Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-03-21
CAKES AND OLIVER AMES.
The Character Of the Brothers Con.
trasted.

The Character Of the Brothers Com
trasted.
Correspondence Of the Springfield Republican.
About midway between Boston
and Fall River, on the line Of the
Old Colony and Newport railroads,
lies the town Of North Easton, the
birthplace and home Of Oakcs Ames
the man who just now stands in
so disgraccful prominence before
the American public. Perhaps
few items in regard to the town and
its leading industry may not be
without interest at this time. In
this place is the great shovel manu-
factory of O. Ames g. Co., the lar
gel establishment of this kind in
this country, and, it has been asser-
ted in the world. SO many work
men arg here employed, anu SO vast
IS the number of shOvels annually
manufactured, one would almost
think the market would be over
stocked and there would be no long.
err any call for this useful istru-
ment of toll. But the demand has
always kept pace with the supply,
often exceeding it, The number of
hands employed in the various de-
partmen.s of this factory ranges
from 300 to 400. In an ordinary
season, each days work produces
$500 shovels Oakes and Oliver
Amcs are the senior partners OF the
firm, and their sons comprise the
company.
Oliver Ames, SEN, the father Of
Oakes and Oliver, began the busi-
ness in very humble way, first as
Il manufacturer of nails, and then Of
shovels, in a small one-story build
ing with no machinery. We are
all familiar with the story of such
beginnings and such results. 1t is
only another instance Of the won
ders ofwhat can be accomplished by
patient effort and indomltable per-
severance. The little shop gave
way to larger one, each succeed
ing year saw steady gain over
the preceding, and when, ten years
ago, Oliver Ames died, his little
nail and shovel shops had grown to
be one of the leading industries Of
the nation, and Amcs' shovels were
known and used throughout the
world. He died at an advanced
age, having lived to see a flourish
ing town grow up around him.
which, in a large measure. owed to
him its existence and prosperity.
He was universally respected. \
keen, energetic man of business, yet
singularly straightforward and up
right in his dealings. What a mel
oncholy contrast is presented when
we see the son of this man "con-
taminating his fingers with base
bribes."
The Ames family have always
been interested in the welfare Of
North Easton, and every scheme for
public Improvement meets their
ready support and receives from
them substantial aid. They have
always been firm advocates OF the
temperance cause, and have waged
relentless warcfare against the liq
uor traffic in their midst. And this
has not been without its perceptible
effect, for l will venture to say that
no other town in the state, in which
the foreign element so largely pre-
dominates, can show so good rec,
ord as does this place Three or
four years ago, Oakes Ames began
building an elegant school-house,
with the intention of presenting it
to the district in which he lived,
but before the completion the school
district system was abolished, and,
not caring to include the whole
town in his libefality, he offered to
sell the building at slight advance
upon cost. After much controversy
upon the subject, the town finally
bought the house, and somo people
have been so ungenerous as to rs
sert that Mr.. Ames knew that this
measure was to be brought before
the legislature, and would probably
be successful, and he took advan-
tagc of this knowledge to realize a
few "dividends" by specializing in
school houses. OF the two brothers
Oliver Ames is the general favorite,
and he is certainly morally and in
tellectually the superior. If you
want a favor, go to Oliver; he will
grant it If it is within his power;
and if not, he will give you a cour-
teous refusal, which is more than
you will always get from Oakes,
who is as rough and blunt as one Of
his own shovels
The people of this village met
the Campaign slander" at first with
indignant denial, then with attemp-
ted defense, which has given place
to a feeling Of almost personal
shame and humiliation. The Ames
family had been held in such high
esteem that the defect of Oakes Is
keenly felt, and when he retires
from public life, whether that be the
result of the expiration of his term,
or of the expulsion which he so
richly deserves, he will find that he
has lost, much more easily than he
can regain, the confidence and es-
teen of his townsmcn.