The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-04-25
PERSEVERANCE MILLS.

PERSEVERANCE MILLS.
As we glance at our note. book and see
the memoranda gathered there concern
ing the business life of Mr.. VIM. Nc
Cready, we feel that no mere newspaper
mention can do justice to it, and yet in
its outlining there may be found food for
reflection. 1t is very true that what we
write may be familiar as "thrice-told
tale'' to the majority of our readers, still
it is often well enough to refresh memo
ries, and preserve in print sketches of
those who by their own force of character
and persistency of purpose have risen
superior to adverse circumstances.
Mr.. McCready is native of New York
City, aud there and in Bucks county, Pa,
he learned the hatters trade. In May,
1887, he established hat factory in the
neighboring village of New Hope. Nor
ris Large was similarly engaged in Lam
bertville, and the following year, 1888,
Mr. McCready bought out Mr.. Large and
combined the two establishments, his fac
tory and salesroom being upon Bridge
street, near the canal bridge. Subsequent
| ~ he bnilt a factory at the corner of Main
and Bridge streets-which was afterwards
burned. As a hat manufacturer he did
large jobbing and retail trade-i. G.. large
when the capacity of his factory is taken
into consideration, and this business he
continued until 1857, when he abandoned
it and turned his attention to milling, for
the two following years operating the up
per mills, now run by Holcomb & Niece.
At the expiration of these two years he
again made ga new departure, engaging
| in the hardware trade, which for three
years he carried on upon an extensive
scale, occupying the stand where A. c.
Gandey now is. Then he turned his at
tention to packing hay for the Govern
ment, and at the same time was extern
sively engaged in the fax business. In
1862 or '63 while also conducting other
business enterprises we have mentioned,
| Mr.. McCready first became identified with
the paper making industry, beginning at
the Great Spring Mills, at Ingham's Spring,
about three miles from New Hope. When
they were destroyed by fire he re-estab-
lished himself in this city, building mill
almost in the very heart of Lambertville.
| These mills he christened Perseverance
| Mills, and by that name they are known
from one end Of the country to the other.
1t was well chosen name. Five times
Mr.. McCready had suffered by fires, and
each fire was undoubtedly the result of
| incendiarism. The first fire resulted in
the destruction of his hat factory /; the
second destroyed his hay press !; the third
consumed his flax mill |; the fourth de-
stroyed large tow house and contents !;
/ the fifth resulted in the complete destrue-
ton of his paper mill in Pennsylvania.
Qualification by fire. may be good
thing, but it is possible to have too much
of a good thing.
Many men, feeling that they were pur.
sued by some implacable enemy or one
mics, cowardly enough to resort tothe
incendiary's methods, would have aban-
doned the struggle or removed to another
part of the country. But Mr.. McCready
was made of sterner stuff. He was de-
termined to fight it out here, and he has
done so.
Perseverance, Mills were built with
capacity for producing / 800 lbs. of paper
per day. Since then the original buildings
have been added to, a systematic plan be-
ing pursued, so that a uniformity of ar
chiteetural appearance is preserved. At
the same time the productive capacity has
been increased from 1900 lbs. to nearly
four tons per day. In their external APP
pearauce the Perseverance, Mills are the
most notable object In the city-in their
arrangement the necessities of the trade
have been carefully looked after, and not
better appointed paper mill is to be
found in the State. Large as the premi-
ses are they do not afford sufficient room,
and we understand it is Mr.. McCready's
intention to build large warehouse at no
distant day.
The mills give employment to an aver
age force of thirty five workmen. The
motive power is supplied by three en-
gines, two of 100-horse power each and
one of 0-horse power, and one turbine
water wheel of 95-horse power. The
boiler capacity is, of course, very large.
Among other machinery in use we first
notice the two magnificent paper making
machines, each 81 feet in length. One of
these machines is 94-inch cylinder the
other is 90, and the apartment IN which
they stand is fully $50 feet deep. There
are twelve so-called "rag engines" and
the necessary complement of rotary boil
ers, rag cutters, refining engines. &c.
The raw material used is MANILA and
jute rope and jute butts /; a large quantity
of alum, bleaching powder, soda ash and
other chemicals are also required.
The product of the Perseverance Mills
is confined exclusively to Hour sack paper
and manilas. We had the curiosity to
somewhat closely examine the first named
article lille at the mills the other day
our examination, doubtless, was very diff
ferent from that which an expert would
make, but we wished to see for ourselves
to form our own impressions. Certainly
the finish was all that could be desired,
while the tenacity of the fibre was ex.
tremely great-in brief, it seemed to us
that better paper for the purpose could
scarcely be made. The manufacturers oil
-four sacks throughout the country are
evidently of similar impression. Mosl
of the product of the mills find its market
in the cities Of New York and Phila
delphia.
In the course of quite lengthy cha
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