St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-04-02

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this company for work for the last
month was the largest for a number of
months. He has also re-cut the files
for the Howe Scale Company since
1869, which amounts, also, to many
hundred dollars annually, and the bill
against this company for the last month
was larger than for many months past.
Mr.. Mutt does the work for all the mar
BILE shops, for all the leading mills in
the state, and considerable in Canada.
He has done S140O worth of work for
the leading Pistol Works in Worcester,
Mass, and also good deal for Gage,
Porter & Co., saw manufacturers of
Fisherville, N. H.
The average help at these works is
about ten men. Charles Mutt is just
commencing to break in carefully a
little ten years old son, and he has some
pride in thinking that representatives
of three generations can work side by
side. He has himself worked at this
trade 251 years. They are now behind
orders, and must increase their help to
the full capacity of the shops by anOth-
er month. On April 1st they volunta-
rily increase the wages of their help
from 10 to Is per cent. From here we
step into the counting room of
MILLER AND RYAN,
Carriage makers. 1t will be superfu-
Gus for us to speak of the reputation of
John D. Miller as fIst-class manufac-
turer, for all know it. But we wish to
saw, that he comes from an old stock of
natural mechanics-many of his rela-
tives in the past having gained just pop
ularity in the various trades, among
which was that of carriage making.
Mr.. Miller's father, and two uncles were
engaged in this business (; two of these
brothers established themselves in Lyn-
don, and one in Brattleboro, over fifty
wears ago. j. D. Miller was raised in
the shops, and has always followed this
business. Having now been in St.
Johnsbury for many years, and not feel
ing so much like a young man as for
merly, he has taken Mr.. Ryan as part
ner, who has been with him for 13 years.
Since the hard times commenced, car
riage making is not what it once was,
but at this juncture it looks quite prom
Using. Formerly, Mr.. Miller employed
large number of men, and has turned
out 200 buggies and fifty sleighs yearly,
and their business amounted to S25, 200
annually. The company are now doing
considerable business in a careful and
prudent way. Eight men are now en-
ployed in the various departments,
making new and repairing old work,
and are having all they can do.
In the manufacture of carriages it re-
quires the skill of four distinct trades
wheelwright and general woodworker,
blacksmith, painter, and trimmer,
or worker in leather; and to make good
work, each of these departments must
have a master workman. While
carriages are made lighter and more
delicate than formerly, it is claim
ed that the greatest of care is taken in
the selection of material and the max
iDg-the wheels, for one thing, being
now principally bound with steel tires,
which gives them not only strength but
elasticity and further consideration
is, an old fashioned heavy buggy could
not now be sold if it were made; and
still further, in the best made carriages
there is much durability, as they are
driven miles now where they were used
but little 40 or so years ago. Now,
four trades, independent of each other,
put their best efforts into carriage max
ing, while formerly one man, with only
one trade, was obliged to do it all, OF
with help that knew no more about it
than he did.
The manufacture of wheels is consid-
cred a very important part of this
trade. In this department Mr.. Miller
has had the skill of his brother Nor
man, who has made this his sole bust
ness for 35 years. Other experienced
men, such as Mr.. Grout, the trimmer,
and Mr.. Crosby, the painter, are en-
ployed here. The rims, hubs, spokes
and shafts, now constitute industries
by themselves, and are manufactured
in Portland, Boston and New Jersey,
from which places the company get
some of their stock. Formerly, oak
timber for spokes was split out, hewed
and shaved by hand, and driven into
the hubs before they were finished. One
would laugh to see business done this
way now.
) The Miller carriages are sold almost
, everywhere, and orders have been re-
ceived recently from Minneapolis and
Redwood Falls, Minn., where eight
were sold at one time, and where they
are being sent at intervals. Last yeaI
this company built 100 wagons. They
build nearly everything that runs on
wheels-single and double lumber
wagons, express and meat wagons, and
F all styles of buggies, also hearses. They
are ready to fill any order in their line
of business. In old stage times the
Millers built coaches-many of them
going to the South. A frst-rate booted
buggy, really the best pattern ever got
ten up, is now worth about Sl00. Fol
the most part, carriage stock is costly
n,atap;ol and Of tbiS tin,a tho prioac n nc