| Autobiography And Memorials of Ichabod Washburn. Showing how a great business was developed and large wealth acquired for the uses of benevolence. By Rev. Henry T. Cheever (Boston: D. Lothrop and Company, 1878) | |
P. 38: During the winter [of 1819], I engaged in business on my own account for the first time, manufacturing ploughs. To stock myself, I required a small capital or credit.
With a few dollars I had earned I commenced,
relying in part on my credit. There was no [P. 39] difficulty
in getting such stock as I wanted where I was known, but how to
obtain plough-moulds, which were indispensable, I did not know.
I was advised to make application to Mr. Waldo in Worcester. I
was an entire stranger to him, so that when I asked if he would
trust me until I could sell them, his mild, discriminative eye
was turned upon me, as if in searching scrutiny. But to my great
relief, he at once filled up a blank note for the amount to be
paid in gold or silver, which I signed, and in due time paid.
. . . . . . .
P. 40: No part of my subsequent business life gave me more pleasure
than that winter. Rising with a light heart, generally at my anvil
by sunrise, working until nine in the evening, and then retiring
fatigued, I realised fully that the sleep of the laboring man
is sweet.
P. 41: My first business enterprise closed successfully in the spring of 1819. The early predilection for a higher order of mechanical business still clung to me, which induced my applying for employment at the Armory at Millbury. This for a time was refused, when I proposed to Mr. Waters, the proprietor, to work a month, for any wages he chose to give. The next Monday, I was on my way to the works, with my leather [P. 42] apron under my arm, full of hope for the future.
At first, I was put to work upon the more simple parts, such as welding on the heads to the ramrods. Soon, however, I was advanced to the more difficult parts of the work, and was liberally compensated for my labor. A little after this, application was made to Mr. Waters, by William Hovey, of Worcester, for a smith, who could forge machinery. The acceptance of this application led me to take up my residence in that town and introduced me to my long hoped-for, and favorite pursuit.
Engaging with Mr. Hovey, the next day found me on the way to Worcester, in June or July, 1819. I was to work on trial for one month, and had worked only a few days, when my employer wished me to engage for two years. I preferred an engagement for one year only. During this time, I not only worked at forging, but a great deal also at finishing, so that I soon acquired a practical knowledge of all the different kinds of work on machinery.
[P. 43] Closing my engagement with Mr. Hovey, I went into business with William H. Howard, manufacturing woolen machinery and lead pipe. Our connection was for a short time only. Mr. Howard desiring to leave town, I purchased his half of the business and continued the manufacturing of lead pipe, then in its infancy. I had only enough to employ myself and one man.
At this stage of my life, I saw for the first time, a subscription paper. Timid and hesitating to subscribe myself, Dr. Melvin, a benevolent person standing by said to me, "Put down fifty cents, young man, and you will soon see it come back to you again." Influenced by his advice I contributed the first fifty cents I remember to have ever given, and in a few weeks, I received a very large, lucrative order for lead pipe, under circumstances that induced the good Doctor to say, "I told you so."
He saw, in the rapid increase of my business, the fulfillment of a promise: He that watereth shall be watered also himself. From that time [P. 44] to this, I have never lacked work, or the opportunity of facing a subscription paper, and am a confirmed believer in the scripture truth that "he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully."
I was then prosecuting my business in the School Street machine shop. Soon after this, the demand for woolen machinery so increased, that I was induced to take as partner, Benjamin Goddard, constituting the firm of Washburn and Goddard. Our business increased so much, that very soon, we employed some thirty men, and found it necessary to enlarge our buildings, and increase our facilities. We made the first woollen [sic] Condenser, and long roll spinning Jack ever made in Worcester county, and nearly the first made in the country.
I was engaged in business under the above-named firm at that place, when we sold out to Messrs. March, Goulding, Smith and Hobart. We then purchased a water power [site] at Northville, and put up the necessary works for manufacturing wire and wood screws. This business we pursued there about three years, when we had so far out-grown the water power, that we were obliged to remove to where we could obtain more.
Not willing to abandon that place altogether, Mr. Goddard preferred to remain where he was, giving also as a reason for not removing into the city, that he did not like to expose his boys to the demoralizing influence of Worcester streets.
This led to the suggestion of amicably
dissolving our eleven years' co partnership, by dividing the machinery
and tools.
. . . . . . .
P. 46: In the year 1831, some two years before the dissolution
of our co partnership, we commenced the manufacture of iron wire,
at a time when but little of this important article had been manufactured
in this country. The first coarse wire machine I ever saw, was
one of self-acting pinchers, drawing out about a foot, then passing
back, and drawing another foot; so crude and ill adapted for the
work was this machine that no man could draw more than fifty pounds
a day. We improved on this machine, so as to draw out about fifteen
feet at each pass, increasing the product at least ten fold.
We soon, however, substituted the Drawing Block, which has never since been improved. With this, a man can conveniently get off twenty-five hundred pounds in a day. Other important improvements have since been made, aside from the drawing block, which I do not claim, both in coarse and fine wire-drawing, as also in the annealing process.
In the autumn of 1834, I continued the business of manufacturing wire on my own account, at what is called the Grove Mill, built by Stephen Salisbury, Esq., under my direction.
In the enlargement of the business from time to time, the machinery has been most drafted by myself, and constructed under my direction. The iron-wire department gradually increased up to 1842, when my brother Charles engaged with me as a co-partner, continuing until 1849.
One year after, in 1850, I took as a partner, my son-in-law, P.L. Moen. In him, I have had a most efficient aid in bringing up the business to its present mammouth size. While he makes no claim to be a practical mechanic, he has by his exactness, promptitude, and aptness for business generally, supplied a deficiency in myself indispensable to success. He has managed with rare ability our finances, a department of the [P. 48] business for which I never had the taste or inclination, always preferring to be among the machinery, doing the work and handling the tools I was used to, though oftentimes at the expense of smutty face and greasy hands.
CHAPTER VI.
P. 49: About the time of which I last spoke, the year 1850, I
was urged by Mr. Chickering of Boston, the piano-forte maker,
to try my hand at making steel wire for the strings to his instruments.
Until then, that business had been entirely in the hands of Webster,
of England, for eighty years.
P. 50: This undertaking, through all its attendant difficulties, to its final accomplishment, after years of personal application, many experiments, and much expense, I may say, without egotism, was the greatest success of my mechanical life. Since that time, the introduction of the Sewing machine, and of crinoline, has greatly increased the demand both for needle and crinoline steel.
An experience of ten years in working steel [P. 51] before the introduction of crinoline wire gave us a great advantage, which very soon secured for us a decided preference over other manufacturers, our weekly production for this article alone, crinoline wire for skirts, averaging sixty thousand pounds, and being about one-half (judging from reliable sources) of the entire production in the country.
This estimate shows that the annual consumption
of three thousand tons of steel is required to expand and give
prominence to the ladies' dresses in this country. [For a contemporary
cartoon, click here.]
[Cheever here introduced a long footnote, pp. 50-51, which details
Washburn's success in manufacturing galvanized wire used for telegraphs.
Washburn obtained an English patent for purifying the wire without
weakening it, i.e., without prolonged exposure to acid.
P. 51: "Messrs. Washburn and Moen are the only makers of
Patent Galvanized Wire in the United States, and notwithstanding
it is established that the system which they have adopted uniformly
secures the additional strength of 12 1/2 per cent. in tension,
and the same in the section-power, over any other mode of galvanizing
yet adopted, they sell it at the same prices charged by others
for the ordinary wire."]
P. 52: It may not be out of place here, to record some facts of my own business, showing the great increase in the manufacture of wire during the last thirty years.
At that time, the year 1835, I was employing
about twenty-five workmen, occupying seven thousand feet in area
for manufacturing. At this time, 1866, we are employing at both
our mills, from six hundred and fifty to seven hundred men, occupying
one hundred thousand feet in area, where our work is performed,
and showing a production during the last thirteen months of nearly
two million dollars.
. . . . . . . .
P. 53: In the summer of 1819, when I first became a [P. 54] a
resident of Worcester, the population of the place was about 2,700.
According to the [state] census of 1865, it now numbers 32,000.
During these . . . years of increase, I have so far aimed to identify
my interests with the growth and prosperity of the city as to
contribute my share in whatever public improvements have been
made.
Besides the business results accomplished, I have shared with others in building two churches.
At my own expense I have erected the Mission Chapel on Summer street, and mainly supported it. I aided, with others, in giving to Worcester one of the best Hotels, "The Bay State House." I originated the idea, and contributed some twenty-five thousand dollars towards the erection, of Mechanics' Hall, now so indispensable in meeting the great wants of the city for lectures, concerts, and various social gatherings, and I may say of the State also, since it affords a convenient, spacious, and commodious place for great political gatherings.
[P. 55] In the first years of my residence here, there were only three churches. The Old South, under the care of Rev. C.A. Goodrich; the Unitarian, with Rev. Aaron Bancroft as Pastor; and the Baptist, under Rev. Jonathan Going.
My mother being a Baptist, my early religious
impressions led me to choose the last as my place of worship on
the Sabbath.
. . . .
Changing my boarding-place from a hotel to the residence of Mrs.
David Brown, and soon becoming interested in her daughter, Ann
G. Brown, whom I afterwards married, it was natural enough that
I should attend meeting where the family did, at the Old South
Congregational.
[P.56] I was married to Miss Brown October 6th, 1823, and occupied at once a hired house in School street, where we remained one year and six months. In December, 1824, our first child, a son, was born to us, who lived only a few days. In the spring of 1825 we moved to a house on Summer street, the property of my wife. Her we lived until 1829, when I built my present dwelling-house.
One circumstance connected with the raising of this house I wish to mention, as it illustrates the state of popular sentiment at the time in regard to the use of ardent spirits [eg., rum] on such occasions.
Before the raising, the carpenter suggested to me the bill of fare required to enable him to proceed with the undertaking. Having examined it, I asked him if there was no such thing as raising the house without the stimulus of spirits. He doubted if it could be done. I inquired if his men would be willing to aid; and if not, whether they would co-operate if I would pay them for it.
[P. 57] Under the circumstances, the attempt was made to do what had not before been done for many years--a house-raising without rum! I cast around to see if men enough could be found in the neighborhood for the raising, with such a bill of fare as I would furnish, namely: lemon-ade, crackers and cheese, with small beer.
Among my own workmen at the shop, I could find only a few willing to help. The others were within sight, and by their jeers, ridiculed the undertaking, and did their best to make it a failure. The work, however, proceeded noiselessly and successfully to its completion without rum. And the novelty of such a house-raising was made the theme of a newspaper article, under the caption, "Progress of the Temperance Reform."
It was about this time that the friends of Temperance were organizing societies for its promotion throughout the New England States, and the first Temperance Society was organized in Worcester. Rev. Rodney A. Miller, of the Old [P. 58] South Church, was chosen president, and myself secretary.
This movement greatly excited the opposition of the public at large, but especially of the tavern-keepers, one of whom, at that time, called upon Mr. Miller with a demand for the list of the members--as if the good people of Worcester had no right to move in the premises without their approval.
P. 59: At the time of my marriage neither my wife nor myself was a professor of religion, although we were both thoughtful; and we commenced housekeeping by reading the Bible together, as a religious exercise.
During the year preceding that of 1832, we were constant, as we had always been from our childhood, in attending church twice every Sabbath, without regard to the inclemency of the weather. About this time there was a protract[P.60]ed meeting held in the Old South Church where we were in the habit of worshipping.
Among the ministers, whose labors appeared to secure the most interest, was Rev. Ichabod Spencer, of Northhampton, since settled for a number of years in Brooklyn, N.Y. Both myself and [my] wife became much impressed under his preaching, and she soon indulged the hope that she had become a Christian. For myself, though much exercised in mind, and desiring most of all things to become a Christian, I did not reach that point so satisfactorily and clearly as I desired.
I could, however, recur to some of my exercises as giving me hope. Delaying to make a profession of religion for some months, until after the excitement was over, we offered ourselves for examination, and were admitted to the church under the pastoral care of Rev. Rodney A. Miller, in the year 1839. [Note that this is SEVEN years after the protracted meeting gave his wife hope.]
Previous to this, my mind had become much exercised on the subject of family worship. I [P. 61] not only felt that it was a duty, but believed that it would be a precious privilege, if I could only so far overcome my excessive timidity as to allow me to perform the duty. I at length resolved to make the attempt, and shall never forget the pleasant Sabbath morning, being the first day of the year, when, for the first time, I bowed before my Maker, with my dear family, in grateful acknowledgement of his goodness to us, in confession of our unworthiness, and in humble supplication for his forgiveness and guidance.
I went to church that morning with a more light and cheerful heart than ever before. And ever since that time, when my health would admit, I have always maintained family worship, for the most of the time with satisfaction and profit.
One of the reasons presented to my mind why I should make a profession of religion when I did, was, that the frequent meetings with the church, and its watch and care over men, would be a means of grace that I needed.
[P. 62] I early resolved that I would be constant and punctual in attendance upon all the meetings of the church. While they may not have proved to me all that I could desire, I can say that rarely, if ever, have I allowed my business or social engagements to keep me from the place of prayer, until the time when, from physical inability, I was prevented.
Nor did I visit the prayer-meeting to take a back seat, where, unobserved, I might not have been expected to take part in the exercises, but always placed myself near enough to my Pastor to share with him and others in doing what I could, in my humble way, to give interest to the occasion.
While I have often suffered much from natural timidity, I have, nevertheless, found that the strength given me to overcome this timidity has proved a means of grace. The want of this determination to stand in our lot, and do what we can in reliance on our Divine Master for all needful strength, has drawfed many a Christian, [P. 63] and weakened his ability to do much for the Master.
My idea of the duty of Christian activity is not restricted to what may be done in the church. It should extend to efforts in behalf of the destitute, and those unprovided with the means of grace. I very early felt under obligation to seek opportunity to do something for that class of persons, who, by reason of poverty or indifference, altogether neglected all means for moral and religious instruction.
One of my first efforts was, to instruct a small class of children, living in my own neighborhood, whom I invited to come to my house. More than thirty years ago I engaged with others in maintaining a Sabbath-school, kept in the school-house, at Pine Meadow, (East Worcester), for colored children.
Soon after that, I assisted in Christian
work at the County Prison, where we at first held our meetings
in one of the large cells. Subsequently, through the influence
of Col. John W. Lin-[P. 64]coln, the High Sheriff for the County,
the commissioner removed some of the partitions, very much enlarging
the room, and put in seats, and a desk.
. . . .
It is now about thirty-years since this school was organized.
During all that time, except when prevented by ill-health, I have
always made it my duty to be on hand, serving most of the time
as Superintendent.
CHAPTER VIII.
[Pp. 66-68 -- account of his role in founding of Union Church
(1837) with Alfred D. Foster, from Central Church -- Of Foster,
he wrote: [P. 68] It is due his memory, as a man of god, that
I should here record that he was in every way a model man--my
beau ideal of a Christian gentleman. A warm hearted disciple of
great purity of character; thoroughly devoted to the interests
[p. 69] of his master; able in council, firm but catholic in his
opinions and charitable in his judgment of others.
It is just to say, that all unknown to himself, he exerted a greater moral influence over others by his quiet, unobtrusive, yet manly piety, and uniform Christian deportment than any other man with whom I have ever been acquainted. I am certain that his influence over myself for good exceeded that of any other man I ever knew.]
P. 69: There had been for many years a growing interest in behalf of the poor and neglected in the [Irish] neighborhood of Pine Meadow, or East Worcester, as it is now called. Sabbath evening meetings were held in a private dwelling-house, and for a considerable time in the school-house, in Pine Meadow, where these children were gathered and instructed, but with great inconvenience both to scholars and teachers, for want of better accommodations.
Repeated efforts were made to raise by sub[P. 70]scription a sufficient amount to build a Chapel, but all failed. My mind was much exercised in considering the subject of the erection and support of a City Mission Chapel, to give to the poor and neglected a place of worship free.
The trial of mind was not so much on account of the pecuniary means requisite, but in the feeling that such an undertaking involved a spiritual as well as moral qualification, which I feared I did not possess. These scruples being overcome, however, I went forward and built the Chapel on the Corner of Summer and Bridge streets, making the building of such form and size as to include a good dwelling-house for a City Missionary.
The plan was my own, and were I to erect another building for this purpose, I do not know how I could improve it. The land and building, all complete, cost fourteen thousand dollars. The Chapel was dedicated to the worship of the Almighty God in the spring of 1855. A Sabbath School was organized, and a Circular was issued [P.71] inviting all to come who were disposed, the seats being free to all.
Within the past two years a church has been organized under the charge of Rev. Henry T. Cheever [editor of this volume], numbering some forty members. A flourishing Sabbath School is maintained, averaging one hundred and fifty scholars. The house is now, 1865, as fully attended every Sabbath morning as the average of the other churches, according to its capacity.
Connected with this institution is an Industrial School, held every Saturday afternoon, during the autumn, winter, and spring months. The object of this department is to give instruction in sewing. The cloth is furnished gratuitously, and the garments made are afterwards given to the children, being about three garments to each child in the course of the season.
Besides the instruction in sewing, passages of scripture are committed to memory and recited by the pupils, and singing forms one part of the exercises. The average number enjoying these [P. 72] advantages is two hundred and fifty, mostly Irish Catholics.
This enterprise was entered upon with some misgivings, and was regarded rather as an experiment. It is now twelve years since the completion of the chapel-building, and the success of the enterprise is not longer regarded as problematic. Its friends think they can clearly see that it has the seal of God's approbation.
Going back forty-five years since I made
my first little donation of fifty cents, my practice has been
to give something to almost every object brought to my attention.
. . . . . . .
P. 75: Naturally credulous, and preferring to be imposed upon
by others rather than by myself in withholding what I ought to
give, I rarely have let an opportunity pass, being under the impression
that few, if any, will resort to begging except from necessity.
Indiscriminate giving under all circumstances should not be practiced. In cases that will admit of investigation, it should be made. Yet there is a large class of objects which must be acted upon at once. In these cases, when I had [P. 76] doubts, I have made it my invariable rule to give something.
It is common to make a record of benefactions,
and at one time I pursued this course for a few years. At length
I became careless, and soon gave it up. Among other reasons, I
had some apprehension that the sight of my annual donations might
influence my mind unfavorably by a too great intimacy between
my right hand and my left.1
. . . . . . .
The aggregate amount I have given for various [P.77] benevolent
objects, I have no means of determining. Realizing for many years
the duty and privilege of consecrating all to God, I have felt
myself a steward of his bounties to me. Acting upon this principle,
the amount so given would necessarily be large.
It has been to me a source of great satisfaction, and, I think, devout gratitude to my Heavenly Father, that He had not only given me the means, but the richer gift, a heart to give. The amount I am still entrusted with is far greater than I ever supposed it would be, and I verily believe, larger than it would have been had I followed the opposite course . . . .
P. 110: On his return from travel [to England in 1859], in the year 1860, he was elected Senator to the Massachusetts General Court, in which capacity he served with integrity and honor. He was at the same time the Treasurer and liberal friend of the Church Anti-Slavery Society, and furnished the Premium of one hundred dollars offered by that Society for the best tract on "The Teaching of the Bible versus Slavery."
He was also a warm and generous co-operator with the Sanitary Commission and Freedman's Aid Society. He was a patriotic supporter of the Government in quelling the Rebellion, and he early urged, by petition to Congress and otherwise, the arming of the blacks and the decree of Emancipation as the only way to victory.
Although constitutionally timid and conservative,
singularly adverse to controversy and argument as well as impatient
of opposition, and desiring peace with all men, Mr. Washburn was
hospitable to reform and progress in every direction, including
advanced education and privi[P. 111]leges for women, legal prohibition
upon the liquor traffic, and hostility to secret societies.
. . . . . . . .
P. 113: [Washburn] continued in active business, a laborious worker
with hand and brain; strenuously employing his capital and his
industry; steadily giving and still increasing, up to his seventieth
year.
His mind at that period was much exercised -- as the Editor [who was minister at the Mission Chapel and directed its Industrial School] has special reason to know -- upon the subject of Co-operative Industry, or experiments in so-called Associate Labor. He [P. 114] came to be more a believer in the principle of constructive Equitable Association, than in the principle of destructive selfish competition.
He was collecting and comparing facts from all quarters in regard to the practical working of Co-operation, with the design and hope of ultimately making his own business a co-operative one: whereby the workman, according to his skill and time of service, should share in the profits, and himself become an interested capitalist as well as laborer.
He bellieved that the skilled and faithful manual worker, as well as the employer, was entitled to a participation in the net proceeds of business over and above his actual wages; and that he should be held to diligence and economy in his work, and to self-improvement and fidelity to his employers, by the expectation of a proportionate share, however small, in the total gains and savings, and by the employment of a bonus in periods of extraordinary prosperity and productiveness.
P. 115: He recognized the necessity and natualness of a friendly harmonious relationship between Capital and Labor, as being alike dependent upon each other, and he regarded those who seek to raise an issue or excite jealousies between the two, as public enemies, because equally hostile to both.
He held that in this country the entire
people are one great working class, working with brains and hands,
or both, who should therefore act in harmony--the brain workers
and the hand workers--for the equal rights of all, without distinction
of color, condition or religion--their common motto ALL FOR EACH--EACH
FOR ALL--ALL AND EACH FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
. . . . . . .
P. 116: He held that it was for the real workingmen of America
to stamp out and extinguish the imported vicious views of foreign
communists in regard to property and its rights, by the united
heavy tread of broad American commonsense.
[P. 117] It was for them to strangle at birth the crude pestilent theories of political adventurers and discontented ambitious schemers, vainly puffed up in their fleshly mind, understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm.
He thought that the mechanics and artisans
of our American cities in successive ranks, beginning at the bench
and the forge with nothing but their labor, as he had done, and
making it a rule like himself not to spend except to produce,
should be all along lifting themselves by industry, economy, and
temperance, out of the condition of labor alone into the position
of capital also.
. . . . . . .
P. 118: While he deplored and discountenanced strikes as a remedy
for the wrongs of Industry, he admitted that those wrongs were
real, and that Society should protect its weaker members against
the rapacity and selfish competition of such corporations and
contractors as aim to cheapen products to the consumers, by screwing
down the industrial producers to the lowest living rates.
This he thought to be the proper province
of law, the protection of rights and the prevention of wrongs.
1. A reference to the Gospel of Matthew [King James version], chapter 6: [3] But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.