History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

432 HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
dies 40,000, and the number of looms 700. Upwards
of 5,000 dozen stockings per week are made.
In 1819 the manufacture of sulphuric acid was
commenced in Waltham by Patrick Jackson, the
site of tlie first establishment being on the banks
of Charles Eiver and Beaver Brook, at their junc-
tion. About 1825 the location was changed to
the lot of land partially enclosed by High, Pine,
and Newton streets, and for many years the manu-
facture of tiiis acid was very extensively carried on
by a corporation under the name of the Newton
Cliemical Company, the district adjoining its lands
being called the Chemistry. Up to within a few
years of the time of the abandonment of its manu-
facture (in 1872) tliis company was without a rival
in its special business, but the land once occupied
by its buildings is now cut up into streets and
house-lots, and a large portion of it has been sold.
In 1802 a small wooden building was erected
on Stony Brook by Nathan Upham, and used by
him as a mill for the manufacture of coarse wTapping
papers until tlie year 1 820, when it became
the property of Jolin M. Gibbs. In 1835 it again
clianged hands, and was purchased by John and
Steplien Roberts, still . retaining its identity as a
paper-mill. In 1845 John Roberts became sole
owner, and at his death, in 1871, his son William
took charge. A commodious building of stone
occupies the place of the old building, and a large
steam-engine is used to increase the power. Tlie
paper now made is mostly of the kind used for
sheathing and similar purposes, and the annual
product is about 1,900 tons.
In the year 18.'35 Dr. Francis F. Field invented
a process for the manufacture of crayons for tiie
use of schools, tailors, carpenters, etc. This was
the beginning of a business which for several
years was carried on in a small way, but wiiicii
now, under the management of Parmenter and
Walker, requires quite an extensive factory, and
extends all over tlie civilized world.
Of all Waithani's industries there is none the
fame of uliich is so wide-spread as lh;it of tlie
coMiinciiccd under tlie ciiarge of E. Howard and
A. !,. Dcuiiison, in Roxbury, in 1850, was in 1S51
removed to Waltham, and witli the Waltliain Im-
provement Company formed a corjioration under
the title of Boston Watch Company. A factory
was erected, two stories iiigii, in the form of a liol-
low square, about one hundred feet on each side.
In 1857 the company failed, and at an assignees'
sale Royal E. Robbins, the present treasurer of the
corporation, purchased the property in the name of
Appleton, Tracy, & Co. A few months afterwards
ownership again changed to the firm of Robbins
and Appleton, and in September, 1858, a new
association was formed with the Waltham Improvement
Company, under the present name of the
American Watch Company. When incorporated
the capital stock was $200,000, but increasing
business and the need of increased facilities caused
a corresponding increase of capital, until at the
present time it has reached §1,500,000. The
small factory of 1854, with its seventy-five em-
ployees, has grown to the large establishment of the
present day, employing about one tliousand hands,
and turning out four hundred and fifty finished
watches per day. Even the present factory is not
considered of sufficient capacity for the business,
however, and an enlargement is at present in prog-
ress. Growing out of and an accompaniment to
this business is the manufacture of watchmakers'
tools, particularly lathes and lathe fixtures. In
1861 Messrs. Kidder and Adams, machinists in tiie
employ of the American Watch Company, left that
em])loyment, and commenced the manufacture of
latiies made after the style of those used by the
Watch Company. The business was first started
in Weston, but Avas soon removed to Waltham. In
its early struggles the business often clianged hands,
passing successively under the control of Kidder
and Adams, Stark, Adams, and Lloyd, Stark & Co.,
John Stark, and John Stark and Son, Mr. Stark,
the present head of this firm, having been con-
nected with the business since about the year 1862.
In 1872 Messrs. Whiteonib and Ballou.'also graduates
of the iiinchiiie-slinp of tlie American Watch
Company, entered into the same field. Tliey eonliu-
ued in it until 1876, when Mr. Ballon retired, ami
Mr. Whitcomb joined with Mr. Ambrose \\Cbster,
a foriiu'r master iiiechaiiic in the 'Watch Company's
em])lov, mill loinicil I lie |iresent firm, under tiie style
of theAnierirmi Wali li Tool Company. Mr. C. E.
Iloiikiiis commenced the business which he now
enrries on under the name of the Hopkins Watch
Tool Company. The tools made by tliese diil'er-
ent companies arc known all over the country, and
the American Watcii Tool Company has exported
many of its tools to England, Switzerland, etc.
Tiure liavi! bi^en numerous other minor manu-
faetiires, but as most of them have been of merely