Large Sale of Gorham Mfg. Co. Stock
Providence, R. I., Dec. 9.-–Since Thursday about $500,000 of the $600,000 of preferred stock of the Gorham Mfg. Co. offered for subscription at par through the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Co. has been taken, and to-day the vendors had advanced the price to $102 a share, or $2 above par. This sale has been the feature of the week in the local stock market.
The old capitalization of the company was $1,200,000, and the Legislature, some time ago, authorized an increase of stock, the company deciding to make the total issue $4,200,000, of which $1,200,000 should be cumulative preferred stock, entitled to 6 per cent, dividend, and $3,000,000 should be common stock. The old stockholders of the company took all of the common and one-half of the preferred stock, and offered the balance as stated.
The properties of the company are entirely free from encumbrances. The new works at Elmwood were constructed without any addition of capital by the Gorham Mfg. Co., but always with the intention on their part of making an issue which would represent the investment in their permanent plant. Various plans were discussed, one of them being an issue of bonds; this, however, was dismissed with little thought as it involved a mortgage which was distasteful, and it was soon determined that the new capital issue should be in the form of a preferred 6 per cent, cumulative stock, which is believed to be the first issue of a preferred stock by a manufacturing corporation bearing only 6 per cent, dividend, nearly all such bearing 8 per cent, while only a few have been placed at 7 per cent.
The fact attests the value of a good name for honesty and success combined, in that the Gorham Mfg. Co. could successfully issue and market a manufacturing stock bearing 6 per cent., and it was emphasized in this case as the subscriptions were more than two thirds completed the first day that the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Co. invited them, while on the second day the price was advanced to a premium and the whole amount offered was taken up at once.
The success of the company has been remarkable, but while this growth has been rapid it has been of a most substantial character. An old Rhode Island citizen recently said that there is no institution in the State regarded with as much pride as the Gorham Mfg. Co.'s business and establishment.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 13th December 1893
Trev.
Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
CONVERTING A FACTORY FOR MUNITIONS MANUFACTURE
BY JOHN S. HOLBROOK, PROVIDENCE, R. I.
The Gorham Manufacturing Company, probably the largest silversmiths in the country, if not in the world, has been identified particularly with the sterling-silver trade. It has also made a considerable amount of silver-plated ware and of late years has produced a large quantity of bronze statuary, structural and ornamental bronze, besides various ecclesiastical wares such as pulpits, altar rails, chalices, etc., at its Elmwood plant in Providence, R. I. The step from this sort of work to the manufacture of metal goods for war munitions is consequently not as great as at first it might appear when we speak of silversmiths as munitions makers, for our men are trained in the handling of metals and in the use of machinery adapted to their manufacture–whether drafting, spinning, stamping, or casting, and we therefore were not handicapped as a strange concern might have been in the knowledge of metal handling.
Very shortly after the war broke out the Allied governments came to this country for munitions and we began to receive inquiries. Our superintendent at that time was Capt. O.V. Kean, a graduate of West Point and thoroughly familiar with ordnance work and the ordnance schools, and he naturally became interested in these inquiries.
The first negotiations entered into were with the British Government for 50,000,000 brass cups for small arms and the same number of cupro-nickel cups for Serbia, these being made in knuckle-joint presses which we already had on hand in our machine shop. The cupro-nickel cups were contracted for on April 14, 1915, and were delivered on time.
On May 11, 1915, we contracted for 50,000,000 brass cups to go with the cupro-nickel, but found our presses were too light to handle the heavier gage, which necessitated the purchase of new presses.
At the same time the French Government appeared in the market for cartridge cases for the 75-mm. gun, considered by many the most efficient weapon of the war. This was an entirely new proposition and involved a large expenditure both for new buildings and equipment, but after careful consideration the directors of the company felt that the contract was profitable and that as a matter of patriotic assistance to the Allied governments, with whom our sympathies even then were very strong, we should take the contract. They therefore authorized the building and equipment of a new one-story brick, brass-case shop, 360 ft. 6 in. by 122 ft. 8 in., which has cost approximately $500,000.
The first contract with the French Government was for 500,000 of these 75-mm. cartridge cases, which upon completion was followed immediately by an order for 975,000 more. These orders were filled so satisfactorily that when we entered the war the French Government went out of their way to compliment our work to the United States Government.
The French Government contracts were followed by one from the Russian Government for 1,000,000 brass cases for 75-mm. high-explosive ammunition, and another from the Swiss Government for 200,000 75-mm. brass cartridge cases of a still different type. Later the Netherlands appeared in the market and gave us a contract for 1,000,000 lb. of brass disks for their small-arms cartridges, as well as for 340,000 lb. of cupro-nickel cups. Also the Danish and British Governments each placed orders for about 225,000 lb. of the latter, and smaller orders were filled for the Norwegian and Portuguese Governments. It should be stated that each of these contracts required a different cup, slightly different in gage, height, thickness of bottom, etc., and that special metal had to he carried for each contract.
These various contracts had fitted us with a broader experience and we had built up a reputation and were ready to begin serious work for the United States Government when we entered the war. At the same time we have been able to do some work for the Allied governments in addition to our United States Government work.
The first U.S. Army contract came March 30, 1917, even before war was declared, and was for small cups, 6,600,000 each of the brass and of the gilding metal, the latter being for the U.S. Army bullet jackets. In May, 1917, a contract was closed with the Maxims Munitions Corporation for 275,000,000 each of brass and cupro-nickel cups for Italy. The first order for cases was placed. May 1, 1917, for the U. S. Navy 3-in. landing gun–again a different case from anything we had made before and requiring an entirely new outfit of tools but not machinery.
Immediately on the outbreak of the war our plant was placed at the command of the Government both as to its special war machinery and as to the silver plant. The Navy contract was followed by one in August for a large number of 3-in. cases for the U. S. Army–again a different case from that for the Navy landing gun, and French 75-mm. cases, the Army having decided to adopt that gun.
The Government then began to inquire what we could do on grenades, and after some negotiations we took no less than four separate orders for grenades, and at the request of the Government built an assembling and loading plant at a cost of considerably over $250,000, at East Providence. This plant is designed for an output of 100,000 loaded grenades per day. Ground was broken in December, 1917, and work started in the plant six weeks later.
Our contract for the Navy landing-gun case was so successfully filled that the Government asked us to make a large number of the large 4-in. 50-caliber cases. Another plant was required for this work, as it is done almost entirely by hydraulic presses, and after some negotiations the old Plant of the Providence Machine Company on Eddy Street and Allen’s Avenue was purchased, new buildings erected, the old buildings repaired, and the machinery installed, and they are just beginning production. The plant’s ultimate capacity will be 2500 per day.
In December, 1917, the Army placed an additional order for the 75-mm. cases with the proviso that if we finished them by August 1, 1918, we should continue and make an additional million. More than one million have been delivered and we expect to complete the balance well in advance of the date specified.
Early in 1918 the Government took up with us the question of our assembling and machining the Stokes trench bomb. This involved a further outlay for machinery, but there was space enough in the Allen’s Avenue plant and we accepted an order for these, deliveries of which have already begun. We anticipate turning out 1500 per day on our automatic machines and may considerably exceed this.
The machinery directly engaged on our munitions work and bought for that purpose has a capacity of between 25 and 30 millions of dollars’ worth of output per year on the basis of which we now work, which is that the Government furnishes the raw material and we the labor and assembling. Contracts actually in hand total something over a third of this amount– between 8 and 10 millions of dollars. This, however, does not take into consideration any machinery in the silver plant, and finding that we had capacity over and above our usual business, we have taken a considerable number of orders for miscellaneous equipment of various kinds. The disposition of the directors of the company is to place the plant as largely as possible on work which is directly useful to the Government and assist in every way in the successful prosecution of the war.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
With regard to the tools which the Gorham Manufacturing Company has found necessary in order to arrive at the stage of production which it has reached in this work, the following particulars may be of interest: The machinery and tools of the silver plant have in the main been totally inadequate and impractical for the munitions work. Certain knuckle-joint presses which we had been using in the machine shop of the silver plant were used for bullet cups, as mentioned in an earlier paragraph, but the brass small-arms cartridge cups came from stock so heavy that it broke down our presses and we had to order special presses from the E. W. Bliss Company.
The equipment for the brass-case shop consists approximately of 4 cupping presses, 2 indenting presses, 15 rack-and-pinion presses, 4 heading presses, 4 tapering presses and 33 Ballard lathes. There are also marking presses for stamping the heads of the cases with their identifying marks and lot numbers. The cupping presses (E. W. Bliss Co., No. 77½) are large presses for making the first cupping from the disk and are very powerful. The indenting presses were originally put in for work on the Russian and Swiss cases. As these are no longer made the presses are now used for cupping. The rack-and-pinion presses (E. W. Bliss Co., No. 66½) are presses which make the second, third and fourth draws of the French cases.
The annealing ovens consist of three large annealing furnaces and a number of mouth and body annealers. Most of the latter have been built by us and are so arranged that the case is turned around in a frame and at the end of a certain number of minutes is presented at the opening, where it is withdrawn by a man with a pair of pincers.
For the grenade plant we purchased 14 acres of land in East Providence from the Rumford Chemical Company and erected one-story frame buildings covered with asbestos Shingles, all of a temporary character. These buildings consist of two assembly rooms connected with the loading plant by a covered passage, power house, loading plant, detonator assembly room, shipping and storage sheds, office building, and of course the usual accessory buildings such as toilets, rest room, etc., together with two magazines. We have also arranged with the New Haven road for a spur track into the property.
The plant at Eddy Street and Allen’s Avenue is built on land having an area of about 100,000 sq. ft. Here it was found necessary to erect one new building as there was none with sufficient height to take the huge hydraulic presses, some of which require 40 ft. of headroom. These presses were obtained in various places and are of the following capacities:
2–250-ton, 1st draw 3– 150-ton, 5th draw
2–250~ton, 2d draw 4– 210-ton, 6th draw
2–250-ton, 3d draw 1– 90-ton, taper
3–200-ton, 4th draw 2– 100–ton, header
There are also such small presses for stamping, etc., as may be necessary, and ten lathes. All the presses mentioned above, with the exception of one, which was used in the Russian indenting and which was moved from the Elmwood plant. are hydraulic.
To manufacture the trench bombs we were also forced to buy new equipment, consisting mainly of automatic machinery. This included three large automatic lathes for the machining of the head of the bomb, and automatic machinery for making the boosters and other parts.
THE QUESTION OF EMPLOYEES
In connection with the East Providence plant it may be stated that we have large storage magazines buried in the woods two or three miles away from the plants, where a large part of the nitrated starch is carried. This material is transferred as required to smaller magazines at the plants and only a few hours’ supply is carried on the premises. From the smaller magazines it is brought underground by a pneumatic conveyor.
As to employees, we have 25 to 30 trades represented in the silver shop and some of these employees are at work on war materials, a few having been transferred as the opportunity presented itself through the slowing down of the silver shop.
Most of them, however, are at work in the silver shop in their regular rooms, working on such war materials as bomb sights, powder cans, ramrods, etc. Our highly skilled men, such as die sinkers, designers, etc., we have not been able to transfer to this war work. The chasers have been kept busy on their regular silver work as have also the designers. The die sinkers have been of help in making tools, but most of the tools are made in the machine shop.
At the present time there are over 3200 employees on the payroll, which means about $60,000 per week. The employees as a rule have stayed with the company and those transferred to the munitions work have been successfully trained under expert foremen acquainted with that kind of work. We found it necessary to add to the organization a number of expert men who had had previous experience in munitions manufacture and they are responsible for the training and up-building of the force.
The force of women employed has considerably more than doubled and it will be more than trebled by the time this paper is presented. The women employed in the Elmwood and Eddy Street plants are largely inspectors on brass cases and on parts of trench bombs and do not aggregate 100 altogether, whereas the number of women in the silver plant normally is in excess of 150. In the East Providence plant, or grenade plant, the women are in the majority, there being over 300 at present, which number will be increased to 500 to 600 when the plant is running at its full capacity. These girls are taken from the surrounding towns and are entirely untrained in the sort of work they are required to do. They assemble and load hand grenades, except as to certain processes which are entrusted to men. They are carefully selected and each one entering our employ has to be vouched for by at least two reputable citizens. We cannot afford to take any chances in a plant of this kind. The help is carefully picked and the inefficient ones rejected, this being shown by the large labor turnover–100 to 150 per week at the present time.
From the foregoing statements it will be seen that the problem of the Gorham Manufacturing Company has not been so much the transferring of present plant capacity and man power as it has been the building up of the new organization to handle this work. The organization has been efficiently built up and its importance may be gaged by the fact that while the number of employees before the war was normally 1600 to 1800 at the Providence plant, it is at present about double that number, and all these new people have had to be brought in and trained. We have secured the help of able men, most of them acquainted with the production in their particular lines–some of them merely good machinists and mechanics. Of course this applies to the munitions only. We have found in the silver plant and bronze shop that our own foundrymen are able to handle any casting job which comes to us, and the munitions jobs which we have taken are far less complicated than the elaborate statuary moldings with which our molders are acquainted. The bronze-shop force, under the supervision of their foreman, has proved capable of handling such work as has come to them–ramrods, powder cans, thumb nuts, etc. An interesting part of this work is the work that is being done for the Government by means of our special process for depositing–on range finders and the like. We have had one or two contracts where very fine graduations were required and where the Government has found this process of great value for the reason that it might be depended upon to reproduce important parts absolutely without shrinkage.
Source: Mechanical Engineering - American Society of Mechanical Engineers - 1918
Trev.
BY JOHN S. HOLBROOK, PROVIDENCE, R. I.
The Gorham Manufacturing Company, probably the largest silversmiths in the country, if not in the world, has been identified particularly with the sterling-silver trade. It has also made a considerable amount of silver-plated ware and of late years has produced a large quantity of bronze statuary, structural and ornamental bronze, besides various ecclesiastical wares such as pulpits, altar rails, chalices, etc., at its Elmwood plant in Providence, R. I. The step from this sort of work to the manufacture of metal goods for war munitions is consequently not as great as at first it might appear when we speak of silversmiths as munitions makers, for our men are trained in the handling of metals and in the use of machinery adapted to their manufacture–whether drafting, spinning, stamping, or casting, and we therefore were not handicapped as a strange concern might have been in the knowledge of metal handling.
Very shortly after the war broke out the Allied governments came to this country for munitions and we began to receive inquiries. Our superintendent at that time was Capt. O.V. Kean, a graduate of West Point and thoroughly familiar with ordnance work and the ordnance schools, and he naturally became interested in these inquiries.
The first negotiations entered into were with the British Government for 50,000,000 brass cups for small arms and the same number of cupro-nickel cups for Serbia, these being made in knuckle-joint presses which we already had on hand in our machine shop. The cupro-nickel cups were contracted for on April 14, 1915, and were delivered on time.
On May 11, 1915, we contracted for 50,000,000 brass cups to go with the cupro-nickel, but found our presses were too light to handle the heavier gage, which necessitated the purchase of new presses.
At the same time the French Government appeared in the market for cartridge cases for the 75-mm. gun, considered by many the most efficient weapon of the war. This was an entirely new proposition and involved a large expenditure both for new buildings and equipment, but after careful consideration the directors of the company felt that the contract was profitable and that as a matter of patriotic assistance to the Allied governments, with whom our sympathies even then were very strong, we should take the contract. They therefore authorized the building and equipment of a new one-story brick, brass-case shop, 360 ft. 6 in. by 122 ft. 8 in., which has cost approximately $500,000.
The first contract with the French Government was for 500,000 of these 75-mm. cartridge cases, which upon completion was followed immediately by an order for 975,000 more. These orders were filled so satisfactorily that when we entered the war the French Government went out of their way to compliment our work to the United States Government.
The French Government contracts were followed by one from the Russian Government for 1,000,000 brass cases for 75-mm. high-explosive ammunition, and another from the Swiss Government for 200,000 75-mm. brass cartridge cases of a still different type. Later the Netherlands appeared in the market and gave us a contract for 1,000,000 lb. of brass disks for their small-arms cartridges, as well as for 340,000 lb. of cupro-nickel cups. Also the Danish and British Governments each placed orders for about 225,000 lb. of the latter, and smaller orders were filled for the Norwegian and Portuguese Governments. It should be stated that each of these contracts required a different cup, slightly different in gage, height, thickness of bottom, etc., and that special metal had to he carried for each contract.
These various contracts had fitted us with a broader experience and we had built up a reputation and were ready to begin serious work for the United States Government when we entered the war. At the same time we have been able to do some work for the Allied governments in addition to our United States Government work.
The first U.S. Army contract came March 30, 1917, even before war was declared, and was for small cups, 6,600,000 each of the brass and of the gilding metal, the latter being for the U.S. Army bullet jackets. In May, 1917, a contract was closed with the Maxims Munitions Corporation for 275,000,000 each of brass and cupro-nickel cups for Italy. The first order for cases was placed. May 1, 1917, for the U. S. Navy 3-in. landing gun–again a different case from anything we had made before and requiring an entirely new outfit of tools but not machinery.
Immediately on the outbreak of the war our plant was placed at the command of the Government both as to its special war machinery and as to the silver plant. The Navy contract was followed by one in August for a large number of 3-in. cases for the U. S. Army–again a different case from that for the Navy landing gun, and French 75-mm. cases, the Army having decided to adopt that gun.
The Government then began to inquire what we could do on grenades, and after some negotiations we took no less than four separate orders for grenades, and at the request of the Government built an assembling and loading plant at a cost of considerably over $250,000, at East Providence. This plant is designed for an output of 100,000 loaded grenades per day. Ground was broken in December, 1917, and work started in the plant six weeks later.
Our contract for the Navy landing-gun case was so successfully filled that the Government asked us to make a large number of the large 4-in. 50-caliber cases. Another plant was required for this work, as it is done almost entirely by hydraulic presses, and after some negotiations the old Plant of the Providence Machine Company on Eddy Street and Allen’s Avenue was purchased, new buildings erected, the old buildings repaired, and the machinery installed, and they are just beginning production. The plant’s ultimate capacity will be 2500 per day.
In December, 1917, the Army placed an additional order for the 75-mm. cases with the proviso that if we finished them by August 1, 1918, we should continue and make an additional million. More than one million have been delivered and we expect to complete the balance well in advance of the date specified.
Early in 1918 the Government took up with us the question of our assembling and machining the Stokes trench bomb. This involved a further outlay for machinery, but there was space enough in the Allen’s Avenue plant and we accepted an order for these, deliveries of which have already begun. We anticipate turning out 1500 per day on our automatic machines and may considerably exceed this.
The machinery directly engaged on our munitions work and bought for that purpose has a capacity of between 25 and 30 millions of dollars’ worth of output per year on the basis of which we now work, which is that the Government furnishes the raw material and we the labor and assembling. Contracts actually in hand total something over a third of this amount– between 8 and 10 millions of dollars. This, however, does not take into consideration any machinery in the silver plant, and finding that we had capacity over and above our usual business, we have taken a considerable number of orders for miscellaneous equipment of various kinds. The disposition of the directors of the company is to place the plant as largely as possible on work which is directly useful to the Government and assist in every way in the successful prosecution of the war.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
With regard to the tools which the Gorham Manufacturing Company has found necessary in order to arrive at the stage of production which it has reached in this work, the following particulars may be of interest: The machinery and tools of the silver plant have in the main been totally inadequate and impractical for the munitions work. Certain knuckle-joint presses which we had been using in the machine shop of the silver plant were used for bullet cups, as mentioned in an earlier paragraph, but the brass small-arms cartridge cups came from stock so heavy that it broke down our presses and we had to order special presses from the E. W. Bliss Company.
The equipment for the brass-case shop consists approximately of 4 cupping presses, 2 indenting presses, 15 rack-and-pinion presses, 4 heading presses, 4 tapering presses and 33 Ballard lathes. There are also marking presses for stamping the heads of the cases with their identifying marks and lot numbers. The cupping presses (E. W. Bliss Co., No. 77½) are large presses for making the first cupping from the disk and are very powerful. The indenting presses were originally put in for work on the Russian and Swiss cases. As these are no longer made the presses are now used for cupping. The rack-and-pinion presses (E. W. Bliss Co., No. 66½) are presses which make the second, third and fourth draws of the French cases.
The annealing ovens consist of three large annealing furnaces and a number of mouth and body annealers. Most of the latter have been built by us and are so arranged that the case is turned around in a frame and at the end of a certain number of minutes is presented at the opening, where it is withdrawn by a man with a pair of pincers.
For the grenade plant we purchased 14 acres of land in East Providence from the Rumford Chemical Company and erected one-story frame buildings covered with asbestos Shingles, all of a temporary character. These buildings consist of two assembly rooms connected with the loading plant by a covered passage, power house, loading plant, detonator assembly room, shipping and storage sheds, office building, and of course the usual accessory buildings such as toilets, rest room, etc., together with two magazines. We have also arranged with the New Haven road for a spur track into the property.
The plant at Eddy Street and Allen’s Avenue is built on land having an area of about 100,000 sq. ft. Here it was found necessary to erect one new building as there was none with sufficient height to take the huge hydraulic presses, some of which require 40 ft. of headroom. These presses were obtained in various places and are of the following capacities:
2–250-ton, 1st draw 3– 150-ton, 5th draw
2–250~ton, 2d draw 4– 210-ton, 6th draw
2–250-ton, 3d draw 1– 90-ton, taper
3–200-ton, 4th draw 2– 100–ton, header
There are also such small presses for stamping, etc., as may be necessary, and ten lathes. All the presses mentioned above, with the exception of one, which was used in the Russian indenting and which was moved from the Elmwood plant. are hydraulic.
To manufacture the trench bombs we were also forced to buy new equipment, consisting mainly of automatic machinery. This included three large automatic lathes for the machining of the head of the bomb, and automatic machinery for making the boosters and other parts.
THE QUESTION OF EMPLOYEES
In connection with the East Providence plant it may be stated that we have large storage magazines buried in the woods two or three miles away from the plants, where a large part of the nitrated starch is carried. This material is transferred as required to smaller magazines at the plants and only a few hours’ supply is carried on the premises. From the smaller magazines it is brought underground by a pneumatic conveyor.
As to employees, we have 25 to 30 trades represented in the silver shop and some of these employees are at work on war materials, a few having been transferred as the opportunity presented itself through the slowing down of the silver shop.
Most of them, however, are at work in the silver shop in their regular rooms, working on such war materials as bomb sights, powder cans, ramrods, etc. Our highly skilled men, such as die sinkers, designers, etc., we have not been able to transfer to this war work. The chasers have been kept busy on their regular silver work as have also the designers. The die sinkers have been of help in making tools, but most of the tools are made in the machine shop.
At the present time there are over 3200 employees on the payroll, which means about $60,000 per week. The employees as a rule have stayed with the company and those transferred to the munitions work have been successfully trained under expert foremen acquainted with that kind of work. We found it necessary to add to the organization a number of expert men who had had previous experience in munitions manufacture and they are responsible for the training and up-building of the force.
The force of women employed has considerably more than doubled and it will be more than trebled by the time this paper is presented. The women employed in the Elmwood and Eddy Street plants are largely inspectors on brass cases and on parts of trench bombs and do not aggregate 100 altogether, whereas the number of women in the silver plant normally is in excess of 150. In the East Providence plant, or grenade plant, the women are in the majority, there being over 300 at present, which number will be increased to 500 to 600 when the plant is running at its full capacity. These girls are taken from the surrounding towns and are entirely untrained in the sort of work they are required to do. They assemble and load hand grenades, except as to certain processes which are entrusted to men. They are carefully selected and each one entering our employ has to be vouched for by at least two reputable citizens. We cannot afford to take any chances in a plant of this kind. The help is carefully picked and the inefficient ones rejected, this being shown by the large labor turnover–100 to 150 per week at the present time.
From the foregoing statements it will be seen that the problem of the Gorham Manufacturing Company has not been so much the transferring of present plant capacity and man power as it has been the building up of the new organization to handle this work. The organization has been efficiently built up and its importance may be gaged by the fact that while the number of employees before the war was normally 1600 to 1800 at the Providence plant, it is at present about double that number, and all these new people have had to be brought in and trained. We have secured the help of able men, most of them acquainted with the production in their particular lines–some of them merely good machinists and mechanics. Of course this applies to the munitions only. We have found in the silver plant and bronze shop that our own foundrymen are able to handle any casting job which comes to us, and the munitions jobs which we have taken are far less complicated than the elaborate statuary moldings with which our molders are acquainted. The bronze-shop force, under the supervision of their foreman, has proved capable of handling such work as has come to them–ramrods, powder cans, thumb nuts, etc. An interesting part of this work is the work that is being done for the Government by means of our special process for depositing–on range finders and the like. We have had one or two contracts where very fine graduations were required and where the Government has found this process of great value for the reason that it might be depended upon to reproduce important parts absolutely without shrinkage.
Source: Mechanical Engineering - American Society of Mechanical Engineers - 1918
Trev.
Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
The Gorham Manufacturing Company recently completed the casting of a large bronze piece representing a soldier of the Civil War standing beneath the spreading wings of an angel of peace. The casting was for the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument at Somerville, Mass.
Source: Metal Industry - June 1909
Trev.
Source: Metal Industry - June 1909
Trev.
Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
Walter Schultz has filed a suit for $20,000 against the Gorham Manufacturing Company. The plaintiff claims that while he was polishing a metal door in October, 1908, the emery wheel burst and injured his head and face.
Source: Metal Industry - June 1909
Trev.
Source: Metal Industry - June 1909
Trev.
Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
The Gorham Quarter Century Club, the membership of which as the name implies consist of employes of the corporation who have been thus employed for more than 25 years, will hold a reunion and get-together meeting at the Gorham Casino on Friday evening, Dec. 16. The committee having the affair in charge have designated it as a "Cheero-Joy-Fest" and will introduce several novel features.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 14th December 1921
Trev.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 14th December 1921
Trev.
Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
At the annual meeting of the stockholders of the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Co., held last Wednesday, among the directors elected were Herbert J. Wells, Frank W. Matteson and Alfred K. Potter who are directors of the Gorham Mfg. Co.; Walter R. Callender of Callender, McAusland & Troup Co.; Henry D. Sharpe, of Brown & Sharpe Mfg. Co. and Frederick A. Ballou, of B. A. Ballou & Co., Inc.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 14th December 1921
Trev.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 14th December 1921
Trev.
Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
Fourth Columbian Centennial Exhibition
The Gorham Manufacturing Company have now decided upon exhibiting, much to the satisfaction of every right-minded American, as their display of silverware will probably be one of the finest ever seen. This company have also been entrusted with the commemoration medal of the "one hundred Citizens" of New York. The extent of their business can be imagined from the fact that a new edition of their catalogue weighed over fifteen tons.
Source: The Watchmaker, Jeweller and Silversmith - 1st December 1892
Trev.
The Gorham Manufacturing Company have now decided upon exhibiting, much to the satisfaction of every right-minded American, as their display of silverware will probably be one of the finest ever seen. This company have also been entrusted with the commemoration medal of the "one hundred Citizens" of New York. The extent of their business can be imagined from the fact that a new edition of their catalogue weighed over fifteen tons.
Source: The Watchmaker, Jeweller and Silversmith - 1st December 1892
Trev.
Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
Edmund A. Truelove. of the office force of the Gorham Mfg. Co.. and family are spending the Summer at Coles' Station on the west side of Narragansett Bay.
......................
Mr. and Mrs. John S. Holbrook were registered at the Massasoit House, Narragansett Pier, the past week for an indefinite stay.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 19th July 1922
Trev.
......................
Mr. and Mrs. John S. Holbrook were registered at the Massasoit House, Narragansett Pier, the past week for an indefinite stay.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 19th July 1922
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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
A service flag containing sixty-two stars was unfurled at the Gorham Mfg Co.'s plant at Elmwood a few days ago, indicating that that number of employes of the corporation had left for service for the United States Government. The flag has been placed over the entrance to the main office.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 24th October 1917
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Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 24th October 1917
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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
The cut shows one of a pair of cast bronze electroliers presented to New York City by the Municipal Art Society and erected in Long Acre Square. These electroliers were made by the Gorham Manufacturing Company and cost $10,000.
Source: The Metal Industry - July 1909
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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
The annual report of the Board of Directors to the Gorham Manufacturing Company presented at the recent annual meeting of the stockholders showed marked changes from last year's report, there being a deficit on Jan. 31, 1922 of $284,179.40 as compared with a profit and loss surplus of $157,485.20 at the end of the previous year.
At the meeting of the new board of directors following the stockholders' meeting, the following were elected officers of the Gorham Manufacturing Company for the ensuing year. President, Franklin A. Taylor; vice-president and treasurer, Alfred K. Potter; secretary and assistant treasurer, William S. Stone; assistant treasurer, Ford Moran; comptroller, Alfred E. King.
Source: The Metal Industry - May 1922
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At the meeting of the new board of directors following the stockholders' meeting, the following were elected officers of the Gorham Manufacturing Company for the ensuing year. President, Franklin A. Taylor; vice-president and treasurer, Alfred K. Potter; secretary and assistant treasurer, William S. Stone; assistant treasurer, Ford Moran; comptroller, Alfred E. King.
Source: The Metal Industry - May 1922
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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
DEATHS
EDWARD HOLBROOK
Edward Holbrook, president of the Gorham Manufacturing Company, died at his summer home at Strawberry Hill, Conn., on May 19, 1919. Mr. Holbrook as president of the Gorham Manufacturing Company, as well as president of The Silversmiths Company (the holding corporation of a large number of manufacturing silverware concerns of this country), had for more than a quarter of a century been the leader and dominant influence in the silverware industry of America.
He had been in failing health since early in January, but the announcement of his death was unexpected as the seriousness of his condition was not generally known beyond the members of his family, business associates, and immediate circle of friends.
Mr. Holbrook was a native of Massachusetts, was born in the town of Bellingham, on June 7, 1849, and was the son of Eliab and Julia F. (Morse) Holbrook. His early education was obtained through the medium of the old-time district schools of that day. After the limited preparation afforded by the somewhat meagre curriculum the boy decided to learn the jewelry business. He proceeded to Boston and before he was 17 years old had taken his first position which was with the firm of Bigelow Brothers & Kennard (now Bigelow, Kennard & Company), the largest retail jewelers in that city.
In 1876, when Caleb Cushing Adams relinquished the management of the New York branch of the Gorham Manufacturing Company, Mr. Holbrook, although only 27 years of age, was elected as agent and in 1882 became a director of the corporation. It was under his regime as New York agent that the Gorham Manufacturing Company made its greatest advancement in the development of the silversmithing industry and his business associates of later years do not hesitate in saying that had it not been for him the Gorham Manufacturing Company would not have advanced from the position of being one of many concerns, to that of one of the largest and most important leaders in the silverware manufacturing trade, not only of this country but of the entire world.
A few years later, on May 4, 1888, he was elected treasurer and in 1894, when the late William H. Crins resigned as president after 15 years' incumbency, he was succeeded by Mr. Holbrook, who retained the office until his death. His only other predecessor in this office was the late John Gorham. On December 1, 1918, Mr. Holbrook relinquished the office of treasurer being succeeded therein by Alfred K. Potter.
Mr. Holbrook married February 18, 1874,, Miss Francis Swift, who with two children, John S. Holbrook of Providence and Madame Lilian de Balincourt, of Paris, France, survive him. John S. Holbrook, who will probably succeed his father as president, was elected director of the Gorham Manufacturing Company in 1905 and vice-president in 1906.
He was the first president of The Silversmiths Company of New York city and continued in the office from its organization, and was a director of all its subsidiaries. He was president and a director of the Maiden Lane Realty Company of New York, which erected The Silversmiths building extending from Maiden Lane to John street, wherein are located the down-town salesroom of the Gorham Manufacturing
Company and the entire building is occupied by jewelry concerns. Here are also located the offices of the National Jewelers Board of Trade, the Jewelers 24Karat Club and other jewelry interests.
He was also a director of the American Brass Company of Waterbury, Conn.; the Hanover National Bank of New York; the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company; Spaulding & Company, leading retail jewelers, Chicago; the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Company of Providence; the Hotel Biltmore and Hotel Commodore, both of New York city; the General Fire Extinguisher Company of Providence, and trustee of the Garfield Safe Deposit Company of New York and a director of a number of other concerns. He was also at various times connected with the Garfield National Bank of New York and the Merchants National Bank of New York. Besides his business interests, Mr. Holbrook was a member of many clubs.
Source: The Metal Industry - June 1919
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EDWARD HOLBROOK
Edward Holbrook, president of the Gorham Manufacturing Company, died at his summer home at Strawberry Hill, Conn., on May 19, 1919. Mr. Holbrook as president of the Gorham Manufacturing Company, as well as president of The Silversmiths Company (the holding corporation of a large number of manufacturing silverware concerns of this country), had for more than a quarter of a century been the leader and dominant influence in the silverware industry of America.
He had been in failing health since early in January, but the announcement of his death was unexpected as the seriousness of his condition was not generally known beyond the members of his family, business associates, and immediate circle of friends.
Mr. Holbrook was a native of Massachusetts, was born in the town of Bellingham, on June 7, 1849, and was the son of Eliab and Julia F. (Morse) Holbrook. His early education was obtained through the medium of the old-time district schools of that day. After the limited preparation afforded by the somewhat meagre curriculum the boy decided to learn the jewelry business. He proceeded to Boston and before he was 17 years old had taken his first position which was with the firm of Bigelow Brothers & Kennard (now Bigelow, Kennard & Company), the largest retail jewelers in that city.
In 1876, when Caleb Cushing Adams relinquished the management of the New York branch of the Gorham Manufacturing Company, Mr. Holbrook, although only 27 years of age, was elected as agent and in 1882 became a director of the corporation. It was under his regime as New York agent that the Gorham Manufacturing Company made its greatest advancement in the development of the silversmithing industry and his business associates of later years do not hesitate in saying that had it not been for him the Gorham Manufacturing Company would not have advanced from the position of being one of many concerns, to that of one of the largest and most important leaders in the silverware manufacturing trade, not only of this country but of the entire world.
A few years later, on May 4, 1888, he was elected treasurer and in 1894, when the late William H. Crins resigned as president after 15 years' incumbency, he was succeeded by Mr. Holbrook, who retained the office until his death. His only other predecessor in this office was the late John Gorham. On December 1, 1918, Mr. Holbrook relinquished the office of treasurer being succeeded therein by Alfred K. Potter.
Mr. Holbrook married February 18, 1874,, Miss Francis Swift, who with two children, John S. Holbrook of Providence and Madame Lilian de Balincourt, of Paris, France, survive him. John S. Holbrook, who will probably succeed his father as president, was elected director of the Gorham Manufacturing Company in 1905 and vice-president in 1906.
He was the first president of The Silversmiths Company of New York city and continued in the office from its organization, and was a director of all its subsidiaries. He was president and a director of the Maiden Lane Realty Company of New York, which erected The Silversmiths building extending from Maiden Lane to John street, wherein are located the down-town salesroom of the Gorham Manufacturing
Company and the entire building is occupied by jewelry concerns. Here are also located the offices of the National Jewelers Board of Trade, the Jewelers 24Karat Club and other jewelry interests.
He was also a director of the American Brass Company of Waterbury, Conn.; the Hanover National Bank of New York; the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company; Spaulding & Company, leading retail jewelers, Chicago; the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Company of Providence; the Hotel Biltmore and Hotel Commodore, both of New York city; the General Fire Extinguisher Company of Providence, and trustee of the Garfield Safe Deposit Company of New York and a director of a number of other concerns. He was also at various times connected with the Garfield National Bank of New York and the Merchants National Bank of New York. Besides his business interests, Mr. Holbrook was a member of many clubs.
Source: The Metal Industry - June 1919
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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
DEATH OF ISAAC B. THURBER
Oldest Employee of the Gorham Mfg. Co. Succumbs to Injuries Received When He was Struck by a Trolly Car
PROVIDENCE R.I. - Jan. 15 - The funeral of Isaac B. Thurber, the oldest employee of the Gorham Mfg. Co., with which concern he had been associated with since 1851, was held yesterday afternoon at 2 o'clock from his home, 210 Lexington Ave., and notwithstanding the heavy rain storm, was attended by a large delegation of officials, department heads and employes of the Gorham Co., the older workmen being especially well represented.
Mr. Thurber, who was 85 years of age, died early Wednesday morning at the Rhode Island Hospital from a fractured skull as the result of being knocked down by an electric trolley car at the corner of Elmwood and Lexington Aves., about 5.30 o'clock the previous afternoon. He was returning from work at the plant of the Gorham Mfg. Co. and was about to cross Elmwood Ave. when struck. The car was running toward the center of the city at a moderate rate of speed, when, according to the motorman, Axel P. Ohlquist. Mr. Thurber was seen standing on the edge of the sidewalk- between a tree and an electric light pole, evidently awaiting a chance to thread his way through the automobile traffic, which is often dangerous to pedestrians at that point.
The motorman says that he rang his bell, while he allowed his car to proceed in the expectation that Mr. Thurber would remain standing where he was. However, Mr. Thurber started to cross the track, stepping directly in front of the car. He was knocked down and dragged several feet before the car was brought to a standstill. When he was picked up he was unconscious and was taken to a lawn nearby, where he was given first aid by a physician while awaiting the arrival of the ambulance which conveyed him to the hospital. An examination at the hospital disclosed a fracture of the skull and broken shoulder.
Several witnesses were interviewed by the police and all agreed that the car was not going fast, and the police were also informed that Mr. Thurber was hard of hearing and that he probably did not hear the bell nor the noise made by the car. After the case had been investigated the police declared themselves satisfied that the motorman was blameless and Ohlquist was discharged.
Mr. Thurber was born in Providence and attended the district schools until 15 years old, when he entered the employ of the Gorham concern in 1851 when its firm name was Gorham & Thurber and its plant was located at N. Main and Steeple Sts. The firm at that time did business for the entire year which would not be considered a good week's trading now. Eight years later, when the firm's name was changed to Gorham & Co., he was made the first agent of the concern and placed in charge of its office in New York city. Retiring in 1864 and returning to the company in 1870 he pursued a course of study which fitted him for the position of chief chemist and assayer in charge of the assaying and refining departments, which place he occupied from 1874.
On March 29, 1913, he was presented a handsome engrossed and illuminated testimonial of his long and faithful service, the presentation being made by the late John F. P. Lawton, for 60 years secretary of the concern. On Sept. 18, 1920, at a gathering held at the grounds of the Warwick Club, a bouquet of 61 roses was given him by the members of the Quarter Century Club of the Gorham Co., of which he was president as the oldest employe of the concern. This club was organized in June, 1920, and who but the veteran Mr. Thurber was there who should be chosen at the head of the association organized for the purpose of promoting good fellowship among the older employes?
He is survived by his widow and one son.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 19th January 1921
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Oldest Employee of the Gorham Mfg. Co. Succumbs to Injuries Received When He was Struck by a Trolly Car
PROVIDENCE R.I. - Jan. 15 - The funeral of Isaac B. Thurber, the oldest employee of the Gorham Mfg. Co., with which concern he had been associated with since 1851, was held yesterday afternoon at 2 o'clock from his home, 210 Lexington Ave., and notwithstanding the heavy rain storm, was attended by a large delegation of officials, department heads and employes of the Gorham Co., the older workmen being especially well represented.
Mr. Thurber, who was 85 years of age, died early Wednesday morning at the Rhode Island Hospital from a fractured skull as the result of being knocked down by an electric trolley car at the corner of Elmwood and Lexington Aves., about 5.30 o'clock the previous afternoon. He was returning from work at the plant of the Gorham Mfg. Co. and was about to cross Elmwood Ave. when struck. The car was running toward the center of the city at a moderate rate of speed, when, according to the motorman, Axel P. Ohlquist. Mr. Thurber was seen standing on the edge of the sidewalk- between a tree and an electric light pole, evidently awaiting a chance to thread his way through the automobile traffic, which is often dangerous to pedestrians at that point.
The motorman says that he rang his bell, while he allowed his car to proceed in the expectation that Mr. Thurber would remain standing where he was. However, Mr. Thurber started to cross the track, stepping directly in front of the car. He was knocked down and dragged several feet before the car was brought to a standstill. When he was picked up he was unconscious and was taken to a lawn nearby, where he was given first aid by a physician while awaiting the arrival of the ambulance which conveyed him to the hospital. An examination at the hospital disclosed a fracture of the skull and broken shoulder.
Several witnesses were interviewed by the police and all agreed that the car was not going fast, and the police were also informed that Mr. Thurber was hard of hearing and that he probably did not hear the bell nor the noise made by the car. After the case had been investigated the police declared themselves satisfied that the motorman was blameless and Ohlquist was discharged.
Mr. Thurber was born in Providence and attended the district schools until 15 years old, when he entered the employ of the Gorham concern in 1851 when its firm name was Gorham & Thurber and its plant was located at N. Main and Steeple Sts. The firm at that time did business for the entire year which would not be considered a good week's trading now. Eight years later, when the firm's name was changed to Gorham & Co., he was made the first agent of the concern and placed in charge of its office in New York city. Retiring in 1864 and returning to the company in 1870 he pursued a course of study which fitted him for the position of chief chemist and assayer in charge of the assaying and refining departments, which place he occupied from 1874.
On March 29, 1913, he was presented a handsome engrossed and illuminated testimonial of his long and faithful service, the presentation being made by the late John F. P. Lawton, for 60 years secretary of the concern. On Sept. 18, 1920, at a gathering held at the grounds of the Warwick Club, a bouquet of 61 roses was given him by the members of the Quarter Century Club of the Gorham Co., of which he was president as the oldest employe of the concern. This club was organized in June, 1920, and who but the veteran Mr. Thurber was there who should be chosen at the head of the association organized for the purpose of promoting good fellowship among the older employes?
He is survived by his widow and one son.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 19th January 1921
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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
GORHAM REORGANIZATION
One of the most important and far-reaching changes that has occurred in connection with the manufacturing metal branches in many months, was the announcement late the past month of the preliminary steps by the Gorham Manufacturing Company and the various silversmithing corporations that form the Gorham system for a reorganization, with several changes in the personnel of the officers. At a meeting of the directors of the Gorham Manufacturing Company and later of the Silversmith Company held at the offices in Elmwood, the committee on reorganization recommended a plan whereby The Silversmiths Company of New York, which has been the "parent" or holding company of the several silversmithing corporations in the Gorham system since its organization in 1892, will eventually be eliminated and will make the Gorham Manufacturing Company the holding company for the Gorham Company of New York: the Mount Vernon Company Silversmiths, Inc., of Mount Vernon, N. Y.; the William B. Durgin Company of Concern, N. H.; the Whiting Manufacturing Company of Bridgeport, Conn., and the William B. Kerr Company of Newark, N. J., all of which are now subsidiaries of The Silversmiths Company. These concerns are to manufacture in their own plants and sell through their own sales organizations non-competitive lines of sterling silver, plated silver, bronze and other similar products.
To this end, by which the business of the Gorham Manufacturing and affiliated concerns are to be placed on a more efficient and economical basis of production, Harry A. Macfarland, vice-president of the Mount Vernon Company, Silversmiths Inc., and prominent in the affairs of this group of silver companies, has been elected president of the Gorham Manufacturing Company, succeeding John S. Holbrook, who has resigned to become chairman of the board of directors, a new office created that Mr. Holbrook may direct closer attention to the financial and managerial affairs of the business.
President Macfarland will control production throughout the Gorham system, but each subsidiary company will develop its own market, with its own sales organization. Plans for additional financing of the reorganized Gorham companies are now being worked out by the committee on reorganization and finance, to be made public later.
Source: The Metal Industry - July 1920
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One of the most important and far-reaching changes that has occurred in connection with the manufacturing metal branches in many months, was the announcement late the past month of the preliminary steps by the Gorham Manufacturing Company and the various silversmithing corporations that form the Gorham system for a reorganization, with several changes in the personnel of the officers. At a meeting of the directors of the Gorham Manufacturing Company and later of the Silversmith Company held at the offices in Elmwood, the committee on reorganization recommended a plan whereby The Silversmiths Company of New York, which has been the "parent" or holding company of the several silversmithing corporations in the Gorham system since its organization in 1892, will eventually be eliminated and will make the Gorham Manufacturing Company the holding company for the Gorham Company of New York: the Mount Vernon Company Silversmiths, Inc., of Mount Vernon, N. Y.; the William B. Durgin Company of Concern, N. H.; the Whiting Manufacturing Company of Bridgeport, Conn., and the William B. Kerr Company of Newark, N. J., all of which are now subsidiaries of The Silversmiths Company. These concerns are to manufacture in their own plants and sell through their own sales organizations non-competitive lines of sterling silver, plated silver, bronze and other similar products.
To this end, by which the business of the Gorham Manufacturing and affiliated concerns are to be placed on a more efficient and economical basis of production, Harry A. Macfarland, vice-president of the Mount Vernon Company, Silversmiths Inc., and prominent in the affairs of this group of silver companies, has been elected president of the Gorham Manufacturing Company, succeeding John S. Holbrook, who has resigned to become chairman of the board of directors, a new office created that Mr. Holbrook may direct closer attention to the financial and managerial affairs of the business.
President Macfarland will control production throughout the Gorham system, but each subsidiary company will develop its own market, with its own sales organization. Plans for additional financing of the reorganized Gorham companies are now being worked out by the committee on reorganization and finance, to be made public later.
Source: The Metal Industry - July 1920
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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
The Gorham Manufacturing Company's plant at Elmwood resumed operation the first Monday in the month after the usual two-weeks' shut down for overhauling and repairing of machinery, and taking of an inventory that is customary at this season. There are upwards of 1,500 employes in the plant, and it is probable that others will be added in a short time. In the bronze department business is rushing, and it is stated that the outlook is very encouraging. During the month of January the company made a better showing than during the corresponding month a year ago.
Source: The Metal Industry - March 1915
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Source: The Metal Industry - March 1915
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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
SENT TO PRISON
Former Assistant Superintendent of Gorham Co., New York, Must Serve Indeterminate Sentence for Stealing Silver
After a delay of over one year, John Hackett, formerly an assistant superintendent for the Gorham Co., New York, was sent to the penitentiary recently by Judge Talley, of the Court of General Sessions, to serve an indeterminate term for stealing 465 ounces of silver valued at more than $500. Hackett was arrested while carrying a quantity of silver from the Gorham plant to a "fence," where, it is claimed, he confessed that he was going to dispose of it.
After pleading not guilty to the complaint in the Magistrates' Court, Hackett was released on bail and on Dec. 3, 1919, was indicted on a charge of grand larceny in the first degree. Since pleading not guilty to this indictment on Dec. 5, 1919, he had been awaiting trial, but on Feb. 11, 1921, he changed his plea to one of guilty of attempted grand larceny in the second degree and a week later was sent to the penitentiary by Judge Talley for an indeterminate term.
For 14 years, it is claimed, Hackett was employed by the Gorham Co. as an assistant superintendent of one of the firm's shops located at 140 Sixth Ave., New York. Through excellent work on the part of the Jewelers' Co-operative Bureau, it is claimed, Hackett was discovered stealing silver from the concern's factory. While carrying, it is charged, 465 ounces of silver worth $1.30 an ounce from the concern's factory to a "fence" on Nov. 14, 1919, Hackett was arrested. At that time, the complaint maintains, Hackett confessed to stealing the silver. It was also learned that the pilfering had been going on since July, 1918, and amounted to several thousand dollars. Hackett was born in Philadelphia, is 46 years old, and is married.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 16th March 1921
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Former Assistant Superintendent of Gorham Co., New York, Must Serve Indeterminate Sentence for Stealing Silver
After a delay of over one year, John Hackett, formerly an assistant superintendent for the Gorham Co., New York, was sent to the penitentiary recently by Judge Talley, of the Court of General Sessions, to serve an indeterminate term for stealing 465 ounces of silver valued at more than $500. Hackett was arrested while carrying a quantity of silver from the Gorham plant to a "fence," where, it is claimed, he confessed that he was going to dispose of it.
After pleading not guilty to the complaint in the Magistrates' Court, Hackett was released on bail and on Dec. 3, 1919, was indicted on a charge of grand larceny in the first degree. Since pleading not guilty to this indictment on Dec. 5, 1919, he had been awaiting trial, but on Feb. 11, 1921, he changed his plea to one of guilty of attempted grand larceny in the second degree and a week later was sent to the penitentiary by Judge Talley for an indeterminate term.
For 14 years, it is claimed, Hackett was employed by the Gorham Co. as an assistant superintendent of one of the firm's shops located at 140 Sixth Ave., New York. Through excellent work on the part of the Jewelers' Co-operative Bureau, it is claimed, Hackett was discovered stealing silver from the concern's factory. While carrying, it is charged, 465 ounces of silver worth $1.30 an ounce from the concern's factory to a "fence" on Nov. 14, 1919, Hackett was arrested. At that time, the complaint maintains, Hackett confessed to stealing the silver. It was also learned that the pilfering had been going on since July, 1918, and amounted to several thousand dollars. Hackett was born in Philadelphia, is 46 years old, and is married.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 16th March 1921
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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
The extensive plant of the Gorham Manufacturing Company, silverware and bronze workers, on July 18 began a five-days-a-week schedule for the first time since last November, when the plant went on a 27-hour-a-week schedule. This does not refer to the bronze department, which has been operating on a full time schedule with a full complement of operatives. The reason for the activity of this department is due largely to the great number of bronze memorial tablets of every description that are being made by the Gorham Company for delivery to all parts of the country. There is not a village, town or city in the country that has not ordered or planning to order a tablet or bronze memorial of some type, while clubs, churches, societies, manufacturing concerns and organizations from one end of the land to the other are ordering these tokens to perpetuate the memory of those of their number who served with the colors.
Source: The Metal Industry - August 1921
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Source: The Metal Industry - August 1921
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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
The day before Christmas the Gorham Mfg. Co., posted notices at its Elmwood plant to the effect that there would be a raise in wages and salaries of all its employes, between 1600 and 1800 in number, to become effective on Dec. 29. The exact amounts of the increases were not announced at that time as they had not been determined upon. During the past year the company has twice advanced its wage scale, as well as reduced the working hours without any reduction in pay, so that the employes are now placed on a basis declared by the management to be as good as that of any manufacturing plant in this city. Owing to war activities which had withdrawn so many men from industrial pursuits the Gorham Mfg. Co. in common with almost all other manufacturing concerns, has been handicapped in securing skilled operatives and it is believed that the increased wage schedule will not only prove very acceptable to those now on the rolls of the company, but will also tend to increase the force to the maximum strength. Officials of the Gorham concern state that the increase has been decided upon "in view of the high cost of living and other existing conditions which have tended to decrease the value of the dollar, hoping by this means to, in a measure, equalize the purchasing power." The management expresses itself as believing that the employes will accept the advance as an evidence of co-operation on its part and as being given in the spirit of the Christmastide.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 31st December 1919
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Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 31st December 1919
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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
DEATHS
JOHN F.P. LAWTON
John F. P. Lawton, secretary of the Gorham Manufacturing Company since its incorporation in 1865 in Attleboro, Mass. Mr. Lawton had been in poor health for about five years.
He had been connected with the Gorham Company in various capacities for more than 60 years, having entered its employ in August, 1859. In addition to his duties as secretary, Mr. Lawton had been, since January, 1894, assistant treasurer of the corporation.
In addition to his positions at the Gorham Company he was secretary, assistant treasurer and a director of the Silversmiths Company. He was among the founders and the first secretary of the Rhode Island Congregational Club and a member of the Central Congregational Church.
He was born in Philadelphia, Sept. 26, 1837, the son of the late Joseph and Grace Lawton. Coming to Pawtucket with his parents in 1842, he entered the Grove street school. In 1858 he came to Providence as bookkeeper in George H. Whitney’s bookstore at 1 Westminster street.
Here Mr. Lawton met the principal lawyers, literary men and others prominent in Rhode Island, among them President Francis Wayland of Brown University, Profs. Angell, Harkness, Lincoln and Diman.
In 1859 he entered the employ of Gorham & Co., whose offices were on Steeple street. Six years later, when the concern was incorporated and its name changed to Gorham Manufacturing Company, Mr. Lawton was chosen secretary. He was made assistant treasurer 25 years ago.
Source: The Metal Industry - December 1919
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JOHN F.P. LAWTON
John F. P. Lawton, secretary of the Gorham Manufacturing Company since its incorporation in 1865 in Attleboro, Mass. Mr. Lawton had been in poor health for about five years.
He had been connected with the Gorham Company in various capacities for more than 60 years, having entered its employ in August, 1859. In addition to his duties as secretary, Mr. Lawton had been, since January, 1894, assistant treasurer of the corporation.
In addition to his positions at the Gorham Company he was secretary, assistant treasurer and a director of the Silversmiths Company. He was among the founders and the first secretary of the Rhode Island Congregational Club and a member of the Central Congregational Church.
He was born in Philadelphia, Sept. 26, 1837, the son of the late Joseph and Grace Lawton. Coming to Pawtucket with his parents in 1842, he entered the Grove street school. In 1858 he came to Providence as bookkeeper in George H. Whitney’s bookstore at 1 Westminster street.
Here Mr. Lawton met the principal lawyers, literary men and others prominent in Rhode Island, among them President Francis Wayland of Brown University, Profs. Angell, Harkness, Lincoln and Diman.
In 1859 he entered the employ of Gorham & Co., whose offices were on Steeple street. Six years later, when the concern was incorporated and its name changed to Gorham Manufacturing Company, Mr. Lawton was chosen secretary. He was made assistant treasurer 25 years ago.
Source: The Metal Industry - December 1919
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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company
The Gorham Manufacturing Company, of Providence, R. I., manufacturers of silverware, report an increase in orders and are at the present time employing 1,670 hands.
Source: The Metal Industry - December 1908
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Source: The Metal Industry - December 1908
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