The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-07-25
THE INDUSTRIES or WESTERN
vERhONT.
MiddlotOIvn.
A. W. GRAY And SONS.

A. W. GRAY AND SONS.
Nestled among the green hills OF Yer
mont, with Its healing waters, pure atmos-
phere, and cool nights, is located the village |
of Middletown, which has in late years,
through its springs and fine hotel, become
n favorite place as a quiet and heal.hful |
summer resort and retreat most desirable |
for one who seeks rest and recreation. The |
name and fame of Middletown springs is of |
a recent origin, yet for the past thirty.fou
years the town has been favoraby known
throughout our whole country, from north |
to south, from east to west. not on account
of its healthrestoring waters-not from the
fame of its hotel, which is now visited by
those who seek for while to throw off the
cares and perplexities of business or city
life, but from the fact that for that number
of years has been located here a manufac.
turing enterprise which is almost (if not
quite) agricultural in its productions, and
has tended greatly to the equalization of
capital and which is now almost as essential
to good farmer, as is pillow or moving
machine, and which in few months time
will save more than its cost We refer to the
celebrated horse power manufactured by
\. W. GRAY AND SONS,
the manufacture of which was first COM
menced in this place by A. w. Gray, in
1910, who for a few years made what was
called sweep power, but which he was
soon obliged to abandon, for the reason
that it would not compete with the then
called tread power, it taking three horses
on the former to do the work of one on the
latter. In 1912 he secured bis first patent
on the tread power and commenced its
manufacture on small scale, doing his
work alone, and turning out during the year
about twelve machines Business continued |
along in this way for several years, but as
every machine was made in the best man
ncr, from the best of material, is it sur
prising that the name and reputation of |
them spread more and more, until orders
from more distant parts of the country
came IN, and as they became better known |
the business commenced Increasing.
Mr. Gray secured the first patent on the /
present power, and believing that in this |
business, as in all others, ''young men to |
do the work, and older ones to advise he |
associated with him in the business his son, |
Leonidas Gray, under the firm name of \. |
w Gray & Son. Under the new patent |
the popularity Of their machines increased |
to such an extent that they were obliged TO |
seek more commodous quarters, and ac-
cordingly they purchased n building for |
merly used as a wooden mill. The old |
building used By them is now occupied as a |
store-house, and presents a striking con-
trast when viewed by the side of the build
ings now occupied by the firm
IN july, 1862
a reissue of the first patent was secured, by
4 special act of congress- made necessary
by some irregularity in the application for
the new issue, and in 1866 another son, A.
!. Gray, was admitted to the firm, the firm
name since that time being A. W. Gray
& Sons. In 1862 patent on improvements |
was also secured, and another one in 1873. |
THE BUILDINGS
The first building in which the manufac-
ture Of these machines was commenced is
still standing, it being 90 by 80 feet, the |
machinery in it being carried by horse
power. This building was used for several !
years, when another one, SO by 46 feet, was
procured, the power in which was carried |
by water, and three men were employed |
instead Of one. This building was the
WOODEN factory before spoken of, but only |
the ground floor was then raised In 1865 |
they secured the whole building which gave |
them room enough for only short time
when, as their business was still increasing,
they built additions to it, and have kept on |
adding until now they have factory sc by |
SO feet, built of brick, and four stories high, |
Il basement; attached to it being |
an engine-house, is by &c feet, also built
of brick. Connected with the works is a
blacksmith shop, so by 20 feet dry houses,
store houses and dry sheds in abundance,
some OF them being three stories high, all
of which are well filled with lumber, in ad.
dition to which, their extensive yards, com.
prsinS about two acres, are always well
as they generally have several
hundred thousand feet on hand, mostly
maple, oak and ash, most of which they
buy standing which they cut and saw
themselves-thereby making a near market
Tor those who wish to sell.
THE POWER
used is water and steam, the works being
supplied with 20 horse power Lefiells
turbine wafer wheel, and 40 horse power
tiscue steam engine, the waste from the
shops supplying all the fuel for the engine
THE MACHINERY
n the works was nearly all invented by the
lroprietors themselves and made expressly
or them. This has been the result of many
ears hard study and labor, in consequence
If which no works IN the state are better
provided with machinery first-cass in every
aspect than are these, and so true is its
notion, that when standing on any of the
loors one can hardly feel jar.
THE PRECAUTIONS
against fire are ample and of the best kind,
he works being provided with a fire engine,
to them alone, with hose enough
o reach any part of the buildings or the
'ards, and on each floor are large tubs of
water and fire extinguishers, and n watch
nan is on duty every night
TIE FIRM
low employ fifty men, and manufacture