Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-05-08
A LOSS TO THE CITY.
Death Last Evening Of
Hon. William F. SayIes.
SKETCH OF HIS BUSY LIFE,
How He Arose From Poor Lad to 9
Wealthy and Influential Citizen.

The city was shocked last evening to
Sayles. lie had been Ill since Thursday
ana his condition was critical Sunday,
but yesterday he was thought to be i'm
proving.
His trouble was pneumonia of the
bronchial tubes, with which was COM
plicated an insufficiency OF heart action.
He was attended by DIR. Robert Miller of
Providence and DIR. Shattuck OF Boston.
The funeral will be held on Thursday sf-
ternoon.
he was in his 10th year.
William Francis Sayles was born In
Pawtucket, Sept. 81, 1924, aud was lineal
descendant of Roger Williams.
His father, Clark Sayles, was a mer.
chant and master builder, and his mother
Mary Ann Sayles, was Of the Olney
family. His education was gained In the
Fruit Hill Classical Institute and the
Seekonk Classical School and was finished
in Phillips Academy, in Andover.
Upon the completion of his education
he entered in 1912 the commercial house
of Shaw d Earle, In Providence, first as
bookkeeper, then as salesman, being fual-
ly entrusted with the financial affairs OF
the concern.
Ii 1S47 Mr.. Sayles purchased what Is
now the Moshassuck Bleachery, but
which was then used as print works.
This bleschery Is located in the town OF
Lincoln, about two miles from Pawtucket.
Soon after he bought the property he be-
gan the erection of additional buildings
and converted the establishment into a
bleachery OF shirtings and sheetings, with
a capacity OF two and one half tons per
day. He had no previous knowledge OF
the business and was hampered by lack OF
capital; yet by close application he stead
lily increased the capacity Of the plant,
until, In the spring OF 1854, he bleached
daily about four tons OF the finest grade
OF cetton goods made In the country.
By this time he had established a high
reputation and about three fourtbs OF all
the fine goods manufactured were brought
TO his works to be blcached. In June,
1854, the entire establish nent was de-.
stroyed by fire and the work OF years was
swept away in a few hours. Not daunted
by this, Mr.. Sayles at once started the
work of rebuilding on larger scale and
with more permanent structure la the
autumn OF that year an establishment ca :
pable OF producing six tons of bleache
goods day was in successful operation.
In 1866 the bieachsry was again en-
larged, and the capacity of the works, has
gradually been increased unt IL the capac-
ity is now about 80 tons, or 300. 600 yards
a day, and the buildings, with their sur
roundings, cover an area nf 80 acres.
MIR. Sayles had always from the Begin
nIng taken a great interest in the Welt re
of hs employees. Soon after he sta rted his
works he was Instrumental in having a
district school organized, and la June,
1860, he organized Sunday school. of
which he was Superintendent with a brief
interval from its founding until MS death.
In 1873 he, with his brother, ert ted on
the high grounds overlooking the
bleachery a memorial chapel of Westerly
granite to the memory OF their deceased
children, whose usmes are on marble tab
let's on either side OF the pulpit. The Sum
day school, which had heretofore been
held in the district school house, was now
transferred here. Several years later the
brot thers erected large hall for the use
OF those in their employ.
village sprang up around the works,
and when the post Office was established
IL was called Saylesville, after the owners
OF the bleachery
In 1864, Mr.. Sayles admitted his brot her,
Frederick c. Ssyles To part nership in the
concern. In 1877 The Messrs. Sayles built
the Moshassuek Valley Railroad, which
connects their bleachery with Woodlawn,
where II joins the Consolidated road. Mr..
Sayles WAS elected President and his
brother was made Treasurer. The village
OF Lorraine, midway between Moshassuck k
Bleachery and Woodlawn, is also the
creation OF the Sayles's. Here are the ex-
tensive Lorraine Mills, where the finest
dress goods made in this country are pro
duced. Here also the Ssyies's have
erected chapel for operatives.
On Commencement Day at Brown Uni
versity, 1875, President Robinson read To
the assem- bled graduates letter from Mr..
Sayles, in which he offered the university y
the sum of s50, 600 for the erection OF a
building as a memorial to his son, Will
Ham Clark Ssy,es, VINO died Feb. Ia, 1875,
while student at the college. Com
mencemeDt Day had been selected tor the
announcement, because on that day his
son would have graduated had he lived.
The Sum was afterwards Increased to 800,
600 ana Sayles Memorial Hall vas dedi-
Gated, with appropriate and impressive
ceremonies June 4, 1881.
MIR. SsyIes's acknowledged ability as =
fiuancier, as well as his integrity, ssgscity
and Tccuracy, had led to his appointment
to various positions Df trust and respon-
sibility III moneyed circles aud caused his
counsel to be often sought In financial
matters wSeD good and quick judgmen I
was necessary. He was President of the
Slater National Bank OF this city, and a
Director OF the Third National Bank OF
Providence.
In addition to the mills at Lorraine end
Moshassuck, he was large stock holder
In number OF corporations. He was
President OF the Slater Cotton Company
and, in fact, started the company. He
was stock holder ana director In mills
ia Massachusetts. and q director in the
Ponemsh Mills, the largest concern OF he
kind In Connecticut, and one oi me lsrg
est In the country.
He was President OF the Pawtucket Free
Public Library up to the time of his deaf n,
and since 1879 had been q member OF the
BOARD of trustees Of Brown Universttv