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481 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY CHAPTER XXI INDUSTRIAL AND FINANCIAL MASSILLON HILLS USEFUL, AS WELL AS BEAUTIFUL-THE MASSILLON COAL FIELDS- FIRST THRESHING MACHINES MANUFACTURED-THE RUSSELL AND COMPANY - GENERAL INDUSTRIAL PICTURES - PIONEER FURNACES -COAL OPERATORS-FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS. Captain Duncan was often criticized because he platted Massillon on such a hilly site. But he came from New Hampshire to that part of the West and he had a distinctive distaste for dead levels, even in the matter of building towns. The residents of today have cause to he grateful to him for his inborn likes and dislikes. "I would not have the hills surrounding Massillon leveled if I could," he once said to a friend who was inclined to find fault with the "ups and downs" of the local landscape. "The day will come when those hills will be covered with residences overlooking the city, to which the hills will but add beauty " HILLS USEFUL AS WELL AS BEAUTIFUL Not only was the captain's prophecy as to the beautiful site of a flourishing city fulfilled, but, after he had left the field of his vision, it was found "that many of these same discredited hills contain an unlimited supply of a fine grade of silica sand rock, and Massillon has supplied to the steel and glass industries two and one-half million tons of silica sand and is supplying annually 200,000 tons. This sand and the great deposits of clay have enabled the city to produce four hundred and sixty-six million pressed building brick, paving blocks and fire brick with a combined annual output of 28,000,000 pieces. THE MASSILLON COAL FIELDS "Over fifty years ago, large deposits of coal were discovered underlying the lands adjoining Massillon on the north and west. The names of Crawford, Worcester, Clark, Rhodes, Wilson, McCue, Mullins, Bur- 482 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY ton, Ridgeway, Foltz, Warwick and Howells are familiar to all Massillon people in connection with the early history of this great industry. Massillon coal is known the country over. Forty million tons have been produced and 450,000 tons are annually produced, with 16 large mines in operation, and new territories being found and developed each year." FIRST THRESHING MACHINES MANUFACTURED Although the development of the Massillon coal fields has had much to do with the growth of the local industries, the founding of the city's first large manufactory was due to its prominence as a grain and agricultural center and its good transportation facilities as a canal town. It was chiefly these considerations which gave birth to Russell and Company, leading manufacturers of threshers and other agricultural machinery. While the old firm of C. M. Russell & Company were not the first to engage in the building of threshing machines, they were the pioneers in gauging the possibilities of the industry and bringing their plans to a practical realization. The first machines built in Massillon were called the Pitts Separator and were introduced by H. D. Jameson, of Rochester, New York, who built 100 of them in 1838 or 1839, when his works were closed by his sudden death. Messrs. Knapp & McLain embarked in the business about the same time, but soon suspended. THE RUSSELL AND COMPANY On the first of January, 1842, Charles M., Nahum S. and Clement Russell, carpenters by trade, formed a partnership in Massillon under the style of C. M. Russell & Company, for the manufacture of threshers and horse-powers, in connection with their business as architects and builders. Their capital stock was $1,500, with which they began work forty years ago. The senior partner had seen and carefully examined the Pitts Buffalo Separator, which had already been constructed and in use, and on that examination Mr. Russell believed that he saw where improvements might be made, and with characteristic energy set about trying to make it better, and so succeeded that the improved machine took the premium at the Ohio State Fair at Columbus in 1845. Thus encouraged, the new firm pushed ahead, sparing no effort, and met with continued encouragement in their progress. They continued to improve all their machinery, and led all competitors in the race for popularity. When the far-reaching influence of what is now HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY - 483 the great railway system of the Western Continent reached Massillon in 1847, the firm of C. M. Russell & Company at once gave it their influence. As the history of the Ohio & Pennsylvania Railroad attests, they took stock, the elder Mr. Russell was a contractor who built large portions of the road, and with all their other business, built cars for freight and passengers. After the road was opened to Massillon, C. M. Russell was elected a director, which place he held by successive re-elections until his death in February, 1860, which made a break in the business of the firm, which had gone on uninterruptedly for eighteen years. The death of the senior partner dissolved the firm of C. M. Russell & Company, and the survivors immediately re-organized by the name and style of N. S. & C. Russell, which continued until January 1, 1864, when the brothers Joseph K., Thomas H. and George L. Russell purchased an interest and were admitted as partners, and the firm name changed to Russell & Company. One year later, W. K. Miller and Thomas H. Williams were admitted to membership in the firm. In 1857 Mr. Miller perfected and patented the Peerless, originally called the Russell Mower and Reaper, and this successful machine was manufactured by Russell & Company, up to 1871. In the spring of that year, the "Peerless" was sold to C. Russell & Company, of Canton, and its production transferred to that city, Mr. Miller withdrawing to take the superintendency of the Canton establishment. Prior to 1865, the shops were located on Erie Street, between Tremont and South, north of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway, but the business having outgrown their producing facilities, at this time the firm decided to erect more commodious and convenient buildings just south of the railway. Accordingly, in 1864-65, extensive and substantial buildings were erected and equipped with improved machinery, tools, and every convenience requisite to the rapid and economical manufacture of their increasingly popular products. In the summer of 1868, T. H. Williams retired from the firm. In December, 1871, Allen A. Russell, the youngest brother, and Alanson A. Rawson, since deceased, a nephew of the brothers Russell, became members. On the 1st of January, 1878, the firm was dissolved by mutual consent, Clement Russell, one of the original members, retiring, and has since had no connection with the house. On the 17th of May, 1878, just as they were fairly under way for the season's business, fire destroyed all their iron working machinery, wagon stock and thirty-six years' accumulation of patterns, the latter having cost not less than $75,000, and throwing 250 men out of employment. The entire south wing and one-half of the Erie Street front of the main building were destroyed, involving a loss, exclusive of that 484 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY in patterns, of $75,000. The whole amount of insurance realized was $53,100. Many of the valuable patterns could never be replaced, and the net loss by the disaster was estimated at $50,000. The fire broke out soon after 1 o'clock A. M., and had it not been for the exertions of the fire department, aided by citizens, the entire works would have been destroyed. Fortunately about two-thirds of the main building was saved. At daylight the next morning seventy men were set to work on the ruins, and two of the partners started, one East and the other West, to procure machinery to replace that destroyed. Such promptitude and pluck are characteristic of the enterprise of the firm. By the kindness of C. Aultman, of Canton, and Capt. J. H. Kauke, of Wooster, machinery which they had in charge as assignees, was promptly loaned to the firm until new machinery would be procured. Gas was put into the works and a supplementary engine attached to run the foundry ; so that just one week from the time of the fire they were running the iron department double time to make up for lost time, and within thirty days were turning out their full complement of machines. The Erie Street front was rebuilt during that summer, and in order to make more room in the works, the office was removed, a large two-story office building was erected the same year, and, in the winter of 1880-81, a four-story office building warehouse 250 feet in length. In the fall of 1878, Russell & Company, under the general law of Ohio, without a change of style, became an incorporated body. The corporators were J. E. McLain, N. S. Russell, J. K. Russell, J. W. McClymonds. Capital stock, $500,000. The first election resulted in the selection of Nahum S. Russell, president ; J. W. McClymonds, secretary and treasurer ; T. H. Russell, superintendent. GENERAL INDUSTRIAL PICTURE The facts regarding the later development of Russell & Company into the corporation so widely known as The Russell & Company, are given in other pages of this work. Perhaps the best general picture of the development of the local industries was prepared by W. E. N. Hemperly, secretary of the Massillon Board of Trade, during the year of its incorporation, 1909. Following is an extract from his booklet, both Mr. McClymonds and Joseph K. Russell having died since it was issued: "In 1842, the Russell brothers, from New Hampshire, began by building a few 'knockouts.' They worked hard and built well, saving their money and increasing their plant. As one by one, six of the seven brothers passed away, Mr. J. W. McClymonds, son-in-law of Nahum Russell, and a man whom all Massillon honors for his progres- HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY - 485 sive spirit, ideal citizenship and liberal benefactions, continued the work. There are men living who have worked in that plant for more than 60 years. Men who were office boys are now heads of important departments. One of the grand old gentlemen of the town, Mr. Joseph K. Russell, one of the seven brothers, still lives, hale and hearty at 85, to point with pride to the magnificent plants covering 21 acres, having produced 18,000 farm, traction and stationary engines, 22,000 threshing machines, besides thousands of saw mills, pneumatic stackers, feeders and steam road-rollers, all of which have been sent to all parts of the world. "A little later the Snyder brothers and the Hess brothers began in a small blacksmith shop. They, too, worked hard, saved their money and built a business. Within a year the older brothers have been able (PICTURE) FLOOD IN MASSILLON'S BUSINESS SECTION, MARCH 26, 1913 to retire, turning over a successful business to their well-trained sons, with Hess-Snyder pumps, pulleys, 'Boomer' furnaces and ranges known all over the land, and their prosperity evidenced by large and soundly constructed factory buildings, beautiful homes, the ownership of numerous business blocks and other large investments aside from filling bank directorships and other positions of trust and usefulness. "In 1880 business men of Massillon who had their money invested in a rolling mill which had been idle for five years, invited Mr. Joseph Cams and his sons to come from Akron and take charge of the plant. For years afterward this plant, known as The Cams Iron Works, and now a part of the Republic Iron & Steel Co., under their able management was a success, always busy and prosperous. James C. Cams, the surviving member of the firm, is at present chairman of the New Indus- Vol. II - 7 486 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY try Committee of The Massillon Board of Trade and is actively identified with all that pertains to the welfare of the city. "The Reed Glass Bottle Works was started in the same conservative way. Mr. David Reed has been actively connected with the plant for 25 years. It with the Pocock bottle plants, now form a considerable part of The American Bottle Co., and the two with The Rhodes Glass & Bottle Co., under the management of F. R. Shepley, have produced three hundred and fifteen million, and are producing annually forty- six million bottles, employing 700 men with an annual payroll of $500,000. "The Massillon Bridge Co., was started in a small way, has been unusually profitable under the management of Massillon men and while, for a few years it formed a part of The Toledo-Massillon Bridge Co., with headquarters in Toledo, it has again come into the control of Massillon men under the name of The Massillon Bridge & Structural Co., with an exceedingly bright future in bridge and structural work. "For many years Mr. John Silk has operated The Massillon Paper Mills successfully, and assisted by his two sons, produces annually, 7,500 tons of wrapping paper. "Harrison's Tornado feed cutters and silos are known in all agricultural districts. "The Massillon Sign & Poster Co. prints and lithographs on two million yards of sign cloth and sends out annually five million advertising signs on cloth, fibre and paper and its imprint is posted in all parts of the world. "The Dielhenn Manufacturing Co. annually cuts up several million yards of high grade silk and other cloths and makes 'Hy-Art' Petticoats. "The Munger Wire Basket Co. is solving the scarcity of the timber question by producing annually one hundred and eighty thousand wire baskets of all sizes. "The Massillon Tent & Awning Co. is trying to 'fool the sun' by annually converting 150,000 yards of canvas into tents and awnings. "The new Massillon Rolling Mill and the galvanizing department of The Canton Art Metal Co., although established but six months ago, have exceeded the expectations of the owners who have already commenced to double the capacity of the plant which will have an annual out-put of 30,000 tons of sheet metal and employ 600 men." Reference is then made to H. A. Croxton as the opposite of Captain Duncan in all but his determination to push his enterprises to a successful finish. "Organizing the Massillon Iron and Steel Company, with a capital stock of $150,000, constructing a plant and developing HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY - 487 a managing force by hard work from early morning until late at night, today he has a two million dollar plant thoroughly up to date, always busy, frequently enlarged whether times are good or bad, covering 50 acres of land and employing 600 men. Mr. Croxton is President and Treasurer. He is likewise President of The Massillon Bridge & Structural Co., and The Massillon Foundry & Machine Co., the latter manufacturers of Lane Steam Hammers and has injected energy and vim into both institutions. The Croxton-Keeton Motor Co. claims much of his time and energy. This company started as The Forest City Motor Co., with a saw, file, hammer and an idea, has been developed into a $500,000 corporation with a model plant, furnishing its share of the country's output of high class automobiles and taxicabs." So well have Massillon industrial institutions been built and managed that there have been but three failures. So well have they been cared for that there have been few large fires. The Wetherald & Well Window Glass Co. burned to the ground and was not rebuilt, but the site is now occupied by the Harrison plant, Reed Glass Works, Pocock Mill and Automobile Works. The Pocock Flouring Mill and two partial destructions at the Russell plant were all rebuilt better than before. Certain details added to the foregoing will enable the reader to more fully realize the steps in the development of Massillon's industries, and their present status. PIONEER FURNACES The making of pig iron received little or no attention until 1853, when M. D. Well man erected the Massillon Furnace which had an uneasy existence and a damaging effect upon all those connected with the venture, after it passed out of the hands of its founder. But his success induced Hiram B. Wellman, James S. Kelley and others to incorporate the Volcano Iron Company in 1855. The venture was disastrous until revived several years later as the Volcano Furnace Company. In the early '80s the first glass works were established on the site of the old Massillon Furnace. The furnaces thus operated, under such difficulties, have developed into such great industries as the Massillon Iron & Steel Company, incorporated in 1899 and now capitalized at $2,000,000, and The Massillon Rolling Mill Company, established in 1909, and operating on a capital of $3,500,000. The Massillon Foundry & Machine Company was incorporated in 1907 and is capitalized at $100,000. The following industries have been already mentioned : Hess-Snyder 488 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY Company, incorporated in 1902, present capital $250,000 ; Massillon Bridge & Structural Company, in the northwestern part of the city— capital $450,000 and incorporated in 1909, and Massillon Sign & Poster Company, incorporated in 1904, its present capital $100,000. Other leading manufactories : Buckeye Cereal Company, capital $100,000, incorporated in 1910 ; Everhard Company, capital $100,000, incorporated in 1903 ; A. J. Humberger's Sons Company, incorporated in 1904, capital $150,000 ; Realty Rubber Company, incorporated in 1910, capital $100,000. The Peerless Drawn Steel Company is one of the latest concerns in that line to be established. It was incorporated in 1913 and capitalized at $100,000. The Massillon Electric & Gas Company, whose objects are manifest by the title, was incorporated in 1908, and has a present capital of $500,000. COAL OPERATORS Among the first coal operators in the Tuscarawas valley were Capt. Henry Foltz and James F. Pocock, who were working in the Massillon fields in 1855 and 1866 respectively. The first concern to become a leader in the industry was the Massillon City Coal Company, incorporated in 1874. Captain Foltz was president of it and Mr. Pocock largely interested and active. Within a decade the Camp Creek, Pigeon Run, Warmington, Grove Coal, Sippo Coal, Willow Bank, Mountain, Ridgeway and Oak Hill mines were in operation, representing over $800,000 and considerable capital from Cleveland and other large Ohio cities. Mark A. Hanna was interested in the Warmington Coal Company. The coal interests which center at Massillon are still extensive and are represented by the Massillon Coal Mining Company, Massillon-Belmont Coal Company, Goshen Central Coal Company, Massillon Elm Run Coal Company, Massillon Beach-Wood Coal Company, Massillon City Coal Company, Pocock Coal Company and the Massillon Oak Hill Coal Company. The Massillon Sand & Stone Company and the Massillon Stone & Fire Brick Company (the latter incorporated in 1882 ; plant three miles northwest of the city), are somewhat allied to the coal industries. The industries of Massillon have been consistently encouraged by various organizations of its business men, which have been especially founded and fostered by such citizens as Anthony Howells, William F. Ricks and H. A. Croxton. Mr. Ricks, president of the Merchants Na- HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY - 489 tional Bank is the present head of the Massillon Board of Trade, incorporated in 1909. FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS Massillon has quite an imposing array of financial institutions designed to facilitate the manufactures, business and individual savings, loans and building. Its oldest existing bank is the First National, which succeeded the old Merchants Bank, in 1864. It was organized with Dr. Isaac Steese as president and S. Hunt as cashier, with a capital (PICTURE) THE MCCLYMONDS BUILDING, MASSILLON of $200,000. The directors were Isaac Steese, James M. Brown, Arvine C. Wales, Charles Steese, Jacob S. Bachtel and John Jacobs. At the death of Dr. Steese in August, 1874, Mr. Hunt was elected president and Charles Steese, son of the doctor, became cashier. Mr. Steese became president in 1892, and is still at the head of the institution. P. L. Hunt is cashier. The capital stock of the First National is now $150,000. As stated, the Union branch of the State Bank of Ohio was opened in 1847 by Dr. Isaac Steese, Sebastian Brainard and others. After the death of Brainard it passed through many hands, and in 1865 was finally reorganized as the Union National Bank of Massillon. Among its early officers were : John E. McLain, president ; Thomas McCullough, vice president, and James H. Hunt, cashier. The capital stock of the Union National has been increased from $100,000 to $150,000. Its 490 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY present officers are as follows : J. H. Hunt, president ; C. L. McLain, vice president, and H. L. McLain, cashier. The First Savings & Loan Company was incorporated in 1888. Its present officers are : J. C. Haring, president ; W. F. Ricks, vice president; C. G. King, secretary, and A. T. Ellis, treasurer. The Merchants National Bank was chartered in 1890. The institution was organized by the late J. Walter McClymonds ; he erected the building, the ground floor of which is occupied by the .bank, and was president until his death in October, 1912. He was succeeded by S. A. Conrad and William F. Ricks, who had served successively as cashier and vice president since the founding of the bank, has been at the head of its affairs since October, 1913. The People's Building & Loan Company was incorporated in 1892, the Massillon Savings & Banking Company in 1895, and the Union Building & Loan Company in 1899. The State Bank of Massillon, which was chartered in 1903, has a capital of $100,000 and is officered as follows : Z. T. Shoemaker, president; J. C. Albright, vice president, and W. L. Bechtel, cashier. |