The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1869-05-07
THE SPRAaUE FAMILY AND THEIR
POSSESSIONS.

The house of Sprague started with
Amasa Spraguc, the grandfather of
Amasa and William, the present repre-
sentativcs Of the house. He was sue
ceeded by his sons Amassa and William,
and thus tho firm Of A. & w, Spraguc
came into existence. AT the death of the
sold Governor" as William Spragre,
the uncle of the "two boys" who now
control the house of A. &c w. Sprague,
is generally called even now, the bust
ness had not yet assumed anything like
its present giant proportions. That
even occurred iii 1886, and there were
at that time only six calico printing ma
chimes in the print works at Crasnton.
Since then, h9wevcr not only his addi-
ton after addition and extension after
extension been put TO the works, until
the mills form an extensive village in
themselves, but every species Of i'm
proved machinery has also been procur-
cd and set in motion. Instead of six
color machines, the highest number any
machine was capable of printing at the
death of the cold Governor" there arc
in the works at Cranston to-day ma
chimes which print twelve. There are
now thirty machines in the works, and
10000 pieces of cloth can be printed
and finished in week. This immense
establishment is driven by six engines,
varying from 40 to 500 horse power,
and tho consumption of coal per day is
not short of 100 tons. Twenty-Five
donkey engines are scattered over the
establishment to do special duty wher-
ever needed. Trimming machines wasIf
ing and drying machines, dyeing appa-
ratus, engraving machines, all the i'm
mcnsc and complicated machinery ne
ccssary to the manufacture of the ma
terial for new dress. The villages
where the operatives reside are built af
ter q uniform model, and consist OF
story and half double houses. In the
store at Cranston an immense business is
done. The Spragucs do their own
and kill about % head of
cattle per week, and sheep and hogs in
The meat is furnished to
their operatives four and five cents per
pound cheaper than it can be bought in
the Providence market, and the "storc"
sells goods of every kind at proper
tionately low figure, the sales in single
year amounting to 100000.
Amasa Sprague resides at Cranston,
about ono mile from the city of Provi-
dcncc, and William lives with his moth
or in the city of Providence. What
this woman has had to do with building
up an immense business, the influence
of which is felt everywhere in the
country, has never been told. '''ifhe
boys" habitually resort to her for advice,
and the Gold Governor was accustomed
to hold her judgment in the highest os-
TEEN. Her counsels to the old firm Of
A. & w. Sprague have been transfer
ed to tho new house, and have proved as
beneficial to her sons as the their father
and to their uncle. She is now and old |
lady Of seventy years, but her faculties
are as vigorous as ever.
The hougc of A. & w. Sprague, as at
present constituted, resembles the old
house Of that name in striking degree.
Amasa Sprague, at his home at Gran
ston, is much like Amasa Spraguc, his !
father. AS the father hated politics, so,
too, the son dislihcs the turmoil Of party, |
and devotes himself to his family, his
business, and his trottcrs. He has now
in his stables, near tho Narragansett
Race Course, an association OF which he
is president, much thorough and blood
ed stock--the famous horse Rhode Is
land and the Dutch Girl among the
others. OF Rhode Island he is especial
ly confident, and expects him to trot
his mule in 2:20 at the June meeting at
the Narragansett Park. But William
Sprague the nephew, both naturally
took to politics. Both were Governors
of the State, and both Senator'S Of the
United States. In his recent course in
the Senate, William Sprague the young
or, only did what would have been done
by William Spragde the elder under
like circumstances, and it would have
been done by the latter with the same
intrepidity, the same disregard Of con-
sequences, and the same defiance OF
the opinions Of others that the former
exhibited in the past few weeks.
In these bold acts, apparently SO inca
pablo of explanation, SPrague may have
calculated to some extent upon his
"Rhode islanders" In the works at
Scranton 1000 hands are employed, be-
sides those engaged at their other mills.
Tn this there is power as great as in
$50. 900 spiudles, fed by the ingenuity
and foresight Of Senator Sprague and
his brother. He boosted in one of his
speeches-or, perhaps, rather complaint
ed--that small manufacturers were
breaking down because they could not
do as he does. 1t was very vaguely
put, and was not generally understood.
He simply meant that his purchases Of
stock were so immense that those who
could not buy in like immense quaint
ties cannot compete with him. But he
also meant to say that he can make bet
-. - - ;vfar;or unatarial than