HISTORY OF ILION INDUSTRY
VILLAGE OF ILION

HERKIMER COUNTY, N.Y.




The following is taken from "Ilion 1852-1952." We thank the Mayor and other officials of Ilion for granting us permission to provide this information to our visitors.



REMINGTON TYPEWRITER

The story of the typewriter has a quality of a fairy tale, complete with a fairy godmother and ugly duckling who became a princess. Christopher Latham Sholes, Carlos Glidden and Samuel W. Soule of Milwaukee invented the first typewriter which could be labeled practical, of these three Sholes was the principal inventor. Soule dropped out of the enterprise early but James Densmore, a business man became interested and had such faith in the machine that when a manufacturer was desired, he, himself brought the model to the great gunmakers at Ilion. This machine was the resault of 25 or 30 which had been made previously. A letter had been written on the machine describing it and asking that the Remingtons manufacture it. Henry Harper Benedict, at that time treasurer of the Sewing Machine Division, urged Mr. Remington to examine it.

Late in Februrary of 1873, Densmore, accompanied by G. W. N. Yost, a born salesman, fluent and persuasive, arrived in Ilion. The story is told that they walked into the drugstore of J. V. Down (now Baker's Pharmacy) with the invention wrapped in newspaper. Mr. Densmore set it down under the counter while the two went across the street to the Armory office.

The historic conference took place in a room of Small's Hotel (Osgood House) at which were present Mr. Philo Remington, Mr. Jefferson M. Clough, Superintendent of the Remington Works, Mr. William K. Jenne, Assistant Superintendent, Mr. Benedict, Private Secretary to Mr. Remington, Mr. Densmore and Mr. Yost. As a result a contract to manufacture the machine was signed March 1st. complete ownership was acquired later.

But the editor of the Citizen, James S. Greene, must have seen it some time that day for in the Februrary 27 issue he describes it as follows:

"We witnessed the operation of an instrument on Saturday last at Small's Hotel called by its operator a "type writer". . .It moves with great rapidity; and is so easily understood that a child of ten years old, with a little practice can write with it more rapidly than the swiftest penman. One of its peculiarities is its perfect legibility. It must come into general use."

It was now the task of E. Remington & Sons to take this crude model and make a machine that could be produced and sold in quantities. William K. Jenne became the most notable of the mechanical geniuses who nurtered it to this goal. A room "6 1/2 yards square" in the upper Armory was turned over to a select group. We know the names of just a few: Jefferson M. Clough, Byron A. Brooks, a professor of higher mathematics; Matthias Schwalbach, an ingenious watchmaker and Lucien Crandall are named. However in 1903 these men received 30 year badges from the Remington Typewriter Company showing that they had belonged to this early group: these were Messrs. Benedict, Jenne, Thomas Ringwood, J. C. Baker, I. W. Daniels and M. D. Tallman. Mr. Ringwood made the first screw for the Remington Typewriter and was foreman of that department. Mr. Daniels was foreman of the filing department, Mr. Baker of the polishing department. Mr. Tallman was a moulder and made the first casting. "W. K. Jenne's task was hard and his labor long and difficult but he persevered when the Remingtons lost faith and would have thrown it overboard." In perfecting the invention about 50 machines were constructed, all using the same general principle, but differing in minor details. In some cases it was necessary to invent a machine to make some particular parts.

The actual manufacture of the machine began in September of 1873, which date John W. Vrooman in the "Story of the Typewriter" calls the birth of the practical writing machine. The first catalogue was put out in 1874, in which Reporters, Lawyers, Editors, Authors, Clergymen are told of its advantages. Merchants and Business Men are mentionerd it seems as an afterthought.

By 1875 newspapers and magazines all over the nation were including articles describing this "novel instrument". In this year E. Remington & Sons tried their first advertising in the "Nation" which advertised the type writer more "as a toy and a children's educator". Their first advertisement which really paid off appeared in the "Century". Mark Twain's letter was also used as publicity.:

            Hartford, March 19, 1875
Gentlemen:
   Please do not use my name in any way. Please do not divulge the fact that I own a machine. I have entirely stopped using the Type Writer, for the reason that I never could write a letter with it to anybody without receiving a request by return mail that I would not only describe the machine but state what progress I had made in the use of it etc., etc. I don't like to write letters, and so I don't want people to know that I own this curiousity breeding little joker.
            Yours truly,
               Sam L. Clemens

In his "Autobiography" he tells the story of this typewriter which he bought in Boston in 1874. He was the first author to submit a manuscript written on the typewriter which manuscript was for his "Life on the Mississippi."

It was uphill work to sell a writing machine for $100 when a pen was so cheap. To incite interest a special machine was made to exhibit at the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia in 1876. It was trimmed with mother of pearl and decorated lavishly. Very few machines were sold and about the only financial return were the typewritten samples sold as curios for 25 cents. The great objection was that it wrote capitals only. This difficulty was overcome by applying to the machine a carriage shifting device invented by Crandall together with the double type invented by Byron A. Brooks.

Densmore and Brooks were the first selling agents but they had little success. They were followed by one firm after another who tried to find a market. In 1878 the selling was entrusted to Fairbanks & Co., the well known scale makers. They had an advantage over the earlier agents for the Model 2 had just appeared. This was able to write both capitals and small letters. As manager of the typewriter sales they appointed Mr. C. W. Seamans, a native of Ilion, then 24 years old. He remained in this position until 1881 when E. Remington & Sons decided to take over the selling; but Seamans had performed his work so efficiently that he was retained as sales head. That year 1,200 machines were sold. By the following year the Citizen could say; "The typewriter department of the Armory is one of the busiest places in the whole establishment. The number of men employed there and the amount of business done reminds one of old times. We understand that the typewriter is meeting with large sales, especially in the West."

Seamans was not satisfied with the number being sold and to better results, negotiated with Henry H. Benedict, and W. O. Wyckoff of Ithica. Mr. Wyckoff was a court reporter who, upon seeing one of the machines could see its future. He immediately secured the sales agency for Central New York and placed typewriters in his own office. The story is told that every member of his staff refused to use them, but the edict was "Use it or quit," so they used it. This new firm Wyckoff, Seamans and Benedict, were to be sole selling agents and were to take all machines the factory produced and the factory was producing all they could sell. The report of the number made per day when they became selling agents varies from 5 to 11, but by present day standards either number is insignificant.

Under their promotion the business progressed rapidly. The New York Tribune said, "Among all the mechanical inventions for which the age is noted, none has more rapidly come into general use and popularity than the typewriter." But a disturbing rumor reached the office in New York that the Remingtons were going to sell that part of their business. Mr. Benedict came at once to Ilion and asked Mt. Remington if this were true. When told it was, Mr. Benedict advised him to keep it, but when Mr. Remington said that they were determined to sell, Mr. Benedict said, "I have given my advice. Now I want to buy the plant."

Wyckoff, Seamans and Benedict paid $200,000 for the franchise, machinery and tools used exclusively for typewriter manufacture. Forgings, castings, wood work, all operations which had been done with Armory equipment were to continue to be done by E. Remington & Sons or new machinery must be purchased. The sale was made in March 1886 about a month before the assignment of the Remingtons. The same force was retained and received their first week's pay and all subsequent pay in cash. (No more orders for them). "It required poles as long as a church steeple to touch the typewriter boys Wednesday night after they 'bagged' their week's earnings in cash."

The new company needed greater facilities and the next spring there was a danger of the business being moved from Ilion as various places were offering attractive inducements to the young industry. But the Armory turned over to them more space and another story was built on the building for the "lining room."

But let us go back to the year 1886 to an event which was important to a sister village. In January of that year William Horrocks, foreman of the cabinet works of the Remington Armory patented a new Typewriter cabinet. "The neatest and by far the most elegant conception in the way of a desk or cabinet for the use of a typewriter." In spite of the inducements offered by the receivers, Brill and Russell, it was moved to Herkimer by Messrs. Horrocks and Foley, where it became known as The Standard Desk Co. They continued to manufacture desks for the Standard Typewriter Company.

When the new owners took over the Armory, Wyckoff, Seamans and Benedict again needed more room for expansion, but this was not granted. Again the Typewriter Company looked for a different location. The flattering offers were renewed, even to cost of moving, exemption from taxes, etc. The village was recovering from the jitters caused by the uncertainty of what would happen to the Armory and now the Typewriter was the chief topic of conversation. A citizen's meeting was called, an employees' (300 of them) meeting was held, negotiations were entered into and August 17, the Citizen was able to announce "Our good luck"--the Company had leased the Agricultural Works.

The Agricultural Works were refloored, thoroughly refitted and more space made available so as to be able to turn out more machines. Manufacture never stopped when the moving began. "The several departments will be moved separately. The machinery is so arranged that there will be no delay and work will be done in both buildings until all machinery is moved." Four years later the plant was purchased.

Both Mr. Seamans and Mr. Benedict kept in touch with their home town and Mr. Seamans especially, took an active interest in its progress. The new company prospered, the village prospered with it. It became known as the Typewriter Town. As the business grew, so must the physical plant. Additions and new buildings were added, the seven-story or "skyscraper" building being erected in 1895.

A sidelight on the place the company held in the community may be seen in the story of Bryan's stop at the North Ilion station during the campaign of 1900. There was a large crowd but a few scattering cheers was the extent of the welcome Ilion gave to William Jennings Bryan. The explanation was furnished by the Utica Press which said: "Mr. Bryan was badly advised by whoever suggested to him that he speak disparagingly of the typewriter trust when his train stopped at Ilion. Whatever there may be about the combination or the general management of the typewriter business, the one thing certain is that it has never worked to the detriment or disadvantage of Utica's thriving and thrifty neighbor. The Ilion people remember when Messrs. Seamans and Benedict were young men working on salaries none too large in that village . . .They were pioneers and pushed their way to success. Having succeeded Messr. Seamans and Benedict never forgot their old home."

Another name should be mentioned in connection with the development of the Remington Typewriter. In 1890 Louis Diss joined the factory and Louis Diss and Bert Diss are credited with many inventions and improvements, especially in connection with the aligning and type departments.

Mr. Benedict spent much of his time developing the European market, going there in 1886 to open an office in London. Office after office was opened circling the globe.

In 1903 the corporate name was changed from Remington Standard Typewriter Company to Remington Typewriter Company.

Wyckoff had died in 1895, Seamans died in 1915 and Benedict in 1935. Before the last of the three partners was gone, another great change occured when in 1927 the factory became part of a great office equipment chain and now became the typewriter division of Remington Rand, Inc.

McMILLAN TYPESETTING

In the 1880's amd 1890's, there was produced in Ilion a typesetting machine, perfected to the point of setting, distributing the type and justifying the printed line. For years attempts had been made but the Remington typewriter was the inspiration for this first successful machine, devised by John L. McMillan of Glens Falls. In 1879, at the age of 20, he saw a Remington typ[ewriter for the first time and learned that it could be operated at high speed; three months later he observed a man setting type and it occurred to him that the work ought to be done mechanically. He knew nothing about typesetting machines, so began to study to see why previous inventions had been failures. Two years later he had a satisfactory model and in 1883 a company, with $600,000 capital, was formed. This model was destroted in a fire.

He came to Ilion that year to avail himself of the unrivaled facilities of the Remington Armory. A year later a model was finished and was used in the office of the Ilion Citizen to set part of the type until in September 1884 the whole issue was set by the McMillan machine to the amazement of the newspaper world. This also added a "first" to the list of Ilion's "firsts." Next followed a machine which automatically distributed the type after use.

Machines were sold, a few going abroad. "Girls and lady compositors" could operate them as well as men. They were used by the Albany Eventing Journal, Century Magazine, Scribner's Magazine, Louisville, Ky., Syracuse Daily Herald, New York Sun, Utica Herald, etc.

In 1891 in Chicago, the American newspaper Publisher's Asociation ran a test of current typsetting machines. The Citizen ran the heading "McMillan Wins" but when the results were announced the judges had put the McMillan at the bottom of the list, the others, all of them linotypes, were placed ahead of it. The Citizen had judged by the fact that the McMillan had set 60% more type than the others and had done a better looking piece of work. According to the Ilion News practical printers favored the McMillan machine. As late as 1900 a machine was sold to the Little Falls Evening Times.

However, McMillan continued to manufacture and sell machines, and to add improvements, In 1893 he brought out a mechanical justifier, again a "first" for the Citizen and Ilion. But the linotype. capable of being operated by one person instead of the three used by the McMillan, supplanted it and in 1899 a new company was formed, the McMillan Book Company which manufactured the McMilllan Patent Record Book for use with typewriters. The leaves were detachable and bound as used. This business progressed rapidly in Ilion until 1902 when it was moved to Syracuse.

FROM TUCKER FILE

For many years the Tucker systems of filing were in use in business offices, and to manufacture these, a company known as the Tucker File and Cabinet Company was organized in Ilion in 1901, taking over the business of the Tucker File Company of Newark, N. J. This business was brought to Ilion and the former Coleman Carriage building at the corner of Morgan and Main Street was fitted up. The stockholders of the former Coleman Company, as well as those of the Tucker File Company became stockholders in the new concern. S. T. Russell became Treasurer and General Manager. Clarke and Baker of new York was their Sales Agent. The business grew rapidly and extended into other lines, large contracts being taken for the equipment of libraries, banks and other buildings. When the plant became too small in 1905 a merger was made with Clarke and Baker. The business now took the name of the latter because of its prominence in the New York trade.

Following the merger the company wished to secure the property north of the West Shore tracks including the Chismore Racing Park but the purchased price was too high. Meanwhile Niagra Falls was offering inducements to move the plant there. To save the industry for Ilion, the Board of Trade took a hand. Some of its energetic members circulated a subscription paper to meet the amout demanded. More than one hundred Ilion men responded and the tract was secured before the deadline named by the company.

In 1905 the control of Clarke and Baker was acquired by the Library Bureau of Cambridge, Mass. The plant continued to be operated under the Clarke and Baker name until 1909 when the manufacturing company became known as Library Bureau. In 1909 the steel working factory was built and in the next spring the Cornell Art Metal Company of Cold Springs, N. Y. was moved to Ilion.

Samuel T. Russell had been connected with the company from its inception in Ilion and had had supervision of the work. In 1910 he became President of Library Bureau and the plants in Ilion were placed under Mr. A. B. Russell. The number of employees had risen from 20 in 1901 to 200 in nine years. The number continued to grow and further additions to the plant were necesary.

A complete line of bank, office and library equipment was manufactured, much of it built to meet specific requirements. It is impossible to include even a partial list of the important furnishings and equipmet which were built in the Ilion plant. Take a look at the cases in your bank, in the museum you visit, they may be Ilion made.

In October of 1925 the Library Bureau became merged with the Kardex Rand Company under the name of Rand Kardex Bureau. The steel work was moved from Ilion to Tonawanda where it is still manufactured.

REMINGTON RAND INC.

In 1927 the Remington Typewriter Company was purchased by Rand Kardex which now had a complete line of office equipment in one great corporation. The name was again changed, the nameof Remington was retained, the new corporation became known as Remington Rand Inc.

Following a strike in six of the company's plants in 1936, the Powers Accounting Machine Company was brought from Norwood, Ohio to Ilion to be manufactured in the former Library Bureau factory, now known as Plant 2. Some typewriter business had already been taken to Elmira. Since then there has been a constant withdrawal of that business from Ilion until now none of it remains here. It is the "Typewriter Town" no longer. There have been other moves; the wood working department of the Library Bureau is now in Herkimer, the Remington Shaver in Bridgeport, Conn., etc.

In 1946 the "long building" on Main Street was purchased from the Remington Arms Company and in 1950 Plant I, which is the original Typewriter Plant was almost abandoned, personnel being divided between Plant 2, Spruce Street and Plant 3, Main Street. Some of the machinery was shipped to Lyons, France, and the remainder was sold at auction April, 1951. It was then used as a warehouse.

A School for Maintenance Men is conducted in connection with the plant. For about ten years a Sales School was also conducted here with headquarters in the office building on Clark Street.

At present in Plant I are a few processes of the Library Bureau, and tabulating and punched card printing. In April of this year the Company announced that a new electronic computor would be manufactured here, which will necessitate the reopening of Plant I. This new conputor is an office size machine and is known as the "baby brain".

Plants 2 and 3 manufacture and assemble the following equipment; Punch, Sorter, Tabulator, Synchro-Matic, which is a combined punch and typewriter, Interpreter, Reproducing Punch, Verifier, Summary Punch, Multiplying Punch, Multi-Control Reproducing Punch, Posting Interpreter, Interfiling Reproducing Punch.

The three plants employ about 4,000 men and women at the present. The manufacture of the "baby brain" is expected to increase this number by 1200.

KNITTING MILLS

To increase employment in Ilion, seven Ilion businessmen incorporated as the ilion Manufacturing Company with a capital of $50,000 to start a "felt hat bodies" factory. This did not materialize but instead a knitting mill was started. The old Stockwell Cabinet Shop on East Clark Street in which the Sewing Machine cabinets had been made in 1870 was purchased and refitted.

With ups and downs which reflected the financial condition of the times, this continued in business under various owners until the mill was sold to settle an estate. The new owner did not use it as a manufactory but sold the machinery. Since May 1951, it has been the home of Precision Metal Manufacturing Company.

A second knitting mill, the Imperial, flourished for a short time from 1895 into the early 1900's. It started in the Weisbecker barn on West Main Street, was moved to the Erskine barn on High Street which is now a four apartment house.

RIX BICYCLE

In 1895 a new bicycle appeared in Ilion, the "Rix". William Rix had a repair shop together with Peter Stubblebine for the repair of bicycles. In 1895 in company with his father as George Rix & Son they began the manufacture of bicycles in a barn on Second Street. They continued in business until about 1898 and made about 500 bicycles. "It was better than the average bicycle, I rode one," says one present day Ilionite.

THE NOVELTY WORKS

The Novelty Works was an interesting and varied part of Ilion's industrial history. It was located at the junction of Otsego, Morgan and Third Streets, which for a time, was the center for the smaller industries of Ilion. So far as can be ascertained now, the real beginning is not known. Was it here that the broom factory was located in 1855? Or was it a carriage factory built in 1850? The first mention which we find of the Novelty Works is in 1886.

At this time Henry W. Getman began to manufacture an "universal carriage wrench" in his barn on Otsego Street. By the following year the business had increased so such an extent that it was moved to the second floor of the brick building, corner of Otsego and Morgan Streets. On the first floor, which had once been "a laundry, and also used for religous services of our colored brethren", Messrs. Rice and Van Alstyne manufactured cabinet work of all kinds. They made cabinets, "some for new equipment for the Standard Typewriter Company and some for the McMillan Typesetting and Distributing Company, also boxes and crates for the Standard Typewriter Company. . .If ahead of daily demand . . .(the products) were stored in the room over the bus barn." They employed 8 to 10 men.

When Mr. Getman moved to the brick building he took in as partner, S. S. Phillips and additional articles were manufactured. As the business continued to increase, in 1887, the property at the corner of Morgan and Third Streets was purchased, and the "old building made over into a large and commodious factory." By 1890 twenty different articles were made by them and the Getman Manufacturing Company was incorporated. This company was composed of H. W. Getman, B. B. VanDeusen, W. K. Jenne, E. M. Turner, David Lewis, John Hoefler, John V. Schmidt, W. G. Skeel. However two years later the affairs of the company were liquidated as Mr. Getman's failing health made it impossible for him to continue.

The plant was advertised for sale and in 1894 the Citizen mentioned Martin & Remington of the Novelty Works. Mr. Martin had been a jeweler in Ilion in the 1880's, moving to Mohawk in 1887. During this time he had been working on an automatic fishing reel which he patented in 1884. Martin soon bought out the share of Philo Remington and conducted the business alone. The reel was made of aluminum and some of them were very elaborate with engraved scenes of fishing and hunting and some for "the high-toned sports . . . inlaid with pearls." In 1902 the business was sold to James M. Bellinger and Hnry M. Bellinger of Mohawk and Harry VanAlstyne of Ilion who moved the Martin Automatic Reel to Mohawk.

The next company to occupy the Novelty Works was the Remington Automobile and Motor Company, who leased the Works in 1900. The motor was the work of Wilhelm Schmidt of Ilion. The company purchased the machinery and equipment of the Quick Manufacturing Company of Newark, N.J., and moved it temporarily to Ilion. The quality of the car may be shown by a news item; "The Weston-Mott people of Utica bought a Remington automobile a month ago, 4 horse power, it had no trouble climbing College Hill, Clinton." The company moved to Utica. But it was impossible to raise sufficient funds and the company failed. This car was 3 years before Ford organized the Ford Motor Company.

The Works then became the machine shop of Frank Dyett and here he perfected a visible typewriter which the Citizen claimed was superior to other visible trypewriters. This was in 1904.

In 1907 the Works were sold to the Masonic Order and razed to make way for the present Masonic Temple.

YETMAN TRANSMITTING

In 1896 a Chicago inventor brought to Ilion a machine for transmiting telegraph messages. It consisted of a visible typewriter with an attachment by which a message could be sent and a copy of it preserved. it was demonstrated at both the Democratic and Republican conventions of 1900. "The work was done at a rate double that of an ordinary operator and the men who received it in New york said that it came in better shape than any work they had ever taken." It was used by the Associated Press, Western Union and some local railroad offices. For a time it was manufactured in the typewriter plant, then moved to Syracuse for a short time as the Typewriter needed all its room for its own manufacturing. In a few months it came back to Ilion and for a time was built in an Arms building on Otsego Street.

In spite of its success, tangled finances together with the approaching panic of 1907, forced it into bankruptcy in 1906. However, more money was raised and the fixtures and parts were moved to North Adams, Mass., where finally the inventor gave up the struggle with adverse financial conditions and intrigue within the company.

It is thought to have been the first visible typewriter and was in use before the Underwood, Royal, or L. C. Smith introduced a visible machine. Mr. Yetman and S. T. Russell went to Florida to see Mr. Seamans to persuade him to bring out the Yetman machine as a visible typewriter with the Remington name on it, but Mr. Seamans was sure the current Remington machine would always be supreme and that nothing would supplant it. This leaves room for speculation as to what a different ending there might have been if Mr. Seamans had accepted it. "The Yetman had a great many new ideas as regards typewriters and his ball-bearing type bar was a basic patent."

COLEMAN CARRIAGE AND WAGON COMPANY

In 1874 the Coleman family arrived in Ilion coming from London, England. One of the family, Fred Coleman who was father of former Mayor Oliver Coleman, was destined to establish a business which thrived here for many years. Opening in that same year the firm was known as Garlick, Coleman & Company. An old building standing on the canal bank was torn down and a three story building was erected in its place providing employment for 36 men. Two years later the company rented the livery barn on the corner of Morgan and Main Street for their carriage factory, buying it in 1881. The first factory was refitted (1881) by Eliphalet Remington & Sons to manufacture sewing machines and typewriter cabinets.

Their carriages, wagons and sleighs won many first prizes when exhibited at fairs and at the National Carriage & Harness Dealers Association in New York City. They manufactured "Victorias, Landaus, Dog carts, Village carts, Ilion platform and spring wagons and other patent wagons." The price range ran from $50.00 to $1,000.00 with every one guaranteed.

In 1889 the concern became known as the Coleman Carriage and Wagon Company and listed capital stock of $30,000 with Charles Harter, Samuel Russell, Frederick Coleman and Albert M. Ross as stockholders. This concern expanded into the Nigabower Block (now Best Hardware), built the four story building next east and raised the old bus barn to three stories. One of the interesting orders was the one received from the then Governor Theodore Roosevelt for two fine carriages to be finished in natural wood and sent to Oyster Bay. By 1901 business did not warrant such a large plant, so all manufacturing was done in the barn block and the forge adjoining. Tucker File and Cabinet Company occupied the remainder of the plant.

By 1904 beside their wagon business, the company was manufacturing automobile bodies and giving employment to over 35 men. Their output besides the automobile business consisted of a full line of light carriagges, the latest in four and six passenger carriages and rubber tired runabouts. Power at tht time was furnished by a Westinghouse motor fed from the municipal lighting plant.

In 1915 the company found itself unable to compete with the growing automobile field and found the truck business too expensive to continue so the business was dissolved.

A.N. RUSSELL AND SONS

In 1861 Albert N. Russell came to Ilion from Virginia and went to work for E. Reminigton & Sons in charge of millwrighting and later in charge of all buildings, grounds, purchase, transportation and care of lumber, etc. This connection was severed in 1876 to devote his time to the lumber business which he and Addison Brill had started in 1871.

In 1883 additional property. just west, was purchased and a planing mill built; in 1891 a sash, blind and door factory was erected, to which products were added shingles and cedar chests, and in 1895 store furniture. At this time the Citizens claimed this factory was the largest wood working plant in the country. They manufactured cabinets for gloves, thread, ribbon and umbrella holders. The ribbon cabinet, patented by A. W. McGowan, was such a success, that the mill worked night and day. The glove cabinet, patented by S. T. Russell, was also a most popular item. Many local stores used Russell cases of various kinds and the Russell agents were bringing in business from San Francisco to Boston.

In 1903 the lumber business was disposed of to C. C. Kellogg & Sons Company of Utica and the store and museum case business was stepped up. All the fixtures of Fraser's Department Store in Utica were Russell made (1907). Space forbids enumerating the important buildings entirely or in part furnished by the Russell Company.

In 1928 the company began to manufacture aluminum and bronze framed museum cases, the invention of William Rix. When the business was closed out (1932) the manufacture of these cases was taken over by Remington Rand, who later bought the patent, and continues to make them.


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Created 4/26/02
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