The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-04-08

WIN tne assurance tnat ESQUIRE ray anu
others would do the main part of the
speech making. Mr. Ropes referred to the
push and ability that, from small begin |
ming, against many obstacles and under |
many adverse circumstances, had built up
business so large and tlourishing; he con-
graduated the host upon the fact that the |
new company would bear his name--an
honor that many years of faithful labor had
richly merited: the employees, upon their |
important part in the general prosperity OF
the business and the evidence of thrift and
intelligence their ranks presented; news
paper men were sometimes accused of doing
something in the way of "plating," but in
these observations real merit, skill and
ability were receiving only scant gliding;
he trusted that at the end OF each year the
old and new investors would still find strap
and buckle of the Investment not only
meeting but overlapping in ample profits;
the skill OF the workmeD, the ability aud ex-
perience OF the management, were ample
pledges that this would be the result OF the
new combination. Mr.. Fay referred proudly
to his career as greasy mechanic " la
boring at the bench side by side with many
others around the tables; he briefly sketched
the beginning and growth of the business;
congratulated this community upon the IA
vorable settlement of the question of the To-
cation of the new company and paid high
tribute to the host as a business man, a
man of kindly feelings as well as of push
and enterprise. Mr.. Cotton was called to
his feet and expressed the pleasure he felt
on seeing his employees and friends together;
he was not accustomed to speech making,
but when it comes to the matter of selling
concern hundred gross of buckles he was
at home and would make the sale before
he let go of the customers ear. Mr.. w. E.
Adams briefly and pleasantly responded to
the call for speech Captain j. b. Morse,
the superintendent OF the works, and fore
man for score of years past was called
out and spoke for the interest he and his
fellow workmen had in the business, and
their regard for Mr.. Cotton. Crisp and
pertinent remarks were made by 7. j.
Keegan, A. p. Hartwell w. w. Wilson,
George M. Felt, NJ. G. Canning and others
of the veterans of the working force. Par
ticularly pertinent and suggestive was Mr..
Keegan's reference to the union and har-
mony that should exist between labor and
capital, which was well illustrated in the
relations existing between this COM
pany and its employers, and appeared
in the exhibition of sympathy and mutual
good will at that times Besides those men
toned above, the following were with the
company prior to 1885. and are still in its
service Il. e. Clogston, II. d. Currier, II.
A. Young, Arthur Felt, G. r. Tyler, M. d.
Sturtevant, George Silloway, q. l. Davis,
G. r. Nevieux, John Stanley, Coils Laferty,
w. A. Green. Retiring to the parlors, the
company was entertained by songs by va
rious members of the force, and Mr. Keegan
recited effectively the battle OF F0ntenOy
and King Henry of Navarro"
Mr.. Colton's connection with the plating
business in Montpelier dates from the spring
OF 1858, when he came from Massachusetts
and began work as a journeyman silver
platter for Fisher & Stratton, copartner-
ship that was formed in 1854, and was em-
ploying five or six men, The process then
was "close plating" The article to be
| plated was filed smooth, FURNISHED, the sill
| yer applied in thin "leaves" and soldered.
A large number of men were needed to do
| a relatively small amount OF work. In 1861
Mr.. Cotton bought Mr.. Stratton's interest
and the firm became Fisher & Cotton. In
| 1862 Mr.. Cotton began travelling, and for
ten years sold goods from cart, the firm
| employing twelve to fifteen men. In 1870
they began to extend their trade and to sell
| to jobbers of saddlery hardware in New
England. In 1871. they bought out the con-
cern of Flanders * Kinson, and Mr.. Kinson
became partner under the firm name Of
Fisher, Cotton & Kinson. In 1877 Mr.. Kin
son retired from the business and the firm,
resuming the old title of Fisher & Cotton,
began the work of nickel plating-nickel
| having begun to supplant silver in the
production of plated hardware. The busi-
ness outgrew the capacity of their work
shop, and the firm rented one half of the
second floor of the first Of the line of shops
on the Berlin side, now owned by Fred e.
Smith. Then they employed four or five
tire upper part of this shop. Mr. E. p.
johnson in that year purchased Mr.. Fish
| er's interest. The firm name became john
son & Cotton. New capital was invested.
Mr.. johnson assumed the local business
and financial management; Mr.. Cotton re-
tained the place of salesman, and the
business underwent rapid expansion.
In 1889 the office and sales-room were re-
moved to the Berlin side. The works were
occupying the three stories and basement
of building one hundred feet in length by
forty feet in width, and were employing a
force of about forty workmen. The busi-
ness had grown rapidly in extent and in
financial prosperity. In August, 1890, Mr.
johnson was killed in a railway accident at
Quincy Death dissolved a partnership
that had been singularly happy in its per
sonal relations and prosperous financially
The business was continued until recently
under the old firm name, when the interest
of Mr.. Johnson's estate was purchased
the business put into a stock company
sty led the Cotton Manufacturing Company
having cash capital of $4,000, Mr.. Col.
ton, Mr.. w. Il. Adams and Mr.. f. M
Cory, all of Montpelier, furnishing the
capital and constituting the company
Captain j. B. Morse, the efficient foreman
for twenty years, will retain the super
vision of the manufacturing. The company
will have the benefit and advantage Of an
old, experienced and devoted body OF
skilled workmen, all supplemented by
Mr.. Coltons unrivaled ability as a sales
man. Mr.. Theron Cotton, a son of Mr.. H
Q. Cotton, will have charge of the shipping
department. Miss j. Q. Walker is the eff
cient book keeper and cashier OF the com
,, parry and is assisted by Mr.. Harry Cotton
another son of Mr.. Cotton. The company IL
/, constituted for business and its business
will unquestiOnably increase in extent anC
prosperity.