Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-12-15
The Industry of Burlington.


No. III.
The manufacture Of brushes is q wholly new
business IN this city. which has been estsbli,bei
within the list year. lts protector was Mr..
George Willett. Mr.. Willett is native Of
Burlington. who left here when about fifteen
years Of sge. and went to Lansincburgh, N Y.
where he learned the trade Of brush Masking
Alter many years Of close application to THU
business at Lansingburga, Cambridge. Mass.
Columbus, Ohio. and at various other places, he
returned to Vernon; about year ago, with the
view Of establishing brush nanufvctory in this
vicinity. Being az ingenious and pretical
mechanic be invented several machines, and
Improvements in existing machinery to ssve
labor, and TO perfect the manufacture Of
brushes. While at St Adams last winter. he
received assistance from parties there in getting
his machines patented Arrangements were
made With L. s. Nichols Co. Of this place. to
build one or two Of the new machines. and
while they were in the process Of construction s.
company was formed snd the mandatory
located here.
The compauy consists If Il. %. Clifford and o.
W. Eaton Of New Haven. W. Mr.. wnlet,. sud
che CT two parties IL ST. Albsns. We under
stand Mr. Clifford will build himselfa residence.
on one Of the choicest lots on Willard Street.
/ another season sud that Nj Eaton will also be
cone permanent resident of Burlington. The
comp2uy financially, is quilted " A. No. l, and
the parties are courteous snd enterprising bust
nsss men. The factory Of the Burlington Brush
Company, erected during the past summer, is
situated on the west side Of Water Street, st the
lcotof Cherry Street snd is Of sufficient capacity
10 furnish employment for 100 lsborers The
building 40 by - feet. two stories high on the
front with basement, sad three stories in the
rear. The power IS supplied by the engine of
the Pioneer shops in the rear, and is conveyed
by wire cable running from a large pulley at
he south eul.
The wooden pieces waioh enter into the msuu-
facture Of brushes, are alwed into shape in the
rough s; the mills Of Mr.. Clifford. in New Haven.
and aye frsigb,ed by rail TO the factory. They
sre piled in the hassmen, Of The huiliing, from
whence they sire taken 10 be dressed in e plan
ing machine, and are then conveyed to the third
floor Here che holes SIRE bored one by one, by
machinery, and tns backs are ready 10 receive
the ir.st.es The preparation Of the brush
stock, 10y oonlug, ia The ordinary Wsy.by hand.
is very Ab1rioas and expensive, costing from ten
10 taenty-oae csn,sps pound, and at least three
ye-rs cf experience is necessary to become
good c0mber One oC Mr. WHlett's machiuee,
with ,Ho ordinary haais, viii dress, in the best
manner, from 100 80 900 pounds 6 day, accord
ing to quality This machine il the fIt ever
constructed for the purpose, anl IL bids fair to
revolutJnizs the business of brush making.
The wood AMI other materials for hand
brushes, are next taken into the 50 drawing
room which occupies the front half Of the
third story. Here are seated around tables
young girls from ten 20 fifteen years Of age,
busy as bees. drawing Ia the tufts of bristle
with fue wire, for which service they receive
fifteen cents per thousand. These gi rs are under
the supervision Of lady superintendent. A
machine, which runs with ugbtnir like speed
next Trims the b-lsh TO even lengths. When the
brushes are 50 far completed they 80 back to the
second door. Here the bscts are veneered and
further iaishei by saws and 'hapers, receiving
their finishing pllis- ca revolving sand paper
wheels. The veneers are cut by a machine in
the shop at the rste of !, 1000 pie,es an hour
TI.- -...... .-...--. L..
eli in another room and is done altogether by
msos iaery Of lIr. Wiustts invention. His ms
chimes are the frs ever used for this work.
which las hitherto teea done wholly by hand.
With this machinery an ordinary lab3rer is
capable OF doing the work %. three experienced
trush-masers whose vszes would he from three
TO four dollars day. and the work &c general
thing viii be better done than by hand, while
the machines save nearly enough stock over the
ordinary method 10 psy Tor the labor Of making
The brushes Of al classes when finished are
ps.n,el and vanished and a-e returned to the
basement for packing.
The machinery throughout was made by B. 5.
Nichols s. Co. Of this city. The factory is csps-
bic Of furnishing employment for 100 hands, SIS
stated, although only about one third of that
number s-e employed at present During the
white. the number will be largely increased snd
when the full force is employed the company will /
turn ont - least 100000 brushes annually in
from $50 SC 900 different styles AMI amounting
to valuation Of 5000 600. The consumption
OF " drawn work. brushes on this continent an
nuslly. is stated to be forty fire millions, and
this ia exclusive Of psnt brushes and others Of |
tbst class. Tooth brushes are imported, mons )
being manufactured in this country.
The manufacturers have sought burlington az
a convenient point from which TO supply the
Western trade and Canals. and to procure the
wood uhich enters largely i,to the manufacture Of
their wsros. Among other .iysutages here is
the abundance Of help Of ,he cass vsntal,
young girls and children who can here find
light work suitable for their hands such as no
other manufacturing establishment in the city
now furnishes. Everything conspires to encour-
sge the brush business At this point. and we ez-
pcct in future yesrs 70 chronicle its prosperity
sud large increase, $, branch Of industry Of
Burlington
Essrz. In the search for .. local liens in
Essex your correspondent has discovered the
following
The Winter term OF Essex Classical Institute /
opeaei on Monday las; with over eighty |
studeuts The vrospfet "a favorable for more