Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

SPRINGFIELD, 1636-1886. 497
$123,000, and the taxes high. There was a deal of grumbling about
the way things were going. By November the depression in manu-
facturing in Springfielil was very marked. Over one thousand
mechanics were discharged between September and November. The
railroads discharged many men. Bemis & Co. (locomotive works),
Wason & Co., and the American Machine Works on the Hill dis-
charged over half their men. The armory, however, maintained a pay-
roll of over $20,000 monthly in gold. A number of miscellaneous
companies like Bailey, Trask, & Co. (sasli and blinds) ; James B.
Rumrill & Co. (gold chain factory, Maple street), Harris & Colton
(planing mill), had shut down. The height of the panic was reached
by October, it was thought. By November the Western Bank's
notes were discredited, and were bought in Boston at twenty cents on
a dollar. In December the Western had $337,501 loans and dis-
counts, less than $(3,000 in specie, and less than $3,000 deposits.
Things rapidly grew worse, and in January, 1858, Judge Merrick, of
Boston, granted an order suspending the bank. The depression was
only temporary, however. The Wason Car Company had success-
fully appealed to Egypt for orders. In 1857 Horace Smith, of the
firm of Smith & Collins, formed a partnership with D. B. Wesson, of
New Haveu, and began the manufacture of pistols in W. L. Wilcox's
building on Market street. Shops and factories were soon running
again, and confidence was restored.
In the broad field of politics Springfield had not been a mere
spectator. During the Scott campaign of 1852 the whigs wanted to
to put up George Ashmun for governor, but he declined positively.
George Dwight was running with iC. B. Gillett, of Westfield, as the
whig senator for Hampden, in 1852. Mr. Dwight had voted against
the Maine law, bnt had concluded to oppose its repeal, as it was
desirable that it should be fairly tested. He so declared, and was
elected ou that issue. George Bliss was made Speaker of the Legis-
lature in 1853. Mr. Bliss presented, in January, 1853, the names of
George Ashmuu for the position of United States Senator at the