New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-03-26
MAKING WATCHES IN ILLINOIS.


bend their variety and growth There are 1900 WOODEN
factories In the NorthWe the most OF them built
within the last three years. Our best wooden goods
made the far Pacific Coast During the war Cali
forpa supplied the Government with its finest and most
durable blankets Miners in the mountains OF Idaho,
Montana, and Nevada seldom buy imported or Eastern
goods when they get those Of California or Oregon
Manufacture. The great founderes and maohneshops
! of san Francisco which turn out everything from
quartz mill to locomotive. likewise have the prefer
ence over those OF New-York, St. Louis, or Chicago
For the West cares great deal about quality than
price. Whether buying dictionary a steamship it
needs injunction TO D." get the best" 1t s lneally
descended from the pioneer Cincinnati merchants who 60
years ago mobbed jew trader introducing pennies
and trying to circulate them. To this day it will have
coin small one cent; and it's strongest phrase
for meanness describes a man as picayunish"
Utah has many factories of many kinds Colorado has
papermill running at Golden City. promising
featuring center the very shadow OF the Rocky Noun
tans Kansas ike her elder sister Utah, makes WOODEN
goods and also agricultural implements. Minnesota, for
wonder has not yet harnessed the gentle Mnnehaha to
loom saw but sprghtly Minneapolis is compelling the
Falls Of Anthony-the best waterpower our CONT
nent except Nagarato drive her enormous tub bucket.
and wooden factories and saving planning and Touring
mills.
South Bend Indiana. also enjoying admirable water
power ships furniture and carriages all the United
states and Touring mills. mowers, reapers. and heavy
wagons through utternos West to Oregon and
Arizona
st. Louis and Cincinnati manufacture largely. chiefly in
ron steel and Steam engines sawmills, Touring
mills planning mills turned out in enormous mum
bers and Cincinnati probably makes more furniture than
any other town In the United States.
Chicago, which combines New England Ingenuity with
NewYor dash produces all these articles Yankee notions
general and many thousand annually Of boots aud
shoes popular because more durable than those
shipped from the East Near the city is large clock fac
tory Until recently injured by fire, it turned out $50
clocks per day Pine and wildwood for the abound
in the Chicago lumber yards Copper from Lake Superior
and zinc Northern Illinois furnish brass for the works
so audaciOus Chicago actually completes with Waterbury
and Bristol even in the New-York market And-wonder
of wonders Connecticut already holds more than one
household which rings its dnnerbe and to the train
by an Iinosma clock.
-Four years Chicago jeweer CHANGED TO visit the
American Watch Factory in Massachusetts, He became
interested in Its processes He returned home and talked
about them. Now Chicago believes profoundly that she
can do anything which New England can, and many
things which New England can't Her capitalists turned
their attention to the subject Young Amercathe Lake
City contains no Old determined that watches
must be made IN Chicago.
Leading business went heartily into the enterprise
II was uphill work but these gentlemen accustomed
obstacles one h. ". Raymond who IL years be-
fore had inaugurated Chicago's first railway. which
started for that Swisskc the Upper Mississippi
where Capt Ulysses Grant afterward clerk in
leather store.
At the outset strong Chicago interest actually fought
the railway thinking it would inure retail trade by
aiding country storekecpers 10 sell cheap city
chants. But the young company bought, ON three years
time "stIapra" which the Buffalo and Attca Road
had Just aside. Mr. Raymond and friend named
Turner came TO NewYOrk TO sell the cOmpanys II per
cent bonds But just then Illinois not even paying
the interest on her state bonds and Chicago
rs only precocOus swamp In the Western wilderness Old
capitalists invariably replied To their solicitations
''what build a railroad out in those wdsl Youmust be
crazy"
II did seem chimorca; hut young community has the
same generous unquestOnng faith IN its future as
young man After six weeks OF hardest work. Raymond
and Turner sold to a younger class Of Newlork mer-
chants 10000 worth OF their bonds.
That gave the road start II leaped out Is miles from
the auestrcken city which then boastcd 10000 people
1t stopped the open prairie just after harvest In
-tantly wheat wagons from all the country around
swarned the daily trains like flies to a lump OF sugar
Mr. Raymond and his friends strained their credit and
spent their private fortunes 10 push the road ahead The
first year after 80 miles completed divided u per
its Land along the track from s.
10 $50 The experiment success. and the
system was begun which TO make Chicago a chief
among American cities Seventeen she was the
center OF a. miles railway Now she is the center OF
more than 5000 miles.
In 1854 the lapse Of half a generation had not damp
ened Mr.. Raymonds ardor He and his associates went
INTO the new enterprise with true Chicago zeal They
aunized the National Watch Company with paidin cap
Ital OF $4,000.
The first point to good workmen. Several
leading employees company gladly accepted
their proposals, tempted by novelty and the larger re
Enumeration which enterprise IL compelled 10 offer
Next where should their factory be built Watchmak
ing by machinery il not fond OF the pavements; II
finds visitors plentiful, aud the atmosphere too im
pure. IL babbles Of green fields. 1t seeks some cool
seauestered vale Of life, from dust and bores.
EIgn little city people Fox River 40 miles
west OF Chicago had excellent population, heathful
climate pleasant surrounding and the best water power
in Illinois. Already IL boosted several manufactures
Moreover, Elgn offered to the company, as free gift
81 acres OF land mile from her business center and sub
scrbed for $4,000 Of stock the factory and
therein was Elgn wise in her day and generation. In
! November 1864 the first blow was struck Charles g
Aoseley placed in charge OF the new establishment
He had engaged In the incest processes OF watch
making for ten years inventor on instinct ana
one OF the very first machniss Of the United States
Several skilled and efficient helpers also went with him
| from the East.
These gentlemen had models drawings, or measure
ments Of the exquisite machines left behind They had
| nothing TO begin with rough timber and crude
metal. But, give half ndozen trained New England
mechanics, undergrad and foundery, and you may
have what you will, from penknife to tencylinder
printing press They constructed machinery and tools
for making and repairing watches. With the benefit OF
ten years experience, they introduced many valuable
and laborsavng improvements in these multifarious
machines While they invented and built, spacious
threes story factory Of brick beside the shining
river The works were moved in. and finally, after two
audahaf years OF energetic labor they completed their
first watch IN May, 1867.
Now the mandatory swarms with busy life. IL turns
out xty watches per day To see all its curostes would
require weeks; but two hours will show the visitor
enough TO ponder for the rest OF his e Alas for the