Fall Rivers' Industries

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tions of the world, to extract the shella c that is used for stiffening, recover it so i t may be used over, and shredding apart the old hats and waste material in such a manner as to make this of use . They employ a large number of people, and the business i s growing all the time . The Fall River Bleachery was incorporated in May, 1872, Spencer Borden being organizer of the company, whose capita l stock was $250,000 . The works of the corporation were built upon land purchase d near the Tiverton line, the property bordering the South Watuppa Pond, and gettin g its supply of pure water from the Staffor d Pond. Sucker Brook, the sole outlet of sai d pond, flows through the bleachery property and is dammed back to make a reservoir a t the point where the works were built . Associated with Spencer Borden in the active operation of the Bleachery were hi s brother, Norman E. Borden, and George O . Lathrop. Jefferson Borden was president o f the company until his decease in 1887 . Spencer Borden was treasurer until 1880, when he was succeeded by his brother, Norma n E. Borden. He held the position until his decease in 1881, when Spencer Borden again became treasurer, so continuing until 1899 . At the time the Bleachery commenced business, in 1873, Michael Partington was superintendent. He retired in 1878, and from that time until 1892 Spencer Borden acted a s both treasurer and superintendent, Jefferso n Borden, Jr., becoming superintendent in th e latter year . On the death of Jefferson Borden in 188 7 George W. Dean was elected president of th e corporation, holding office until his decease in 1897, when he was succeeded by Jame s Marshall. Mr. Marshall was president of the company until November, 1899, when the property and business were sold to the Fall River Bleaching Company of New Jersey . As stated, the first works were built i n 1872, starting business in 1873 . In 1888 a stock dividend of 60 per cent was made , increasing the capital of the company t o $400,000, and No. 2 works was built . The officers of the Fall River Bleacher y Company of New Jersey were : President . Spencer Borden ; Treasurer, Spencer Borden , Jr .; Secretary, George O. Lathrop; Superintendent, Jefferson Borden, Jr., and the fol - lowing board of directors : Spencer Borden , Spencer Borden, Jr ., Alfred Borden, Jefferson Borden, Jr., Bernard W. Trafford and HISTORY OF FALL RIVER 8 9 Ridley Watts. The capital of the company was $600,000. Additional buildings were erected in 1903, 1904 and 1906 . In 1905 the Fall River Bleachery Compan y of New Jersey became reincorporated a s the Fall River Bleachery, a Massachusetts corporation, the capital stock and officer s continuing the same . Bleaching and finishing white cotton goods has been the busines s to which exclusive attention has been given , and the present capacity of the Fall River Bleachery is 50 tons daily . The Algonquin Printing Company was organized and incorporated in 1891, throug h the efforts of James A . Chadwick and Ada m Catterall, and began operations with a capital of $100,000 and a capacity of 3,600 piece s a week. Edward B. Jennings was the firs t president and Adam Catterall treasurer. Th e business prospered and the plant has been increased from time to time, till it now operates twelve printing machines, with an output of 40,000 pieces of prints a week, and employs 350 hands. The capital was increased to $160,000 in 1895, and in 1906, by a stoc k dividend, to $500,000. Robert T. Davi s succeeded Mr . Jennings as president in 1896 . Adam Catterall, the treasurer until 1894 , when he became the company's representa - tive in New York, was followed as treasure r by Edward B. Jennings, and in 1896 , b y William H. Jennings . James A. Chadwick has been superintendent since the startin g of the works. The directors are R . T. Davis , W. H. Jennings, J . A. Chadwick and Charle s B. Cook. KILBURN, LINCOLN & CO . In 1829 Jonathan Thayer Lincoln, a nativ e of Taunton, who had learned the trade of machinist of David Perry, of Dighton , and later worked in the machine sho p of David Wilkinson, of Pawtucket, then one of the prominent machine shops of the country, came to Fall River and in 183 1 was employed as master mechanic of the Massasoit Mill Company, which then lease d the mill property on Pocasset street owne d by the Watuppa Manufacturing Company. Later Mr. Lincoln began building looms o n his own account in the shop of the Massa - soit company, as well as shafting and othe r mill machinery. In 1844 John Kilburn, a native of Ne w Hampshire, began in Fall River the manufacture of cotton looms and the Fourneyron turbine, the latter a French invention, whic h was being introduced into the New England
90 HISTORY OF FALL RIVE R mills as a water motor. He had been i n business only a short time when his healt h failed, and he died in 1846 . After his deat h his widow formed a co-partnership with hi s brother, Elijah C . Kilburn, and Jonathan T . Lincoln, and continued the business under the name of E. C. Kilburn & Co ing turbines, shafting and various kinds o . manufactur f machinery for print works and iron mills . I n 1856 a new firm, Kilburn, Lincoln & Son, wa s formed, consisting of E . C. Kilburn, J. T . Lincoln and his eldest son, Henry C . Lincoln. Although making many other kinds o f machinery, the firm made a specialty of th e Fourneyron turbine, which, as improved b y them, had a large sale. In 1867 a large ma - chine shop was built and an iron foundr y added to the works. Charles P . Dring, who had been superintendent of the Fall River Iron Works Company's foundry for man y years, now became a member of this firm , the name being changed to Kilburn, Lincol n & Co. Mr . Dring was succeeded by his son , Charles H . Dring, who disposed of his interest to the other members of the firm i n 1900. In 1868 the business was incorporated , Mr. Lincoln's son-in-law, Andrew Luscomb , who had been engaged with them in the making of musket parts for the government, wa s added to the firm. The new works comprised a machine shop, iron foundry, bras s foundry, pattern house, paint shops, warehouse and setting-up shop. J. T. Lincol n was elected president of the company, an d at his death was succeeded by his son, Henr y C. Lincoln, who was succeeded by Andre w Luscomb. On the death of Mr. Luscomb, i n 1903, Leontine Lincoln succeeded to th e presidency. Mr. Kilburn was elected treasurer in 1868 and held the position until 1872 , when he withdrew from the company an d was succeeded in that office by Leontin e Lincoln. In the same year additions wer e made with a view to the manufacture o f looms on a large scale, and the company i s now among the largest makers of looms fo r cotton and silk weaving, turning out abou t 5,000 annually. About two hundred hand s are employed. J. T. Lincoln, oldest son of Leontine Lincoln, is general superintendent . Personal sketches of Jonathan T. Lincoln , the first, and of Leontine Lincoln, the present president, will be found elsewhere i n these pages . Henry C. Lincoln, the second president , was the oldest son of Jonathan T . Lincol n and was born in Fall River in 1829 . He wa s educated in the public schools of Fall River and learned the trade of machinist from hi s lather. Admitted to the business in 1856, h e brought to it a practical knowledge of mechanics and a thorough business education . He was known as one of the best mechanic s in the city, and his cool and well-balance d mind made him a valuable associate. H e became largely interested in the great indus - tries of the city and was the first president of the Seaconnet mills and at the tim e of his death a director in the Barnard, Wee- tamoe and Union corporations. Although frequently solicited, he was averse to holding public positions, although for a long perio d he rendered the city conspicuous service a s engineer of the fire department. He wa s highly esteemed for his business ability an d probity . Andrew Luscomb, the third president, wa s born in Taunton in 1832, educated in the pub - lic schools of that city, and at the Bristo l County Academy. He learned the trade o f machinist in the shops of the Dean Cotto n & Machine Company, of Taunton, and for a time was in the employ of William Mason , the founder of the Mason Machine Works . In March, 1860, he was married to Miss Mary M. Lincoln, daughter of J . T. Lincoln, and i n 1862 became associated with Kilburn an d Lincoln in the manufacture of musket part s for the United States Government . He served the city as Councilman fro m 1867 to 1872 and was Alderman in 1873 an d 1874. He was the first superintendent of fir e alarms and did much to establish the system throughout the city. He was considered one of the most skillful mechanics an d had large and varied experience in the business of his choice . He had inventive geniu s of high order and was highly esteemed as a citizen and friend . The Massasoit Manufacturing Company was formed to take over the business of W . H. & W. E. Turner, of New York City. It was incorporated January, 1882, "for the pur - pose of manufacture of fabrical goods of al l kinds, dealing in waste of all kinds an d preparing same for the market in a manu- factured or unmanufactured form, and dealing in merchandise of all kinds," with a capi - tal of $50,000. The incorporators were Wen - dell E. Turner, William H. Turner, Frank L . Palmer, Edward A. Palmer and Elisha L . Palmer. Frank L. Palmer has been president and Wendell E . Turner treasurer and general manager respectively sinc e the organization of the company. I t purchased at that time the land and
Page 1: CHAPTER XI THE CITY'S INDUSTRIE S T
Page 4 and 5: proximately $25,500,000, and factor
Page 6 and 7: B. Borden, 1876 to date . No presid
Page 8 and 9: emoved to smaller buildings, where
Page 10 and 11: and William F. Draper directors. La
Page 12 and 13: April 2, with a capital of $550,000
Page 14 and 15: fine and medium counts . Mr. Flint
Page 16 and 17: C . Borden, 1896-1900. A. B. Sanfor
Page 20 and 21: uildings of the Massasoit Steam Mil
Page 22 and 23: The Joy Steamship Company has lease

Fall Rivers' Industries

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