Maritime History of the Great Lakes

The Ward Brothers, George Brush and Montreal's Eagle Foundry, 1989, p. 31

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and, it is reputed that the British-built Dorchester, that company's first locomotive, was set up by its British engineer in their shops. 34 By the end o f the 1820s, John D od Ward was increasingly leaving the business o f the Eagle Foundry in the hands o f his brothers. H e spent som e time in Europe and began operating an iron works in Vergennes, Vermont. In 1832 John sold his share o f the foundry to his brothers, Lebbeus and Samuel, for £5000, payable in five years. 35 Shortly after the final payment was made in 1837, John formed a partnership with another N ew Jerseym an, T hom as B. Stillman, since 1832 in charge o f the Novelty Iron Works on New York's East River. 36 The foreman o f the works had been Ezra K. D od, Daniel's eldest son. Under the direction o f Ward, Stillman & Co. the firm grew into one o f the largest in the United States, producing among others, som e o f the engines for the Collins Line. But Ward apparently retired from the firm as early as 1841.37 In 1838, Lebbeus and Samuel took in a new partner, their old friend, Captain George Brush. Brush was a Vermonter o f the same generation, who had arrived in Montreal shortly before the Wards. The early part o f his career was spent in command o f som e o f the largest steamers in the Montreal-Quebec trade, and the management o f the Ottawa and Rideau Forwarding Company, the firm that for several years controlled trade on the Rideau canal. In arranging the new partnership, the foundry was valued at £7620 with no allowance being made for its "good will". Lebbeus, however, was spending most o f his time in New York City at his new foundry, the Hammersley. Samuel would join him after 1842.38 From som e point in 1845 until the end, which com e about 1906, the Eagle Foundry would be under the management of Captain Brush and his son, George S. Brush. Marine engines continued to be a major component o f the firm's business, although competitors like Augustin Cantin and Bartley and Gilbert, along with Scottish imports cut into the Eagle's market share. Although the Eagle had seen the first locomotive in British North America in the long run it would not be a major player in the railroad trade-- too much o f this was manufactured by the major railways in their own shops. 39 Nevertheless, the best glimpse behind the doors o f the Eagle Foundry dates from these years. "The premises front on King Street, run through to Queen, commence again on the opposite side o f that thorough fare and continue on to Prince Street, covering in all some 18,000 square feet. Their chief articles o f manufacture are, M arine and station ery steam en g in es, mill and m ining machinery, such as ore crushers, stamp mills, etc.... Commencing our tour o f inspection at the entrance on King Street, we enter the finishing shop and find the same filled with every description o f machinery, planers, lathes, drills, and boring machines, also a mammoth hoisting apparatus for the easy handling o f propeller rudders.... [Proceeding west, we enter the forging shop and behold several large trip hammers, the powerful influence o f whose knockdown arguments are irresistible. Passing on we next becom e acquainted with the moulding department which at the time o f our visit presented a lively sight.... Passing through the brass foundry in which we saw a very large collection o f castings, patterns o f bevelled gears, etc., we crossed over Queen Street and entered the boiler shop in which is erected som e huge steam punches and shears. The noise o f 40 hammers in the hands o f as many workmen echoing at the same time was sufficient to urge our precipitate retreat to the next building, which both on the first, second and third floors are literally crammed to the ceiling with the accumulated pat terns o f 45 years. ...The shops etc., we have previously mentioned are on the south side o f the yard, the north side is also filled with long rows o f buildings used as blacksmiths' shops etc. The upper floors o f the building surrounding us w e find to be equally as dense packed with patterns and those previously mentioned. The money cost o f the patterns in the possession o f this firm presents a grand total o f over $20, 000. The last point o f inspec tion on the list in the draughtsmen's room located above the offices o f the establishment and [i]n which are prepared all the drawings needed in the different departments and which after use are carefully stowed away for future requirement. "40 The Brushes continually adapted the foundry's production to changing demands, so that in the mid 1890s it was still manufac turing "Marine, Stationary and Portable Steam-Engines and Boilers; Mill and Mining Machinery; Hydraulic Steam and H and Elevators, Stone-Breakers, Road Rollers and a variety o f gears and general machinery from a most extensive stock o f P a t terns."41 The Eagle does not seem to have long survived the passing o f George S. Brush in 1906. Successive uses o f the site included the Canada Machinery Agency o f W . H. Nolan and later the St. Lawrence Wagon Company (which produced truck, sleigh and auto bodies). One hundred years before, however, in large measure the Eagle Foundry was the "Steam Revolution" that was transform ing Canadian inland shipping. 42 Almost all the marine engine construction and repair work, as well as som e industrial stationery engines emerged from its shops. In an age where a half dozen employees was the norm and an establishment with fifty was large, the Ward payroll sometimes numbered in the hundreds. Nevertheless, the foundry's own steam engine would only do a small proportion o f the work and even at mid-century castings still required endless hours o f hand filing. Although the Wards would file no Canadian or British patents, even with the "conservative", low pressure, walking beam engines there was constant innovation. 43 Even after new foundries, like those of Sheldon, Dutcher and Co., 44 and the Niagara Harbor and Dock Company45 began to appear in Upper Canada, many o f the engines placed in the steamboats on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes were produced by the Eagle Foundry o f Montreal. References The author would like to express particular thanks to Gerald Tul chinsky, Larry McNally and John Mills. 2. William Shaw, comp. History o f Essexand Hudson Counties, New Jersey, (Philadelphia: Everts and Peck, 1884), 2: 1147. John Dod Ward was bom about 1794 and was 79 when he died. New York Times, 20 May 1. 1873. Lebbeus was bom in New York City, 7 Apr. 1801. "Ward, Lebbeus Baldwin" in National Cyclopedia o f American Biography (New York: James T. White, 1898- )1: 246. (hereafter NACB) 3. "Dod, Daniel" NACB, 24: 359-60. John H. Morrison, History o f American Steam Navigation (New York: Stephen Daye Press, 1903, - 31-

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