The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-03
Wall Paper Manufac-
turing Began in
Worcester.
HISTORY OF ITS GROWTH.
Interesting "reminiscences
of Abraham FL.
Newton.

,rfancv to strong manhood IS always
i,teresting to trace, especially if it had
q. birth in Worcester and in today's
Sow Abraham H. Newton tells of the
uro,rtb of wall paper manufacturing
shicb began in Worcester over. sixty
yoars ago. Mr. Newton learned the
,-ada when a young man and was the
ersr manufacturer of wall paper to
n,int the paper by means Of machinery,
and hence is fully able to tell all about
It.
aIn the early days of the town Of
worcester" said he, "the common way,
and for that matter about the only way
,nown then of cleaning and sweetening
,be walls and ceilings of rooms was by
tho free use of lime whiteWash and
common French yellow wash, with the
svcontion of halls and Railways and
ne hest rooms of taverns, which had
landscape scenery painted on the walls,
Tbasa crude ways of changing the APP
nearance of the interior Of dwellings
sortinued until about the year 1880,
when eolored paper hangings of French
and English manufacture began to
chow themselves and were used to a
/ limited extent. The paper on which
thew were printed was made in sheets
/ Of II feet, then printed and rolled in
fight rolls, numbered or marked ready
for the market. e
4The first paper hangings manufac
turing in the town of Worcester was
begun in the~year 1885 or 1896 by a
wung Englshman named Joseph M.
Barry, who started a small place on
Central street, in little old building
Standing over the then uncovered
brook little east from Main street.
He began business by hanging papers
during the day and printing them at
night designing and cutting his own
prints, which were cut on blocks about
is inches square. These blocks con-
sisted Of two boards about IS inches
square and one inch thick. one board
being Of pine and the other hard wood
usually maple. After being made
level they were glued and screwed
firmly together with the grain of the
wood placed at right angles in order to
keep the blocks from walDing When
the blocks thus prepared had become
perfectly dry and seasoned, the de-
sign was engraved on the hard wood
side of the block, making it necessary
to have as many blocks as there were
figures, if it was desired to print colOrs.
When not in use the blocks were piled
up in the cellar, with a heavy weight
nlaCed on top to keep them from warp
ing,
Mr. Barry had 50 far established
himself in business that the following
May, 1881 he was assessed for $500 in
restment in the business, the tax on
which was $204, and with his poll tax
Of $50, made his full tax 1884, being
at the rate of $4.08 per $1,000. In 1898
he was taxed for $1,000, his total tax
being $5.SS, and in 1910 he was assessed
On $3.50, with a total tax of $50, show
ing good business. In 1S41 the assess
rent on his stock and machinery was
$500, making his total tax $13.u, thus
showing his plant to be a profitable
one
Wanting more room, Mr.. Barry
moved to the corner of Exchange and
Cypress Streets into a long, one-story
wooden building for his mandatory,
with separate buildings for storehouse
and barn At this time Mr.. Barry was
50 elated with his prosperity and sue
cess in business that he wanted to get
INTO larger place and nearer to q
market for his goods, so that in the fall
Boyden and in the following spring
George NJ. Rice became a silent partner
with Mr.. Boyden, the firm name be-
ing John Boyden & Co. The firm was
taxed for S2l00, the total tax being $S.51
ana IN lS43 the firm gave in for taxa
ton $1,000, making the tax $1322 In
me fall Of this year, 1S43, Mr.. Rice
was relieved by r. r. Estabrook, the
nm being then Boyden & Estabrook.
$780,
In the spring Of 1S45 Mr. Boyden as
Ssuined Mr.. Estabrook's share of the
business, and by reducing his capital,
uoqght two building lots on the corner
u Pleasant and Ashland streets, where
ne soon after built cottage, where he
vohtlnued to reside until 1884, selling
out This property to H. NJ Hedden.
IN lS46 Mr.. Boyden was taxed for
slUo In the fall of 1S45 he moved his
BUSINESS from Cypress street to Foster
street IN the rear Of the present Wor-
JIsstef County Institution for Savings.
N the spring of 1S47 Mr.. Boyden being
tnoSen town treasurer and collector of
axes ne sold out his business to P. II.
sampson and A. H. Newton, still keep
ins ms office in the building, however,
until two years later, when he moved
c w slle city hall, Worcester having be-
come a city.
IN lS49 Sampson and Newton dis
lived partnership, A. II. Newton keep
n ,ms up the business. Up to this time
nesFly all the papers used in Worcester
w W. vicinity were manufactured in
,",.orcester and by the old hand printing
process with blocks, putting on one
.o'9r at time, hanging the paper up
w uIy then passing it to another press
w .ineeelVe its second color, and so on
VIII Will an the colors were put on, though
ny rev papers at that time had more
r nal three eolors. These papers were
sailed at only one place on Main
Iie,ggt' IN the back part Of Dorr G. How
Th -,u DOCK store, and kept by Lewis
stnayer who usually had on hand a
''o sSIs5. OF 10000 or Is, 900 rolls.
t,r, - ne pest paper-for- sale UP to This
COLI ,i,e was satin paper, printed in three
AIN, ; For nice work, parlors especi-
my my cartridge paper was used. 1t was
AM "a the walls as nicely as possible,
nv Wnen the paner was perfectly dry
ny, suIIaee was made smooth and then
washed over with a tinted wash made
o. pIpe cray and glue. Just as soon
S H. me second coat became dry, it was
tla usEed briskly with large, round brls-
making what was considered a nice
"Sll at that time.
spout this time the old Central
M narch IN Worcester was repaired and
v yae walls Of the auditorium, which were
araS rough. having been formerly coy
W. W. with very coarse white wash,
Ma smoothed and covered with cart
We paper and satin finished, and
r "neh dome, it was thought tolbe very
n NJ piece Of work, as figured wall pa
p ~ We're being considered the best way
VI repairing houses.
a., artles in Philadelphia, New YORK
S nau boston began the manufacture q
tpSpeIs along about this time When MI
carry sold out his business in Wor-
ffoster' he established a large factory u
rglNl' where he soon built up an lnA-
TIi ri.se business, leading the trade in tins
~Hlleu States = y .. = +,