The Guilford Iron Works - 1880

The Guilford Iron Works

Chenango Union, April 22, 1880

"The Guilford Iron Works," where all kinds of casting and work in brass and iron is done.  The "foundry" was started in 1844 under the firm name of N .R. Merchant & Co., and so continued to the death of N.R. Merchant, since which time it has borne the name of A. Bradbury, though the Merchant estate still has one-half interest.  The celebrated endless tread dog power for churning, was originally made here from a design of Mr. N.R. Merchant in 1857, and between four and five thousand of them have been made at this foundry.  Mr. Merchant not protecting himself by patent, other iron workers are building them, so that their sale decreases.

 

A.P. Merchant, son of the founder, N.R. Merchant, has worked in the foundry from the beginning, in 1844, and now superintends the estate's interest.  Mr. Merchant is a practical, mechanical genius, if we may be allowed the expression.  In 1856 he designed, and the firm have since manufactured, a superior planer and matcher, which is extensively used throughout the country.  In 1861 he designed and patented the famous Merchant dowelling machine, of which he makes from 500 to 600 per year, and of which he has made and sold in all upwards of 8,000.  In February last past he contracted with N.Mack & Co., manufacturers, of Rochester, N.Y., to furnish them all he makes, and they are shipping them extensively to South America and continental Europe.  Later he designed a shingle machine, which is said to be the best in use.

 

In 1855 the firm began the manufacture of water wheels.  They first made the Goodwin wheel then the Johnson wheel, then the Teed wheel, and now are making a specialty of a turbine wheel designed by Mr. Merchant about four years ago, and from which in that time they have had no breakage, which is sufficient proof of its excellence. They estimate that they have made and sold upwards of 1,000 water wheels of these different designs since 1855.  They manufactured from Mr. Merchant's original designs all of the machinery used in the foundry, with one exception, the estimated value of which is $12,000.

 

They have had the good fortune to get good assistants, and have kept them.  O.D. Merchant, the pattern maker, has over 15,000 different patterns under his charge, varying in value from twenty-five cents to $150, and can explain the use of any one of them.  Having such a variety of pattern designs, they are enabled to match almost any casting, and receive orders for duplicates from all over the State.  O.D. Merchant has been with them thirty-two years; Hobart Nash, who is an excellent machinist as well as a fine musician, for seventeen years; John McLean, with the exception of three years in the war, has been their molder twenty-five years; Burkett, the present molder, came there in 1861.

 

Mr. Bradbury, the head of the firm, is second to none in the State as a commercial manager, having been educated to its practical duties in Liverpool, Eng.  Among the many original designs there has but one patent been taken out, that on the doweling machine.  Has not Guilford a right to feel proud of this quiet and romantically situated foundry, doing it $8,000 business per annum.