Maydole Hammer Co. Personnel - 1900

Worthy of Their Hire

Utica Saturday Globe, June 1900

David Maydole Hammer Company

Forge Room Employees

 



Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]:  The faithful industry of the founder, David Maydole, is being reflected in the daily work of the men employed in the establishment endowed with his name--the David Maydole Hammer company.  For nearly half a century Mr. Maydole devoted himself to the task of producing "the best hammer that could be made," with what success the thriving industry he left at the time of his death in 1882 furnishes most eloquent evidence.  Its successful history is an oft-told and familiar tale.  The secret of this success is largely faithful, honest labor and a desire to excel.  So strongly were these characteristics developed in the founder that they were assimilated by his associates and actuated in the marked degree the employees, many of whom as a natural consequence have seen long terms of service.

 

John Curley

 

In its forging department, where a score or more of men are employed, starting hundreds of tons of the solid, crucible hammer steel on its way to the finished product, some remarkable records have been made in this respect, the most remarkable being that of John Curley, who until last summer was foreman of the forging room.  He began working for Mr. Maydole in August, 1849, and at the time that he severed his connection with the factory, lacked but a few months of completing a half century of continuous service.  He was succeeded as foreman by William Sutton, who died last March with a record of 47 years in one employ.  After his death, the present foreman, Malachi Scanlon, took charge.  Mr. Scanlon has been in the factory over 25 years.  Among the other men in this department Patrick Foy will have been in the service 39 years in August next, Patrick Kilroe 37 years in July, Patrick Shea 37 years in November, John Casey 32 years, Patrick Condon 30 years, James Bolber 28 years, Michael Bolger 28 years, Michael Kilroe 27 years, John Ivory 18 years, Maurice Hickey 16 years, Dennis Griffin 15 years, Edward Stokes 15 years, Joseph Carr 10 years.  Winfield Cummings began working in the factory 30 years ago, and has been there at intervals since; James Hagan after 7 years has gone back to Ireland; John Ruckteshler after a number of years in the forging room has been transferred to another department.  Ernest Frink had been employed a year or more when the photo reproduced herewith was taken something over a year ago.  Out of the group shown two have died, William Sutton and Michael M. Foy. Three or four new men have since been added to the force and do not appear in the picture. The photograph is the work of Ezra Cook, the machinist in the employ of the company. The Globe hopes to publish in future issues group pictures of employees in the other departments of this pioneer industry of  Norwich.

 

They Temper The Hammers

Utica Saturday Globe, June 1900

 

 

David Maydole Hammer Company

They Temper the Hammers

 

Norwich:  Last week The Globe gave its readers a group picture of the men employed in the forging department of the David Maydole Hammer Company.  In this issue appears a picture of the employees in the tempering room among whom there are several long time service men.  Henry C. Sanford, the foreman of the department has been in the employ of the company for 28 years.  Michael Devine and Patrick Murphy have been employed for 28 or 30 years and John Martz over 20 years. The other men shown in the picture, Frank Cole, Roger Jones and Abram Miller have been employed for shorter periods. There is no more important element in the whole process of making durable hammers than the tempering and the men have acquired the skill that comes with long service.

 

Mr. Sanford, the foreman, holds a diploma from the World's Fair at Chicago he having tempered the hammers shown at the exposition.  The diploma was granted for superior merit in this part of the process, similar diplomas being given to each of the foremen in the several departments who personally handled the hammers which made up the display.