, employing 2,322 persons, and with an invested capital of $2,492,600. The principal firms manufacturing cotton cloth are the Slater Cotton Co., the Bridge Mill Manufacturing Co., and the Uni- ted States Flax Manufacturing Co. Quite a number of establish- ments are employed in making spool-cotton and cotton yarns. The leading concerns are the Conant Thread Co., manufacturers of cot ton thread ; the Greene & Daniels Manufacturing Co., Stafford & Co., and the Hope Thread Co., manufacturers of spool-cotton and cotton yarns. In the surrounding villages, within the limits of the towns of Lincoln, Cumberland, and North Providence, there are many facto- ries employed in the manufacture of cotton cloth, the principal com- panies being the Lonsdale Co., with mills at Lonsdale and Ashton, in Lincoln ; Albion Mills Co., Albion, Lincoln ; Manville Co., Man- ville, Cumberland; and the Berkeley Mills Co., Berkeley, Cumber- land. There are also mills at Allendale, Centredale, and Lyman- ville, North Providence. The Stafford Manufacturing Co., and the Cumberland Mills, at Valley Falls, are engaged in the manufacture of spool-cottons and cotton yarns. The Union Wadding Co. carries on an extensive business in white and colored waddings and battings,
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PAWTUCKET, NORTH PROVIDENCE, AND LINCOLN.
P.
JARABE:ID
A Glimpse of Lonsdale.
and machine waste in Pawtucket. The lower floor of the " Old Slater Mill" is at present occupied by J. L. Spencer in the manufac- ture of cotton yarns, twine, and thread.
The woolen manufacture is represented by the Pawtucket Hair- Cloth Co., manufacturers of hair seatings ; D. Goff & Son, alpaca braids ; George Mason & Co., braids ; and in Central Falls, by the Central Falls Woolen Mill, cloth.
The existence of so many factories creates a demand for manu- facturers' supplies of all descriptions. Among the establishments supplying this demand are E. Jenckes & Co., Pawtucket, manufac- turers of many kinds of small supplies, and dealers in belts, lacing, etc., Weatherhead, Thompson & Co., Central Falls, manufacturers of belting and thread spools ; and Myron Fish & Co., Valley Falls, manufacturers of loom-harness, and dealers in general supplies. Sev- eral extensive machine shops are employed in the construction of cotton machinery. Among the principal establishments are those of James Brown, the Fales & Jenks Machine Co., and George W. Payne & Co. The latter also construct woolen machinery. Wil- liam H. Haskell & Co., bolt, nut, washer, and coach-screw manu- facturers ; J. S. White, machinist and iron-founder ; and Cole Bros., steam-fire, and stationary engine builders, are among the prominent firms engaged in the general machine business.
The Dunnell Manufacturing Co. have one of the largest print-
17
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PICTURESQUE RHODE ISLAND.
works in the State. These works are located on Prospect Street. Robert D. Mason & Co., on East Avenue, are extensively engaged in dyeing and bleaching. This firm was formed in 1805. Upon the same premises, for more than three-quarters of a century, the busi- ness has been carried on without interruption. The present firm name was adopted in 1870. Other large establishments, specially worthy of note in this connection, are those of the Pawtucket Dyeing and Bleaching Co., and the Moshassuck Bleachery, at Saylesville, Lincoln, owned by Messrs. W. F. & F. C. Sayles.
Among the many prominent merchants, business-men, and firms engaged in various manufactures, we may also mention the Bridge Mill Paper Co. ; D. D. Sweet & Co., and Gelinas & Chappell, sash, doors, and blinds ; the Joseph Smith Co., coal, lumber, etc. ; James Davis & Son, tanners and manufacturers of belting and lacing ; J. O. Draper & Co., soap ; the Perry Oil Co., oil and soap ; Linton Brothers, card-board and glazed paper; L. B. Darling & Co., artificial fertilizers; the New American File Co., Central Falls ; P. E. Thayer & Co., brushes ; J. Crocker & Son, coffin-trimmings ; W. W. Dexter, watches and jewelry; Charles A. Warland, and Charles P. Adams, real estate; Daniel A. Clark, coffins and cas- kets ; Loring M. Monk, carriages ; S. Grant & Co., coal, wood, etc. ; E. M. Hunt & Co., coal ; Carpenter & Co. and Pawtucket Furniture Co., furniture ; Small & Harley, dry goods ; George H. Fuller, jewelers' findings ; A. F. Bray and C. M. Read, hardware ; Fisk & Co., C. E. Davis & Son, G. T. Dana & Co., Pawtucket, and Jones & Davis, Central Falls, druggists ; C. A. Luther, cloth- stretchers ; A. F. Salisbury, photographer ; J. N. Polsey & Co., packing-boxes ; Havens & DeWitt, bakers; H. H. Sager, and H. N. Wilkinson, book-sellers and stationers ; Lee & Burnham, and G. E. Woodbury, dentists.
Pawtucket and Lincoln, like most other busy and thriving local- ities, have their indispensable newspapers ; in Pawtucket, the Gazette and Chronicle, published every Friday by Messrs. Sibley & Lee, Mill Street ; in Central Falls, Lincoln, The Weekly Visitor, issued every Friday, by Messrs. E. L. Freeman & Co., publishers.
The leading hotels in Pawtucket, to-day, are the Benedict House, J. L. McFarland, proprietor ; and the Pawtucket Hotel, D. W. Buck- lin, proprietor.
To the traveler who obtains his first view of Pawtucket from the windows of the cars of the Boston and Providence Railroad, the place
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PAWTUCKET, NORTH PROVIDENCE, AND LINCOLN.
presents the appearance of a large and busy city. Before him the entire landscape to the southward is wholly occupied by build- ings, closely packed together, - dwelling-houses of all descriptions, with here and there a factory or a church standing out prominently. The whole of this busy scene, how- ever, is not located within the limits of the town of Paw- tucket ; a consider- able portion is in the town of Lincoln, and is known as Central Falls. Since the consolidation of Pawtucket in 1874, various attempts have been made to unite Central Falls with it, but thus far without success. As the line which di- vides these two pla- Old Butterfly Factory, Lincoln. ces is an arbitrary one, while the communities are in reality a unit, with no visible natural separation, a union in the future is inevitable. Valley Falls, situated partly in Lincoln and partly in Cumberland, is in reality only a suburb of Pawtucket and Central Falls, and is a short dis- tance from the latter place.
Many new and fine buildings have, within the past few years, been erected in the central portion of Pawtucket, thereby adding to the appearance of the place, and giving it more of the air of a city. Music Hall, owned by L. B. Darling, is the latest erected, and one of the finest of these buildings. The Blackstone River flows through Valley Falls, Central Falls, and Pawtucket, affording water-power for the numerous factories on its banks. A succession of dams thrown across the stream make the water available. Five bridges now span the river in Pawtucket and Central Falls. The lowest bridge is a substantial stone structure of nine arches, and is very high above the water. The next bridge, also built of stone, with
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PICTURESQUE RHODE ISLAND.
two arches, is almost directly over the falls. The falls do not now exist in their original condition, but have been supplemented by a dam. Below the dam, however, are the ragged ledges over which the waters still foam and boil as they have done for countless ages. When the water is abundant, or the river is in flood, the view of the falls from this bridge is worth a visit. The other three are iron suspension bridges. At Valley Falls is an iron bridge, for foot and carriage travel, and the railroad bridge of the Providence and Wor- cester Railroad. The Boston and Providence Railroad crosses the Blackstone on an iron bridge just before its junction with the Provi- dence and Worcester.
In the neighborhood of Lonsdale and Saylesville, in the town of Lincoln, the country presents a unique appearance. Hills and hollows succeed each other quickly and abruptly. From the roads, alternately in the depressions and the elevations, fine views may often be obtained of the surrounding country. Where the lands in the neighborhood of the Blackstone River are low, in many places, forced back by the dams on the river, the water has overflowed and formed shallow ponds. Between Lonsdale and Saylesville a large · pond is now in existence, mainly the result of a dam thrown across the old Blackstone Canal. The old canal trench is in the centre of the pond, and the water is of considerable depth.
Pawtucket has an excellent system of water-works, which were put in operation Jan. 31, 1878, and have since that time worked well, supplying not only Pawtucket but also East Providence, Central Falls and other small places in the neighborhood. The engine used at the pumping-station is one made by George H. Corliss, and has given good satisfaction. A reservoir, 300 feet above tide-water, situ- ated on Reservoir Heights, two and a half miles from the business centre, was completed Nov. 6, 1878. Its area is about three acres, depth twenty-one feet, and capacity 20,000,000 gallons. The water is obtained from Abbott's Run, which has a water-shed of 26.6 miles. Up to this time the cost of the works has been about $633,000.
As has already been stated, North Providence until 1874 con- tained within its limits all of Pawtucket on the east side of the river. In that year a partition was made, one part was given to the city of Providence, another to the town of Pawtucket, and only a small frag- ment of the original town was left. This portion is mainly peopled by an agricultural community ; there are only a few small manufac- turing establishments within its bounds. "Fruit Hill," in this town, is
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PAWTUCKET, NORTH PROVIDENCE, AND LINCOLN.
an extensive upland, beautifully situated ; it was early settled, and the sites of the dwellings of the first settlers are yet pointed out by antiquarians. An educa- tional institution, known at the outset as the Fruit Hill Semi- nary, and subsequently as the Fruit Hill Classical Institute, was started on the old Fruit Hill es- tate in 1835, and continued in existence until 1861. The his- tory of the other portions of North Providence will be found in the accounts of Providence and Pawtucket.
Lincoln was formed from the old town of Smithfield in 1871. The cotton manufacture is here The Baptist Church, Central Falls. extensively carried on in the vil- lages of Central Falls, Valley Falls, Lonsdale, Ashton, Berkeley, and Albion. Since its incorporation various efforts have been made to annex portions of the town to neighboring towns, but without suc- cess. "The principal if not the only peculiarity of this town in its government, as distinguished from other towns of this State, is, that while it is governed by a town council, as other towns are, yet the southeasterly portion of it, embracing the most thickly settled part, is specially incorporated by the Legislature under the name of ' the Central Falls Fire District,' with power to elect a moderator, clerk, treasurer, three assessors, and a collector of taxes ; to elect fire-wards and presidents of fire-wards ; to order, assess and collect taxes on persons and property within such district for fire-extinguishing apparatus, and keeping the same in order and using it ; to prescribe the duties of fire-wards and of the citizens of said district in case of conflagration ; to provide for suppressing disorder and tumult, for the lighting of streets, and the maintaining of such police force as they may deem necessary." Although so recently incorporated, Lincoln is one of the most important towns of the State, and its manufacturing business is constantly on the increase.
Snart INOy.
MEMORIAL
The University Buildings, Providence.
CHAPTER VI.
CUMBERLAND - WILLIAM BLACKSTONE -NINE MEN'S MISERY. WOONSOCKET - EDWARD HARRIS AND THE HARRIS INSTITUTE - MANUFACTURES - EDUCATION. SMITHFIELD AND NORTH SMITHFIELD. BUR- RILLVILLE-JAMES BURRILL - THIE FORGER'S CAVE.
HE form of William Blackstone, sitting upon his bull, rides slowly along before the eyes of the historical stu- ......... dent as he approaches the town of Cumberland. With the single exception of Roger Williams, no figure in the early history of the State is more prominent than that of this old " non-conformist preacher." The cloud of mystery which enveloped him when the Massachu- setts colonists found him living in tranquil seclusion upon the peninsula of Shawmut, was never entirely dis- pelled. Until the day of his death he maintained the same singular reticence and lived in the same studious solitude, those who had met him fifty years before had noted with such wonder.
When Governor Winthrop and those who came with him landed at Charlestown, in 1630, Mr. Blackstone had been living at Shaw- mut (the peninsula upon which the city of Boston now stands) long enough " to have raised apple-trees and planted an orchard." Tradi- tion says that the would-be colonists were at first inclined to thrust out Blackstone from his home upon the peninsula, upon the specious · pretence that they had received a grant of the tract from the king. As the old story runs, it would seem that the young hermit had lost nothing of his talent for argument during his residence in the wilds of America. Haughtily he made answer to the claims of the men of " the Bay." "The king," said he, " asserteth sovereignty over
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PICTURESQUE RHODE ISLAND.
this new Virginia in respect that John and Sebastian Cabot sailed along the coast, without even landing at any place : and if the qual- ity of sovereignty can subsist upon the substratum of mere inspec- tion, surely the quality of property can subsist upon that of actual occupancy, which is the foundation of my claim."
This story is a most excellent one, and the speech put into the mouth of Blackstone so well accords with his character that we can almost believe the statement of the case to be a true one. It is quite possible, however, that the account may be a little overdrawn.
In Prince's Chronology it is stated that the settlers of Charles- town having become sickly by reason of the poor water, Mr. Black- stone (Blaxton, Prince spells the name) invited them to come over and settle upon the peninsula, telling the governor he had found there a most excellent spring of water. Under such circumstances, the attempt to dispossess him would have evinced extreme ingratitude on the part of theBay colonists. Moreover, it stands perpetuated in the Massachusetts records " that William Blackstone shall have fifty acres of ground set off for him near to his house in Boston, to enjoy forever."
When or how Blackstone came to America is not known. In the year 1628 his name was mentioned for the first time in the Massachusetts records. It is likely that he had then lived for two or three years upon Shawmut. Of this fair peninsula he was, without doubt, the first white settler. That he had occupied it several years, " and with no slight advantage, we may presume from the expenses assessed on the several plantations, from Plymouth northward, for the campaign against Morton at Merry Mount, in 1628; his propor- tion, though the least, being more than one-third of that to be paid by the settlers of Salem, before the coming of Endicott." (Savage's Winthrop, Vol. I., page 44.) Almost all that we know of his life in England is, that he was " a non-conformist minister of the English Church." He is supposed to have graduated from Emmanuel Col- lege, Cambridge, in 1617.
Mr. Blackstone did not long remain upon Shawmut after his countrymen had built their houses upon it. Their society did not prove congenial. In 1634 he sold out his title to the peninsula, each of the other inhabitants paying him six pence or more therefor. Having purchased a drove of cattle, he started in search of a new home in the wilderness. When asked the reason for his unusual course, he said, " I left England to get from under the power of the
.
I37
CUMBERLAND.
Lord-Bishops, but in America I am fallen under the power of the Lord-Brethren."
About three miles above the Pawtucket Falls, in what is now the town of Cumberland, he chose the spot for his new home. On the Plymouth patent this tract of country is known as "Attleborough Gore." "Study Hill," was the name he gave to his estate. There, for the rest of his life, he lived in studious seclusion. His few dis-
Valley of the Abbott's Run.
tant neighbors learned to love him for his kindly heart and generous nature. Respecting his upright character, they did not attempt to interrupt the eccentric course of his life. How he built his house we know not. It is said that he had a servant named Abbott. This man Abbott possessed some of the peculiarities that were so marked in his master. To this servant Mr. Blackstone gave a tract of land upon the stream which now bears the name of Abbott's Run.
Mr. Blackstone planted upon his farm at Study Hill an orchard, the first in the colony of Rhode Island. "Many of the trees which he planted about one hundred and thirty years ago (wrote Governor Hopkins in 1765), are still pretty thrifty fruit-bearing trees. He had the first of that sort called yellow sweetings, that were ever in the world, perhaps the richest and most delicious apple of the whole kind. Mr. Blackstone used frequently to come to Providence to preach the Gospel, and, to encourage his young hearers, gave them the first apples they ever saw. It is said that when he was old, and unable to travel on foot, and not having any horse, he used to ride on a bull which he had tamed and tutored to that use." Mr. Newman,
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