USA > Vermont > Chittenden County > History of Chittenden County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 59
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The well-known wholesale drug firm, Wells, Richardson & Co., succeeded
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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.
to the business of Henry & Co. in 1872. The first members of the firm were Edward Wells, A. E. Richardson and W. J. Van Patten. In 1873 Henry Wells was admitted as a partner, and in 1881 F. H. Wells. They occupy two large stores, Nos. 125 to 133 College street. The first store was built in 1874, and the later and larger one in 1883. The original business of the firm was simply that of wholesale druggists, but in 1886 they began their successful enterprises as manufacturers of proprietary articles, by putting upon the market their cel- ebrated butter color. This became, in a short time, very popular throughout the dairying sections of the country, and the sale has already extended to Eng- land and Australia. The next article which they put upon the market was the well known remedy, kidney-wort, which was advertised very extensively by means of newspapers and almanacs, and has had a deservedly high reputation for the diseases for which it is recommended.
In 1881 the firm commenced the manufacture of the diamond dyes, which are now sold in almost all parts of the world. These very useful dyes are manufactured in thirty-six different colors, and are adapted to a wide range of uses, from coloring the most ordinary goods to the finest silks, ribbons, feath- ers, and for many artistic uses. The sale has probably exceeded that of any proprietary article now upon the market.
The last enterprise of the firm is the manufacture of a very valuable food for infants and invalids, which they have called lactated food. As its name indicates, its basis is sugar of milk, or lactose, an article which is now manu- factured in large quantities by the American Milk Sugar Company, under the patents of Prof. A. H. Sabin, of the University of Vermont. The importance of an article of this kind is conceded by all well-informed physicians, and the firm is in receipt of hundreds of letters from eminent members of the profession, indorsing this food as the best article of the kind with which they are ac- quainted. No doubt it will soon achieve as wide-spread popularity as have the other articles previously put upon the market.
The demand for their goods induced Wells, Richardson & Co. several years ago to establish a branch house in Montreal, where a large business is done. Since then they have also established branches in London, England, and in Sidney, New South Wales, Australia. Probably no other one of the many enterprising houses of Burlington has done more to spread the name and fame of their beautiful city throughout the world than have Wells, Richardson & Co. In 1882, in order to handle their business to better advantage, the firm changed their style to that of a corporation under the name of Wells & Rich- ardson Company, the stockholders in the corporation remaining the same as those in the partnership previously. Edward Wells is president of the corpo- ration ; A. E. Richardson, vice-president ; Henry Wells, treasurer ; W. J. Van Patten, secretary ; F. H. Wells, assistant secretary.
The drug firm of B. W. Carpenter & Co. began business here in 1875,
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HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.
the junior member, F. L. Taft, having been with Dr. Vincent for ten years pre- vious to the formation of this firm. The senior member was a surgeon in the Ninth Vermont Regiment during the last war, and practiced in Burlington until 1874. The firm deal extensively in everything at all pertaining to this line of business, especially in Taft's myrrhline, phosphated ginger cream, capsine chol- era specific, etc.
Burritt Brothers started a drug store here in 1874, and in 1883 sold out to the present proprietor, F. W. Burritt. He deals in all kinds of drugs and pat- ent medicines, dentists' and surgical instruments, etc., and has a large trade.
The Peoples' Drug Store, at 75 Church street, under the management of Beaupré & Lowrey, proprietors, was opened by these gentlemen in 1880, they having succeeded the old firm of Jones & Riley. The business has grown steadily, until it is now one of the largest stores of its kind in the State.
Bellrose & Grant have been in the drug business since 1881. Their stock includes a thorough line of drugs, surgical instruments, laboratory goods, re- agent bottles, etc.
The drug store of W. H. Zottman & Co. was opened on the 15th of Janu- ary, 1885, and, in addition to a full line of drugs, makes a specialty of com- pounding prescriptions. They also have two of the best soda fountains in the State.
The drug firm of Sullivan & Carrieres was formed in April, 1886. They keep a complete line of patent medicines, drugs, perfumes, cigars and sundries. They are also proprietors of Sullivan's cough balsam.
Jewelers .- The jewelry house of Brinsmaid & Hildreth, of 99 Church street, is like a city landmark, and is the oldest of its kind in Burlington. It was established by Abram Brinsmaid in the year 1793, and during this length- ened period of more than ninety years the reputation of the house for respon- sibility and first-class workmanship has never been disputed. By the admittance of Moses Bliss as a partner the firm was known prior to 1824 as Brinsmaid & Bliss, and has been followed successively by Pangborn & Brinsmaid in 1841 ; Brinsmaid Brothers in 1849; Brinsmaid, Brother & Co. in 1854; and in that year the present firm name of Brinsmaid & Hildreth was adopted.
They carry at all times a full and complete stock of foreign and American watches, clocks, jewelry of all kinds, silver and silver plated ware, and kindred goods, transacting a business that is not only local but extends all over this section of the State. The individual names of the proprietors are William Brinsmaid and Chester Hildreth.
The business conducted by H. E. Adams & Son (Mark W. Adams) was established in Burlington on the Ist of April, 1879, by the senior member of the present firm. At the beginning the stock was valued at about three thou- sand dollars, and only $5,000 worth were sold the first year. But the sales have increased until they now amount to $20,000 annually.
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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.
L. X. Fremau began dealing in jewelry in Burlington six years ago. He makes a specialty of repairing, though he carries a complete stock for sale.
E. A. Bruce has been in the jewelry business at No. 106 Church street for four years. The site, however, has been in use for a jewelry store for the last thirty-five years. Mr. Bruce carries a full line of the best jewelry, watches, silverware, spectacles, eye-glasses, etc., and executes with great care and skill the resetting and mounting of diamonds and other precious stones. He gives special attention to the repairing and adjusting of fine watches. His prede- cessor in the building was C. W. Wingate.
Books, Stationery, etc .- In 1837 Samuel Huntington opened the first book and stationery store in town, in the building which he still occupies, and has been in business longer than any other merchant in the city. From a small country trade the business has grown to extensive proportions, and is con- stantly increasing. The present firm of S. Huntington & Co. manufactures blank books, keep a fine stock of writing materials of every sort, albums, scrap books, etc., as well as a large assortment of the best educational and other books. The store has for forty years been a depository of the American Bible Society. In view of the fact that Mr. Huntington is the only merchant in busi- ness to-day that was here when he began, his remarkable success must be gratifying.
The Free Press Association opened a store of the same kind about six years ago, and have always kept a fine assortment of stationery, ruled and bond papers, inks, etc. The stock carried is valued at $10,000 to $15,000.
Miscellaneous Mercantile Interests .- In 1872 C. R. Nash began the busi- ness of plumbing, gas fitting, furnace work and general jobbing in stoves, ranges and house-furnishing goods, making plumbing a specialty. The junior partner of the firm of Nash & Roche, P. A. Roche, was admitted to the posi- tion in 1885.
Johnson Brothers began dealing in crockery, china, glass and silver plated ware, wall-paper, window-shades, lamp goods, etc., in 1879, succeeding to a business which was established about thirty-five years ago. C. G. Peterson has been in the same line of trade for five years. He does considerable whole- saling. The Boston Bargain Store, Chester C. Collins, proprietor, was founded in 1884. The stock consists of tinware, crockery, glassware and fancy goods.
A. G. Pierce has, since 1873, conducted the business established by his father in 1845, and carried on from 1858 to 1873 by Pierce & Son ; carries everything that is demanded in farm machinery, seeds, fertilizers, etc.
C. P. Smith succeeded in 1867 to the business which Frederick Smith had founded ten or twelve years before. He is now a wholesale and retail dealer in flour, grain, feed, hay and seeds. "A good line of good goods."
The store of Jones & Isham was opened in 1883 by the present members of the firm, J. W. Jones and C. S. Isham. Besides carrying a first-class as-
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HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.
sortment of oatmeals and grahams, they deal in field and garden seeds, flour, grain and feed, baled hay, grass-seed, oil meal, and ground bone. They also sell Nova Scotia plaster extensively.
One of the best as well as oldest of the coal interests of the city is that of Elias Lyman. Honorable dealing has increased a trade at first small to large proportions. In no case has misrepresentation as to quality or quantity been practiced, and his customers have come to regard his statements as in all re- spects trustworthy. His stock is of the best.
J. W. Hayes, wholesale and retail dealer in hard and soft coal and wood, established his trade in Burlington ten or twelve years ago. It is enough to say that he handled 10,000 tons of coal during the last year, his trade reach- ing Canada and New Hampshire. He also keeps a general grocery at No. 165 South Champlain street.
The firm of Adsit & Bigelow - E. S. Adsit and J. J. Bigelow - was formed in 1875. By reason of thrift and honesty these gentlemen have estab- lished a trade throughout Vermont and Eastern New Hampshire, requiring the handling of 10,000 tons of coal per annum. They also deal somewhat in hard wood.
S. Beach, baker and confectioner, began business here about 1854. He keeps a large assortment of the goods expected in his line, and has a whole- sale business that embraces Northern New York and Eastern New Hampshire. His specialties are the Burlington and the Boston cracker. Two men are kept on the road, and for the retail trade two teams are required in Burlington and Winooski. His business is worth about $55,000 per annum and demands the continual employment of about twenty men.
H. E. Salls began business in Burlington in 1870, and keeps an excellent stock of tobaccos, cigars, fruits and confectionery. His ice cream parlors are also well patronized. Other confectionery stores are kept by G. B. Kent & Co. and Charles N. Jones, started respectively four years, and six months, ago. G. B. Woodward opened a news store and began keeping confectionery on the Ist of September, 1885.
The firm of Reed & Taylor became successors in 1884 to the old house of Murray & Reed, who for twenty years had carried on a trade in teas, coffees, spices, tobacco and cigars. The business is now largely wholesale, extending throughout Vermont, Northern New York and a part of New Hampshire. Three men are kept on the road. Tobacco and cigars are with them a spe- cialty, and two and a half million cigars were sold in 1885. The wholesale and retail tobacco store of C. N. Mead, on the corner of Main and Church streets, is worth an income of from $25,000 to $40,000 a year.
The immense wholesale trade in teas, coffees, spices, tobacco and cigars, now conducted by Pope, Berry & Hall, was founded in 1866 by Gregory & Mead. T. W. Gregory & Co., Minor, Pope & Co., and the present firm suc-
489
TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.
cessively followed, the last change occurring about nine years ago. The busi- ness is entirely wholesale, three men being kept continually on the road. Teas, coffees and spices are the specialty. The firm carry a stock valued at $25,000, and have annual sales of from $250,000 to $300,000.
The New York and China Tea Company was formed three years ago, S. W. Henry, manager. Their stock of $1,000 is of an excellent quality. A beginning has been made in a wholesale trade.
H. H. Davis keeps a full line of artists' materials, books, musical goods, and apparatus for all games. He has been in trade in Burlington since 1873. He also carries a line of school-books, newspapers and periodical publications.
Bailey's music rooms, under the efficient management of H. W. Hall, has been opened in this city for seven years past. The main store, however, is at St. Johnsbury, under Mr. Bailey's management. This business is worth from $60,000 to $80,000 per annum, six men being on the road. The stock is in pianos, organs and musical instruments of all kinds, musical merchandise and sheet music. The trade extends all through Northern Vermont and New York.
For the last three years Mrs. H. E. Salls has dealt in Kensington art work in all its branches, and in fancy goods of every description.
The art store of L. G. Burnham is worthy of particular mention as being the best of its kind in the State. Everything in the nature of picture frames and mouldings is made here. A wholesale business is done in photographers' and artists' supplies, and an extensive trade carried on in artists' materials, plush goods, fancy articles and novelties. Mr. Burnham has been in a similar business in Burlington for the last ten years, and has conducted his art store since 1884. His line of etchings and engravings is unsurpassed in this part of New England,
Winooski and Burlington Horse Railroad Company .- The charter for this, the first horse railroad company in the State, was obtained on the 3Ist of October, 1872, by F. C. Kennedy, Lemuel B. Platt, Charles W. Woodhouse, Edward W: Peck, and Levi Underwood, corporators, with a capital stock of $100,000. Nothing effectual was done until the summer of 1885, when C. D. Haines, of Sandy Hill, N. Y., came to Burlington and organized the company. A contract was let to his brother, A. G. Haines, to build an equipped road for $40,000. To extend the road as it now runs, it was bonded for $15,000, and stock paid up for $25,000. It is three miles in length. The road is not now quite a standard gauge road, but is to be widened from its present breadth of four feet, to four feet eight inches, and in the summer open cars are placed on the track. The capital stock is also yet to be increased. But the company have placed themselves on a solid footing and will undoubtedly make the road in every way a success. The first officers of the company were C. D. Haines, president, U. A. Woodbury, vice-president, and directors as now, except Jo D. Hatch in place of E. T. Haines, resigned. The present officers and directors
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HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.
are as follows : President, U. A. Woodbury; vice-president, F. C. Kennedy ; superintendent, K. B. Walker ; treasurer, L. E. Woodhouse ; clerk, George W. Wales; directors, U. A. Woodbury, C. D. Haines, F. C. Kennedy, K. B. Walker, and Jo D. Hatch.
The Post-office .- The first post route in Vermont was established on the 19th of June, 1781, when Samuel Sherman was employed to " ride post from His Excellency's in Arlington to Camp Headquarters at (Castleton) once a week three months from date hereof." He was to go one road by way of Tinmouth and return by way of Pawlet. For his "encouragement," he was allowed fourteen shillings a week out of the State treasury. In 1783 the Gov- ernor and Council established a weekly post between Bennington and Albany, and Anthony Haswell, father of Nathan B. Haswell, afterward a prominent Bur- lington merchant, was appointed postmaster-general. On the 5th of March, 1784, the Legislature enacted a law for the establishment of post-offices within the State, which was substantially re-enacted in March, 1787, with the follow- ing preamble :
" Whereas, the business of promulgating the laws, conveying timely notice- to the inhabitants of the State of all proprietary proceedings, and other mat- ters of importance to the public, can in no other way be effected so extensively and with so small expense as by the appointment of regular posts for convey- ing the same to the different parts of this State ;" therefore five post-offices were established, viz : At Bennington, Rutland, Brattleboro, Windsor, and Newbury, under such regulations as were established for the government of the post-offices of the United States. The post-rider from Bennington to Brattleboro was allowed three pence for every mile traveled, and riders on the other routes two pence per mile, " in hard money orders or hard money." The postmaster-general was empowered to employ a rider to travel from Rut- land through Addison county (of which this county was then a part), at two pence per mile, " each fortnight for one-half the circuit, going one road and returning another." On the 15th of October, 1790, to the dissatisfaction of the public, who feared a suspension of the service, that part of the act which provided for the compensation of the riders was repealed. On the 21st of January, 1788, Daniel Marsh advertised himself as post-rider from Clarendon to Onion River, the northern terminus of his route being Jericho. There was no authority for the establishment of an office in Chittenden county, which then extended to the Canada line ; and the conclusion is that there were no offices in the State except the five named in the act of 1787, until June 1, 1792, after the service had become a part of the economy of the general govern- ment. On that day, under the authority of Congress, additional offices were opened in Manchester, Vergennes, and Burlington. Congress was very slow in the extension of the service in Vermont, the first act, passed March 3, 1791, authorizing the postmaster-general to extend the carrying of the mail from
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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.
Albany to Bennington ; in other words, merely connecting the general service with that previously established in Vermont.
Under an act passed on the 20th of February, 1792, only the following routes were established in this State : From Albany by way of Troy and Lan- singburgh to Bennington, Manchester and Rutland, once a week ; from Rutland to Burlington, once in two weeks, though proposals were invited for service once a week ; from Springfield, Mass., by way of Northampton to Brattleboro, once a week ; and from Brattleboro by way of Charlestown, N. H., and Wind- sor, Vt., to Hanover, N. H., once a week. In 1801 the Rutland Herald con- tained advertisements of the following routes, among others :
From Windsor by way of Woodstock, Royalton, Randolph, Williamston, Montpelier and Jericho to Burlington, once a week, the rider leaving Burling- ton on Saturdays at six o'clock A. M., arriving at Montpelier by six P. M., and at Windsor on Mondays by ten A. M. Returning he would leave Wind- sor every Wednesday at two o'clock P. M., reach Montpelier on Thursdays at seven P. M. and Burlington seven P. M. on Fridays. Another route was from Rutland north by way of Pittsford, Brandon, Salisbury, Middlebury, Ver- gennes, Charlotte, Shelburne, Burlington, Colchester, Milton, etc., to Highgate, once a week, leaving Rutland at five o'clock every Monday morning, reaching Charlotte at ten on Tuesday mornings, Burlington by one on Tuesday after- noons, and Highgate at seven on Wednesday afternoons. Going south the car- rier would leave Highgate at eight o'clock Thursday mornings, reach Burlington at eleven o'clock Friday mornings ; leave Burlington at noon, reach Charlotte at two in the afternoon and Rutland at eight o'clock every Saturday afternoon. Fifteen minutes was allowed for the opening and closing of the mails at all offices where the time was not particularly specified. This system of transmis- sion by stage was continued, of course, until the opening of railroads through the State, about 1850. Thompson's Gazetteer states that there were in 1840 three lines of mail stages through Burlington, which arrived and departed daily, one to the south, one to the east and one to the north.
In 1804 there were sixty post towns in the State, seven of which were in Chittenden county, viz: Burlington, postmaster, John Fay; Charlotte, W. Barnes; Hinesburg, Elijah Bostwick; Huntington, Jabez Fargo; Jericho, Roderick Messenger ; Richmond, --; and Williston, Eben Judson. In 1823, as shown by Walton's Register, there were 163 post-offices in the State, and about $20,000 was annually paid on the postage of letters, papers and pamphlets by the inhabitants thereof, numbering 235,749 persons. The com- pensation of postmasters was on the basis of 30 per cent. on the first $100 of receipts, and 25 per cent. on the next $100. Brattleboro was the largest office in Vermont. Middlebury was second in importance and Burlington third. The salary of Ephraim Mills, the postmaster at Burlington, was $333. All the other postmasters in the county received less than $100. The rates of postage
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HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.
were for a single letter of one piece of paper, for any distance not exceeding thirty miles, six cents ; over thirty and not exceeding eighty miles, ten cents ; over eighty and not exceeding 150 miles, twelve and a half cents ; over 150 and not exceeding 400 miles, eighteen and three-fourths cents; over 400 miles, twenty-five cents. Letters composed of two pieces of paper were charged double those rates, three pieces were charged triple rates, and more than three pieces quadruple postage.
The highest salary paid any of the 4,000 postmasters in the United States was then $2,000, and there were only ten who were paid that sum, while twenty-seven received $1,000 and upward. In 1845 the rates of postage were reduced, and letters weighing not more than half an ounce could be sent any distance under 300 miles for five cents, and any greater distance for ten cents. In 1851 the rates were again modified so that a single letter, that is, a letter weighing not more than half an ounce, would be carried 3,000 miles, or under, for three cents, if prepaid, and for five cents if not prepaid. The rates for a distance exceeding 3,000 miles were respectively six and twelve cents. Post- age stamps and stamped envelopes were not used until 1852. The system of charging uniform rates on letters according to weight, and disregarding dis- tance within the limits of the country, was established in 1863.
In the earlier years of the existence of Burlington, and down to a period within the memory of living man, money was so scarce that a letter would frequently remain in the office several days or a week, until the person to whom it was addressed could earn the twenty-five cents, or less, by labor for cash instead of pork, wheat, or pot-ashes.
Following is a list of the postmasters of Burlington from the first appoint- ment in 1792 to the present (for the first eight names credit should be given to Robert Roberts, esq., through whose influence they were obtained from the department at Washington): Amos Hutchins, appointed July 17, 1792 ; John Fay, March 20, 1793 ; Cornelius P. Van Ness, July 1, 1809; Jason Chamber- lin, March 6, 1814; Dr. Elijah D. Harmon, January 22, 1816; Almon Warner, October 17 1816 ; Ephraim Mills, September 26, 1818 ; Henry B. Stacy, May 12, 1841 ; Dana Winslow, 1843; William Noble, 1845 ; George H. Paul, 1849; Luther P. Blodgett, 1850; Douglas A. Danforth, 1854; G. Grenville Benedict, 1862 ; Samuel Huntington, 1866 ; William H. Hoyt, 1867 ; George H. Bigelow, 1868 ; G. Grenville Benedict, 1872 ; Buel J. Derby, 1875.
While Ephraim Mills was postmaster the office was kept in a little room about twenty-five feet long and twelve wide, in Mills' Row, a building described in former pages as a long two-story wooden structure extending from the east end of the American Hotel to Church street and fronting the square. Behind it, instead of the buildings now to be seen, was a large garden. This post- office was distinguished less by " pigeon-holes," for the reception of mail matter, than by little shelves. The floor was usually and unavoidably littered with
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TOWN AND CITY OF BURLINGTON.
pieces of paper, for in those days envelopes were unknown ; the writer would place the address of the person for whom the letter was intended on the back of the folded sheet itself, around which the postmaster would wrap an extra sheet, write upon it the name of the place for which the communication was destined, tie it and send it on. Letters received here were stripped of their outer covering by the postmaster and, when paid for, delivered to the person addressed. When Mr. Stacy received the appointment he fitted up an office in a framed building that occupied the present site of the Commercial Bank building, on the north side of the square, and constructed pigeon-holes and let- ter boxes for the convenience of the public, an innovation that was generally appreciated. It is related that the painter who labeled the letter-box slits on the inner apartment and on the outer door, in his anxiety to please and perform more of a service than was expected of him, painted over the key-hole on the street door the title " key-hole," to the amusement of the many and annoyance of the postmaster. The office was kept for a number of years after Mr. Stacy's retirement in the rear part of the building at present occupied as an office by the Burlington Shirt Company, on the southwest corner of College and St. Paul streets.
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