Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-03-24
THE CITY.
TENNESSEE CHAIR FACTORY


Grand Opening Day at the EstsbIIsI
ment-Large Gathering of Citizens.
Our readers have been apprized by fr
quent sllusious to the fact in this paper
The location Of an extensive chair fscto,
IN tins city by Messrs. Taylor, Barry
alter, formerly of Rochester, N. Y. Or
Of The members of this enterprising fri
was accidentally travelling in this sectio
Of country some six or eight months az
and was particularly struck with the 9,
tent and variety of the timber which he,
abonnds. Returning to his home shoril
Afterwards he endsaVored to devote hi
Time and attention to his business, but b
Gid not seem to be contented. The timber b
had seen 10 Tennessee, and the advantsge
the country seemed to possess for manufac
turing seemed TO haunt him by day and b,
night, until ioally he determined again I,
visit the country which 90 enchanted him
He came second time, and his obserya
tons led him more strongly to believe tina
this wSs the place for the commencement
Of manufacturing on az extensive scale
With an eye to business, he made inquiries
in regard TO location, and was pointed e
the old disiillery on the banks of the Cum
berlsnd, just this side of the Nashville Rae,
Course. He visited the place, found that il
suited exactly, and very soon afterward:
closed the trade for the purchase Of the
property, and a large amount of ground
attached. He reported his adventures to
his partners, and in consultation it was de-
termined TO start a chair factory. The
preliminaTies were soon arranged, ma
chinery to the value of $4,000 was Or
dered, the building was put in complete
order, and all possible haste made to com.
mence business here by the first of May.
A month ahead of time the mammoth
establishment is opened to the public, and
the occasion is an era in Nashville, long
to be remembered. Between the hours of
2 and 5 o'clock last evening, some Eve or
six hundred persons assembled at the fac
DRY to see the workings Of the new con-
Germ. Every trade and profession was re-
presented in the large cOncourse which
there assembled, and such another reunion
it has not been our province to see for
many a day.
From cellar to garnet The new establish
ment was thoroughly inspected, and there
was but one opinion expressed, and that
is, that more complete mandatory is
not to be found in the country. As before
stated, the machinery was placed in the
building at cost of upwards of $4,000,
and includes all the modern improvements
in the way of lsthes, planning machines,
SAWS, etc, etc. Although a chair IS not
very large piece of furniture, it seems az if
here were fifty different machines used in
its manufacture, aud every piece of the
seems 10 be necessary TO its
proper construction.
A large number of workmen are at pre-
sent employed, and The proprietors expect
before the middle Of the summer to be
running at least five hundred hands. In
walking through the establishment we
noticed a number Of boys engaged at
work, earning good wages who had here
tofore been running about the streets in
idleness. Some of the machines used have
the capacity of doing the work of thirty
men. With say five hundred hands en-
ployed, and the large number Of labor
machines in Use it may be asked
what will The establishment be able TO turn
out. We are told that between Elk and
eight hundred chairs Of ali varieties will
be manufactured daily, and will be offered
at such prices as to compete with any es-
in the country. In fact, the
are of the opinion that on &C.
count Of the cheapness Of timber here,
they will be able to undersell any and all
Northern manufactures.
We have no. space this morning to
dwell at length upon the completeness of
the general outfit, and can therefore only
refer to the enterprise in general terms.
We may add that the machinery is run by
a splendid engine of seventy horse power,
disconnected from the factory, and the
boiler room is 30 constructed az to be fire.
proof Charles Crittenden is the foreman
of the establishment, and he seems to be
the right man in the right place.
But We will now leave the hum Of ma
chinery, and enter the back room of the
building, where We find assembled large
crowd of Nashyille's beat citizens, com.
prising men Of all parties, sects and ere eds.
They appear to have forgotten disseusions
and strife, aud with smiling faces are as
sembled around the festive board to do
honor TO the occasion, aud drink to the
success Of the new enterprise and the
health and prosperity OF the prOpfiet0rs.
In one portion vi the room Is the
Governor of the State tipping glasses
With one Of the Rebels Of other dayp,
and here again is the editor of
the Banner and Gen. 10. Cooper arm
and arm in the promenade. But
hush, Order says the man Of steniorian
voice, aud in another corner we see the old
Sumner county war horse, Judge Guild,
mounted on stool. He had been COM
missioned by the proprietors on this in
teresting occasion TO present 10 Col Sam.
d. Morgan the first chair made in
the establishment. 1t was intended
as a slight token from the proprietors
TO a gentleman who above 'aIl others
had given them encouragement at
the commencement and watched their
movements with lively interest.
Judge Guild digressed from the presenta-
ton proper, and entered into a sensible
and lengthy argument in behalf of the
man uiscturiDg interest, and concluded by
extending the right hand Of fellowship to
the house and bidding them hearty well
come to our Southern cline.
Col. Morgan responded briefly, thanking
the proprietors for the great compliment
bestowed, and which he would cherish as
one of the most acceptable gifts be had
ever received.
Col. AS. Colyar was then called for,
and made a few sensible remarks on the
subject of manufacturing, and coDgratu-
lating the new proprietors upon their sue
cess, and welcoming them to the city.
Alter which loud calls were made upon