The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-07-01

n must be stated too, with justice to
IN facts. that the t,stey Organ Works
Enadc Brattlcboro and not vice YER
: as is some times inslnuated. In a
nall huilding.an illustration OF winch
ppears in this work. the Estey Organ
Eirks had its inception TINS bulld
Gnp stood Just below the Main street
Hrdgr and was owned by Jacob Estey,
"a that time hard working mechanic
&ho occupied the lower floor with hls
S,sincss In 1916 the upper story was
kased for the purpose Of manuiactur-
3no meIodeons. which continued for
Rw wears with indifferent success, but
Hnallv in 40, the gold fever affected
BrattIcboro like other New England
kwns. and as result the enterprise
kcntualIy came into the hands of Mr..
Estey.
n I'm due season, he was called upon to
BNerrise another of the gifts with
Which he was endowed: viz, the art
III selling. 1t was comparatively easy,
ken in those days, to make melo-
8eon. crude though it would seem to-
Ray, but quite another thing to sell
"A Very few people had heard of such
thing; fewer knew how to use one.
Ind fewer still how to teach their use
BID people here delight in telling how
Il the Deacon. as they called hlh'
bsed to load up on Monday morning
Bright and early, with his bright
Shining instruments, and traverse
Every hamlet in this vicinity until II
became as well known to him as ms
bwn village. All over Vermont. into
['anada. over into York State, and
In all the neighboring country his in
EomitabIc spirit took him, and he al
kays sold out his stock.
MIR. Estev never could be called a
musician. and he often enjoyed a
hearty laugh as he recounted the days
hen in his travels he used to receive
Invitations to "enter the choir loft y
b. SUNDAY, for he always was a
fhurch going man.
As to receiving money for the IN e
etruments. he was not particular, Tor
b. was always sure to turn the pro
eeeds into cash very soon. In tins
Nav the foundation of this immense
business was laid.
In 1857 the manufactory was dcs-
frovcd by fire and the growth of the
business ttllldlltillS liloi' i''tii' - -
hnd far more commodious building was
Erected on the opposite side OF the
stroct which is now known as the Brat
|tehoro House. In time this also
|proycd inadequate and in 1850 the four
|etory building. now owned by >. A.
Smith IL CO., was erected.
h In the wear 1869 the most disastrous
hood that Southern Vermont has ever
|knuWn swept down through tins mar
|row valley of the Milestone brook,
|and well-nigh swept their new shops
|snd lumber all away. The shop stood,
however, but the ordeal was too severe
H. be experienced again, and new
hract of land lying west of the village
tn a succession of terraces was bought,
|and eventually fourteen large factor
ies were erected. only eight of which,
hoWcver. face the street, and are shown
6n the cut above. .,
Jacob Estcy. the founder of this well
|knuwn institution was native OF
|IIinsdale. born in 1914. He died in
April 1880. OF him we have only
|hcard words of respect and apprccia
|tion where ever we have spoken ms
|namc, Every man who mas
|rvcr gone from the insti-
tuition to delve in pastures new has a
|kind word for the deacon. The
wages paid at the Estey Works have
always been liberal beyond question,
and Brattleboro today boasts many re
tail merchants of importance whose
ample wages, earned at the Estey
Works. afforded them the nucleus for
aeir after business adventures. The
hcrality of the concern has been evl-