Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-06-23
David aaydo,e,. Hammers.

A GOOD MECHANIC BY FAITHFUL APPRENTICEsHIP--
WHO HE MADE GOOD HAMMERs, AND BUILT Up A
GREAT INDUSTRY.
Norwich, N. Y, is little inland town of which
the reader, unless he is carpenter, has, per-
hAps, never heard Until within four years no
railroad ran within thirty miles of it, Yet here
grew up one Of the most nportant hammer fac
tories III the world, which largely supplies the
home market and exports its products to all
parts OF the world where hammers are used
The reason of the development of such a bus-
ness III such locality ls a simple one 1t IL be-
cause there lived there man who could make
bet, or hammers than were made elsewhere, and
who could keep doing it after he had secured a
market for his wares His story, told in hls own
way. Is one which the thousands OF young
mechanics and tradesmen with the destructive
notion that the way to riches and happiness Is
do the least work for the most money, aud to no
more than will suffice to enable them to earn
journeymens wages, will do we'll do ponder. We
reproduce the essential parts OF it.
People have said 10 me great many times
How lucky you have been Mr.. Maydole. |
tell them there has been 10 luck about IT, When
was fifteen years old le., my home IN Court
land county and walked twenty miles to Oxford
through the snow in February, with all had in
the world done up IN pocket handkerchief, aud
entered a blacksmith shop an apprentice /
worked faithfully six years for my yictuals and
clothes, aud when got through had only my
freedom suit and poor one at that, but didn't
owe man dollar. had no lost time to make
up, and was master of my trade | knew 1t IN
all branches not only IN common blacksmlthlng
bat III mIll-writins aud In making and mendIng
tools. Several OF the apprentices in the shop
with me, after working year or two, quit and
Went to work for wages, They used to say that
l Was a fool to serve out my whole time but was
bound to become perfectly acquainted with my
business, and held on Every one of these men
ID working for wages to this day they never
succeeded, because they never half learned their
trade. After | had served out my time | went
4 n
work steel to advantage. After six years OF this
wotk | came to NJrwlch and opened a shop
OCCASIONALLY made hammer for carpenter.
While the Baptist Church was building squad
OF six men came down from Oneida to Work on
1t. one OF them lost his hammer, and came TO
me to make him one. l did 30, and the next
day, the other five came, and every one wanted
q hammer. Then the boss came and wanted
two. He asked me to mako them little better
than those foc his men. l told INN | could Mt
make them better, but would do as well as could
He took them up to the hardware store and
asked them why they didn't sell such hammers
as those They said they were not to be
had in the market. +" Why then, don't
you get your Maydole, here, to make you some Z:
They came to me for couple Of dozen and took
them to New York to a hardware merchant ln
Nassua street. He liked them only was afraid
the price was so high that they wouldn't sell, but
finally sent back an order for twenty dozen
more. That about swamped me at the time, but
! got man to help me- opened another fire, and
suon hled 1t. When other orders came III, as
they did fast after that built extra forges nven-
ted "a block, shaping the hammers on for machi-
merry for grinding, polishing turning the handles,
making the wedges, etc, but have never been
able in twenty-five years to catch up with my Or
ders but once
Ma Maydole did not begin life as an eight
hour man. . For weeks together have stood
- at the anvil fifteen hours ont of the twenty
- four. Soon after starting in business he took
psrtner, a good workman and very fast. In
eighteen months they separated, his apron lay
too much on the anvil MIR. Maydoles motto
has been he says, " to excel, and not - to un-
dersell His hammers cost more at Wholesale
than those Of most makers at retail. He never
let's a hammer bear his name unless tits as nearly
perfect as skilled labor eau make it, Every one
with flaw. however insignificant, is stamped
with an assumed trade mark and sold at low
price.