USA > Vermont > Chittenden County > Gazetteer and business directory of Chittenden County, Vermont, for 1882-83 > Part 13
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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.
Burlington Manufacturing Co., located on the corner of Pine and Maple streets, is a stock company largely engaged in the manufacture and sale of marble, with Hon. Torrey E. Wales, president, and Charles R. Hayward, secretary. The company was organized, and buildings erected, in 1865, for the manufacture of nails, and as a rolling-mill, which business was continued several years, or until 1872, when the factory was fitted up for the present manufacture of marble. The firm has exclusive control of several quarries of very popular marble, owing to the fact of different members of the firm owning a portion or a whole of the said quarries. Among these several grades may be mentioned the celebrated Verona, Lapanto and Moriah marbles of New York, and the Florence marble from the quarries at Pittsford, Vt., and also at the same time they import large quantities from Italy. They operate twelve gangs of saws and employ seventy men at their works, besides retaining numerous other workmen at their several quarries, while their sales of rough blocks aggregate many thousand feet each year.
The Queen City Steam Granite Works, located at 143 College street, are owned by L. A. Walker and Eben Tappen, who manufacture there all kinds of monuments, headstones and building blocks, from granite and marble, em- ploying twenty-five men and doing a business of $25,000.00 per annum, though some years it amounts to as high as $75,000.00.
Guy N. Willard's stone quarries, located southeast of the principal part of the city, were first opened by Mr. Willard's father, Levi, in 1805, since which time many thousand yards of stone have been taken therefrom, enter- ing into the structure of some of the finest buildings in Burlington and vicinity. The material consists in most part of a pinkish-white, fine-grained limestone, somewhat resembling granite in its construction, with layers of reddish sand- stone interstratified with red sandstone-marking the transition from the arenaceous to the calcareous form of deposit. Mr. Willard employs fifty men at his quarries.
Homer M. Phelps's steam marble and granite works, located on Bank street, were established by him in 1862, for the manufacture of all kinds of building and cemetery work, and now give employment to twenty men.
Holt & Barnes's spool and bobbin works, located on Pine street, south of Maple, were established at Salisbury, in 1869, and removed to Burlington in 1875. Spools for thread only were manufactured previous to 1877, but dur- ing that year machinery for the manufacture of bobbins was introduced, since which time the business has largely increased, so that eighty hands are now employed at the works.
Walker, Hatch & Co., stair builders and manufacturers of doors, sash, blinds, etc., have their office and salesroom at 153 Main street, though their mills are located at Winooski village. The business was established in 1874, by David Walker and D. F. Hatch, since which time it has continued to steadily increase, until they now employ thirty-five men.
Taft, Morgan & Co., manufacturers of sash, doors, blinds, and house fur-
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nishings, on College, Battery, and Lake streets, commenced business in 1877, as Taft & Morgan, and continued until 1879, when the present firm was organized. They employ eighty men, and manufacture $200,000.00 worth of goods per year.
Matthews & Hickok, manufacturers of packing-boxes, cloth-boards, etc., on Pine street, were organized as a firm in 1871. They employ fifty men and turn out $200,000.00 worth of goods per annum.
The Burlington Spoke Company, Walker & Hatch, agents, engaged in the manufacture of carriage spokes, axehelves, pick, hammer and sledge-handles, have their mills located at Winooski village, and their place of business in Burlington. They employ a number of experienced workmen, and do a large business.
Jerry Lee's carriage shops, located at 175 Pearl street, were established in 1856. He now employs ten men, and manufactures from $8,000.00 to $10,- 000.00 worth of carriages and sleighs per annum.
Harmon Ray, engaged in the manufacture of carriages and wagons, on Front street, first commenced business in Hinesburgh, where he was estab- lished ten years ; he then removed his works to Burlington, in 1856, and now does a business of about $15,000.00 per year.
William Smith & Co.'s carriage shop, located in the rear 153 Pearl street, was established by S. M. Pope, in 1867, since which time, with various changes of partners, Mr. Smith has been constantly connected with the business, the members of the firm now being Smith, Tuttle and Deitte. They employ three men.
Charles B. Gray's carriage manufactory, located on Champlain street, was established in 1830. He now employs ten men in the manufacture of light and heavy carriages and wagons, and also deals in Eastern and Western car- riages, etc., doing an annual business of $ 15,000.00.
Charles H. Sager, manufacturer and repairer of furniture, located at 10 North Winooski ave., commenced business here in 1879, and now employs seven men.
George WV. Lee's carpenter and joiner shops, located on North street, were established in 1865. He employs thirty men.
John W. Roberts's carpenter and building shops are located on North Wil- lard street. Mr. Roberts commenced business here in 1879, and now em- ploys seven men.
Homer C. Drew, carpenter and builder, located on South Winooski ave., commenced business here about fourteen years ago, and now employs twenty men.
C. A. Hibbard's boot and shoe manufactory, located at 52 and 54 College street, was established at Troy, Vt., in 1865. In 1870, Mr. Hibbard re- moved to Essex Junction, and from there to Burlington, in 1874. He man- ufactures none but hand-made goods, turning out from 1,200 to 1,700 cases per year, giving employment to fifty workmen. His whole trade, consisting
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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.
of the sale of his own and other manufactured goods, amounts to 150,000.00 annually.
George W. Holmes & Co.'s glove and mitten manufactory, located at 181 College street, was established by J. H. Whitten, in 1874, by whom the busi- ness was conducted until his death, in 1877, since which time it has been managed by G. W. Holmes, who became a partner in 1880. The firm em- ploys fifteen persons at their manufactory and salesrooms, though a large por- tion of their hand-work is done outside of the factory.
The Burlington & Lamoille R. R. Machine Shops, located at 33 Maple street, are under the management of Mr. F. G. Brownell. The rolling stock, locomotives, etc., for this road are manufactured here, giving employment to twelve men.
Queen City Soap Works, Dodds & Stephens, proprietors, located on First street, were established in a modest way in 1876, and have since steadily increased in business, until they now have an extensive manufactory, employ- ing several men.
L. G. Burnham & Co., photographers and manufacturers of gilt and black walnut moldings, picture frames, easels, etc., are now doing an extensive busi- ness, which was established by Mr. Burnham in 1877, employing twelve women.
Arbuckle & Co .- In 1870, this firm succeeded to the business of D. A. Van Namee in the manufacture of candy, to which was subsequently added the manufacture of cigars. In the line of confections they are the largest manufacturers in the State, and employ thirty operatives. Their sales are prin cipally in this State, Northern and Eastern New York, and New Hamp- shire.
Franklin Woodworth's Pottery .- About the year 1830, E. L. Farrar built a pottery on the south side of Pearl street, between St Paul and Church streets. It was afterwards enlarged by Ballard Brothers, and retained by them until 1874, when it was purchased by Mr Woodworth, who now does an extensive business, employing fifteen men.
Wing & Smith .- In July, 1852, H. R. Wing and James A. Smith came to this city, from Niagara Falls, N. Y., and started the manufacture of lasts, boot- trees, crimps, etc., in a building known as the "Foundry Building" on the corner of Main and Battery streets. Mr. G. F. Wing having previously opened a store and sales room at 573 Frankfort street, New York, a large share of the goods manufactured were sent to that place. After running two years in the old "Foundry Building," it was destroyed by fire, the firm losing their stock, machinery, and books. With the proceeds of their small insurance they com- menced to refund their machinery, and in six months had it in operation, in the old Pioneer Shop. They continued business there until the property was destroyed by fire, a small insurance being all that was left them. Everything including books, was lost. From the ruins they proceeded to Winooski, and in ninety days had the goods in market again. When the Pioneer Shops were
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rebuilt the business was removed to them, where it is still continued. G. F. Wing and James A. Smith having been removed by death, leaving H. R. Wing the surviving active partner, Mrs J. A. Smith retaining an interest in the firm, the name has not been changed. They employ fifteen men at Burling- ton, and five men at New York city, their sales amounting to from twenty- five to thirty thousand dollars per year.
THE LUMBER TRADE.
The first saw-mill in the vicinity was built at Winooski Falls, by Ira Allen, in 1786. Mr. Allen, in connection with his brother, Levi, who was then en- gaged in trade at St. Johns, C. E., opened a trade with Quebec, and among the articles sent was the lumber manufactured at this mill. The first raft of oak timber taken to Quebec was owned by Stephen Mallett, of Colchester, in 1794. The first raft of Norway pine was taken by John Thorp, of Charlotte, in 1796. From this a great trade soon sprang up, of whom the most actively engaged were Ira Allen, Stephen Mallett, Benjamin Boardman, Henry Board- man, Amos Boardman, Ebenezer Allen, William B. Woods, Samuel Holgate, Judson Lamson, Joseph Clark, Thaddeus Tuttle, Mr. Catlin, Ezra Meech, of Shelburne, Daniel Hurlburt, Nathaniel Blood, of Essex, William Munson, William Hine, Jacob Rolfe, Allen Hackett, David Bean, Heman Allen, of Colchester, James Miner, Samuel Holgate, Jr., of Milton, Major Lyman King, and Roswell Butler. After the opening of the Champlain canal, however, in 1820, the course of trade began to take an eastern route, and New York was the lumber market. But erelong the immense forests of oak and pine became exhausted-transferred from the soil to be planted in a floating home, to form another forest-a forest of tall, tapering masts throughout the various great ship- ping marts of the world. The depletion of the forests, however, extinguished the lumber trade only for a time. It again sprang up, with increased pro- portions, but with a great change. The current of its tide had been reversed, so that now the lumberman receives his lumber from Canada, instead of ship- ping it there.
The first cargo of lumber that arrived here from the Canadas, for the Eastern markets, was brought by L. G. Bigelow, in 1850. He associated with him in the business Enos Peterson, and they continued in trade until 1855. Messrs. C. Blodgett & Son, then of Waterbury, next commenced trade here. The St. Maurice Lumber Company shipped their lumber here during the three years that their mills were in operation. In 1855, the Hunterstown Lumber Company located their sales depot at this place, and in 1856, Mr. Lawrence Barnes opened a yard here for the purchase and sale of lumber. From this time trade rapidly increased and reached mammoth proportions, which it re- tains to-day, though not to the extent it has done. Still, about 100,000,000 feet of lumber per year are shipped here now, amounting to a trade of over two million dollars. In addition to the firms already mentioned on a previous page, the following are extensively engaged in the business :-
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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.
Skillings, Whitney & Barnes .- This company, though formed as it now ex- ists as late as 1878, is in reality the business established by Mr. Lawrence Barnes in 1856, which has thus come down through various changes. In addi- tion to their yards at Burlington, they have goods at Ogdensburgh, and at Boston, where their general office is located, at No. 5 Kilby street. They employ at this point 100 men, and at all their yards 500. The aggregate annual amount of lumber handled by them is 90,000,000 feet.
Shepard & Morse Lumber Co. have their principal office at No. 1 Liberty street, Boston, and in addition to their large yards here have others situated in Canada, Michigan, and Tonawanda, N. Y., together with a manufactory at East Saginaw. They employ in all about 300 men and handle 80,000,000 feet of lumber per annum.
Bronsons, Weston, Dunham & Co .- This firm deals largely in lumber, and is also extensively engaged in its manufacture at their mills on Pine street. The mills are an outgrowth of others started at Albany, by J. W. Dunham & Co., and were first located here in 1872. They contain eleven planing machines, two circular re-saws, and an upright re-sawing machine, in addition to numerous other machines, all driven by an immense double engine of 175 horse-power. They employ from sixty to one hundred men, their mill having the capacity for turning out 20,000,000 feet of lumber per year.
Pierce & Linsley, located at 38 College street, and who have also a branch office at 7 Doane street, Boston, and another office and yard at East Sag- inaw, Mich., were organized as a firm January 1, 1880. They give constant employment to a numerous corps of laborers, and though comparatively young in the business, handle about 6,000,000 feet of lumber per year.
EARLY BUSINESS MEN.
As the early settlement at " Burlington Bay" gradually increased in size by the addition of pioneers, it soon became necessary to have a merchant estab- lished among them, which want was filled by - Grant. Others soon followed his example, among whom, as the earliest, were the following: Stephen Keys, Zaccheus Peaslee, Thaddeus Tuttle, E. T. Englesby, William F. Pell & Co., Herring & Fitch, Newell & Russell; Moses Jewett, saddler; Nehemiah Hotchkiss, tailor ; J. Storrs, painter ; Justus Warner, cabinet maker ; William Bryant, shoemaker ; and Daniel Wilder, joiner. In the footsteps of these worthy men followed others, whose energy and business capacity have made Burlington what it is, the metropolis of the State, with its long blocks of busi- ness houses and many wholesale concerns. There are at present one hundred traveling salesmen resident in the city, seventy-five of whom are engaged by Burlington houses. Among the wholesale enterprises of to-day are the following : -
Wells, Richardson & Co., wholesale dealers and manufacturers of drugs and medicines .- This firm commenced business in 1872, as successors to the
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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.
old house of Henry & Co., so long known in Burlington, with Edward Wells, A. E. Richardson, and W. J. Van Patten, forming the partnership. They immediately commenced pushing the wholesale drug trade, in all its branches, with such vigor that they soon supplied the whole trade of Vermont, North- ern New York, and New Hampshire, with their goods. In 1873, Mr. Henry Wells was admitted as a partner, and in 1874, their handsome, commodious
WELL'S RICHARDSON &CO. WHOLESALE DRUGGISTS PROPRIETORS OF. PERFECTEDBUTTER COLOR KIDNEY WORT.
MANUFACTURII
WHOLESALE DRUG
STS
WELLS.RICHARDSON &COE
store was erected, a building whose facilities for and adaptability to the drug business, are excelled by none. In January, 1881, Mr. F. H. Wells became one of the firm, which is thus made up of young men whose whole business training has been in the wholesale drug trade and specialties connected there- with, and who are, withal, thorough business men in every sense, and deserve well the high position they have attained in business circles.
Wells, Richardson & Co. began their extended system of advertising in 1877, expending during that year about $4,000.00 in making known the merits of their Butter Color. Their drug business at that time amounted to about $200,000.00 per year. In 1879, they began to extensively advertise their now familiar, but then little known remedy, " Kidney-Wort," expending dur- ing the first year about $75,000.00. This expenditure proved to be so profita- ble-increasing their business more than fifty per cent .- that their investment in printer's ink the following year, 1880, was increased to $125,000.00. The
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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.
business at once began to show the effect of this large outlay, and that year amounted to a round $400,000.00. In 1881, their advertising cost them $150,000.00, and they did a business of over half a million. This year the outlay for advertising will be much larger, and the business thus far shows an increase of twenty-five per cent. over that of 1881.
About $200,000.00 of their business continues to be from the general wholesale drug trade, while the balance is from the sale of their proprietary articles, Kidney-Wort, Improved Butter Color, and Diamond Dyes. These articles have an almost world-wide reputation. Of Kidney-Wort, about 4,000 gross, 576,000 bottles, equal to 2,250 barrels, are shipped in the course of a year, a large proportion of which is used in the different States of the Union, though much is sent to other parts of North America, and some to South America, while arrangements are now pending for introducing the remedy into Europe and Australia. About 200 gross of Diamond Dyes are shipped during the same period, or, in all, 132,000 dozen packages of goods in a year. Surely, a business of great magnitude for a Vermont Yankee firm ! In transacting this great business they employ at their store sixty persons, forty others indirectly, and send out four traveling salesmen.
Safford, Wetherby & Co .- This firm, wholesale jobbers of fancy goods, notions, hoisery, overalls, shirts, etc., first commenced business at Montpelier, in 1870, under the title of E. S. Fullam & Co., and in September of that year removed to Burlington, locating at their present site. About four years subsequent to this Mr. C. C. Chadwick was admitted to the business, and the firm name changed to Fullam, Safford & Chadwick, and so remained until 1875, when, owing to failing health, Mr. Fullam sold his interest to Messrs. Safford & Chadwick, and during the same season Mr. Humphrey became a partner, and the firm was known as Safford, Chadwick & Co. ; but in the early part of 1876, Mr. Chadwick died, and Messrs. Safford & Hum- phrey having purchased his interest, the business continued in their name until 1881, when Mr. Henry L. Wetherby was admitted, and the title changed to the one it has since borne. Still, although Mr. Humphrey is yet a mem- ber of the firm, his time is given to conducting a retail trade in Winooski village, which is owned by Safford, Humphrey & Co. During these years the business has steadily increased, so that they now employ three traveling salesmen and a full corps of clerks at their store, their annual sales amount- ing to about $100,000.00.
Henry, Johnson & Lord .- This enterprising firm, located on College street, commenced business at Waterbury, Vt., in 1855, under the firm name of J. M. Henry & Sons. Under various changes the firm continued in Waterbury until March, 1867, when they removed the business to Burlington. After this removal, the addition of the wholesale drug business was made to their man- ufacture of proprietary medicines. In 1870, the firm divided, the present firm of Wells, Richardson & Co. taking the wholesale department under the firm title of Henry & Co., and Henry & Johnson retaining the proprietary medi-
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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.
cine department, which they still continue, with the addition, in 1879, of L. B. Lord to the company, making the firm as at present. The specialties which they manufacture are N. H. Downs' Elixir, Baxter's Mandrake Bitters, and Arnica and Oil Liniment, besides a large line of toilet articles, extracts, essences, and other proprietary medicines. They have traveling salesmen in all New England and the Middle States, while their sales extend to all parts of the Union.
BURLINGTON
AHPERCY MAISPAS
(LYMAN BLOCK.)
The stores known as the Lyman block, Nos. 179-183 College street, and Nos. 118, 120, 122 Church street, were erected by John and Cornelius Wick- ware, on the site purchased by them of Col. Henry Thomas, January 15, 1829. It was built in the summer of 1829, for their dry goods trade, and was the second store erected on Church street, now the principal business street of the city. Mr. Sion E. Howard's store on the block north, the site of the present How- ard Opera House, being the first. The block was sold to Jonathan Wick- ware, August 22, 1834, and by him to Samuel Hickok, Feb. 24, 1835. It was purchased by Capt. Gideon Lathrop, May 15, 1838, and was successively occupied by Messrs. D. W. Ingersol & Co., John S. Potwin & Co., and Joseph Wait, for dry goods and general country trade. Mr. Elias Lyman, who had received his early merchantile education in the house of Justin and Elias Lyman (his father), then extensive merchants and jobbers at Hartford, Vt., purchased the block in 1844, for his dry goods business. In 1847, Mr. Lyman formed a partnership with his cousin, Edward Lyman, now the senior partner of the wholesale and retail dry goods house of Lyman & Allen. The firm of E. & E. Lyman continued till 1851, when Mr. Elias Lyman retired,
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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.
Mr. Edward Lyman succeeding to the business, in the same store, till 1868. From that date till 1878, the store was occupied by L. W. Page, and subse- quently by Messrs A. B. Simonds & Co., dry goods merchants. Since Sep- tember, 1878, it has been occupied by A. N. Percy, manager of the Burling- ton Clothing Co.
Lyman & Allen, wholesale dealers in dry and fancy goods .- This firm, located on Church and Bank streets, was established in 1868, as a continua- tion of the business commenced by Mr. Edward Lyman, the senior member of the firm, in 1848. Their store is large and commodious, 74x45 feet, and employs sixteen persons, while two salesmen are kept upon the road. The business done by the firm amounts to $200,000.00 annually.
Van Sicklen, Seymour & Co .- In 1856, the firm of Van Sicklen & Walker was organized for the wholesale trade of general groceries and provisions. In 1878, the firm was changed as it now is, being the oldest in this line in the city, and still does business at the old " stone stores," South Wharf. They give employment to ten men.
BREWERIES.
About 1800, Daniel Staniford owned a distillery on the north side of Pearl street, near the present Winooski avenue, where he brewed ale, beer and por- ter, and manufactured other fluids which even the phlegmatic votary of lager drinking cannot claim as "non-intoxicating," Another distillery was subse- quently operated nearer the head of Pearl street, by Loomis & Bradley. Samuel Hickok built a brewery on the west side of Champlain street, which was burned down. It was afterwards rebuilt by George Peterson, about 1837, who used it for many years in manufacturing ale, usually about 1,500 barrels each year. It was taken by
Ammi F. Stone, in 1871, who manufactured about 3,000 barrels per year. In 1878, he added the business of bottling lager, and manufactured the same for two years, when its manufacture was discontinued, though he still con- tinues the bottling, procuring his lager at Albany, N. Y., using about 400 barrels per year.
BANKS.
Soon after the year 1800, many attempts to establish banks of discount and deposit based upon a circulating currency were made, but the people were not then in a condition to receive them. They believed in the exchange of commodities rather than the to them frail and unreliable I. O. U.'s of the banks, and that "by introducing a more extensive credit the tendency of banks would be to palsy the vigor of industry and to stupefy the vigilance of economy, the only two honest, general and sure sources of wealth." Conse- quently the petitions to the legislature, not only from Burlington, but from different parts of the State, were met with a sturdy resistance. In 1803, a bill for establishing a bank here was passed by the assembly, at Westminster,
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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.
by a vote of ninety-three to eighty-three, but was non-concurred in by the governor and his council. Again, in 1805, a similar bill passed the house of representatives, and was likewise non-concurred in, and failed to become a law. But in 1806, the Vermont State Bank was chartered, and during the following year a branch was established at Burlington, where it remained until 1812, when the legislature ordered its removal to Woodstock. The bank was located on the west side of the square, and its business transacted by Samuel Hickok, who acted as cashier. By the original act establishing the branch, it was provided that the directors of the State Bank, thirteen in num- ber, chosen annually by the legislature, should assign three of their number to said branch, two of which should constitute a quorum to manage the prudential concerns of the said branch. The two directors residing in this locality were William C. Harrington and Noah Chittenden. In 1816, an application was made to the legislature for establishing another branch here, which, after much discussion and delay, was granted in 1818, and the Bank of Burlington immedi- ately went into operation, occupying a building on the north side of the square, and shortly afterwards a two-story building on the present site of the Howard Opera House, where it did a successful business for many years, its charter being extended by the legislature three different periods, by acts ap- proved November 5, 1830, November 8, 1847, and November 20, 1861. The bank had a capital of $150,000.00, and was managed by a board of seven directors, who chose a president and cashier. Cornelius P. Van Ness was the first president, and Andrew Thompson, cashier. Business was suspended and the institution went out of existence, January 1, 1868, by a proclamation of the governor, Paul Dillingham, annulling the charters of all State banking institutions. In 1830, a branch of the United States Bank was established here, and continued business until the expiration of the charter of the parent bank. Their banking house was situated on the northeast corner of College and St. Paul streets, where the Savings Bank now is. The officers of the institution were, Heman Allen, president, and Thomas Hockley, cashier. The Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank was chartered November 4, 1834, with a capital of 100,000.00, John Peck, president, and Thomas Hockley, cashier. Their banking house was situated on the northeast corner of St. Paul and College streets, where they did business until 1868, their charter being extended October 31, 1846, and November 20, 1861.
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