National Watch Company

National Watch Co
Life Span: 1864-1965
Location: Factory, Elgin, IL
Architect:

National Watch Co

Chicago Tribune, November 18, 1864

The National Watch Company, of this city, capital $200,000, have located their extensive works at Elgin, Kane county—big thing for that thriving little city, whose citizens in securing it prove that they know what’s o’clock.

Chicago Tribune, November 16, 1866

A little more than two years ago a number of enterprising capitalists in this city, stimulated by the unqualified success which has attended the only watch manufactories in this country, at Waltham and Roxbury, Massachusetts, determined to transplant this lucrative branch of industry to this vicinity. For the purpose of establishing the new manufactory on an adequate basis, a company was formed, with a capital of $250,000, and, to insure the success of the enterprise by the employment of men of skill and experience to conduct it, inducements of sufficient magnitude were offered to some of the most talented and capable employes of The old Waltham Company, to bring them out here. Some time was spent, after the company had been formed and the necessary capital paid in, in selecting a place for the location of the factory. All the country towns for a long distance about Chicago, were explored with a view to finding some one where a healthful and beautiful site for the works and workmen’s cottages could be procured, and at the same time near a railway. The best place which could be found was at Elgin, and farther encouragement was offered for the selection of this place by the people of that town, who generously gave twenty-seven acres, in a beautiful location near the river bank, and just within the city limits, for the uses of the company, who still farther increased the extent of their land by the purchase of several acres more. The company was at this time organized with the following officers:

The company having thus fixed the site for their future operations, in December, 1864, the skilled operatives from Waltham came on to take the enterprise in hand. There here eight or ten of these gentlemen; but the principal one, he on whom almost entirely depended the success of the undertaking, was Mr. Chas. S. Moseley a Massachusetts man, who has spent about fourteen years in watchmaking and the various processes connected with it and who. in his conduct of the arduous and responsible duties confided to him, has developed talents of a high order, more than realizing the high expectations of his ability entertained by the company.

The Buildings erected under Mr. Moseley’s direction were commodiona, elegant and perfectly adapted to the uses for which they W re designed. bni as vo will come to a description of ibeui directly, more weed not be said in this connection n rarding them. While they were being pat up the workmen were busily employed. in some wooden shops down in the centre of Elgin.

malire muchner; to make other machinery for getvice in watch-making. The infinite care required in every portion of this work, and the limited at their disposal. prevented their waking very rapid progress-at least, it scemed 32 il a wury large amount of work was put in 3 very swaT compass still when the lime came in more into the new bonse, they had quite a fair show of tools to earnest operations with. The work of abdig tools for this bn-inces seems, bonever. roser to cometo an end, and op to the pe-cal time there has been no cessation in 11.

Little else, indeed has been dose In while. 1 Lat 10 inche machivery. Troni the however, the modertaking I.as born tre air of a predestined backed as it La been by wealth, tatent and energe. and the po-tponement of prartical in this form ofcompleted work ha- stakenarrone’AranQuence in it. These hag been a slight change in the officers oftne company, the organization now sanding: W.

Rarmond. Vic F. Lawrence. S and Treasury–G. 31.

Wheeler. Director to preceding) H. C. Calver, T. S.

Dickerson. J. F. General Superintendent -Charles S. Morelar.

noticeable change, is in the fact that from the original eizht or ten hanas. the number of emplures in row locreased to abont seventy. and more are being adued as rapidly us they cab 10 mocured. To accommodate these bands, tutuber of co tagg bave heen crected Tr the compour. for married inch, a large boarding honer, three stories high and ty feel lu extent, fe now being put up for the vital tolks.

The cottages are peat and comfortaDe, and the boarding house rather mute an elegant mansion than what a boarding ouse is geperally conceived to be. Refore our to the factory. It may not be amiss to invert here some remarks relative to the quality of watch which It la proposed to manufacture here. The American watches have alrcady gained the 3;1m of superiority over all others, as time keepfrom the two facts, that they are greatly sim+ tided and quently less liable to get our of pair than cather the Luelish or Swiss watrues: also that they are manufactured eutl.ely by sachiners, thus securing a greater degree of accar. cy than could ever be attained by hand-wo:k.

Juliet watc.-makers are surpriged when ThE come here and ecc to what in an extent We cars the application of machinery this delicate and dimcun basiness. Ag wilt be a ten in our description of the of watchthere is 1:0thing in all the minati: the works of a watch which is not made here br constructed for the parpose, from the catting of a thread on a screw, one fonr-bandreth of an incu in diameter. up to the stamping out a dial plate. results of this are, first, a cheapenlug of the coel: second, the perfect «luplication of every part. so that the repairing aDs broken or worn ont portion of ine works coete very little and may readily he elected.

Ten thou American watches, of one pattera, made this evetem, are alike in every part, even to the Son thousandth of an inch equally perfect This is not the care with European watches, which are mainly made ny hand, and in which each part has to be to a particatar watch. Now a few words relative to the character of the watch itself. In this, ay in all other pleces of delicate mechanjem, the greaser the degree of simplicity at alued, Lue nearer 18 approach to perfection -if the one simplified machine does all that the complicate is incant to do. The fusee and chain. 80 uacTeen c-eary bi Engush makers, throrch an natch, absurd COUru the old-fashioned verge have -crvatism.

retained in the leic: watch, where ther nre not only nseleas, but 80 InGuile canse of trouble, accident, and jucreased espoore. Tals objectionable featnre has been entirels wiped ont from the American watch and in the Swiss. Such universal success has attended, tims-keepara made on this principle acd that the old prejndice in favor of she chain, 98 an “equalizer of the force,’ cow generall; remored in this country, and the American watch Is reengnized a9 the best LimeIn the world. So much for the watch. Let now visit the factory whero it is made in 2005t y form.

Mr. commenced the arduous task: a watch-making celabli-bment under greater di-advantages than ever before surroandid a desion of such It Is comparalively casy to start an ordinary machine shop, wool or cotton mill, or any otter mec’hanical 1 pnee, where one has no more to do than order once machinery, ail ready made. put ap a house to were place the it in. and requirements then of co to work. Far in which rent the 1 old Moecley and big comrades found the and the manner in which they met sad overcame all obetacles.

adda ano bez leas the which YauLce genius sud cute: price have won in 0 fair race inst all the warld. The 1rst need WAS suhalde boliding, and here Moseley * came out ” as an architect He knew precisely what Lind of 4 bailding he wanted. and, under his acand intelligent supervision, his ideal was realized in a superb etroctare, the very perlection of an edifice for the purpose for which i- distened. In addition to being in the highest practical, it the advantaze teeming complete all the while, and still capable of exteurion in proportion to the necessities the business, withoat erer destruting its ermand beauty, or diminishing its perf ct avarlability In every part. The deuten is that it shall, when finished, be in the form of an IL.

At present only about au-complete or in otter worde the and balf of the drat down-stroke Of ILe I. This gives a main bwiding forty fert and two wrings at right sogles, cach one 1. feet in lenem by in width. The office, superintendent’s and accretary’s roo are in the #ourte In the ‘wines, citber vale -making or the making to make coher tools, m make mull other tools uacesears watches, are cared on. In addition, there 1, al:o a bullding, or reiber a balf ba>cCut, -;ack on the middle of the cross-piese D.

for the on one side and the on the otber. So much for the house. The Lest thing to be done was to get the fool Into LIC house, Bent the genius became conspicuous. He could not F or Lie of machines wanted, creept a bravE iron plating machine and a comple larce engine lattes. These would do for coar-est work of building the vecessary chiners.

bat nothing more.” Everything required lad to be made under his direction, and as a ale inelance showing the immensity of the work hefore him, we may cite the labor required la mull particniar. The teeth or coza on the barrel of on of their watches are cat with what they nominate the * curve, that form ing, for cations reasons, deemed the best. Perfect accuracy in cattinz these teeth. to the thousandth of an itch, la absolutely necessary. Merely to make the cotte: or bit with which 1bry ale formed.

8 dozen intricate machines, cach of the mort delicate and accurate mechani-m, are required. To make these machines many mire are needed, and every portiou of bad to be made hero, paduatis balll ap do r almost as great as Adam would suuered if he Lad undertaken in mabe waich in the Garden of Edco. To begin at Very beginning, the castings which they needed could not he got without made by themselres. They world not be accurate. -lue sand in which were made would be too coarse -tho metal ould be variable, gometimca 100 bard, and again too So RE the A, In the long alphabet of their trib tons and pecesaftles.

Moseley and bis comrades +el up an iron and brass foundry, bringing in barrels from Now York State and miriag 1h- mo tals to snit themselves. Then they at Luishlog up the casiluga made there. and them togetber in The beautiful machinery r. bich now the building For all this Moseler had not a drawing, a a measurement, model, other than exeted in bis memory. He membered, thought out aud improved upon chinery for every possible use in his basin as.

rande wrarking drawings (as admirably Anished If he were manght but a -then Traced palr-en drawings,- superintended making of patieras, directed the choice of tale, the modes of casting, 1be A versibing in short. and never made F mistake. by hie Rapidly the energy. work wren: Fortnae. does, smiled when her frowns wore and ere long the factory began to All with the dneet machinery in the world, all ver, or nearly all, machinery to make machinery for tee in watch-making.

Having riven thus much of a general review the carlier existence of this caterprise, let it as It appears at present to an unprofes: riel or, endeavonng in so doing Lo our reader: as little as rate porsible time with technical and at the give a tolerably description of the several processes maich waking. Ute dnes not march straight into tbo secrets Thin into a blacksmit’s #hop a rollir g-mill. On paseing the vestalc and the hall. oue lies tO ring Tweil, wait until boy comes, undergo inspection by the boy, tell tor who one wi-hes to sec, wall until the Inde that inchidual, wait codl the individual tutors, and then, peruaps, one may be allowed enter. Inside fa as neat.

and clean as vase Lot c. The walls are white, the doora the machiaers almost nolseless and from oil and dust while the excellent for licht aud ventilation make the place cheerful se one could imagine or wish. The Arsi room to our right as we cater is. 101 feet by 27, known as the machine thop, charge of Mr. George Hunter and urs Mr.

E. Hancock, both formerly connected with the Wait bam Watch Factory, thirty are constantly emplosed mahirg machinery. el:ber lot dat oct in com! of the variong proccases of watchraking, or 10 male tools and machines for sack use. thi:ty or forty tabes. Inrolog and planing chives, etc., are in operation here all the ret the noise la not to great as be made ball a doz u sewing machines, so perfect is thing.

There is no rattle of loose machines, jar of illy based ones. aud most of the noise bear comes from the network of rushing overhead. The heavier engines, the large 1or example, are based upon elone pier- sunk the depths of the foundatlons of the balling, others are to Armly Axed and so Stied and uropori oud that one scarce they are al work it does DOL 1bcm. A notic able feature 10 this partment Le the of prevailing in crem thing and the ingenlous Arrangementa for its maintenance. There are baralsber rolls the brass down around the edge upon 15c sloping shoulder on the dat ride of the fen el, and the work 14 complete, sill another process, however, three jewels bare to go through.

nulfona The holes throngh them have to bo in rize, acn polished out with dismond dust. To determine the regularity, a peculiar guage is used. -a thing with a long tapering steel necile, is thinker parked than hair at its a extremity. This needle mio the hole in jewel, Flowed back as far as it will go, and It recisiere, in twenty-Ave hundredths of an luch, how large the hole is. No hole is too for this thico 10 mcasure.

if one cond poke 2 bole In the edre of a shadow with a ray of this gnage would tell the size of tac apperture. Mr. Bagley is tbc cumulag inventor of this thing, aud IL certainly entitles bim to bigh rank as jndge of small matters. The gilding rooms are not yet in operation, no we have OLIS oue place more to see the works. That is the ” enamelling and palating** department, one where we can admhe without bewug puzzled.

Mr. John Well, An Knell mau, u Do deed to be employed in the Waltham Manufactory, is the preeidlog genius here, In this conniry there as several men who understand enamelling.’ others who kLow how 10 paint, ADd some who ileart of ” sinkipe.” but thes bave all been tancht by Mr. Webb, and he is probably the only one in the United States who practices and 1s master in all the several branches of art connceled with the production of a folshed watch dial. He Is al present Instructing several men and ciris bere in the bosiness, so ibat in the event of any accident to him, ais art may not be lost. Let us, a8 cerses closely carted as on poseible, in this room.

describe The the prodial plates are of pure copper. Each has three * feet” or pins. soldered drily toit oy a very simple, bu* Ingenious and when this is done 18 ready for the chameler. The camel, which coste about £8 per pound, Is Imported from England in great chunks. not uctike broad spirales of milky and 18 composed of a mixture of sand, nitre, white lead, borax, arsenic, Iron and in.

To prepare it for It is fincly powdered and kept in water. The enameler first 00 a coat of this paste, of powdered enamel and water, on the back of the @tal plate, 10 prevent suddea heat or cold bileuring or cracking the apper surface. Then, with a broad square ended knife he smooth13 lage on the earface touching 11 from time to time on a smooth white cloth to draw the as midch as poseible, from the paste. It is then placed on the floor uf the farrace where it dries, and from there la moved op to the oven where, at a white beat, the enamel molts and sires a perfectly smooth naked glassy About Fixty per hour way he in one ored. There are TRO Orens here.

only one of which is used. The smooth enamelled piano is cow markon off at distances, and the deures and points are painted op with black enamel. which is afterward baked artist in. This painting is very delicate work, and the who exceates Mr. Fm.

Mealsad. hee been bronebt over from Ergland especially 1or this purpose. It ty all done with the finest brothes, even the micate lettering of * National Watch Co., which appears on the face uf cach dial, in characters onc-fourth the size of 1cose in which this sketch is printed, done by the brush. Great steadincas of Land, skill of rite touch and this work, clearness bal of two elght or are three of girls course to roqulfor 1be art is being ‘aught bere, give promise of becoming adepts in it at remarked no very that distant day. Jus here it way be girls show grest for the delicateand painstaking processes of watch-making in all its various departments, of them, Indeed, oriocing extraordinary mechanical talent, and that It 1a tOW in contemplation 10 base one-hall or cren two-thirds of the entire force employed, when tbo factory de la fall working order, from the sex.

“They don’t get tired of mouotoLous work so goon nom as 10 D abant and if they could do, only be kept thinking a vecthearts, would be perfect–as on the watchmakers. dial the VI. 1g In painting ibe figares front pot drole on. which corers ibis point and acids cat machine cuts out the enamel away the copper plate, learing a roncd hole, The * **taps, etc., all of the moat delicate measure. mette, and there are duplicate pias, etc., of bardened steel, by which a variatian of a of an Arch, citter br dent or wear In any part may be Instattly cd.

As Iratancing the nicety of thren tools, It may be remarked that there are to this assortment of en inch In diameter up to 1,912 all elrea from four one and it is actually by bundredthe and thousandths that they are measured. To g nard agalost lujury or loss of any of these delicate and valuanle tools, a record in kept of crery one given ont, and what workman has taken it, so that caca man is to luterceted fu taking care of what is condaed him. and the fools are not allowed to deteriorate to value. The advantages of this eyetem must be readily apparent to ADJ ORC having knowledge of mechanics. It would b3 Declese to into ADJ here of machines ubich shall And in actual ops ration in otber parte of the building -besides Ire don’t feel quite sure at our ground in descrile ing such unique, dolcate and complicated contrivances and would much rather speak of the resalta achievea by ahem.

Liale things he.c aru the most importaut and at the same Limo most puzzling. to a Whar. per example, can be more ** rapnon•profeesional than the trainthing which has “two eccentrics fu its face, Alicen holes of various elzes scattered ail over It and cach one of these holes may be brought to the centra for purposes of drilling come one of the many holes la and about the works of a watch. It’e all very simple to tell one that * It’s set by guages and the shining is done by the two is eccentric all over, and looking at it one hopes, with the old woman looking at the magician’s tricks, * that ther ain’t euthin’ wrong in at, arter all.” One of the prettiest machines hero Is the crank planer, will take a of a hair, and one ol the most generally nectur a press, which, by means of au almost minite verne of punches and dice, stamps out ceutre, barrel, third, fourth and escape wheels, click springe, and a malatade of other portious of a watch. From where the machinery and tools are made, let ue move ou to where thur are ased In the actual of watches.

Thu drat room we visit in this quest is the ” movemeut” department, and, as one of the harmless coccutricities of the business, it Dero be remarked that the movement” is tbat past of a watch Micn does not move It is screwed fast, therefore they call It the morement, * It consiens of the two bridges,’ potent” and * pillars.” In Alr P. S. Bartlett, au original Walthamite, 18 charge here. Here one begins (o admire the pecallar delicacy of the Unelness. The two largest ecrewe in a watch are made in this department.

One 1: 123 of an inch in diameter; -the o bier la 119 hundredtue. These, i: will be n membered, are big ecrewa:-the little ones are only o twears-five hundredth: in diameter. On these one can scarcely tec the thread wirbont an cye-class. Very pretty Ittile turning machines are at work here citing out the sunken places on the and ” pla’es” and reducing to regular thickuess and smoothne a the tents,” and there are aleo canons and lathes for boring readily aifTerent eizes of holes the plates, etc. Anotber very interesting machino in this department is that for making the female crews, or places for screwe to be fastened In Thi- invo.

Pious contrivance bores into a piece of *metal, making 1 ecrew thread As it core, and on reaching exactly the spot where hoold I= reverser its action and itsell out of 1bc metal, Amebing the * tap’ id 8 fraction of a second, and all simply by means of a corning device for reversing the power from a a crossed belt. Everyibing made here is tested by a gnage which measures down to the Are-hundredth of an a inch, close enough to regis1er an unevenners in enact of tissue paper. From this tro will pass to the wheels and pinions** or * train,’ department, over the maching chon, which is under the superlatendence of Mr. %. Bigelow soother criginal in whom there le much ekill.

One ecarcely knows what to begin on here. what to look at or describe first. Unite a nomber of good looking girls are at work in the ranous processes of this departinent. bat 01.9 15 strictly A business visit. FO WO make no note of them.

Ag A gentle hint of the delicacy of the machinery and manipulatious we are about to inspect, Mr. Higelow exhibits fret a gauge need here to teat the accuracy of the completed work. It registers down to the one-thonsandth of an inch-2 silly bair from a convenient maiden’s bead we fad to bu justfour one-thonsandtas of an loch in thickness. The butt end of our lead pencil the thing utterly refuses–it does not recognize the existence of anything so big. Naturally we are curions to see what are the things which it is Intended this range shall measure.

Tuc Orst we see of them chide love pieces of wire, and a chewe them up where a man is Reding to Fort of biting mainto short pieces, little fragments of various lengths. These are “piniona” in their crude elate. The wire of which they are made le of etcel, Stubbe’ best, imported from Epglaud. In a completed watch, of the kind now being made here, Itero which are a:c six known or arica tbe for whcels, as “contre.” *third, *escape,” and “cannon.” Another form into which the wire is worked, very much like a “pimon” fu certain respecte, le the “bariel arbor.” being cut np, the fragments go through the operation of treing.” or, in plain Engleh, poluted. Then some arc ground, or rather turned off, €0 tO have chon, thorp points; others long, sharp points; some with shoniders and others without; entirely too great a diversity for us to describe, but all done by delicate little machines, almost automatic in their action, worked by patient; bright cred girls, whose fingers move so defus bai the changes In form seem is almost magical, so sauld are they, Yet all doue with the most perfect accuracy.

Some of 15c wire 18 cal of* short bored out bas cogs cut in it -ten cogs or leeth on a cylinder not larger than the barrel of an ordinary watchkey. These are to work, or mash, 43 the workmen term it into the are works. the care and nicety bestowed on fraction these minute Nothing must vary the of the thickness of a hair from tho stipalated size and etape, or it 18 spoiled; and a great beauty about the muchinery employed is that it will not spoil anything, even if the person managing it be adskilful or negligent. The delicate machines which wake there pinions or cat the wbeels, of which they form the axles, cease their cutting, grinding of or whatever cise they may be employed at, precisely at the right mustant-o stroke too much or one too lite is impossible all that they male are perfect Pus of ona the exact model of all the rest. vers interceting proco-a carried on here is the jewel It is done by Messra, Hyde & of Norval, both very experienced Workmen, the former only recently from Euglagd and brought here especially for this work.

Toe ston 8 used for jewels are ” aqua marina.” and ** ruby gencrally the two named. The rough stones, as they are found, are sawn into thin. minute elabs by incans of a gang the revolving blades of which are of 3 cel charged with diamond dust. Tacre slabs arc again cut into long elender pencils for *pallet stopce or into square bite for Jewels. As the former use requires little change in ticir forw and lite Ircatment other than by means of diamond dust, It is comparatively udinteresting.

Jewel 13, however, Inli of inThe workm1 nacs a laibe and a 100l8, citber rough diamonds or steel poluts charged with diamond dust. Taking up one of the small equare or octagonal fragments, be fastens it Grmly on the spinale of ais iathy, by means of #bellac gum. Item with a large rough diamold, set in a brass tool, he wears the Jewel perlecdy round. Nurt he civea 1t a form. flattens slightly the top of its convexits and dr.

Ila a microscopical hole balf wag The stone must now be turned round, the hole bored through from the other side, a recess or little sloping made on the edge and then It mast be poldened to perfect level smoothness by rubbing its it on a plate of ginse. All this takes little more time 10 do than to describe, and it mitat of peede be quick, for the completed jewels are only worth ten or twelve conte each, bai who IL mwa, practice become fearfully monotonous to those it for mouths and gears. Still a awober prous operation in this department is the hardening of the wire of which the balr springs are formed. It has been the robe. bat tie compang now onl.

springs Import the wire practice hitherto to import hair from Enand from at make 4 quality of springs superior to any in the market. In 4 linto room connected with this department we are shown the model to watch for the stria now being made here, a ** full plate,” and we learn that the system on shich the manufacture la carried on is to make by hand a 3 perlect waich for a model and taco to dapticate, he nearly an possible, all its parte for the thousands of its fellows which may be regnired. The next watch which the company will make, will be the Raymond trutch, named after the Preaident of Die National Watch Company, and Die model for this is now in band. Ae fast as new pre demanded they will be got up.and as it is calculated of that they will be able to make Any watches per day when they get in successfal operation, we of mAy expect to their stock ere long olive the market. But.

to return to our ” tour of Inspection. Frow the futricaci ‘s of the train department we gladly cecape to the large and airy room on this Door where Mr. C. Barley is doing the jewel getting businese, and very interceting we And bis work. He has little hollow brass sockets, pounds of them, an which he la to place jewels aud by the aid of carionely contrived guans Jathe be doce this almost as rapioly as one can count.

us Iu old Limes, and even jet In some large establieuments, the work is done by band, 80 ire have no little curiosity to eee how it is chected 80 rapto tale here. First fastening big setting in 4 sort of chuck, he lays the Jewel he la about to place in it on a nanow steel shelf up aloft on the machine. of Then orings up again t it a Jawlike guage en. which determines exactly the size of the hole which that particular Jewel requires to hold it, and before one can EAT or at least wate * Jack of Robinson.” a slender steel hit has glided out, bay bored the hole the and intervals vanished lato obscurity again, comewhere in of the machice. It’s of simple to tell ore the bit la exactly half the way from the jrwel to the axle or hinge of the ma- guage, and as it cuts only on one side, mast necossarly make the bole just the sine tho jewelsin- the and withal, principle I little there, but wondering ouc at cannot help admiring of a the ingenuity the thing.

The jewel Is la set:lug, *eccond dial 1 L made la the eate WAT as large out in the same and is en cemented on the under aid: of the large plate, tuna leaving ado second dial ” sunk below the level of the rest h of the faco of the tratch. On come chess watches and on many Swiss watches this an Acn portion of the plate 15 merely stamped, cot cat out: but go Anu A Butface on the *accond dial ” can be procuted by this means as by that which we have described. Th’ procras of rutting I the completed works of the watcher toretber as not yes been begun here, 80 that we cannot describo In a few weeks, probably not more than a fortnight, this will be colog op, and the frat results of the energy and talent of the “National Watch Company” will be placed before the public, The power need all through the factory is derived from a thirty-horse power engine, made la Fitchburg, Massachusetts, a very model ofstrength and We beauty thus endeavored as briefy and at the tbc same time as cicarly as possible to sketch the rise, progress and present condition of one of the mort Interesting and noteworthy of the made great manniscturing cuterprises in tale vicinity. We have nothing further to offer in coupection with than an expression of our own hope and coutdence thet the company will meet with that complete success for they bave striven and which they so well deserve. If taleot, experience, and utmost care can ever prodnce infallible chronometers, that desurable end will be achieved by the ” National Watch Company,” and wu mar expect ere long their time-piecca will be Indispensable to every man and family in the country to whom “time 19 an object,’ who know that “time tries all.” or who pave Icarned to “watch as well as pray.”

Western Rural, September 22, 1870

National Watch Factory, Elgin, Ill.
The above engraving represents the National Watch Factory at Elgin Illinois,-an enterprise which had its origin with a few energetic and shrewd business men of Chicago In 1864. Two years were spent in erecting suitable buildings, and it was not until May 1867 that the first watch was turned out. Within the brief period intervening between that date and the present this Factory has achieved a reputation for its watches which is world-wide. The different grades of watehes made are the “Lady Elgin,” “B. W. Raymond,” “Mat Laflin,” “G. M. Wheeler,” “H. Z. Culver,” “H. H. Taylor,” and “J. T. Ryerson.”

The testimony as to the excellence of the watches here made is of the most pronounced and satisfactory character. No higher proof of their superior qualitles could be adduced than has been voluntarily furnished by many men, throughout the country, of the highest standing and influence.

A very interesting paper on Ancient and Modern Time Keepers, containing an interesting notice of the works of the National Watch Company, written by the late A, D. Richardson, may be had upon application to the Company, in person or by letter, at Elgin, or corner of Lake and LaSalle streets, Chicago, We give these watches as premiums.

Advertisement from Merchants and Manufacturers, 1873