A A R O N L. DE NNIS ON
T h e Fath e r of Inte rc h a nge ab le W a tc h Mate ria l .
1 01 C o pyrigh te d 1
b y
H a z litt W ait e : INDE X .
A e ric an H o ro o e C o . T h e m l g ,
A e ric a n W a tc C o a n T h e m h mp y,
A ppleton , D a n ie l Fu ll er A t n pple o , T rac y 6: C o . A stronom ic a l O b se rva to ry
Bake r , J a s.
B r a tle tt, P . S .
Bo t s on W atc h C o . , T h e
Bu i in s C o n stru c tio n o f ld g ,
C h u rc h , Du ane H .
C o re sse A ir Use o f mp d ,
e nniso n A a ron . D , L
De a r t e nts O r a n iz a tio n o f p m , g
u nc a n H . . D , E First Divid e nd
First W atch e s , T h e
itc . C . F h , E
Fo gg , C h a s . W .
o ar u t e r G dd d , L h
H ow a r w a r d , Ed d
H u a r A . ll , Edg
o an o n L g , J h
M a rs a i S . h , D v d
M a rs . A . h , E
M a rsh , O live r
Mo se le y , C h as . S .
Nashu a W atc h Fac to ry , T h e
t n a e s a nd H e n r Pi ki , J m y
R ob b ins, R oya l
R ob b ns R o a is a i , y l El h
S e a r ae . h p d , J T
S e rw oo . B . h d , N
Stra tton . P . , N
Trac y, Bake r 6: C o .
W a t a Fac to r o c a tio n o f l h m y , L n W alth a m Imp ro veme t C o .
W a rre n M f g. C o . , T h e
W eb ste r A b ro se , m
Woe r C a s V an e r d , h d A ILLUS T R T IONS .
A p ple ton, Da nie l Fu lle r 44 A stro nomic a l C l oc k lib Ba ro me te r and Le ve l Te ste r 98
Ba rtlett, P. 8 . 74
Bo ston W a tc h C o . , Fa cto ry o f 17 C h ronograp h 101
C u rc u a n H . 60 h h , D e
o C l ck R oom , S e ctio n o f 96
Denn son A a ro n . rontis ie c e 32 i , L F p ,
u nc a n H . . D , E
Eight- Day W atc h
itc C . F h , E . Godd a rd W atc h
H u ar A . ll , Edg
Mars v S . h . Da id
Ma rs A . h , E .
Mosel ey, C h a s . S .
o f O b servato ry, Inte rio r
Ou te r Passage Pitkin W atc h
R ob b ns R o a i , y l
R ob b n R a is a i s. oy l El h
S rw oo N . B. he d , W altham Facto ry in 1857 00 H I“ 1865 1870 1904 1905 Watch of 1500
Webster. A m b rose
Wo rd C n r s . has. V a de F E W D OR OR .
the o m Under title , Watch Fact ries of A erica , sixteen a T H E ye rs ago , the writer prepared a series of articles for M E R ICA E W E LE R A N J , and it was later published in book Th form . e edition was a limited one of one thousand copies o and the b ok has long been out of print , but the demand
for it has been steadily going on . During the lapse of time new factories have been started and many of the old ones have failed and gone out of busi ness or been given a new lease of life under other names . Men w ho were then prominent in the trade have passed away and new men taken their places . Factories have been expanded , new machines and methods have taken the places ce of the old , and so great have been the changes taking pla that a new volume must needs take the place of the old to accurately chronicle the changes of sixteen years .
This work presents nothing that is new or startling , but is c s simply a collection of fa ts , recorded in pre entable shape , in connection with the rise and development of one of the most marvelous growths of a mechanical business that the world has ever seen . In less than one hundred years this branch of industry has grown from the humble factory of Luther tw o Goddard of Shrewsbury , with its weekly product of w m W E c atches , to the ma moth altham and lgin fa tories , with their daily output of as many thousands of the finest productions of mechanical precision that has ever been seen . h Surely suc a development deserves a history . The first watches were made in 1500 in Nuremberg and h w o . ere r und , not oval , as has been erroneously stated T ey 9 E W D FOR OR .
e m - of o the ff i e k rs w re ad { ir n ; sta s , pin ons , whe ls , coc s , pilla , l tes n n l f i Th e p a fa fi eve the dia being made o this mater al . fuzee was not em ployed until 1509 ; brass plates were sub
' stituted for iron ones in 1530 and oval or egg- shaped “ s ehes n w N r in f vat , k o n as u emberg eggs , came into vogue In 1570 watches of hexagonal and octagonal shape b to be fashionable and in 1575 the mechanism for tak " egan
ing up the mainspring w as first applied . It w as not until 1 8 h the hm 5 7 t at Swiss began the industry of watc aking,
A W 11100 atc h 01 .
and the fuzee chain was the first important m h n t e 1 0 ade by t at a ion , it being inv nted by Cruet in 59 , h u not n 1600 c t o gh ge erally used until , a catgut ord being e u t h i of fi employ d p o t is t me . Watch crystals glass were rst
made in 1615 ; enamel dials were invented in 1635. The a r w as 16 6 the b lance sp ing invented in 7 , minute mechanism d 168 fi and han in 7, and watch jewels and the rst keyless w The atches did not make their appearance until 1700. E W D FOR OR . I "
1 es compensation balance was invented in 749 , the duplex ca em ent 1 0 1 60 p in 75 , the chronometer escapement in 7 and 1 the lever escapement in 765. The very thin watches of e fi 1 6 Lepin were rst marketed in 77 , the helical balance spring and the seconds hand were first used in 1780 From the above it will be seen that important rudimentary inventions in connection with the watch were not of Ameri
s - can origin , and even the thin watche in favor to day were 1 6 put upon the market as early as 77 , when this country was fi still ghting for its independence . n the What , the , have we done in watchmaking line that the people of other countries have not done ? We have im o e pr v d upon the inventions of the European , have made a watch so w ell that the people of the world demand and use it , have placed them on the market so cheap in price that the m av h e laborer possess them , and , above all , ave made th m interchangeable so that a part may be taken from one watch and placed in another without changing it in any way and both watches give perfect results . Aside from this , we have o S invented new f rms of prings , more perfect balances , safety and to pinions devices too numerous mention . While the makers of Europe were having their trains made by one m an h or family , their balances by anot er, their assembling e e don in one house and their adj usting done in anoth r , we have been erecting modern factories in which the w atch was manufactured complete and ready to be placed upon the market , a monument to American genius . Lepine made w atches as thin as any now in the market and various S w iss makers have turned out watches as small or " smaller than any we now make , but , alas their useful ness was in doubt , for as timekeepers they were failures , and not being made on the interchangeable plan , it cost about as much to repair one as it did to purchase a new m ovement . When our watches have been entered in any of the Euro pean tests w e have never failed to secure a creditable show E W D 1 z FOR OR .
ff r ing , and all this has been brought about by intelligent e o t and work done by automatic machinery—machinery which performs the work in an almost human manner and per forms it so well that all the hand work of Europe has neve r h surpassed it . T is is a few , a very few , of the things that in American watch factories have been doing . Europe it vented , but required the skill of the American to bring the watch to its present high standard of perfection and low price . E C H A P T R I.
d e e ri The term watchmaker , in America , o s not nec ssa ly w ho imply one manufactures watches , but is more generally applied to those who make a business of repairing and clean ing timepieces . In days gone by a watchmaker was a me chanic r fi of no mean orde , capable of making and tting any part of a watch , no matter what make the watch might have c been or how complicated its onstruction , which , through e neglig nce on the part of the owner, became deranged or
- o e of broken . To day a watchmaker need be p ssess d only ordinary mechanical skill and intelligence in order to repair any watch of American manufacture , and all this change has come about by themanufacturers of the various move fi ments working on the interchangeable system , rst applied to
1 0. w . 8 atchmaking by Mr Aaron L . Dennison in 5 “ r D M . ennison is widely known as the father of American ” a watchm king, a title which cannot j ustly be applied to him , as he was not the first manufacturer of watches in this fi country , neither was he the rst person to make watches in y this country by machinery , as we will demonstrate presentl . The claim is made , and perhaps j ustly , that he was the originator of the idea of making watches on the interchange t able sys em and finishing the parts entirely by machinery . This claim the English and Swiss dispute and bring for
ou r inten ward proofs to the contrary . However , it is not tion to argue this matter either pro or con , but simply to
record facts which are beyond dispute . It would be a very hard thing to determine who the first ‘ 3 14 T H E W ATC H FACTOR IES OF A M E R IC A .
a e the be manufacturer of w atches in Americ was , sinc in ginning of the nineteenth century many of the trade manu i to r or factured movements n small quantities , either orde for the purpose of carrying in stock until such time as a e sit purchaser might turn up . These watch s were of neces y
- and d ab hand made , the manufacturers depen ed consider ly e s upon Europe for supplies , such as hands , springs , j ew l , o h be balances , etc . , and theref re to that extent t ey cannot lete m anu acturers ma regarded as comp f , although they y have delivered completed w atches.
T h e G o dd a rd W a tc h .
180 s com In 9 Luther Goddard of Shrewsbury , Mas , m enced to manufacture watches of the verge pattern , in
e somewhat larger quantities than had been attempted befor . n Mr . Goddard could not compete with the cheap foreig 181 watches , however , and retired from the business in 7 ,
00 the having manufactured about 5 watches . This was greatest number of watches ever made bvone manufacture r
in America up to this time . h Mr o 1812 t e . Following closely in wake of G ddard , in an establishment for the manufacture of watches was started
M . in Worcester , ass The establishment was small , and was 18 8 suspended shortly after for want of ready funds . In 3
the first machine - made watch ever made in America w as
atc placed upon the market . It was known as the Pitkin w h H and was manufactured by two brothers , James and enry S I T H E W A TC H FA CTOR IE OF A M E R IC A . S
Pitkin of Hartford , Conn . These movements were three quarter plate , slow train and about the diameter of the mod
- m anu fac ern 16 size . The machinery with which they were tu red was very crude and was all made by the Pitkin Bros . ff The Pitkin watch , however, su ered the same fate as its pre decessors o . The c st of manufacture was too great to com e h e mov p te wit those made by the Swiss , and shortly aft r
T h e Pitkin W atc h
o 18 1 ing the factory to New Y rk , which they did in 4 , the h enterprise was abandoned . The total product of t e Pitkins o 800 was ab ut movements .
Following Pitkin Bros . came several other small manu facturers , but nothing of importance in this line was at
- 18 tempted until the year 49 , when the nucleus of what is now known as the American Waltham Watch Company w s a formed . C H A T E II P R .
t A person standing on Crescent stree , Waltham , and gaz ing upon the mammoth structure occupied by the American h Waltham Watch Company, as a factory , a building w o se
800 c frontage occupies nearly feet , and which , with its on nectin - g wings , would equal a four story building over h al f a mile in length , within whose walls employes are o daily empl yed , and from which timekeepers are turned out weekly , can scarcely realize that the company has seen failure and disaster staring them in the face on
. d more than one occasion , but such is the fact The roa the to success is not always strewn with roses , and although has company is now a large and prosperous one , yet it
° h and has struggled wit adversity , seen the time , when , it m o e ight be said , the toss of a penny w uld have decid d
w o . hether they would c ntinue , or give up in despair th 18 com e . In fall of the year 49 , Aaron L Dennison m enced to study out machinery f or the manufacture of watches on the interchangeable system . Mr . Dennison , who was a dealer in watches , jewelry , tools and materials , in
Boston , and who had been educated as a practical watch ot in m anu factu r maker , undoubtedly g his ideas regard to ing on the interchangeable system from the Springfi eld c Armory , having visited that institution on numerous oc a
. re sions , and inquired into their mode of manufacture He M r his . vealed ideas to Edward Howard , a manufacturer of of clocks at Roxbury, then a suburb of, but now a part
Mr. w as Boston . Howard agreed with him that the scheme ff M o r . a plausible one , and a small room was divided in 16 T H E ‘V H IE S O F M I ATC FACTOR A E R CA . I 7
’ and r Mr ni o c m nc d How ard s factory , the e . Den s n o me e n 1 work o his machines . In 850 a sm all factory was built ’ Mr n s . w a d i and w oppo ite Ho ard s shop , some Engl sh S iss ’ Mr w . y watchmakers put to ork . Dennison s machiner did ’ w and of Mr d not prove a success , ho ever , one . Howar s
W 1 58 a to r o f T h Bosto n a t C o 8 . F c y e ch . ,
h Mr n o and u men was detailed to elp . De nis n , after numero s fi in attempts, they nally succeeded getting together a few h h n tools and mac ines of anyt ing but perfect constructio . In u 18 0 Mr s the the s mmer of 5 . Denni on completed m d l fi w h w h s w o e of the rst atc , ich corre ponded ith the full
1 - w w as ma to run i h plate 8 size of to day . This atch de e g t and l days , but was pronounced to be impracticable , its p ace
- i fi as was filled by a one day watch . At this t me the rm w “ ” m o and con known as The A erican Horol ge Company , i L . s. sisted of A . . Dennison , E Howard and Samuel Curt s no i the e n of Mr . Curti took act ve part in manag me t the 18 r u n w a r c n Fa e r o a ras 0a a m aa rc n .
c01. cern but i m , furn shed most of the oney with which th e buildings and machinery w ere built . After a lapse of abou t “ one year the name of the company was changed to Th e fi Warren Manufacturing Company , and the rst hundred fi watches bore that name . The rst watches were actu ally “ 18 placed upon the market in 53 . The name Samuel Cur ” “ tis was substituted for Warren on the next six or sev en
“ hundred watches ; the reason being that the name The ” Warren Manufacturing Company was abandoned as being “ ” unfittin g, and the name Boston Watch Company was used
T h W a lt o r in 1857 e h a m Fac t y .
18 instead . These watches were size , full plate , slow train 0 D be and were sold at $4 . About this time Mr . ennison fi w as came dissatis ed with the location of the factory , as it very dusty in summer and w as not fitted as a site for a watch factory . He accordingly started to look up a new oi location for the factory , and g ng to Waltham he visited a kn o i locality own as Stony Bro k , which was then quite act ve ’ through the work done at Sibley s machine shop . A fter viewing the piece of land he was not quite satisfied with it
and came to Waltham to take a train to Boston . While
waiting for this train he met an acquaintance , Samuel Pay o son Emerson , then foreman of the machine sh p of the Bos M ton anufacturing Company . In the course of conversa t an ion Mr . Dennison explained what he was in search of , d
T H W A H IE S A E I A 2 0 E TC FACTOR OF M R C .
h had cn ern trade , althoug he no moneyed interest in the o c . The w 1nter of 1857 proved a rough one for the new com
pany . Money was scarce and times hard and in the spring m i o . e f llowing , Mr Robbins made up his nd to remov th e to New h factory nearer York , which was t en the market o for his go ds . the 18 8 h M r In spring of 5 trade revived somew at, and . Robbins proposed the consolidation of the watch company h h be and the Waltham Improvement Company , w ic had en B Notw ithst organized to assist the oston Watch Co . and ing their previous unfortunate experience their faith in th e
watch - making enterprise had revived so that they believed
that real success in the business was to be expected . Th ey Mr R therefore wisely decided to accept the proposal of . ob
w ho out h is bins , sold to the improvement company , taking to payment largely in shares of the company , but reserving himself the stock of manufactured w atches which he had
o deposited in certain banks as c llateral for borrowed money . w d Those atches he gradually re eemed and sold , with the result of a fair profit for his two veats of anxiety and hard
work . When the Waltham Improvement Company pu r chased the watch factory it paid plus a bon u s of It also voted to increase its capital to t l and . Mr Robbins subscribed the addi ional capita .
Dr . Horatio Adams was president of the company , W . H .
" . . . o eith was clerk , and Mr R E R bbins was elected treas
r r ofiic u e and general manager . He continued to hold the e a h of treasurer until three d ys before his deat , which oc on 2 2 1 02 curred July , 9 . o d firm o When this cons li ation occurred the of Applet n . T nam e racy Co . disappeared , but the has been a popular one on watch movements made by that company and its
s n a d . uccessors , is still in use 8 18 the w as On February , 59 , the name of company the t h changed , by act of legislature , to The American Wa c M 1 ffi of Company , and on arch 3 of that year the o cers T E W H I E S M E I H ATC FACTOR OF A R CA . 2 1
the improvement company were formally chosen to like po 1 1860 i ions . s t in the new company On May 9 , , the capital stock was increased to and in the same year a dividend of 5 per cent was declared , it being remarkable as
first dividend declared on A m erican w atch m akin being the g. n n Mr . De nison remai ed with the new company until Decem
1861 . ber , , serving in the capacity of superintendent During t this year came the ou break of the Civil War , which brought
‘ a s u the business to a st nd till , and threatened to again bankr pt the T fi enterprise . here was little h0pe of nding a market for the factory product unless it should be so reduced in quan tity as to be manufactured at a loss . It was therefore de to cided reduce expenditures to the lowest point , but to keep the factory in operation to such an extent as to hold the re leading operatives . The hours of labo r were therefore duced and a , some of the m chinists were employed in the
t . manufacture of small lathes , for which a marke was found o S me of the workmen enlisted in the volunteer army , others w and ere discharged , a very few were kept at work on
w atch movements and cases . But the calamity of war from which so much was feared became the occasion of great
prosperity ; for the soldiers in the army wanted watches , and the watch company exerted itself to meet the demand . In com mon with everything else th e prices of watches at that h h time were hig , per aps relatively higher than at any time
in the history of American watch making . As a result the fi and pro ts were large , a goodly surplus was gradually accu m ulated 186 the , and in 5 capital was increased to the additional stock being distributed to the stockholders in
the form of a special dividend . In 1859 the outlook for American watch making was so promising that a number of men left the Waltham factory H n . . and organized a other factory in Nashua , N , with a capital of but after les s than three years of eff ort they were compelled to abandon their undertaking for lack h the e m 1862 Mr. of oney , and in Robbins purc ased entir H E W H P A C T O R IE S O I" A M T ATC E R ICA .
a and the finis plant , s ve the real estate , and moved it un hed to t m To a watches (numbering about Wal ha . ccc m m odate this additional machinery the Waltham facto ry w as d and m m en of the r r enlarge , the pro inent Nashua facto y w e e s the W mo h given good po itions in altham factory . A ng t ose Mr r h h . N r t . o w o om am men were . P St att n ( went f Wal as
h N h Mr. t e . H one of the originators of as ua factory", C . Mr M . r V h Mr. a W . t oseley and C . ander oerd Of t ese St ton acted for a time as assistant superintendent of the Walthw i
Th e Facto ry in 1863 from a Photo gra p h .
n to a for factory , and later was se t London as gent the l d a f . M m chase o supplies . Mr ose ey re aine in Walth m 186 w h w r h 4 , en ith seve al ot ers he went to I lished the Elgin National Watch Compau \Voerd was given the charge of the Na which constituted a separate department of the i 18 in the continued in this posit on till 74 , mea the opportunity to exercise his inventive facu l vising of several semi - automatic machines of Mr Recognizing his ability in this direction . 18 n d to him 74 , assig e the position of mech and 18 6 tendent of the entire factory , in 7 he succeeded i e a . s e s A T . Bacon a g neral uper nt ndent of the f ctory , w ' 2 r u e w a rc n r A c r o nras o r a maa rc a . 3
n t 188 s d his ne n positio he held ill 3 , when he evere con ctio
th h a Mr. . . w ith e Am erican Walt am Watch Comp ny . G H h e i m 18 i 18 S irl y acted as ass stant superintendent fro 74 t ll 93 , w e he h n retired .
o r 1865 T h e Fac t y in f r om a Ph o togra ph .
In 1865 quite extensive additions were made to the factory i to the m em u factu re buildings, including a w ng devoted of w ra a l d and silver cases , hich manufacture was g du l y increase ,
i 18 0 r a s w as b continued t ll 9 . A gold case facto y l o esta lished in New and e York City , run under the sup rvision of ’ y e the compan s selling ag nts , Robbins Appleton . The success of the Waltham company naturally created or aroused a desire in the minds of others to engage in a line of manufacture w hich gave such promise o f profitable r so of r retu ns , that quite a number new watch facto ies e and existed or a tim e f e u were organiz d , f . O th se vario s
m d . h how ever factories mention is a e elsewhere T ey did , y
T H E W n 2 ATC H FACTOR IE S o a ma m c a . 5
b 1 efore the number of employes reached that of 89 3 . In the
e meantime , however , great advances were being mad in the
t u direc ion of machine construction , so that the daily prod ct of the factory reached its previous high number long before f the number of operatives did so . But both the number o operatives and the daily product of watch movements have not steadily increased , and only so , but the average grade of f the movements produced has been gradually raised . O course the last mentioned fact has resulted from the very a f vorable conditions of general business . The wonderful accuracy of the new automatic machinery has also been a t poten factor in the increasing excellence of the product . The adoption of s ystematic time inspection by most of the leading railway systems of America has created a demand for watches of a degree of accuracy in performance which
vo y was pre i usl uncalled for , and in meeting this demand the t American Wal ham Watch Company did its utmost . Aside from its mechanical equipment it has an independent astro nom ical fi l out t which , by more than twenty years of usefu fi . tfi ness , has j usti ed its creation and maintenance This ou t consists of an observatory building equipped w ith a transit instrument for obse rving the passage of stars across the o local meridian , a chr nograph instrument for recording the m n ovements of the pe dulum of a sidereal clock , and also the telegraphic signals made by the observer at and during the passage of the star across the gradu ated field of vision in the s1d real the transit instrument . In addition to e clock “ ” one there are two mean time clocks , of which telegraphic ly transmits signals to all parts of the factory which have to do with the adjustment and timing of watches . This astronomical equipment is soon to be reinstalled in apart now ments being prepared , and when complete will be equal e n th if not sup rior to anythi g of e kind in the world . It is h in c arge of Mr . H . E . Duncan , of whom personal mention is made in another place . We have said that the prosperity of the w atch company W 2 6 r u n A TC H s a c r o a ra s o n A M E R ICA .
enabled it to increase its capital in 1865 to With a steady increase of business in the few succeeding year s a t t 18 0 a s ill further increase was required , and in Augus , 7 , m ount o half illion in addition was made , bringing the am t But within three years thereafter still m o re
. M r. working capital was needed , and were added Robbins provided the opportunity for employes to subscribe for a portion of this stock on m ore liberal terms than w ere Th a i allowed to outside parties . e amount of c p tal 188 a u re was continued till 5, when the Massachusetts legisl t authorized an increase to and also autho rized the change of corporate name to the American Waltham d rs Watch Company . In March of that year the stockhol e a c voted to increase the capital to and in M r h , 1889 they voted another increase of In 1899 it was voted to still further increase to the limit authorized by t the legislature . Of his money a portion was devoted to the enlargement of the factory and its equipment with new and t i improved machinery. O f course the con inued increase n product involves an enormous increase in the number o f watch movements in process in all departments of the fac h tory . The production of the factory , however , as increased at a much greater ratio than the in e of 188 al creas its capital , for whereas up to 4 the tot product for the preceding thirty years amounted to 1 1 a 9 , the succeeding ten years saw th t number more than doubled (the total product reaching The decade e j ust passed more than doubled that product , the total b ing 0 about 00. Mention has been made of the enlargement of the facto ry h plant . The successive changes and enlargements are s o w n the en by accompanying views . Not only was the factory lar ed w g , but the style and construction of the buildings as modified to better adapt them to the improved methods and s l re ca e of manufacture . The original factory buildings we built with walls of concrete and the rooms were both low
S T H E W A TC H FACTOR IE OF A M E R ICA .
o n s inclu and narr w . The seco d form of con truction wooden frames filled in with brick and plastered on th e s n The the ide a d inside . last of original buildings
lis ed 18 m o h in 79 . Of the secon 186 o o 1 0 w as which was built in 5, st d until 9 5 and then 18 demolished . Beginning about 73 brick construction w as
. fi adopted , and a third story was built in the rst of these few e wings ; a y ars later a fourth story was added , and by filling into the river in the rear of the factory su m w i cient land was obtained to lengthen some of the ngs. Estates adjoining each end of the factory were also pur chased and built upon . Besides enlarging at both ends o in h d and als front and in the rear , t ere remaine one the to W i other direction for enlargement , namely , p, and thin the past four years a fifth story has been added to mo st of
h 0 e- t e . 1 fiv wings In 9 3 a story wing was built , somew hat ff e in y con di er nt st le , and of improved struction , making u se s of teel beams for supporting the floors and roofs . In the later buildings much attention has been given to fire “ t rni protection , by adopting wha is called the slow bu ng ” construction . As additional stories were made there w as needed corresponding provision for the safety of the em ployes by furnishing means for rapid ex it from every room in case of emergency ; so that each room has at least tw o exits . With changes and enlargements almost constantly in prog eco ress , it is hardly possible to give a complete pictorial r rd , but the views already given will indicate som e of the suc cessive changes in the factory buildings . It will be readily realized that the great extent of the buildings makes it now o impossible to obtain a c mplete photographic view , but the accompanying illustration shows substantially the present appearance of this great factory . A comparison of this view with that of the o riginal factory will give some indication t n of the progress in fifty years . But the ac u al adva ce is o much greater than can be sh wn pictorially .
W C R IE S F T H E A TC H FA TO O A M E R IC A .
There is a peculiar appropriateness in the publication of h f m t that fi ft s t is history j ust at this time, ro the fac y year ago this month w ork was begu n on the erection of th e orig inal Waltham Watch factory . Just at this writing (March sth"comes the new s o f the r h M . as n death of Edward Howard , of whom mention bee D n made as having been associated with Mr . e nison in the inaugurating of American watchmaking . (A m o re ex r n u tended notice of M . Howard will be fou d in s cceeding chapters . " Having rehearsed some of the prominent facts concern r m ing the Waltham factory , it is proper to make b ief ention of some of the m en who have been more or less prom nentl s h and i s i y connected with its e tablishment , its growt t development . H III C A P T E R .
ou r s Leaving main ubj ect . the watch factories , let us call “ you r attention to the founder of the Interchangeable Sys ” — tem of m aking watches in the United States Aaron L . “ s so- Watchm ak Denni on , the called Father of American ” ing . 6 1812 Born , March , , in the small town of Freeport , ’ a a h M ine , the eldest of s oemaker s eight children , the con ditions of his chil dhood and youth were not calculated to d u bu t evelop geni s , the struggle of his parents to feed ,
ot a a y cl he and shelter their l rge f mil , developed perforce in their eldest son , elements of character which were to serve at a s him well in l er ye r . We find the li ttle lad combining duties of gentle nurse to his younger brothers and sisters with those of efficient gen aid n eral to his overworked mother , and when o ly ten years of age , sawing and chopping the wood used by the family , ’ and a m a e c rrying the son s hod for his fath r , who was build in his g with own hands , a much needed new chimney for t a s heir sm ll hou e in the village of Topsham . fam ilv From this place , the removed to the town of ’ ' the year 182 Brunswick . in 4 , where the boy s capable and w i e lling services were so much in d mand that , at the age of thirteen , he no longer depended upon his father for sup H o . e s p rt worked also with his father at hoemaking . This combat with poverty , however , seriously interfered with his
o H o scho ling. e was ambiti us to know as much as the boys
c of his own age , who could attend s hool the year round , so , 3 I
T H E W H FA C ' l‘ O R lE S O F M E I ATC A R CA . 33
i fi w th untiring energy , he made up the de ciency by study in t the long win er evenings . He soon showed such a passion ate a s love for all mechanic l industries , and uch a distaste
for a 18 0 a ren shoem king , that his father , in 3 , decided to pp a a tice him to James Carey, w tchmaker in the town , with o h wh m he remained three years . It was during t is time that young Dennison first thought of making watches by
machinery . With absolutely no practical knowledge of ma ’ chines excepting that gained at his ma ster s bench with a ’ at a h w chm ker s lat e , he saw possibilities which only the
a a o br in of a mechanic l genius c uld conceive . There are l sti l in existence I believe , some of the working models in w oo h d , executed roughly by him at this time wit penknife a fi and few tools , the rst outcome of those conceptions which were de stined to accomplish such wonders a few
y a e rs later . In 18 33 he went to Boston , to perfect himself as journey o of T man watchmaker , entering the empl y Currier rot ,
find t . and later , we him wi h Jones , Low Ball While at work with the latter firm he had the benefit of the friend T H the fi ship and advice of ubal one , one of nest watch H a h e . m kers t n in the country ere also , while repairing the
h - o t best and made watches . he noticed their f en faulty con struction and workmanship . In a letter written in 1835 he said : Within a year I have examined watches made by a man whose reputation at this moment is far above that of any other watchmaker in
o and L ndon . have found in them such workmanship as I sh ould blush to have it supposed had passed from my hands
of in our low er grade work . Of course I do not mean to say that there is not work in these watches of the highest ’ d finisher s gra e possible to carry the art , but , errors will creep in and escape the scrutiny of competent examiners . 18 a te s o In 39 he st r d in bu iness in B ston for himself , do ing repairing for the trade and carrying a line of tools and E W H A R IE S M E R I A 34 T H A TC F CTO OF A C .
i materials . This shortly developed into a thriving bu s ness w ab w ith a full line of watches and j e elry , and at ou t thi s “ time he invented and brought on the market the D ennison ” H is o Standard Gauge . business being n w on a fi rm f oot fi fi . h ing , Mr Dennison , with the unsel sh zeal to bene t ot e rs , h whic was one of his chief characteristics , turned his thoughts toward bettering the condition of his parents by finding an easier and more lucrative occupation than shoe
making by hand for his father , who was getting on in years . h W ile importing a line of cards , small tags and j ew elry boxes from France for the trade , it had often occu rr ed to him that these supplies could be manufactured in the United States with simple machinery and be supplied to the trade at far less cost than the imported article . Why wo u ld not the this be j ust the thing for his father , as son cou ld find ? a market for all he could make The outlay for m ate rial — would be slight all that was required was a few labor sav a ing devices to cheapen manuf cture . His active brain soon invented a machine for cutting the cardboard and paper to standard size s and contrived simple devices to facilitate fin
ishin a h g. With roll of materi l in and , he started for B ru ns
i e wick to propose and arrange the new bus ness for his fath r , which proved such a success that in fifteen years ’ time the old gentleman retired , selling out to his son , E . W . Dennison , “ i the able founder of the Denn son Mfg . of which th is
was the modest beginning .
Mr . Dennison now began to turn his thoughts in earne st
toward the dream of his youth , the manufacture of watch es ” m on what is now known as the Interchangeable Syste ,
and here it may be as well to state that , among the obj ects
h . s whic spurred Mr Dennison on was the need of the ma ses ,
and especially of the American artisan , to be supplied w ith a his reliable timekeeper at a price within means . T he f foreign cheap grade watch which he could af ord to bu y n d bei g wholly unreliable ; and , further , he esired to estab
' 06 T M W A rau r A c r o nlss o r nu s a re n .
mmlilmlll to Increase its capital in 1865 to With a alc'mly Increase o f luminous in the few succeeding years a still lnrllw r lncrcm c w as re u e and t 18 0 a q ir d , in Augus , 7 , h ll d llo n in additio n w s m ade ou t to u n l a , bringing the am n llnl w ithin three years thereafter still more
o c M r. w lld n cu llul w as nc dcd and w . g p , ere added Nohldnu plo vidcd the oppo rtunity for employes to subscribe for n po rtio n o f this stock on more liberal terms than w ere
ollo wc to o s s Th m a d ut ide partie . e a ount of capit l
Wm: co nllnncd till 188 w hen the M u e 5, assachusetts legislat r mnlnnlm l nn incrcnsc to and also authorized
' lllc clmnnc o l co rpornlc nam e to the American Waltham
‘ Winch l on mny In Marc o f tha ers n . h t year the stockhold yolcd lo lncrcasc he ca ta to ch t pi l and in Mar , this"ll\c\ \ o lcd nno tllcr increase o f In 1899 it nm w m l to still further increase to the limit authorized by
llw lc islaltn O this money o t on w as v to th e g c . f a p r i de oted cnlm gc nlcnl o f the factor" and its eq uipm ent w ith new and
nn nw cxl tnm‘ lnncn Of o nirsc the co t ued n ease in p . n in i cr pro du ct nno lw s an enorm ous inco casc in the num ber o f "m. nnnc mcnls m pro cess in all dcmrunents o f the fac ‘ lo n lrc ro u tion the facto y how ever has l d c f . p o r , “w as “ " a: a m u c h greater ratio than the ia ne w o " m c ual for n hcrcas u to the to tal ap . p
* r i o . hi y w rs an: unzm to N t : l\ pnam hrg t rt a 1 to { N sofa w ars saw that nut te r m ore th an
’ ‘ mh - z “ hi The decad e tN i . a re ac A h . o s w s“ t zx
- n A s le e m z fatt t o . o r cf S a na ra e r N R ye. m i g
use "c um m i ng V xie ns Nd : cezh w as fht 5 a n a "
“ M th e n t i - ir i e - v Tie -f riars M at r Ne s aflnr f e a: t imgc s ef . and
“ ’ sc ab a : f oru minert:° c The m agm a incu r . h miftmr s t e e
“ f o il m ist e - 0 ' - n b " as o ni n or: a n. 2 1: m ans sect i nit
8 T H E W H Fa c 'ro nm s O F M E I A 3 A TC A R C .
th e firm D s VVi e Birmingham , under title of enni on . gl y Co and . , commenced their manufacture with such goo d re l r su ts that the fi m were soon able to compete succes s fu lly r l with manufacturers both in this country and Switze and , with such ample means at its com mand with w hich to
overcome all errors and obstacles .
and effi e Mr . Dennison was the active ci nt head o f the firm oth 18 h . e an until Nov 3 , 94 , when was taken ill d d i e d th 18 8 d on the 9 of January , 9 5, in his 3 year . He retained
s full possession of his inventive faculties to the la t . In h fact , the drawing on w ich he was engaged a few w eeks before his death proved to be a m ost i m portant improve ment to one of the machines then in use and was at once
adopted .
. tw o h Mr Dennison left a wife , sons and two daug ters . The eldest son was for m any years one o f the principal m en
in the do offi m The Lon n ce of the Waltham Co pan y. you ng est son was in the case business w ith his father from the
th firm s e e . tart , and now takes his plac in It m ay be inte resting for his countrym en to know th at
in o f Mr . Dennison is buried the churchyard the old church
H w o t e in ands r h , where rest the remains of the c lebrated H i fi James Watt . av ng nished this brief sketch of his bu si ness career it only remains to enumerate some of the salient points of his character that you m av form a picture for y th H e o fi ourselves of e man . p ssessed the re ned instincts
u m . n e of a tr e gentle an Modest and retiring in ma n r , m l frugal and te perate in all his habits of life , cheerfu and r n the e h esig ed to disp nsations of Providence , with igh
o and t i a h i m ral courage ha red of inj ust ce , which c used m
r th e H e to take the pa t of e weak and oppress d . h ad a keen sense of h um or and a strong l ove o f the beautifu l in
u and art an c on sou nd u d m and le nat re , ex epti ally j g ent c ar i insight into future conditions in business . H s treatm ent of all who came in contact with him w as m arked with tip right dealing and sympathetic consideration and care f or TH E W ATC H FACTO R IE S OF A M E R IC A . 39
In he a . t their welf re a word , Golden Rule seemed to be the gu iding principle o f a l ong life of strenuous toil of The h brain and hands . portrait at the head of t is chapter is taken from a photograph made by his youngest son about ’ ten years before Mr . Dennison s death , and is considered to him be the best one ever taken of . It gives but a hint of fine a the he d poised above the slightly stooping shoulders , the clear , grey eyes with often a humorous twinkle in them
s peering from under the bu hy eyebrows , and the kindly
s so rarelv w ho mile absent , which those knew him remem
er so h well . R oyal E li sha R ob binl . H T E IV C A P R .
E i - five Royal lisha Robb ns , who for forty years was treas urer of the American Waltham Watch Company and m firm distribut senior me ber of the of Robbins Appleton , 2 2 1 02 ing agents for the company , died July , 9 , at his coun ’ at M s 8 try home Pride s Crossing, Beverly , as , aged 7 years . w ho He was a man of sterling worth and merit , never forgot the interest of the humblest employe in the big fac
. e i tory The n edy never sought in vain h s help . A vigor o t ous specimen of manh od , he continued business un il his fi nal sickness overtook him . Many will recall his kindly arm s to employes in distress , his advice to young men strug
his e gling into business life , and gen ral kindly and sympa t thetic character . His policy was unlike hat of many men ha y of the day , inasmuch as he never disc rged an emplo e because he had outgrown his usefu lness . He believed that an employe who had grown old in the harness was entitled h ri in to share with him t e results of his labor . He glo ed h h h the fact that t e company ad never ad a strike . He was essentially one of the fathers of American watch the making, and people of Waltham recognize that to him more than to any one man the success of the city is at citvh tributable . His portrait hangs in the all at Waltham , being presented to the city by the company and being paid for by contributions of the stockholders and employes of
- - a the company in twenty five and fi fty cent pieces . The c companying likeness of Mr . Robbins was made from this portrait . A park and a school in the city were named in h his onor , and he was held in the greatest respect by every citizen of the busy manufacturing city . 4 1 W H IE S A M E I 4 2 T H E ATC FACTOR OF R CA .
r s o n " n a a sh of Be rlin M . Robbin was b r in e sington , p ri , M t 182 and t e d a e sc h l . on o oo Conn , arch , 4 , a t nde privat is r R f H the . al until twelve years o age . fathe , Rev Roy ob a s er o f the bins, was graduate of Yale College and a mini t h orthodox Congregational Churc . At the age of twelve he went to the Worthington acad w he m d h h d a si emy , here re aine t ree years, w en he secure t ti n the of 1 ua o as a clerk in a store at Hartford . In fall 84 1 Ch u R obb n he received an invitation from his uncle , a ncey i s (who was an American merchant and member of the fi rm M B I . n N of Robbins artin , irmingham", to visit him o vember he set sail for Liverpool on the packet ship Patrick rm Henry . The fi of Robbins Martin were engaged in the purchase of goods of English manufacture for the A m er of h ican market , and handled quite a quantity Engli s ff watches . The young man was o ered a position by his h fi the th uncle , w ich he accepted , and nally full charge of e h fiv watch department was placed in his ands . For e years he continued w ith this house and upon its dissolution in 184 6
‘ he returned to New York and started in business for him in s ha self Cedar street as an importer of English watche , v ing gained a thorough knowledge of the business while with ’ l firm i his unc e s . After two years he took as a partner n his . u i the business brother , Henry A Robbins , and the b s w as to h ness removed larger quarters in Jo n street , the firm R Bro being known as obbins . A year or tw o later Dani el the F . Appleton became a partner in business and the fi rm
name was changed to Robbins Bros . Co . ’ the a 18 6 During f ll of 5 Mr . Robbins health was verv on I 18 poor , and January , 57 , he retired as a general part firm in ner , but still retained his interest in the , the name be g to changed Robbins Appleton . These few years of expe rience a in the watch tr de had , however , served as a prepa ra ’ h tion for his life s career, w ich was then about to begin . In n M s i r the followi g May he went to Waltham , as , in the nte est of T B e w ho w u f racy aker of Philad lphia , ere m an actur
r A l o Daniel Fu lle pp et n. H T E V C A P R .
in Daniel Fuller Appleton , merchant , was born Marble M s 182 6 s ul head , as , in , son of General Jame and Sarah (F fi w as ler "Appleton . His rst American ancestor Samuel 16 Appleton , who came from England in 35 and settled in
s n f be Ipswich , Mas , on land still in possessio of the amily, in the g occupied by subject of this sketch , at the time of h he his . t death , as a summer ome Samuel Appleton was ancestor of all of the name in New England , among whom have been some that became distinguished in the State of
M . aine, notably , the Hon John Appleton of Portland , mem
r ber of Congress and United States ministe to Russia ; Rev .
D. C01 Jesse Appleton , D . , second president of Bowdoin lege , and Chief Justice Appleton of Bangor . General James m M Appleton , the father of our subj ect , removed fro arble h i ead to Portland in 1833 . He became actively interested n for politics , was several times the candidate governor of the old Liberty party , the forerunner of the Republican organi zation - and , and was a conspicuous advocate of anti slavery of temperance . He was an especially determined advocate of prohibition as applied to the liquor traffic and was the first man anvw here to propose and propagate that principle first b M 18 1 y petition to the legislature of assachusetts in 3 , 18 the and afterward , in 37 , by a report to Maine legislature , of which he was then a member . Daniel F . Appleton was the all educated in public schools of Portland and , best of , m is a in his own ho e . His the old story of young man leav
m e e - an to ing ho at the age of tw nty one , with ambition do the best he could to rise in the world and make as much 45 T H E W A H A R IE S o r M E I A 46 TC F CTO A R C .
of fortune as the opportunities of the great city of New ff i o and York would a ord . Although he was w thout m ney no him not m had friends there who could assist , he had uch r l n r ffi t oub e o many di culties in getting a start . A fte r em O ployment for a few months with a concern that soo n w ent
e a c out of business , he answered the advertis ment for lerk m of Royal E . Robbins , an importer of watches , by who his
. w M r application was at once accepted His connection ith . i Mr h Robbins continued from that day to the t me of . R o ’ ars bins death , he having been admitted after a few ye to a firm b ns partnership in the business , forming the of Ro bi 81 firm 18 of th t Appleton , which in 57 became the owners e hen Th . e young and small watch works at Waltham , Mass fi rm soon after organized and established the American Walth am
e c n Watch Company , which business they have conduct d o i sl t nu ou . c s of y ever since To the advancement and . suc es
s that business Mr . Appleton gave his con tant and active at ’
. nce his tention In the earlier years of the company s existe , energies were mainly devoted to the selling of the prod uct and it was through his activity and great ability th at the American watch was successfully placed before the buying all public over the world . It is a remarkable incident that b h e . o n . , with Mr Robbins and his y unger brot er, He ry A e Robbins , continued together in the same business activ ly for
- forty nine. years . It is to be noted that Mr . Appleton w as content to begin and continue in the bu siness of a w atch in his maker , which he was brought up in the store of elder
and to en r brother , James , in Portland ; that he sought la ge and develop that business until his concer n becam e the Mr th . . ou greatest watchmakers in the world Appleton , gh ffi the cou he never sought o ce , had been at times active in n to e o on cils of the Republican party , which he came by v luti th t from the old Liberty party . He was a member of e fi rs of e hia in national convention that party , held in Philad lp 18 6 the resi 5 , when General Fremont was nominated for p e and e st su den y , has ever since given his activ and earne p T H E W T C H C OR IE S A M E R IC A A FA T OF . 4 7
Ne E la port to the party . Of all the many w ng nd boys w ho to ort e and have come New York to seek their f un , have contributed so much to the welfare and glory in many pro of of h fessions that great city their adoption , not many ave attained a more prominent social position or a higher com r i l h h w as m e c a standing than the subject of t is sketc . He one of the founders of the Union League Club of New
- York , and at one time its vice president ; a member of the M o r or Century , etropolitan , Gr lier and various othe club
anizations g , and served as president of the New England
- 18 8 . Society of the city of New York in 7 9 Mr . Appleton 1 r 2 8 0 1 0 . died on Friday , February , 9 4 , at his esidence , E
T - A h 8th . . hirty sixt street , New York , in his 7 year Mr p leton fi 18 to p was twice married , rst in 53 Julia Randall , and s 1 t econd in 889 o Susan Cowles . He has three sons and tw o : daughters Francis Randall , Randolph Morgan and aldin fiel James W g d Appleton ; Mrs . Gerald Livingston Hoyt
f f . o . o New York and Mrs Charles S . Tuckerman Boston V C H A P T E R l.
t m w es Of course , in starting in o the anufacture of atch ,
. 18 0 as did Edward Howard and Aaron L Dennison in 5 , t to one of the essential ma ters then , as now , was decide upon a model of the watch which the factory proposed to turn r . e out This , of course , it was necessary to do befo any tools or machinery for the building of the w atch cou ld be commenced . While Mr . Dennison was a pretty fair w atch t repairer , he did not consider that he was equal to the ask e of making a model for the propos d watch , and this work and d M was intrusted to two brothers , Oliver Davi arsh .
T . . . hey were soon joined by Mr Chas S Moseley , whose name is familiar inmany of the watch factories in this cou n try m t , and to who credi is due for designing much of the machinery which is now in use in watch factories . Am ong others who were engaged on the original watches and m a
it to w ho chines , is proper mention here James Baker, after w ards became a foreman of one of the departments o f the W t h 18 al ham factory , w ich he left in 74 and engaged in the
' e mercantile business , returning , how ver , after a few years a e bsenc .
David S . and Oliver Marsh went to work in a small room which was partitioned off in the Howard and Davis w atch od factory , and they pr uced two models , both of which w ere n designed to run from seven to eight days with one wi ding. An illustration of this original model watch is show n here w ith . A fter thoroughly looking over the field and talking to the jewelry trade in regard to this model , it was finally decided that it would be unwise to enter the market w ith a 48
E W A H A IE S A M E R I A SO T H TC F CTOR OF C .
Y w here he opened a j ewelry establishment . He died on
M h 18 18 . arc , 94 B w h or in James aker , of om we have spoken , was b n M 1 2 s a H . 8 w e . a Newport , N , in arch , 7, and educ t d in the s m di trict schools of that town . He worked at far ing
8 Ma r Da vid . c h. he w as nineteen years of age , when he went to N ’ the on learn machinist s trade . Later in life he B t n o Leo os o , when he entered the employ f 81 manufacturers of the first practical sewing machine 18 2 this country . In 5 he commenced work for D vi Howard Da s as a tool maker and machinist , soon set at w o k on s m nt r the e cape e , 7 1111 W A TC H FAC TO R IE S or A M E R IC A . 1 " 5
w s and he fi s w c ch forks and heel , worked on the r t at h whi A s was turned out in that factory . the business gradually B om o developed , Mr . aker was pr oted to the position of f re . m an and , when the company moved to Waltham , he went w ith them and remained with the company nearly all the
- time during a period of thirty seven years . He was a clever mechanic and painstaking man and was peculiarly fitted for
. 2 1 18 this duty He died on December , 9 7 .
. ch N P . Stratton had a varied experience in the early wat orthfiel . N d factories in this country He was born in , M s 182 0 of as , in June , , and was educated in the schools 1 6 n . 8 that town In 3 , he was inde tured apprentice to Henry
. . e m anu fac and J F Pitkin , who were at that time j ew lry
tu rers . w ho at East Hartford , Conn , and failed during the s 1 f financial crisi in 837 . In the fall o that year Henry
Pitkin conceived the idea of manufacturing watches , and
Mr . Stratton commenced work on tools and m achinery for this enterprise , continuing work during the remainder of ‘ b his apprenticeship . Ambrose We ster , who was pretty w m ell acquainted with all of the early watch akers , stated that th e Pitkins made a thousand watches in all and that t y he attempted to make uniform interchangeable watches , cutting the wheels in stacks and making all parts inter changeable as far as possible with the crude appliances of
those days . Mr . Stratton also declared that they secured an interchangeability equal to that secured by the present
s. method After the discontinuation of the Pitkin factory ,
Mr . Stratton worked at various mechanical pursuits until 18 49 , when he entered the employ of A . L . Dennison as
a . watch rep irer In this position he stayed but a short time ,
as Mr . Dennison had arranged with Howard and Davis to
engage in the making . of watches by machinery . It has been suggested by those who were very conversant with the early history of watchmaking in this country that it is very Mr h possible that . Dennison got his idea of interc angeable
a a s f o S t n a m"t . O 18 M rch 1 . . . a w tch p rt r m N P ratton , 3 , W S o n T H E ATC H FACTOR I E A M E R IC A .
Dennison offered Mr . Stratton the position of assistant o t ac superintendent in the R xbury fac ory , which he gladly
e ted to c p , manufacturing being more his taste than repair ing . When the new company undertook to gild their movements , they found that they were undertaking some thing of which they knew nothing , and so great were the n obstacl es that they fi allvsent Mr . Stratton abroad to learn the electroplating process , which was then coming into d . fi use in England . Mr Stratton rst introduce the hubbing of wheels , to save staking them on pinions , and also intro duced the peep holes in order to study the action of the fi escapement . The rst attempt to copy an English watch with ratchet tooth ’ scape wheels caused so much diffi culty in the manipulation of the wheel that the club tooth became n n necessary , and Mr . Stratton urged its adoptio very stro g
l fi . y, and his views were nally acceded to For many years , M r w as a . Mr . Stratton assist nt superintendent , and during ’ t Dennison s absence in England , acted as superintenden of his the Waltham factory , and mechanical skill and energy are quite an important factor in the development of that in tion stitu . He was sent to England as purchasing agent of y e the compan , where he remain d in all some seventeen
- years . He crossed the Atlantic thirty two times in the in terest of watch companies . When the American Watch Company decided to introduce their watches in England ’ Mr . Stratton s acquaintance with the English market proved ffi c n valuable , and he opened the London o ce for the ompa y
1 . in 874 A further reference to Mr . Stratton will be fou nd to w in the history of the Nashua Watch Company follo . 1880 2 18 He retired from business in and died Dec . 9 , 88.
as. J T . Shepard was another of the early watchmakers. fi s 182 edu He was born in Spring eld , Mas , in 4 , and was cated h in a private school and afterward in a high sc ool . fi n He rst took up architecture , but his natural taste soo led t a him into the working of me als , and he secured a situ tion
fi m o he m a in the Spring eld Ar ry , where re ained number of H E W C H C I E S o n M I T AT FA TOR A E R CA . 53
- i - T n . years . hrough the influence of his brother law , Mr o t Stratton , he secured a situati n wi h Dennison , Howard and 18 fi fi Davis in 53 , where he rst worked on tting trains and w as afterwards given steel work , such as regulators , hair m spring studs and what is ter ed flat steel work generally . u a ffi ex eri In the making of reg l tors , great di culty , was p
enced e a . in s curing fl tness during the tempering , and Mr Shepard introduced a system of straightening by pressure s while the temper w a being draw n . He also introduced the a a use of pulverized Ark ns s oil stone for grinding purposes , which proved far better than any grinding powder that has ever been used . Mr . Shepard moved with the company in 1854 to W altham and for a nu mber of y ears had charge h s . a t t e one of the flat teel work In f c , from time when only 1 boy was employed on the job until 893 . All the stem n a an windi g and all the flat steel and regul tors , clicks d a dam click springs were m de in this department , also the askeening on the steel work and the fitting of the stem winding of all grades of w atche s and the gold wheel finisln a had o f ing . Before the f ctory adopted the better methods o d . e machinery building , Mr Shepard devel ped many cru e e c devic s , which were aft rwards worked up in ma hinery
t a m o f better class , such as achines used for rounding regu" n e n . a d m a lators , etc , b ing a of good taste in the matters fi a in fi an of nishing , he showed a great de l of skill nishing d i and a sh . polishing steel work , raying combin t ons of p oli m etc. Mr . Shepard severed his connection with the Waltha
factorv 18 m . in 93 , and is now living quietly in Waltha i . E . C . F tc h res e nt of th e A m c rica n Vf alth nm W atc P id h C o. H T E V II C A P R .
Mr . Ezra Charles Fitch has been president of the Ameri 1 can Waltham Watch Company since 886. He comes from s T a omewhat noted ancestry , being a descendant of homas
Fitch , governor of Connecticut , and Ebenezer Fitch , presi
of . t v dent Williams College Ano her relati e was John Fitch , h the real inventor of t e steamboat . t His father was a , sea captain in the mercan ile service , and of during one his trips , accompanied by his wife , Ezra was r m 1 6 born in B e en in 84 . As a boy he attended the public
W u . schools in orcester , Massach setts His business career began with his employment in Worcester , Massachusetts , to
the - en learn trade of watch making or repairing . Later he f t " B e ed the employ of Bigelow , ennard Co . in oston , as but a i h a clerk , after a comp ratively brief term of service w t m fir . that he entered the employ of Robbins , Appleton Co m of Boston , selling agents of the A erican Waltham Watch o Company . After a few m nths of service in Boston he was the offi transferred to New York ce of Robbins Appleton , for whom he traveled over a good portion of the United
States in the interest of Waltham watches . But after a year or two of this experience he was retained New ffi m in the York o ce , of which he beca e the manager , h rm and also became a member of t e fi . His experience as a ffi salesman , both on the road and in the home o ce , brought him in contact with all the important watch dealers in the e to Unit d States , and gave him exceptional opportunities learn the wants of the watch trade ; and his dealings with m en qualified him for a field of work and usefulness which 55 T H E W A C H A C I E S O F M E T F TOR A R IC A .
had w as to ente But he not anticipated , and which he loth r . the j udgment of his associates led him to forego his pe rsonal ana e f he desires , and accept the position of resident m g r o t h 1 88 . watch factory , whic duties he assumed in 3 H is ia
‘ fluence was soon manifest in improved conditions at the factory ; and on the death of the president of the co rporation 1886 e ffi . ch in , Mr Fitch was chos n to that o ce , whi he has continued to hold to the present time H is exten c e a sive ommercial experi nce , combined with his pr ctical ex perience of more than thirty years in the manu factu re of em e t iven both watch cases and mov n s , have naturally g him a most prom inent positi on among the watch manu facturers ' a at his ud m on m atters ff ectin he of Americ , so th j g ent a g t w business carries great eight . He also possesses inventive abili ty to an extent qu ite un usual among men w hosc training has been largely along h . a as commercial lines Per ps the most important , w ell as th one of the earliest of his inventions , was that of e dust
o s z proof watch case , commonly kn wn as the crew be el case.
t . io r In this line of case cons ruction Mr Fitch was the p nee , the work of l at er inven tors being in the nature of m odifica Th a a e tions of his ori ginal patent . e m nuf cture of th se cases
fi s h a e in proved pro table , and sub equently the rig t to eng g m n bta o he a their a u facture was o ined by t r c se makers .
a e creasi of the w at i h The l rg ly in ng product ch factory , w t its m u c e a his the ltipli ity of d t il , and connection with com
m ercial a h the b s e m ose a u den f br nc of u in ss , i p heavy b r o h w Mr . c as his s care , so that Fit h ithin a year called to a sistance his d s Conovcr w ho a ol e t son , , had previously c q uired som e comm ercial experience in sev eral of the distrib t ffi the a e a n ing o ces of s l s gents .
C H A PT E R X V .
n W al Mr . Royal Robbins , the treasurer of the America m to 12 tha Watch Company , was born in Bos n , December , E R H . . 1865. e is the eldest son of the late Royal obbins
H e H a 188 n c u m was graduated from rvard in 7 , mag a and in 1888 T h laude , was married to heresa , daug ter of
H n o o f New and has the Reverend Doctor unti gt n York , d tw o chil ren . In 1887 he became a mem ber o f the firm of Robbins
and in 1 02 e his Appleton . July , 9 , he succeed d father as
m c m treasurer of the Ame rican Waltha Wat h Co pany . Many inducements have been held o u t to him to ent er
a om 18 2 e e es e a politics , but side fr 0 , wh n he r pr ent d the B ck
Ba the B on c itv co u c and in 18 and v district in ost n il , 9 3
18 e d am e i ct in M a a s 94 , wh n he serve the s d stri the ss chusett
a he has ead e u c house of represent tives , st ily r f sed to a cept the pro ffered suppo rt of im portant peo pl e fo r various offi cesf H e evidentlv believes in the advantages that accrue from concentratlon o f effo r and has e oted im s t , d v h elf pretty ex e to the a m a u ine a ou in 1 0 lusively w tch king b s ss , lth gh , 9 3 , he w as appo inted by G overn or Dates to represent the em ployers of Massachus etts on the Spec ial Com m ission on
e a o f E m o e and E m o e and e e w effi R l tions pl y rs pl y s , s rv d ith c i n v di i n om m ee The Bosto n e c and stinc t on o that c itt .
H om e J ournal a o f him 1 02 : , in spe king , in August , 9 , said “ H e m an o f a e and ou t u c a ac and al is a e rn st th gh f l h r ter , W
‘ th am feels great confid ence in his ability to co ntinue th e industry in the lin es that have mad e for su ccess in th e
and i an m o ta ow to be a o e o and past . bu lt up i p r nt t n pr sp r us
flourishing city .
H e is a m m y ou and e ber of the Universit , Essex C nty
E ac and m n astern Y ht Clubs , is a director of the A erica
Loan Trust Company and the Home Market Club . 58 H T E III C A P R V .
H in u Duane . Church was born Madison Co nty , New 18 t York State , in 49 , and at the age of six een began his apprenticeship as a watchmaker under the instruction of o o t ad J . E . Gridley of St . Paul , Minnesota , wh se c nstan “ m onition to the young mechanic was Never leave a piece o f work until you have don e the best you can do Mr . Church said that he believed his own success was largely d u e to having this injunction so often repeated to him by
o o t Gridley , who was m st c nscien ious and highly successful in his vocation . The words may have furnished a formula e the xpressive of dominating motive of his work , but even , a slight familiarity with what he has done is quite suffi cient to convince the observer that Mr . Church could not possibly construct a new tool which was not very much superior, t both in general conception and in details , to all tha had ’ G ridlevs gone before . A fter completing his work under
i . nstruction , Mr Church worked for seventeen years as a a watchm ker at the bench , principally for Matson Co . of t Chicago , and for St . Paul establishmen s , all of this time
hin f t o - t . o giving no his la ent p wers as a tool maker , though he was accounted one of the best of watch repairers ; finally he attracted the attention of the offi cers of the Waltham c t ompany , which at that time needed the bes watchmakers fi obtainable , and entered its service , rst traveling one month “ ” ff o - on the road in missionary e rt , asserting machine made — watches to be superior to all others a proposition much t a more nearly true now h n it was then . Next he was for another month in the Boston offi ce of the company on ex 59 Du ne 8 . C hurch. E \V C H IE S A I T H AT FACTOR OF M E R CA . 6 1
e rim ental k fi 1882 p wor , and nally , in , reached the factory nd a at once took the position of master watchmaker , which y v h e held for eight years , during which he greatl impro ed th e general design of the watch movements and devised the h ighly important form of pendant setting watch which en ables stem w inding movements to be placed in cases not spe ciall fi — y tted to them the most valuable feature , commer
ciall a . y, ever applied to w tch construction
w - five Finally , after t enty years of intimate association w ith watchmaking in all of its forms , Mr . Church began ’ his great work of advancing the use of Mau dsley s slide rest and Stone ’ s turret to what is now by far the most exalted t plane of developmen known , and giving those elements powers which appear impossible of farther advancement , e s these tools b ing fully automatic , and in all in tances com
letin o a p gthe piece produced bef re letting it go , no m tter how m any or how complicated the operations to be performed .
e Mr . Church added to the slide rest and turret two n w
— - - first - and elements , that of compressed air driven piston
a - n cylinder actu tion of his automatic machi e members , and , t a second , a perfectly exac series of transfer elements , h ving th e power to take a piece of work from one machine and ac place it accurately in another machine , with a beauty of tion and precision of eff ect which seem to the experienced
observer, when he sees these automatic machines in opera fi to tion for the rst time , fall very little short of the mirac
ulous.
d Mr. In a dition to the pneumatic and transfer elements ,
Church originated an automatic grinding machine , which produces cylinders and cones with absolutely no m easu r in able variation dimensions , wholly without human inter
vention at - , and a saving of at least three quarters of the cost m of producing ground work under anual attendance . The production of cylinders of uniform diameter is an indispen
h - sable necessity of the i ghest development of tool making, m os‘x and this automatic grinding machine Was one of the. 2 W A IE S o n A M E R C A 6 T H E ATC H F CTOR I .
th ool- m wonderful advances in e whole history of t aking. The possibilities of the machine are as yet almost W h olly l ua unknown to the world of mechanics , and apparent y eq lly o e outs e unappreciated , the to ls not being in use anywher id er ect of the Waltham shops , although the inventor is p f ly l u se wi ling they should go into authorized general . Space t m does not permi a full description of the machine . It ay
be said that the use of the grinding- wheel pe riphery as the ff e ective abrading surface is wholly abandoned , grinding the rings being used in place of grinding wheels , and that grinding ring is advanced toward the axis of the w ork in process of grinding until its working surface touches a dia
mond , when the machine draws the ring back , removes the laceS ‘ anothe ground piece of work from the machine , p r piece
in position , and starts the ring to grinding it . This machine
'
is adapted to be used on work of any ordinary size , and can produce true cylinders and cones at far less cost than
anything else known . u When Mr . Ch rch took the position of superintendent of
at the o - b toolmakers Waltham fact ry , the theory of step y T step production was in force . here were roughing cuts and
fi e ffe nishing cuts on the sam piece , made in di rent machines an d involving separate handlings . Mr . Church had become fully convinced that the cheapest and best method of ma ’ - fi chine part nishing was formulated in Gridley s admonition , “ Never leave a piece of work until the best possible eff ect — has been gained that is to say , once a piece is in the grasp of an automatic machine it should not be released u ntil fully In ten completed . the years during which he has been in
charge of the Waltham tool - making he has succeeded in carrying out this conception of complete production W ith o h a a nly one andling in the making of m ny of the watch p rts ,
- m the. plate drilling machines being the ost impressive of all a are a of his creations , bec use they the l rgest , and the super lative accurac y of their transfer m ovements is plainly oh
- servable . \Vhen he took the pl ate drilling in hand it w as T H E W A TC H FACTOR IE S oir A M E R ICA 63
d l s d one through jg handle by girls , each girl having a drill in g machine with three vertical spindles carried in one head , ea ff ch spindle rotating a di erent tool , and having an inde pendent feed motion . Each girl drilled in a watch plate all the holes of the sizes produced by the three drill spindles of her machine ; then the plate was taken out of the j ig and passed on to the next operator , who placed it in another jig and went on to drill th e h oles of the sizes produced on the h S m achine under er charge . In pite of the utmost care possible this step - by- step production produced imperfect plate drilling and made trouble without end .
Mr . Church had a clear conviction that there should be no j ig work , which means that all holes must be located by the o d axis of r tation of the drill spindle , the rill itself having no t h surrounding ex erior guiding surface , and hence t at , for each hole , the plate must be brought to exact position in
- S e be relation to the drill pindl axis ; if the plate could held , n say , horizontally over a risi g drill spindle or cutter spindle , then the desired Operation could be properly located in the are one e plate . There about hundred and sixty diff er nt operations to be performed on a full plate ; each vertical spindle head could conveniently carry as many as six spin dles and it was clearly possible to place as many heads , each carrying six tool spindles , as were needful , on one long
m - fra e , and provide each of the six spindle vertical heads w ith overhead plate holders , and to transfer the watch plates t from one plate holder to another , successively , each pla e holder correctly locating the plate over some spindle carried in one of the revolving spindle heads . It was also clearly possible to begin operations on the watch plates by supply ing them in filled delivery magazines to the drilling ma t chines , so that the ransfer arm and hand could take a plate from the magazine and place it in the first horizontal plate
fi h arm holder , and from this rst plate older another transfer and hand could take the partly completed plate and deliver it to the ex l t a in se uence nu t“ to. n p te holder q , , 6 T H E W A T c H I E S 01? E R I 4 FACTOR A M C A .
final delivery arm and hand should place the com pletely end drilled plate in a receiving magazine , located at the of ' the machine farthest from the delivery magazine th ro ugh the which plates are given to the machine .
e - H re , then , was a clear , clean cut , general scheme of plate
— con drilling which was , however , wholly impossible of
t - struc ion with any details then known in tool making . The horizontal plate holder could be mounted on two of M auds ’ th e ley s slides , one carried by other , and these slides co uld be so moved as to bring any point in the plate over the axis of the tool carrying spindle below—but how ? Th a e answer Mr . Church made to this app rently u nan sw erable question was wonderfully simple and wonderfully
suitable . It was wholly impossible to produce the double m o tion of the plate carriers by means of cams and levers , for two r o : fi w eas ns rst , want of possible accuracy , and , second , ant of u room . It was impossible to place the req ired numbe r of cams and levers in their proper relation to the plate holders a onlv e and spindles , and c ms and levers being the m ans O t o m e known for perating au omatic t ol me bers , it was cl a rly impossible to construct this ideally perfect plate - drilling e w m machine . The r quirement as so e device which w o u ld om a a i a n move two c p r t vely he vy slides , quickly and certai ly, u a t a fi n to positions absol tely cert in wi h rel tion to a xed poi t ,
no m and t which employed mechanis , was not subjec to w ear of any description . Could absurdity of mechanical demand go farther ? Yet these impossible conditions were met in the easiest manner possible by the use of compressed - air pistons and c e m a ylinders . appli d directly to the oving p rts , so that , air to th whenever pressure was admitted a cylinder , e pis to n instantl y drove the connected member to a flat contact
, t l a i . o a e e nten p of h rden d ste . the r pidity of traverse and
f w e sity o the contac t. bl o being p rfectly controlled by the
r' - on h - O this s o . admi si c cks , w ich are cam perated With
H A T E R IX C P .
M E . . A arsh , the present general superintendent of the Massachu Am erican Waltham watch factory , is a native of s t h i in 18 e ts, av ng been born 37 in the modest little town of B Sunderland on the Connecticut river . eing left an orphan r of w as befo e he was six years age , he deprived of the educational advantages which he might otherwise have re ceived but , when thirteen years of age he went to live with a ela fi s w l r tive in Spring eld , Mas , here he attended schoo for tw o years , then spent three years as clerk in a store. Then after a season of waiting he found an opportunity to n r a m 0 e te achine sh p as an apprentice , but in less than
' t e r fi th L o w o y a s a nancial crisis closed e shop . ater he h tained a situation in the machine department of Colts Arm in H f h h ory art ord , Conn . From t ere he went to C icopee ,
Mass and - h , worked on gun making machinery , w ich was e h b ing built for the English government . From C icopee he w as; called to the Cheney Brothers silk mills of Man h hester . c , Conn W ile there he became associated with Mr M . C . . Spencer , the inventor of the Spencer repeating h h e fle w . ri , ic became prominent in the Civil War Wh n a factory for the production of those rifles was established
B Mr . in oston , Marsh became connected with it and moved B 1 2 to oston in 86 . Mr When . Marsh commenced his apprenticeship in
Springfield his first job of work was given him by Mr . r h Amb ose Webster , at t at time employed as a journey h M r . W man S ortly thereafter . ebster went to Waltham and entered the watch factory as a machinist and tool 67 T H E W A T C II F R C T O R IE S OF A M E R ICA .
Bost om maker . Later , on learning that Mr . Marsh was in n“ he repeatedly endeavored to induce him to come to Wa i o of 186 did o d am . But not until the spring 5 he decide t ks H e e e so . had been at the watch factory but a few w
e Of when he was called away, but returned after an absenc m . a year , commencing work in the machine shop tool roo After about tw o years he was transferred to the draughti 1 1g h desi ’ fl s room , and in connection wit the drawings and g for new m achinery he had the direction of their constru c d . . e e tion When Mr Webster , whose duties had been nlarg m c with the growth of the factory , beca e master mechani , Mr . Marsh succeeded him as foreman of the machine de artm ent he e the p , which position continu d to hold during V an administration of Mr . der Woerd as mechanical and
s . d general uperintendent On the retirement of Mr . Woer in 1883 Mr . Marsh was appointed to the positi on of master m 18 he echanic , and served in that capacity until 93 , when succeeded Mr . G . H . Shirley as assistant superintendent of d the factory . The continue enlargement of the factory and s h d the increa ing cares of Mr . Fitch , the president , who a v t o for eighteen ea s been superintendent , als subsequently a s led to the appointment of Mr . Marsh as gener l u perin Bu rckes tendent , with Mr . J . W . as assistant superintend
. e e ent When conn cted with the mechanical departm nt , Mr .
d a e Marsh designe and built quite a number of new m chin s , but when he became assistant superintendent , Mr . D . H . u Church was made mechanical s perintendent , and since then has produced new machines in various lines and of marvel ous performance . ’ Mr . Marsh s lengthy connection with the Waltham fac tory has rendered him quite familiar with its history and
w . gro th , and that fact doubtless led the late treasurer , Mr hi m n . m a R E . Robbins to assign to the work of aking
t o. his orical sketch of the American Waltham Watch C , which was embodied with other matter relating to the city of Waltham in the History of Middlesex County . T H E W A T C II IE S o r M E I FACTOR A R C A . 69
a a ak Mr M h s h Although not a pr ctic l watch m er . arsh a ad o ccasion to w rite a number of articles on w atches and w atch m anufacturing for publication in several encyclo pedias as w ell as in trade j ournals . N . B. S herw oo d. A T E X C H P R .
P LEO BO P R TE S H E R WOOD NA O N NA A .
M r 182 . Sherwood was born in 3 , was educated in Albany
Academy , under Prof . Peck , and graduated with high hon
ors . From a boy he was passionately fond of mathematics , and w s a o astronomy and chemistry a b rn mechanical genius . A fter graduating from Albany Academy he decided to prac
tice medicine , but so great was his love of mechanics that the
medical profession had but little charms for him , and he
o o o 18 2 gradually drifted int a kn wledge of horol gy . In 5 , he a ff h o and was eng ged in watchmaking in Je erson , O i , from there he moved to New York city and engaged in j eweling
for a watches and chron om eters the tr de .
a u ai w E o a m . . at He became cq nted ith Mr H ward , th t ti e
the a t a a w as m o connected with W l h m f ctory , and e pl yed by
y a . . . . e a the company shortl fter Mr G B Mill r , in spe king “ w o t a : w as of Mr . Sher od recen ly , s id He a wonderful n ha i t m a ; a thorough mec nic , gifted with a h ghly re entive a o t i memory and perceptive powers th t seemed alm st in u tive . He had the happy faculty of being able to grasp any sub ect a o j of mech nics which was br ught to his notice , and his
a u a t n m at fertile brain and f c lty for imp r i g infor ion , made him an interesting companion and val uable writer and in
t o structor . Unlike o her mechanics and invent rs , he seemed to grasp the whole idea and work out his problem almost
instantaneously . His connection with the Waltham factory gave him abundant Opportunity to bring his inventive genius into okay “m “ ac t in originating new tools to do w ork hith erto done y 7 I T H E W A H IE S M E I 72 TC FACTOR OF A R CA .
w as laced “ e . I? He , p in charge of the j eweling d partment “t new b t not only conceived ideas , u being an excelle " a t - g draughtsm n , he placed them on paper , and hen " “t the machine shop , he , with his own hands , made and p
them together . Under his charge the j eweling department soon made a fi g complete revolution . New systems and methods of doin ' le th fl i l work were introduced , automatic machines made and I 0 1 amount of work turned out was doubled . Many of the tool ' S used to day in our watch factories were invented and firs Z h £4 5 built by Mr . Sherwood . A list and description of t e various tools Invented by this remarkable man would fill a good fi few sized volume , and we will con ne our remarks to but a “ " ‘ of them . He invented what is known as the Counter ” ” I end- sinker or screw head tool , for jewel , screws ; the ” “ ” “ ” O - u shake tools , the pener and the truing p tools . “ ” - o In speaking of the end shake to ls , Mr . Miller says
- They were truly wonderful tools , being self measuring and so constructed that no m atter to what depth the shoulder
was cut in the upper plates , by putting the plate against one se end of one of the tools , and the j ewel with its tting in a
spring chuck , the tool would cut a shoulder on the setting that would bring the face of each and every j ewel exactly flush with the under side of the plate when setting was put
in . The jewels were then reversed and put into another chuck and the top of the setting cut down by this magic tool until it would come exactly flush with the top of the w plate , or rather leave j ust enough proj ecting above to allo ‘ ’ and for polishing . After the jewel settings were stripped
polished , they were put into the plates where they belonged
never to be removed again . As the plate was already gilded , next the holes for the screws were tapped out and the holes
e w- the - h bor d for each scre head on screw head tool , t at would leave the head of the screw exactly flush with the top
- o w as of the plate and not raise any burr . The end shake to l
- B m ce \ e. r tainly th e p erfection of self m easuring tdo s . y
T E X I C H A P R .
n na Patten Sarge t Bartlett , whose me is familiar to every w atchmaker and j eweler in America , and we might say the 18 w s . orld , was born in Amesbury , Mas , Dec 3 , 34 , of one o h a l f t e oldest and most famous puritan f mi ies , his great u nc e l , Josiah Bartlett, being one of the signers of the D n H e h ec laration of Independe ce . had a common sc ool e H is d u cation and learned the machinist trade in Lowell .
fi s 18 r t connection with watchmaking was in December , 55, w hen he went to work at 2 1 years of age for the Boston
W atch Co . j ust after its removal to Waltham and before 18 8 t h e organization of the Waltham company . In 5 he b e came foreman of the plate and screw department of that i m 186 f actory and continued w th the in that capacity until 4 . I n 1859 the American Watch Company put upon the market
- 8 S Iz e . new 1 e . a movement , which th y engraved P S Bart
' l 1861 m n e fi ett , and in they a ufactur d their rst lady s h w c 10 . . at h ( size ", which t ey also designated as the P S B artlett . " him . . B He brought J igelow from Lowell to assist , but r o w a d M . Bigelow was not l ng after r s given a department ’ to manage and Leonard Green became Mr . Bartlett s as
sistant until he went to Elgin . Mr a 86 . 1 . In 4 , Bartlett and Ira G Bl ke came west from
W . altham on a visit , and becoming acquainted with John C
Adams , whose brother George B . Adams was a jeweler in i a Elg n , he was induced to assist in org nizing the National W o atch Company of Elgin , and underto k to provide it with
s - a d killed labor . He was one of the half dozen who was p i 75 T H W R I E S O F M E R I 76 E ATC H FACTO A CA . a bonus of and a year for five y ears to go to n m the Elgi and start a factory , his position being fore an of five m plate department for years , the sa e position which H he had held in Waltham . e worked in the machine shop at Elgin until the factory had begun to produce watches . I I 186 I 9 Mr . Bartlett commenced traveling for the Elgin
w as fi i y company , and the rst watch miss onar in the trade ,
m s although not then designated as a issionary . He w a n general traveling agent for the compa y for the next . seven
' y that tim e u e the ears , and in he introd c d Elgin watch in ’ l tersbu r o . e Europe , selling them in Mosc w , St g and other
t to ou su in cities . Re urning this c ntry he was assistant per 18 8 tendent at the factory in Elgin until 7 , leaving to take a position traveling for the Waltham company , with whom he remained for three years . At the conclusion of his connection with the Waltham company , he established himself in the wholesale and retail j ewelry business in Elgin , which he continued until he 1 1 02 died , Dec . 4 , 9 , at the home of his daughter in Chicago . C H T E II A P R X .
There are probably few men in this or any other country who have had a more intimate connection with the machine
watchmaking than had Ambrose Webster of Waltham , M ass . For over thirty years his sole time and attention was d evoted to this industry . From one of the most lowly y positions he rose , through diligent work and stud , to one w of the highest which the largest watch factory in the. orld h ffi ad bestowed u pon a faithful and e cient employe . s 16 Mr . Webster was born in Southbridge , Mas , July ,
18 2 a te the o his 3 , and he t nded c mmon schools of native w fi y fi to n until his fteenth ear , when he went to Spring eld , M 1 s 8 . as , attending the school there until 4 9 In this year ’ be commenced a four years apprenticeship in the Spring fi o e fi the eld Arm ry , b ing the rst apprentice taken after . A rin o w as . e. su e rm ry under military rule , i , under the p e d i rm t n ency of the ord nance department . This a ory was ,
e in t o for l o - h ven h se days , famous ab r saving mac inery and
its method of manufacturing fire- arms with interchange a a ble parts . It was in this same f ctory that Mr . Dennison i his o conce ved ideas ab ut interchangeable watches , and in w hich he spent many hours in examining the various tools and has processes , and the writer but little doubt that here a o lso Mr . Webster acquired the f undation of what he after w ards carried out so successfully in watch machinery . In h t and o t ose days , however , Messrs . Webs er Dennis n were not a a acquainted , although in fter ye rs they became fast f r fi a iends . After nishing his pprenticeship in this factory ‘ h \ \ oco e w ent to w ork for Messrs Blanch ard ht m wA . .
" R ' A H FAC T OR IE S O F A H E R IC A T H T C . 79
Du r n the a s 18 18 m otive m anu factu rers. i g ye r 53 and 54 he w asin the em ploy of the Richm ond 81 Danville railroad i as machinist and eng neer . In 1855 he w ent to w ork for the Ames Manufactu ring o i w as t i C mpany of Ch copee , and engaged in manufac ur ng the un- i m g stock ng achinery, built by that company for the h n t t e. E nfield . a , Eng , arsenal , and l er he worked for Spri g
l the of n at . fi e d Tool Co . in manufacture engi e l hes In
1 8 e b T a y 8: Co 57 he was engag d y Appleton , r c being the
w as i t fi r st machinist hired by them . He appo n ed foreman o f the machine sh0p of the American C0. in De the ce mber 18 1862 . , 59 , and master mechanic in In spring o f 1857 he was the only machinist regularly empl oyed ten h o da t as m in t and oo - m urs per y at his rade , ach is t l aker , in
- in t In 18 2 he a ny watch or watch case factory exis ence . 7 was p romoted to the position o f assistant superintendent of the W y w os h t n altham factor , hich p ition he eld un il his resig a ti o f 18 6 w t y t on in the spring 7 . hen he lef the emplo men o f the company and sp ent the follow ing six months In visit ing the various watch and clock companies of the cou ntrv
nd t o t i m t a m aking a thorough s udy f he r e hods .
t c o f m h When Mr . Webster ook harge the ac ine shop of
‘ the Waltham factory it w as as crude as could w ell be im w as a t no s s a a . gined There bsolu el y y tem , no ppreciation O f the fact that the m achine shop w as the fou ndati on of
the m t The o o s had not a ne t a anufac ory. pr priet r le r d h t to su ccessfu llv r u n a factory the y m ust bu ild u p a m achine s o o a to h p large enough , and under a c mpetent he d , build and repair all the tools and machines needed in the busi
s y h a a e ne s . An t ing approaching an utomatic m chin was
' w n . . W fro ed upon In spite of this fact . Mr ebster may be o the credited with forcing aut matic machinery to front , as
he constructed a machine to run half - automatically against the o s p sitive orders of the management . He al o reduced the t the fac unsystematic me hod of measurement , then in tor to a s ste a n ound that th ere w er e no Mess y, y m , h vi g f T H E \V H A O IE S OF A M E I 80 ATC F CT R R CA .
w h than nine classes of measuring units or gauges , hic he
. and Mr r changed to one He designed , . George Hunte
(consulting superintendent of the Elgin Co . "bu ilt the fi r S rst watch facto y lathe with hard pindles and bearings ,
- fi of the two taper variety . He also made the rst inter
changeable standard for parts of lathes . Under his m an agem ent the machine shop developed into a force of seventy the d men , and daily product of the company was increase fi from five watches per day to three hundred and fty . He invented m anvmachines now in use in the Waltham o factory , conspicu us among them being an automatic pinion
186 . cutter , invented in 5 Shortly after leaving the Amer of 18 6 ican Watch Company , which he did in the Spring 7 ,
Mr . Webster received a very flattering letter of com m en
dation from Mr . R . E . Robbins . 18 i n In the Fall of 76 Mr . Webster entered nto part ership N . h with H . Fisher and Jo n E . Whitcomb , under the title the its of American Watch Tool Company , taking gen
eral management . At that time they were making about fi fty lathes per year . They immediately commenced the factorv in erection of a building , and when completed ,
creased their force from six men to eighty , taking a large 18 8 contract to equip an English watch factory , and in 7 they made a contract to equip the Waterbury watch fac
. and tory This establishment was planned , erected equipped Mr to make one thousand watches per day , by . Webster e m and the Am rican Watch Tool Co . The co pany put into this factory machinery to the value of Wh . i t ile in Waterbury , Mr Webster formed the acqua n o dru fi a . W o s nce of Mr , of the Seth Thoma Clock Com a m p ny , and used his influence in inducing that co pany to
commence the manufacture of watches , and subsequently
built a large amount of machinery for them .
When. Mr . Doolittle organized the New Haven Watch ’ Com any he u i e . e d of p , s d Mr W bster s experience in bu l ing m achinery and su s ntl assisted in th e oi th e , b eque y
T E II C H A P R X I .
m n . a co Charles S Moseley , whose name has been inti tely nected with the history of nearly every watch factory in fi l s d . 2 o We t e . 8 182 8. this c untry , was born in , Mass , Feb , 18 6 In 3 he accompanied his father to Princeton , Ill . , but o u s he so n ret rned to Massachu etts . At the age of eighteen entered a machine shop in Westfield and some time after Fox wards went to Boston where he worked for George H . , o H is as a machinist , and remained there for s me years . fi o 18 2 rst connecti n with a watch factory was in 5 , when he H o w ho w entered the employ of Dennison , ward Davis , ere
then beginning the manufacture of watches in Roxbury , h M . t e ass Mr . Moseley went with them when factory w as removed to Waltham and remained with the com a pany , serving in the c pacity of foreman of the machine shop and later as master mechanic o a 18 h Ab ut the ye r 59 , the Nas ua Watch Company was e started and Mr . Mos ley cast his lot with it , acting as master i H d s and mechan c . e e igned built the machinery with which that m ovement was manu factured ; and it is worthy of re
mark that it was certainly a splendid watch . fi m In the fall of 1864 Mr . Moseley identi ed hi self with the
Elgin National Watch Company , then j ust starting , and was a made gener l superintendent , in which capacity he remained 1 with the company until 877 . d eu Mr . Moseley has assisted , when they were in nee of i h neerin a . m ec ani g g help , number of other factories As a
’ cal engineer and a designer of w ateh m akm g m aekim et y es 82 C h a rle s S . Mose le y. T H E W A H IE S M E I 84 TC FACTOR OF A R CA .
l M - ecia l s. n in p y, he has had but few equal any well know en ions s v t are due to his geniu . Among those that have ac
quired a world - wide reputation we m ay mention fi rst th split chuck which he invented in 1857 or 1858 while in th '
' employ of the Waltham Watch Company , an accessor now become universal and indispensable to every watch
o n n i r m aker in the land . F llowing this came his i ve t o
o anc of the holl w live spindle lathe , with a taper mouth
d - in s anc raw spindle , practically as used by all watchmaker
- 8 for machinists to day . In 1 59 , he designed use in the fac
a t w h icl tory of the American W tch Company , a small la he , be conceived would be a useful tool to the watch repaire r
and is the type of all the American - made watchmakers
lathes . u int n The original ch cks made by Mr . Moseley were e dec
for - use with the old two bearing watch factory lathe . I w as o intt f und , however , that the chucks would not go back the same place every time if some pieces were larger that others and he therefore modified his lathe so that the ch u cl w as held in a fixed position and the lathe spindle adv ance ( u pon and receded from the jaws of the chuck to open am T close it . his device is one of the most important feat u re
o f all automatic machinery to - day and has spread f rom w atch factories to all metal working lines and is the o nl*
known means o f practically holding a piece of work tru ‘
and gripping and releasing it instantly .
ey w t Mr . Mosel invented the interchangeable stem in
h of n mec anism the Elgin National Watch Company , pate tet
18 6. sam in 7 The dust band , or dust excluder , used by the
o c mpany , a patent regulator and many other improvement im en h . a w ere invented by . Mr Moseley is still actively g get
in business with his brother in Elgin .
h w ho s Charles W . Fogg was another clever mec anic pen f c or o a large portion of his life in watch a t v w rk . He w az
bo rn i r di h H on anitar 2 181 w as n M e e N. . t , , S y 5, 7 , and
- - \ w n Ix Na am . tw enty fi ve yea rs o f age w h en h e located in H W H I E S O F M E I T E A TC FACTOR A R CA . 35
fi r s e t he carried on business as a watchmaker and jewel r , b u t when the Nashua Watch Company was purchased and r e m oved to Waltham he became the superintendent of that d e pa rtment of the factory . H e was one of the directors of th e American Wal tham Watch Company and was widely k nown in the trade as the inventor of the safety pinion
w h ich bears his name . During the last ten or twelve y ears o f his life , Mr . Fogg was not in active business , although he r a in director H e tained a pl ce the vof the company . e died o 6 18 n . Wednesday , Sept , 93 , at his residence in Waltham . H e had been a director in the Waltham N ational Bank and th e Waltham Savings Bank and was prominent in the Ma so nic fraternity . C H A P T E R X IV
h V sk fu l C as . ander Woerd was another example of the ill m echanic and inventor who was associated with the W al
tham factory in the building of its first semi - autom atic m an in . d achinery He was born in Leyden , Holland , early life cam e to America ; was at one time employed at the Seth Adams Sugar Refinery in South Boston ; later he m worked for Alvin Clark of Cambridge , on telescopes fro
there he was induced by Mr . Moseley to enter the employ h “ of the t en Boston Watch Company at Waltham . He o oo possessed a power of ready percepti n , as well as a g d to f knowledge of mathematics , and was able acquire a air
z knowledge of astronomy , which in after years he utili ed in the establishment of an observatorv for the securing of exact time rate for the accurate timing of the watch move
ments made by the Waltham company . The transit in strument was made by Clark Sons in conj unction with a s y not the m chine hop of the watch compan , and while a fine large one, is of high grade and accuracy , and has been
- five liev in constant use for about twenty years , and is be ed to be the only instrument of the kind in the world form ing
a part of the equipment of a watch factory . 18 o 6 . u In 4 Mr Woerd invented an automatic pini n c tter, fi i n u se . which , having been modi ed and improved , is still ’ “ In 1869 be modeled the Waltham company s first Crescent ” m 18 m c Street ovement . In 74 he invented an auto ati m te the Cen screw machine , which attracted uch at ntion at
‘ tennial E x i i n s E x pos t o in Philadelphia , and the Invention bibitzbn in In 18 h e desi ned and w at London in I 885. 73 g 86
T H E W H IE S M E I ATC FACTOR OF A R CA .
ente fi th w as d a modi ed form of slide spindle la e, which
tw o- nominally a bearing lathe , but it was never a satis H e factory form of construction and was abandoned . e h a 18 6 c me superintendent of the Waltham factory in 7 , which
position he retained until his resignation in 1883 . A fter severing his connection with the American Wal tham Watch Company he engaged in the manufacture of a h d w tch tools , and later the business was c ange to the a manufacture of watch movements , and developed into wh t at a r is now the United St es W tch Company , whose histo y a forms another ch pter in our series .
This new company had a severe struggle for existence ,
partly from lack of capital , and after a few years of vain m ff . V e ort for success , Mr ander Woerd withdrew fro the 1888 rn company , and in became interested in a Califo ia e h mining enterprise , and while trav ling in December of t at
year , he died suddenly in a railroad train .
. s 18 8. Edgar L Hull was born in Sudbury , Mas , in 4 He a m beg n work for the American Watch Co pany as a boy , in 1862 e June , , and remained with them for about four y ars ,
. . em when he went to Marion , N J , and spent a year in the of ploy the United States Watch Company of that place . From there he went to the Howard Watch Company and d the remained about nine years . He then returne to W al has u s tham company , where he been employed continuo ly h up to t is time . He was appointed foreman of the dial 18 painting department in 83 . He was probably the fi rst
person to learn the art of dial painting in America , all other dial painters in the employ of the Waltham company ’ previous to him being English workmen . Mr . Hull s de partm ent is a very important one and he has developed many new methods and ideas in order to turn out large quantities of plain and ornamental dials in a speedy and economical
manner . ohn L an as in Low ell M ass in and j og w born , , w ork ed f or the A m e rican W atch Com pany m any years age
W C H S . 90 T H E AT F AC TOR IE OF A M E R IC A
the to the H ow in springing department , afterwards going
ard Watch Company in Roxbury . There he began to m am : facture hair springs and invented a new method of tem pe r ff d ing springs . He was o ered a position with the Unite
M N. . the H o States Watch Company, arion , J , and left w ard company to take charge of the spring department th ere n r arr v He left Marion to return to Waltham , and soo afte i h v ing he began to manufacture hairsprings for the trade , a ing a small shop located between Adams and Crescent st reet d to between Chestnut and Walnut streets . Later he move V and m n ernon street , where he manufactured hair ai e T he springs and small bench tools on an extensive scal . for e s good quality of his springs became famous , and y ar e he supplied several watch factories with them . S veral years ago the American Waltham Watch Company secu red V n his services to make their springs . He moved his erno street factory over to the watch factory and there he began
to manufacture main and hair springs on an extensive scale,
R . he being foreman of both departments , with Mr . E . Lyle as his assistant foreman in the hair spring department the t and M . Stevens as his assistant of main spring depar i ment . Dur ng his connection with the Waltham company he invented many labor saving machines for the making of springs and also turned his attention to other inventions
relating to w atch manufacture . He committed suicide on
. 1 18 Jan , 93 , during a temporary aberration caused by ill
e o . ness , having be n greatly troubled with nervous prostrati n
w as M s 18 0 H . E . Duncan born in Worcester , as , in 5 , and after the usual common school education had two years of l h he academy ife , in whic was especially instructed in
natural philosophy and chemistry . During these two years he had not only to earn his own living but pay for his tui m m s he d h t tion . Coming fro a family of echanic , decide t a 1866 he w ould like to learn the watchmaking trade , and in b e e m et and w ork ed w ith e w as app renticed to that trad . H ’ nd torelx n h xtth a num ber of fine w o rkm en of A m erican a g H . u n a . . E D c n 2 T H E W H F IE S A M E I 9 ATC ACTOR OF R CA .
B . . . and was a bench mate of D A A ‘ uck , the inventor o f the
Waterbury watch . At the end of his apprenticeship he w ent H w to Manchester , N . . , and later worked for L . S . Sto e in
fi . . . W t . B Spring eld , Mass He later en with D A A uck , o then superintendent of the Cheshire Watch Company , fr m t 188 t here to the Hampden Watch Company , and in 5 en ered
y his the emplo of the American Waltham Watch Company , m an headquarters being with Robbins , Appleton Co p y ,
Boston . For ten years he traveled on the road as mission the 18 the r ary for company , but in 9 5 was called to facto y
and has been there ever since . At the present time he has charge of the adj ustment of the highest grade of watch
movements . He is the astronomical observer and has charge of the determination and distribution of time signals
throughout the factory . He has been given carte blanche in the designing and erection of a clock room for the time
h e service , and it is believed that he has equipped one of t fi nest time stations in this country . In addition to his fac
tory duties he has the direct charge of the missionary force , and as he personally traveled so many years he is well known h to the watc trade . He is an amateur photographer, and has produced a large number of excellent pictures . He is well known to watchmakers through his finely illustrated lectures on watchmaking , which he has given in various parts of the
United States and Canada . H A T E X I C P R V .
The factory of the American Waltham Watch Company t is divided in o twenty departments , of which the following
: . are foremen Machine , Francis H Eaton ; punch , Nathan
P . Mulloy ; plate , Eugene L . Folsom ; train making , Charles R flat . Hill ; steel , George T . Carter ; pinion polishing,
George C . Moor ; escapement , Charles C . Byam ; balance ,
Gleason Wood ; hair spring , W . H . P . Smith ; jeweling , R ; . . and Robert Speir j ewel making , J W ushton ; gilding fi “ nickel nishing, A . P . Williams ; dial Dept . B , Frank “
. E H Wetherbee ; dial Dept A , dgar L . ull ; main spring o fi . T making, Milt n R Stevens : nishing , Charles L . uthill ;
adjusting . A , Charles A . Berry ; adjusting , B , and packing , H y . George Adams ; engineering , enr C Eaton ; carpenter ,
. W . H C . Boulton . abovc In addition to the department heads , there is a gen
u t ff : n eral or exec tive s a , as follows General superintende t , Bu r . ckes . . ; su . E A Marsh assistant perintendent , J W ; me ch ni l a ca . H superintendent , D . Church ; assistant mechanical de superinten nt , C . A . Whitney ; forwarding superintendent .
C . F . Smith ; astronomical observer and time superintend
. . a . ent , H E Dunc n ; paymaster , Murray D Clement ; cash
H . ier , Fred . Graves ; purchasing agent , Chas J . Olney , Jr . ffi : . The o cers of the company are President , Ezra C
s by his - Fitch , assi ted son , Conover Fitch ; vice president ,
n s a Fra ci R . Appleton ; tre surer , Royal Robbins . The s : director are Ezra C . Fitch , Royal Robbins ,
o E d Francis R . Applet n , Benj . F . Brown , A . Lawrence
" o . . mands , Augustus . Sl an , H . P . Robbins , R C Robbins ,
J. W . Appleton . T H E W A H AC T OR IE S OF A M R IC A 94 TC F E .
The selling agents of the company are : Robbins A p leton ffi w h p (whose principal o ce is in New York City , it a ffi b . . " ranch o ce in Chicago in charge of R A ettle , and one
in . n London , Eng , in charge of A . R . Harmon", and Robbi s , ffi B h n A . i ppleton Co (whose o ce is in oston , with a branc
a . . Montreal , Can da , in charge of J C Barlow ". The output of the Waltham factory has been a gradually in increasing one for many years , save for an occasional terval ff e , when the general business of the country was su r 18 ing extreme depression , as in 93 , and the factory capacity
r c i lll is now p a t ca v movements per day .
The increasing adoption of automatic machinery , special ly designed and adapted for the production of individu al t par s of the various movements , has not only lessened the ac manufacturing cost , but also made possible a degree of curacy and uniformity not previously attained ; and the e great productiveness , together with the extrem costliness o f
- such high class machinery , give this company with its large t ad capital and business standing of many years , a grea v e and ex antage ov r younger smaller companies , while the cellence its ex of product , resulting from its half century of erience inven p . and its command of the highest grade of tive talent and mechanical skill has given it a high reputation w n w ith exacti g atch wearers , the excellent time keeping qualities of even its cheaper grade of movements have mad e the name Waltham familiar to the people of the whole civil ized world . V I C H A PT E R X I .
On page 87 brief men tion was made of th e establi sh
ment of an astronomical observatory . It may be appro priate in closing this historical sketch to copy entire an
S cientific A m erican 1 1 0 in article from the of April 5, 9 5, w hich this observatory and its connected clocks and instru ments are described and illustrated Among the m anv fields of industry in which hand labor has been superseded by automatic machinery , there is none in which the change has been so strikingly complete and succes sful as in that of the manufacture of watches .
That the machine - made American watch of the higher
grades can attain as high marks for time - keeping as the finest products o f the skilled watchmake rs of some of the older countries of Europe has been proved by tests at the b r r T th La o ato v . e re National , London his fact is more a s markable when we remember th t the Waltham work ,
e e s from which the t st watches referred to wer elected , is turning out watches at the rate of nearly three thousand
per day . e It is not our int ntion to describe just now , the wonder fully complex and ingenious machinery by which the American watch is made ; that is a long and deeply in The teresting story in itself . present article will show
how one great , modern watch works maintains its own
private standard of time , for the guidance of the work in men the various rooms of its vast establishment , in regulating the watches that are turned out at the rate of
so many thousand a day . ‘ The possession of som e standard oi tiw oe m o ss oe 9 5 96 r u n W A TC H r a c r om ns op a ms nrc m
8 T H E W A H Fa e r o a ras o a m a r a 9 TC a a c .
V ie w in o u te r pa ss a ge o f C l ock roo m sho w i ng b a ro me ter a nd le ve l teste r. W A H A IE S M E I T H E TC F CTOR OF A R CA . 99 t d e through the earth to the clockroom , caused percep tible variations in the time of the two master clocks . It e was decid d , therefore , to build the new clockroom , of n it which we present several illustrations , install withi '
. Th m . e the two aster clocks , and add a sidereal clock 1 0 room was completed early in 9 4 and is now running , as h x w e shall show later in this article , wit e ceptional results as to accuracy . th The clockroom , which is located in e basement of one l l w of the buildings , is bui t with a double she l of hollo The tile brick . outer shell rests upon the floor of the h basement , and its ceilingis within two or t ree inches of 10 the basement ceiling . The inner shell is feet square 8 r and feet in height , measured from the level of the cella
T 18- w floor . here is an inch space between the alls of the inner and outer shell and a 9 - inch space between the two u ceilings . On the front of the b ilding the walls are 3 feet apart to accommodate the various scientific instru m h ents , suc as the chronograph , barometer , thermostat,
- Th i o . e t level tester , etc nner h use is carried down 4 fee n fou nd below the floor of the basement , and rests upo a a Th tion of gravel . e walls of the inner house below the floor level consist of two thicknesses of brick with an air and e is space between , the whol of the excavated portion
o l lined , sides and bott m , with sheet lead , carefu ly soldered i to render it watertight . At the bottom of the excavation s
12 a u are a layer of inches of s nd , and pon this built up 6 u three solid brick piers , measuring 3 feet inches sq are
in plan by 3 feet in height , which form the foundation for the t i i y hree pyram dal p ers that carr the three clocks . The interior walls and ceilings and the piers for the clocks fi Th t are nished in white glazed tiling . e obj ec of the lead
lining , of course , is to thoroughly exclude moisture , while the bed of sand se rves to absorb all waves of vibration that are comm unicated thro ugh the ground from the various m ovin m a h k l\ t th e \ ew e\ o\ g c inery throu gh ou t th e w or s . IE M I 100 T H E W ATC H FACTOR S OF A E R CA .
the basement floor a light grating provides a platform for
the use of the clock attendants .
Although the placing of the clockroom in the. cellar and the provision of a complete air space around the inner room ff i x would , in itself , a ord excellent insulation aga nst e ternal u changes of temperature , the inner room is f rther safe guarded by placing in the outer 18- inch space between the w y two walls a lamp hich is electricall connected to , and w iv controlled by , the thermostat , of hich we g e an illus r i n Th t at o . e thermostat consists of a composite strip of
by its r rubber and metal , which is held a clamp at uppe end and curves to right or left under temperature changes , o f opening or closing , by contact points at the lower end
th e the thermostat , the electrical circuit which regulates
flame of the lamp . The thermostat is set so as to maintain the space between the two shells at a temperature which shall insure a constant temperature of 7 1 deg . in the inner clock house . This it does with such success tha: h there is less than alf a degree of daily variation . The two clocks that stand side by side in the clock e room serve to keep civil time , that is to say , the local tim
The t - at the works . clock to the right carries a welve hou . — B dial and is known as the mean time clock . y means o f electrical connections it sends time signals throughout the h whole works , so t at each operative at his bench may time Th . e th his watch to seconds other clock , known as e
n - - and astro omical clock, carries a twenty four hour dial , T may be connected to the works , if desired . hese two T clocks serve as a check one upon the other . hey were made at the works and they have run in periods of over two months with a variation of less than of a second ,
1 . d or part of a day The third clock , which stan s
. is to the rear of the other two , is the sidereal clock It w used in connection ith the observatory work , and serves
to keep sidereal or star time .
T H E W H IE S M E I ATC FACTOR OF A R CA .
Sidereal time is determined by the transit of the fix ed ° ‘ o 1 ross Th stars § c the meridian . e stars are at such enormou s . ' distaptcgs from the earth that their transit is not appre cia l ff the h hy . "a ected by revolution of the eart in its orbit
‘ It as the change of position of the earth with regard to the sun t at accounts for the daily diff erence betw een sidereal
o l r and so a 6. da time of 3 minutes 5 55 seconds , the sidereal y bei T h ng shorter than the solar day by this amount . e 0 "passage of a particular star across the meridian at lVal ’ f . t is the o , ham noted in works observatory on two nights ' o every week , and an exact record of this time is btained by
m . eans of a chronograph The chronograph , which is car ried on a shelf in the space between the inner and outer l shells of the clockroom , consists of a horizontal meta t drum , rotated at such a rate of speed by means of a weigh h as to give exactly one revolution per minute . Upon t e
he drum is fastened a sheet of paper . In front of t drum is e a small carriage , which is moved laterally , by m ans of a
revolving feed screw . This carriage carries a pen that r normally t aces a continuous straight line on the sheet .
y - to The pen is electricall connected the sidereal clock , and
at every full oscillation of the pendulum , or at every
alternate second , the electrical circuit is broken and the li pen makes a slight jog in the line . The speed of the cy n der is so arranged that the distance between the jogs corre h s onds t e . p to a certain scale , sav of one inch to second The pen carriage of the chronograph is also electrically
connected to the observatory , where a button is placed e oh conveniently to the hand of the observer . Wh n an
servation of a transit is to be made , the chronograph is
started and the observer , with his eye at the telescope , presses the button at the instant that the star passes each
vertical hair line (there are five in all "in the eye - piece of a the transit . Each time the button is pressed , an extr by s jog is made on the paper ; and using a cal e graduated ,
sa to inch it is e to determ ine to one- hu n x , possibl T H E W H I E S A M E I ATC FACTOR OF R CA . I 03
V ie w in ou te r pass age o f C loc k roo m show ing c h ronom ph and sw tc bo a r i h d . 0 T H E W H E A C T O R I O ; M I 1 , E S F E 4 ATC A R CA .
dredths of a second the time of the transit of the star r across each hair li e . By taking the mean of these five o bservations , it will be seen that the time of the transit i of the star is obta ned with remarkable acc uracy . The next step is to com pare the time of transit as recorded by the sidereal clock at lValtham with the time of transit of “ ” in the same star as given the tables of the Ephemeris . “ ” f The oflicial Ephemeris is an publication , issued annual l the o f v y, which gives exact position the hea enly bodies for every day of the year ; and from this the exact time
the m ay of the transit of particular star observed be known . Wh atever the sidereal clock diff ers from this time is the o i err r of the clock . The amount of this error s then compared with the amount of error observed at the last observation, and the diff erence between the tw o observa
the a l tions , divided by number of d ys , gives the dai y rate T t . lVal ha of variation his rate , as observed at the m
y - d w e a . T orks , rarel exce ds one tenth of a second per y hat a y i is to say , the sidereal clock will v r only one second n Th in . e i ten days , or three seconds a month variat on , as or t found , is corrected by adding sub racting w eights to or
the ei m from the pendulum , weights used b ng s all disks ,
generally of aluminium .
find a the ea a y oh Summing up , then , we th t gr t accur c tained in this clockroom is du e to the carefu l elim ination of the various elemen ts that w ould e x ercise a distu rbing influ
e a are e to a i ence . Changes of temp r ture r duced m nimum
bv o the an ce in insulati n of clockhouse within air spa , which the temperatur e is au tomaticall y m aintained at an
a e o the even rate . Ch ng s of humidity are contr lled by spe
ciall a founda y designed w lls , by the lead sheathing of the
r a e e tion pit , by the p eserv tion of an ev n temperatur , and by placing boxes of hydroscopic material within the inner
E du e a a ed by chamber . rrors to vibr tion are elimin t plac ing th e clocks on m assive masonry pi ers w hich stand upon
a b ed - o f sand as a shoc k ab sorbing m edium .
T H W H IE S F M E I 106 E ATC FACTOR O A R CA .
b The astronomical clock is inclosed in a arometric case , fi ir b the m a x tted with an a pump , y which air y be e hau sted and the pendulum and o ther moving parts relieved f rom barometric disturbances . For it must be understood that variation in barometric pressure means a variation in the m density of the air , and that the speed of the pendulum ust n ff ecessarily be a ected by such changes of density . This equipment is the only one in the world forming part of the equipment of a watch factory , and is believed to be the equal of anything of the kind yet installed . t In conclusion , it may be mentioned hat of late years it has been the custom of the company to submit a percentage of its watches to the National Physical Laboratory at the ew n " Observatory , London , an institutio which accepts instruments of precision from applicants all over the
- t . world , ests them , and makes a report Eighty six per cent of the watches submitted by the Waltham Watch Com panv have been accepted and passed 1n Class A . A mark for accuracy of as high as 80 to 85 per cent is a c ommon t h w figure . This result is ex remely interesting as s o ing that American automatic machinery has been brought to such a pitch of perfection that the machine - made watch is o n fi able to hold its w at . this laboratory with the nest products of European hand labor . WA LTH A M WA TCH ES
have received the highest
exhibited.
IV R O O 1888. L E P L . i F rst Pri ze Go ld Med al .
irst P F ri ze Gold Med al .
A ME R IC A N INS I T TUTE . M 7 . F irs t Pr ize Go ld M d l e a . IN IN A TY m S Y Y 1 9 . C C N 13 DNE . 87 .
ir Priz o M irst r z e ol M e a . F st e G ld eda l . F P i G d d l
M a ss . C h a rita b l e M ec han . A ssn . H I A H IA 1876. P L DELP . BO S TON. Fo u r First Prize M e a l s . iz M d Fi rst Pr e Go ld eda l .