The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-08-02
Somerset County Agricultural News

! the period OF experimentation made
one trip to Connecticut, where ham
mers were made. He applied at ont
! factory for permission to watch the
operation but they We're mistrustful
Of him and wouldn't let him in He
bought several hamine rs and hatchets
however, and made a still more impor.
tant purchase, a stamp or press for
which he paid nearly thousand dol
lars.
After this press or stamp was SET
in his fathers factory the real bat
tie commenced. He could punch and
press into shape, at one blow the head
of a hammer, but the edges on either
side of the hole would crumple. For
weeks and months he kept at the
problem, many times discouraged and
ready to give up. There were axe
factories on the same spot with the
Williams establishment and the work
men from those institutions would
come and look through the window
night after night where Joshua was
patiently trying method after method
to perfect his idea. '"They said
couldn't do it. was Joshua's comment
in telling this story. After time
Joshua changed the form of his press
frame, and a lip or projection pro-
jected outward from each side of the
hammer head opposite the hole. This
gave just enough strength to the ma
teral to prevent the crumpling, and
thus success was achieved. He press
ed out his hammer and Ratchet heads
with one blow of the press and the
lips were sawed off as a part of the
finishing process.
Just as the chisel business was
abandoned because skates were more
profitable, now the skates were for
saken because the hammers and hat
chefs the Williams Company were
able to turn out Immediately sprang
into demand. They sold out their
skate business to party who manu-
featured them for a time elsewhere
and commenced to turn out hammers
and hatchets, in big quantities. This
business was continued until about
1900.
When Joshua and his father first
came to Skowhegan they were in ra-
Their moderate circumstances, and they
had their ups and downs. After
that their prosperity was modified by
four fires. The first was at their
shop about four years after its es-
Enlistment. It occurred on very
cold night, "a degrees below zero.
They lost everything, building and at
least 1900 pairs of skates nearly ready
for shipment. These skates were
costing them less than one dollar for
producing and were being sold for
81. The loss to them at that time
was very serious. They were so
much in debt that the credit of the
family became impaired. 1t Is re-
membered that Charles A. Williams
at one time went into a grocery store
kept by Pollard and Malbon on Water
street and ordered barrel of -four.
The junior partner of the firm took
the order but refused to deliver the
goods and saying he was so much in
debt that he did not dare to trust him.
j. Fred Pollard, the senior member
of the firm followed Mr.. Williams out,
however, and inquired as to the situa-
ton. Finally said he! Charles, l
do not care anything about what you
owe, I know you will pay. You can
have that -four or anything else you
want" This incident happened per-
haps sixty years ago. An interest
ing sequel occurred to 1t in very re-
cent times.i Not long before the
death of ]. Fred Pollard he drove over
in his Concord wagon to the Will
10 nj
nue.. Joshua himself somewhat along
in years had retired from rnanufactur-
ing and had become interested in
gardening, specialist in the raising
of melons, and Fred Pollard wanted
to buy melon. Joshua filled up the
bottom of the Concord wagon, Mr..
Pollard protesting that he did not
want so many. Mr.. Pollard offered to
pay but Joshua bald, Erred, don't
you remember that barrel OF -four you
trusted my father for sixty years ago?
At first Mr.. Pollard could not recall,
but it finally all came back to him.
Said Joshua, ~ guess have owed you
a return courtesy long enough; you
surely can't pay for any melons here
The credit OF the Williams family
was quickly restored. A man came
here who knew of the quality of skates
they we're turning out, told them to
go ahead, build their factory, buy ma
terial and tools, he would furnish
the money and take the pay in skates.
Within a year they were out of debt
and had made $4,000. Says Joshua
regarding that incident. "The Will
liams family have never seen a day
since that they did not have a dollar
in the bank"
The skate factory was again burned
few years later on. Alcohol was
used for making.a shellac in which
to dip the wooden skate tops. Mr..
Williams. ST., attempted to make a
vent in the top of one of these bar
rels with red hot iron. 1t caught
fire and exploded. Two girls at
work In the same factory, lost their
lives by the fire which resulted and
of course the building and contents
were completely destroyed.
The third fire In the history of the
Williams family occurred at their
home AZ or 43 years ago, and the
fourth DESTROYED their factory on Mill