In attempting to describe the manufacturing interests of Rutland, it may be prefaced that they have almost entirely grown to their present proportions since the advent of the railroads, if we except the incipient marble operations. Without railroads manufacturing industries could not thrive in competition with those of other localities where transportation was rapid and cheap, even with the possession of the ample water power of this town. But the moment that manufactured products could he marketed at low rates, then capital and energy were turned in that direction, and the lapse of thirty years has witnessed the up-building of a manufacturing interest solid in foundation, comprehensive in variety and such as will surely grow and add largely to the wealth and prosperity of the village and town. Our description of these various industries must of necessity be very brief.

       Nine-tenths of the weighing scales used in the world are made in the State of Vermont. A large proportion of these are made in Rutland by the company above named; the ingenious, accurate and beautiful scales turned out by this company are vastly different utensils from those of the days when our grandmothers went upon the principle that a pint of most ordinary commodities was a pound, or, what was little better, hung a package on one end of the tilting bar of the antique steelyard and a weight on the other, looked at the irregular notches and guessed at the weight. Those old-fashioned household utensils have long been superseded and today not only do Americans use the Vermont scales throughout this country, but on them the Chinese and the Japanese weigh their teas, the Australian his wool, the South American his gutta percha, the African merchant in Cape Town his ivory; in short, they are seen wherever civilization has made their use desirable.

       The invention of the Howe scale dates from the year 1855, when F. M. STRONG and Thomas ROSS, two young men of energy and mechanical genius, began studying the problem of how to make a perfect weighing device. Their success was ample and in 1856 their first patent was secured. In the fall of the same year they put up their first scale in Vernon, N. Y. About the same time they finished and exhibited specimens of their hay scales and other smaller styles at the fair of the American Institute, in New York, where they attracted favorable attention. In the spring of 1857 John Howe, jr., then of Brandon, Rutland county, became impressed with the value of the invention, purchased the patent of the inventors and began their manufacture at Brandon. A stock company was subsequently organized and the business continued until 1877; but the works at Brandon were not conveniently situated relative to railroad shipments, and it was determined in 1877 to remove the entire plant to Rutland. In making this change Hon. John B. PAGE was largely instrumental and has ever since held the office of treasurer or president of the company. Eleven acres of land, a tract triangular in shape, situated at the junction of the Central Vermont and the Bennington and Rutland railroads, was purchased and during the years 1877-78 commodious and convenient buildings were erected for the works; to these various additions have since been made. A careful study was made to adapt the buildings to their several purposes in the best possible manner. A thorough watch service was instituted, and for protection from fire hydrants were located on the gounds, supplied by a powerful pump and furnished with ample hose. The buildings are all of one story, wood, lined with brick and supplied with the best apparatus for carrying on all of the various branches of the work. We cannot go into a detailed description of the advantages which the Howe scale possesses over others; but, in brief, their chief advantage (and it is a most important one) rests in the placing of chilled iron balls between the platform and the bearings which rest upon the delicate knife edges which contribute to the accuracy of the scale. The principal effect of these balls is to relieve the knife edges, upon the preservation of which depends the wear of the scale and its continued accuracy, from all possibility of injury from the inevitable oscillation of the platform when placing goods upon it. No other scale uses this feature, which is covered by patents.

       The Howe Scale Company is one of the institutions of Rutland and has contributed much to its growth and prosperity. From two hundred and fifty to four hundred hands are employed on the average. The annual value of the product of the company is now from $1,000,000 to $1,250,000. The present officers of the company are, president; I W. W. Reynolds, superintendent; W. F. Lewis, assistant superintendent; J. W. Norton, cashier and clerk; agencies are established in the principal cities of the world and all nations are patrons of the company.

       These works are now operated by a stock company with $50,000 capital (increased to that sum from $40,000), of which Redfield PROCTOR is president; W. A. PATRICK, superintendent, and Rockwood BARRETT, treasurer. The foundation of the business dates from the fall of 1868, when Thomas ROSS began here the manufacture of stone, mill and quarrying machinery, and the crescent coffee and spice mill, the invention of Thomas and Crawford D. ROSS. Thomas ROSS was one of the inventors of the HOWE scales, as before noted; he was killed on the 5th of January, 1881, by the bursting of an emery wheel in his works. In 1882 the present company purchased the property and have since doubled its capacity; about sixty hands are employed. The shops are on West street, near the railroad.

       The senior member of this firm was the originator of the business, having leased a small shop, in which he was the sole workman, in 1877. He is a good mechanic, an inventor of some note, and energetic; hence he succeeded, and in the following year built his shop. Again in 1880 and 1881 he was compelled by increasing business to erect additions to his works. In 1883 O. L. ROBBINS and D. M. WHITE became his partners. In February, 1884, B. E. HORTON purchased Mr. WHITE's interest. Their general business is the manufacture of all kinds of quarrying, stone and slate-working machinery, and iron and wood-working machinery, granite turning and polishing machinery, and SHORTSLEEVE's patent gang stone-sawing machines. About $25,000 is invested and thirty hands employed.
 

       The firm of HOLMES Brothers (John and Joseph H.) was established in 1872, on Strong's avenue, in the same business as at present. In 1881 the business was removed to its present location, near the railroads, and in the following year D. M. WHITE bought an interest in the works. The manufacture of boilers is extensively carried on by them. 
 

       The Rutland Foundry and Machine Shop wag originated before 1840 BY BLAKE & DARACUT, of Boston, and was one of the earliest manufacturing establishments in the village. Through the influence of those gentlemen the Brandon Iron and Car Wheel Company's plant was brought here and the company merged with the other firm. In 1860 Joel B. HARRIS became interested in the establishment and a few years later bought out the firm. In the year 1874 the firm of HARRIS & CLARK (Charles P. HARRIS and George E. CLARK) was formed for the manufacture of sash, doors and blinds. In 1876 Mr. CLARK went out of the firm, and in 1880 the Charles P. HARRIS Manufacturing Company was organized, a machine shop business added and the manufacture of cane-seat chairs on a large scale. Meanwhile the Rutland Nail Works, which were started about 1870 by L. W. COLLINS, of Fairhaven, sold a half interest to The Harris Manufacturing Company in 1876, and in 1880 the remaining half was purchased; the works, which were situated near the Lincoln Iron Works, were removed by the Harris Company to their present location. In 1880 the Fairhaven Nail Works were also consolidated with the company and the manufacture of cut nails from worn-out marble-saws continued. In 1882 the two companies (Rutland Foundry and Machine Shop Company and the Charles P. Harris Manufacturing Company) were consolidated under a special act of the Legislature. The capital stock is $125,000. Joel B. HARRIS is president of the company; A. B. HARRIS, of Springfield, Mass., vice-president; Charles P. HARRIS, treasurer. A general machine-shop business, the manufacture of car wheels and railroad work, is carried on with sash, doors and blinds, cane-seat chairs and nails. Seventy-five men are employed in these works and 200 in the chair industry outside of the shops.

       This company was organized and incorporated under New York laws as far back as 1865, and in 1867 the works were established in Rutland, for the manufacture of the Wardwell stone channeling and quarrying machines. Mr. WARDWELL, the inventor, is a resident of Rutland village, and the business is, therefore, a pure local enterprise. The machines made by this company are covered by patents in the United States, Canada, France and England, and are in use in most parts of the civilized world. Mr. WARDWELL, who has given his entire attention to the perfecting of quarrying machinery for twenty-five years, was the pioneer in that work and built the first practical and successful machines. Three styles of machine are now made by the company, to which more detailed reference is made in the chapter devoted to the marble industry, in preceding pages. The use of channeling machinery almost revolutionized the quarrying of marble, limestone and sandstone, through their wonderful economy in labor, and they are now in use in nearly all the marble quarries of Vermont and most of the large quarries of the country. Like all successful and valuable inventions, this one has been repeatedly infringed and the company has been forced to expend something like sixty thousand dollars in defending their rights. The company now employs an average of twenty hands. The officers are J. W. CRAMTON, president; Geo. E. ROYCE, treasurer; George B. ROYCE, secretary, and George J. WARDWELL, superintendent. (See biography in later pages).
 

       In the year 1853 J. H. BOWMAN came to Rutland and was connected with the Brandon Iron and Car Wheel Works, which we have mentioned as having been removed here from Brandon, and in the following year G. R. MANSFIELD came here, and joined Mr. BOWMAN a few years later in the purchase of a portion of the company's plant, which they removed to their present location, on Freight street. Temporary buildings were first erected, and subsequently the present structures. In December, 1865, Mr. BOWMAN retired from the firm and C. L. STIMSON took his place; there has been no change since that date. They manufacture all kinds of quarrying, marble and slate manufacturing machinery, steam engines, and deal in pipe and pipe-fittings, etc. About forty men are employed.

       This firm was established in May, 1875, at Gaysville, Windsor county, where they remained until 1880. The business was the manufacture of vegetable ivory buttons and later of composition buttons. At the date last mentioned the firm removed their works to Rutland and occupied the buildings formerly used by the Rutland Chair Works. In 1883 they purchased the shirt manufacturing business of J. M. HAVEN, situated on Willow street, and removed it to their button factory. The shirt factory was established by THAYER & Co. in 1880. The manufactory of buttons is now temporarily discontinued. About fifty hands are employed in the making of shirts and from 100 to 200 when the button factory is in operation. The firm is composed of Nelson GAY, E. B. KIMBALL and Frederick GAY.

       J.E. POST is manufacturing RICHARDSON's patent carbonized pipes for sewers and drains, a valuable article for those purposes. He also sells the Akron pipe.

       The marble manufacturing business of BROWN & BAGLEY was begun by M. R. BROWN at the House of Correction soon after it was built in 1877-8. In the year 1881 L. G. BAGLEY acquired an interest in the business. A contract was entered into by the firm by which they secured the service of the convicts in the institution for five years at thirty cents a day; this contract was renewed in 1884 for five years. About sixty convicts are constantly employed, with from fifteen to twenty free men who are skilled in the trade. Their work embraces almost everything in the line of cemetery work and interior decorative marble, and their trade now extends to nearly every State in the Union. They manufacture in large quantities, confine themselves to work of excellent quality and command the confidence of their patrons and business men generally.

       This firm began working marble and granite in Rutland in the fall of 1883; their granite coming from Barre, Vt., and Quincey, Mass. Their product reaches a value of $7,000 annually.

       C.L. LONG is one of the early wagon-akers of the village, beginning in 1852 on Woodstock avenue. He removed to the village and his present location in 1866 and built his shops. He makes all varieties of work and employs six men. L. MINER & Son (L. MINER, James and Levi F.) began wagon-aking here in 1875. Previous to that time they carried on blacksmithing. They removed to their present location, West street, from near Main street in 1882. Ziba TERRILL was one of the early wagon builders of the place, beginning as early as 1847, on what is now Terrill street. He carried on the business there until 1854, when his son Samuel joined him. The partnership continued to 1859, after which Samuel conducted the business until 1884, when his son, W. S., became a partner. The business was moved to West street in 1858.

       The Rutland Cracker Company was formed in 1881, but was not incorporated until the fall of 1883. J. S. TUTTLE is president; C. A. THOMPSON, vice-resident; H. E. TUTTLE, treasurer, and C. H. BOARDMAN, secretary. The company is extensively engaged in baking.

       The Lyon Steam Bakery is the successor of Daniel VERDER's bakery. T. J. LYON purchased the establishment and put in steam power in 1869; it is the only steam bakery in the village and does a large and increasing business.

       The working of marble, outside of the quarries and the large companies, is quite an extensive industry in this town. Among the firms engaged in this industry are J. EVERSON & Co., the senior of whom began the business in 1879 at No. 2 Church street and removed to the present location in 1884. They employ twelve men on monuments, cemetery work, etc. W. R. KINSMAN began the marble working business in 1883, purchasing the works of E. BOWMAN, who had carried on the work eight years. Monumental work forms the principal part of his business.
 
 
 
 

History of Rutland County Vermont with Illustrations and Biographical 
Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers
Edited by H. Y. Smith & W. S. Rann
Syracuse, N. Y.
D. Mason & Co., Publishers  1886
History of the Town of Rutland
Chapter XIX.
(pages 432-437)

Transcribed by Karima, 2002