Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-02-20
.IryA GAZETTE & VIRGINIA ADVERTISER
The Alnes Family.

! correspondent of the Springfield Republi-
,.n writes Of North Eeaton, the birthplace and
bnm,. Of Oakcs Amcs, the mau who just now
stands in such prominence before the American
,nhir The town lies midway between Bcs-
20 and Fall River, on the line of the Cd
ro,onr and Newport Railroad. In this place
! tLe great shove! manufactory Of .. Ames 4
"a The number of hands employed in the
rariou, departments Of this factory ranges from
%D, TO 400. In an ordinary season each day
work produces 5000 shovels. Cakes and Oliver
lmcs are the senior partners OF the hrm, and
their sons comprise the company.
Oliver Ames, Sr., the father of Cakes and
Oliver, began the business IN very humble
way. first as a manufacturer Of nails, aud then
of ,hoycls. in a small one-story building, with
no machinery. The little shop gave way to- a.
i.rccr one; each succeeding year saw a steady
r,;u over the preceding, and when, ten years
a,n, Oliver Amcs died, his little nail and sho-
vi sL,.ps had grown to be one OF the leading
i,iu,,,i : of the nation, and Ames' shoreis
were kuown and used throughout the world.
H. dirl Il, ap advanced age, having lived to
St., houri<Eing town grow up around MN,
which in large measure owed to him its eX-
i,Ic1ct aud prosperity. He was universally re-
>,,cicd--a keen. en'rgetlc man OF BUSINESS,
y., siugularly sra; ;yh. forward and upright IN
dyaiug..
tercstcl in the welfare OF North Eas:on, and
every scheme for public Improvement meets
Their ready support aGd receives from their
substantial ad. They have always been ad-
yuc,tes Of the temperance cause, aud have
wa.cd relentless warfare against the liquor
traffic in their midst. And this has not
been without It's percep'ble effect, for l will
venture to say that 10 other town in the State,
in which the foreign element so largely pre-
dominates, eau show 50 good i temperance re-
cord as does this place. Three or four years
ago OakcS Ames began building an elegant
school house, with the intention OF presenting
i, to the district in which he resides, but be-
was abolished, and, not caring to Include the
the building at a sIig ht advance upon cost.
After much controversy upon the subject the
town fially bought the house, and some peo-
re have been 50 ungenerous as to assert that
llr, AucS knew that this measure was to be
brought before the Legislature, and would
probably be successful, and he took advantage
o! this kngwedgc to realize few dividends
ty >cculating 10 school houses Of the two
brothers Oliver Ames is regarded the general
tavoritc anl he. is certainly morally and intel
lcctualh the superior. If you want favor 20
to Oliver; he will grant it if it is within his
power; and if not he will give you courteous
refusal, which is more than you will always get
rem 0akes, who is as rough and blunt as Que
Of hi own shovels
The lcoplc of this village met the Cam
palgn SANDER at first with indignant denial,
them with attempted defence, which has given
place TO a feeling of almost personal shame and
humiliation. The Ames family has been held
IN such high esteem that the detection Of Cakes
Skcrniv felt