dered by mills and factories, located where good water-power could be secured at small expense, with little regard for centers of population or for markets. As railways were built, and steam-power came into more general use, there arose a tendency toward the centralization of manufacturing industries in the cities and larger villages. Ready access to the sources of raw materials and to the markets for the manufactured product became a necessity, lacking which an industry, no matter how old-established or prosperous heretofore, was crowded to the wall by competitors more favorably situated. To one who has never made a study of manufacturing in Amherst, the number and variety of industries which have flourished here at various times must prove a source of surprise. Concerning some of these but little reliable data can be secured; the records of others are more full and interesting.

The first factory in Amherst of which there is any existing record was situated on Mill river, just above the "City." It was owned in 1795 by a man named Rowe, who was engaged in the manufacture of paper. About 1807, Reuben Roberts came from Hartford, Conn. to Amherst, and in company with a man named Cox bought out Rowe. About 1809, Cox disposed of his interest in the concern, and Reuben Roberts was joined by his brother Ephraim, the business being conducted for many years under the firm name of Roberts Bros. They engaged at first in the manufacture of writing paper, most of the work being done by hand, the stock being reduced to pulp by the rude machinery which was then in use. They gathered rags through all the counties in the state to supply their mill, and carried the finished product to Albany by teams. Their mill stood in the ravine across the stream from the highway leading from the "City" to "Factory Hollow." The business established one hundred years ago was continued by the descendants of Ephraim and Reuben Roberts until 1894, when the mill, then owned by William L. and Manning Roberts, was destroyed by incendiary fire, Aug. 3. For several years preceding the mill had been employed in the manufacture of wrapping paper, straw and leather-board, with an output of about one ton per day.

Ephraim and John R. Cushman began the manufacture of paper in what was subsequently known as the "old mill," far up on Mill river, in 1835. They were sons of Ephraim Cushman and were born in Amherst early in the century. In 1854. they obtained a patent for a process of drying thick paper whereby it was prevented from warping out of shape. In 1859, they purchased a water privilege further down the stream and erected what is known as the "red mill." They manufactured straw-board and leather-board, the latter under a patent granted to John R. Cushman. The leather, in scraps and waste bits, is ground into pulp as in the manu

facture of paper and made into sheets of any required thickness. Before the introduction of railroads, the products of the mills were carried to Boston by teams. The business thus established by the Cushman brothers has been conducted by their descendants up to the present time. In recent years there has been added to the business the manufacture of "button-board," a material from which small pieces are punched with a die and manufactured into shoe-buttons. In 1863 A. R. Cushman bought out the interest of Ephraim Cushman, and the firm name was then J. R. Cushman & Son. Ephraim Cushman then bought a water privilege in "Factory Hollow" and erected a mill where, in partnership with his sons, he engaged in the manufacture of printing and manilla paper. In 1866, the Cushman Bros. paper mill furnished paper for printing the New York Tribune. This mill was burned in 1873 and the business was given up. J. R. Cushman & Son continued the business at the "old" mill and the "red" mill until 1878, when it passed into the hands of Avery R. Cushman, son of John R., who still conducts it. In 1871, the business of the firm amounted to $75,000 annually; since then it has increased considerably. The mills at present employ about 20 hands, turning out about three tons of straw, leather and button-board per day. Feb. 5, 1891, the "old" mill was burned and a new one has been erected on the same site.

Some time in the '50s, William H. Smith and John Wiley built a paper mill in what was known as "Westville," west of North Amherst, and conducted business under the name of the Westville Paper company. This mill was burned March 17, 1858. An item in the Express, referring to the fire, states that the mill had not been running for some time and the fire was doubtless of incendiary origin.

Bigelow's statistics for the year ending April 1, 1837, show that at that time there were two paper-mills in Amherst; 42 tons of paper were manufactured, valued at $7,000. Eleven males and seven females were employed and the capital invested was $8,000. In 1845, there were two mills; the stock consumed amounted to 175 tons, from which 105 tons of paper were made, valued at $7,700. The capital invested was $7,700, the number of employes ten. In 1855, there were two mills in operation; the stock consumed was 600 tons, from which was made 300 tons of paper valued at $24,000. The capital invested was $15,000, the number of employes 25. In 1865, four mills were in operation; these produced 150 tons of wrapping paper valued at $15,000, and 700 tons of paper and leather-board valued at $70,000. The capital invested was $26,000, the number of employes 38.

At Factory Hollow," about 1809, Ebenezer Dickinson, a well-to-do farmer, built a three-story wooden building in which to spin cotton yarn by

machinery. He had no experience in the business and, as a natural consequence, soon became hopelessly involved. He borrowed money from neighbors and friends, but failed to put the business on a paying foundation and it passed out of his hands. A company was formed in 1812 to conduct the business, ten men investing $1,000 each in the enterprise. The company was legally incorporated in 1814, under the following charter, the first to be granted to Amherst citizens for a manufacturing enterprise : "An Act to establish the Amherst Cotton Factory:

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That Levi Collins, Ebenezer Mattoon, Samuel F. Dickinson, Elijah Eastman, Robert Douglass, Nathan Gilson, Asa Adams and Samuel Perrin, together with such other persons as may hereafter associate with them, their successors and assigns, be, and they hereby are made a Corporation, by the name of the Amherst Cotton Factory, for the purpose of manufacturing cotton yarn and cloth, in the town of Amherst, in the county of Hampshire; and for that purpose shall have all the powers and privileges, and be subject to all the duties and requirements contained in an act entitled An Act defining the general powers and duties of Manufacturing Corporations.

Be it further enacted, That the said Corporation may be lawfully seized and possessed of such real estate, not exceeding the value of thirty thousand dollars, and such personal estate, not exceeding fifty thousand dollars, as may be necessary and convenient for carrying on the manufacture of cotton yarn and cloth in said town of Amherst."

This company conducted the mill for several years, manufacturing cotton yarn and giving it out to families to be woven on hand looms. As none of the incorporators had any knowledge of the business, they engaged the services of an Englishman named Odber to take charge of the machinery. In 1814, L. Collins, agent for the Amherst Cotton Manufacturing company, advertised that machinery of all kinds for cotton and woolen manufacturing could be bought of the company. In June, 1814, the name of the concern was changed to the Amherst Cotton Factory. In the Hampshire Gazette, under date of July 24, 1822, appears the following notice :

"All persons indebted to the Amherst Cotton Factory, either by Book or Note, are hereby called upon to make payment by the First of August next. Should anyone neglect this call, they may expect their accounts will be put into other hands for collection.

For the Amherst Cotton Factory,

ISRAEL SCOTT, Treasurer."

The investment proved a permanent one, the capital being exhausted by poor management and business reverses. Most of the parties engaged

in the enterprise gave up the business in disgust, but Gen. Mattoon would seem to have been connected with it as late as 1830. Ebenezer Dickinson, the original owner of the mill, broke into the building after it had passed