The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-10-27
Simpson, Hall Miller co-Walhngiofo

New England is covered all over with
busy, go-ahead manufacturing towns.
They give the East great advantage over
the West and South in wealth and intiu-
ence and position. Among the manufac-
turers in these places may be found those
whose memory runs back to the time when
brass buttons and swallow tailed coats were
just going out of fashion, andtthe news OF
Waterloo and the first Napoleon were fresh
topics of the day, and the poetry OF byron
was enhancing the literary world. It was
in the early spring of 1929, that Mr.. Simp-
son the senior of the great establishment
named above began working white metal
hardware. In the forty-four years that
have passed, Mr.. Simpson has built up. q
business second to none in the commercial
magnitude popularity and historical inter
est, in that Re is now looked upon as the
pioneer in the trade, being the first to
wrest from the old country to the pres
tige in metal and plated goods. When he
began, on the shelves and in the cup
boards of the well,todo New Highlander
was to be seen the bullying fagons and
massive dishes of old fashion pewter,
which had been brought from the old
country by the contemporaries Of Cromwell,
and, escaping the revolution, had been
handed down as heirlooms. These are
nearly obsolete and in their places are the
productions of this great firm-dlshes OF
all kinds, artistic in design, moulded on the
most classic models, rlvallng in beauty
the vases of Etrusca, or the beaten silver
work of Benvenuto Cellini; the highest
point of art is reached and the most tasti-
dious taste for loneliness OF form gratitied
and supplied. OF course none but the
most skilled workmen are employed, who,
living in a world of correct form, acquire
taste for the elegant which is reproduced
in their works, and as careful in the most
minute details and perfect finish of the
articles they produce as though the verdict
of Jury of medieval metallurgists had to
be passed upon their workmanship. This
perfection is due to Mr. Simpson, though he
will not claim the honor, every jeweler
accords it to him, and remote must be the
dealer WHO has not at some time handled
the production of the house of Simpson,
Hall, Miller & Co. The artistic taste, skill
ed labor, literally expended capital, and
commercial vigor, have made their wares
for table and toilet celebrated and pre-
ferred throughout the United States
From the first Mr.. Simpson determined tc
excel, and the wares his house send out
have acquired much Of the popularity
| from the massive manner in which they
are overlaid with the precious metal, from
the design and finish given to them under
his immediate superintendent. by the
skilled artists whom the firm employ. The
goods from this house are daily increasing
in popularity and sales, and in that crea
tive faculty which produces things Of
beauty, that careful labor which makes
thoughts facts, and produces in metal the
subtle idea of the artist, and that CONNER
clal rectitude which gives to each its weight
value aud utility, the firm has been ena
bled to rival, it not eclipse, the finest spec
linens produced by the formerly popular
houses of Sheffield or Birmingham. Fron
time to time the firm has had to widen it
borders, increase its facilities of produc
ton, and prepare for a market every da,
becoming more extensive and universal
The sales are not confined to our own coun
try, but goods are shipped to South Amer
lea, the colonies, and the European nation
very largely Although the works are
Wallingford Conn, the firm has a mag
ni6cent salesroom in lordly Broadway, NeS
York. This firm is well and favoraoi
/ known In this city, as the wares in many
house will testify. And it gives us pleas
ure to notice it thus at length, especially a
{ we have personal acquaintance with MIR
Simpson, who we know to be an excellen
, and honorable gentleman, richly deservin
the wealth and distinction he has won h
his own perseverance and industry.