HISTORY OF MANITOWOC COUNTY


ments from this warehouse were first made on December 9, I904, at which time
the Middletown, New York, warehouse was discontinued.
In August, i899, a purchase was made of wood type patterns and factory
equipment from Heber Wells of New York city. Mr. Wells had succeeded
the old-time firm of Vanderberg & Wells, who in turn had succeeded Darius
Wells, the father of Heber Wells, in the business of manufacturing wood type.
This Darius Wells was born in the year i8oo and was the first man in the
world
to cut printing types of wood.
The business and - good-will of the American Cabinet Company, a local
concern at Two Rivers without a manufacturing plant, was purchased January
I,
I903, and the manufacture of dental office furniture was commenced. This
branch of the business later assumed important proportions. The product in
dental goods has been handled under the name of The American Cabinet Com-
pany, with Mr. H. C. Gowran as manager of this department.
The commodious new home office now occupied at Two Rivers was erected in
I904-5, and was first occupied for business on May 9, I905, and enlarged
during
the summer of I9I2. The new shipping warehouse comprising eighty-five thou-
sand square feet of floor space was completed and ready for use November
I, i906. New and modern drying kilns for the lumber stock were erected and
put into operation during the year 1907.
On March I2, i908, the Company purchased the business and good-will of
Ransom & Randolph, Toledo, Ohio, at the time the largest manufacturers
of
dental cabinets in the country. This new business was transferred to the
Two
Rivers plant and the manufacture of dental furniture assumed still larger
proportions.
Previous to the appearance of The Hamilton Manufacturing Company, the
business of manufacturing printers' furniture and wood type had been carried
on by several concerns of more or less importance, most of whom are mentioned
in the preceding notes. After the purchase of these concerns and until the
year
I904, the business was largely consolidated in the Hamilton Company. At this
time The Tubbs Manufacturing Company was organized at Ludington, Michi-
gan, by local capitalists and former employes of The Hamilton Manufacturing
Company. A large plant was erected at Ludington, and a purchase made by the
new Tubbs Company of the wood type business of Charles H. Tubbs located
at South Windham, Connecticut.
This concern continued- in business for nearly five years. On June 9, i909,
the plant of the Tubbs Company was purchased by the Hamilton Company. The
factory was continued in operation at Ludington until July i, I912, when
it was
sold and the manufacturing end of the business was again consolidated at
Two
Rivers.
In i9i I steps were taken by the Hamilton Company to begin the manufacture
of printing office furniture and dental cabinets of pressed steel construction,
the
firm foreseeing in advance the inevitable decadence of the wood furniture
busi-
ness due in large part to the continually increasing price and scarcity of
suitable
lumber stock. Men skilled in the manufacture of steel furniture were secured
to develop this branch of the industry.
Ground was broken for the new steel addition on November 23, i9ii, and
the press room was completed and put into operation during the following


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