Some businesses have a relatively straightforward history, while others have experienced significant fluctuations in success and adversity. The Holyoke Envelope Company leans towards the latter category.
The Holyoke Envelope Company was incorporated in late 1880. The leadership team consisted of the company's President, James T. Abbe, and Treasurer, George B. Tyner.
The company operated on three floors of the east wing of the Holyoke Water Power Company building on Cabot Street. Many businesses started in this building, located between the first and second level canals.
Within its first six months, it was producing 600,000 envelopes daily. The company was using some of the most advanced equipment in the country. To its advantage, the company employed a brilliant machinery designer and innovator, James Ball, who was granted several patents.
In 1883, the company was awarded two significant contracts to supply the United States Senate and Treasury Department with envelopes. 600,000 envelopes were being produced daily, with a capacity of one million daily. Demand was great, and the company was three months behind in its orders. During the 1883 holiday season, the company opened a retail store within the factory premises to sell fine stationery in gift boxes.
With its efficient machinery, the company produced 900,000 to 1 million envelopes per 10-hour workday in 1885. At full capacity, 1.5 million envelopes could be created, ten times the amount made since its 1880 inception. The company produced high-quality paper boxes, which contained fine stationery and envelopes.
A year later, with the addition of ten additional machines, the standard production was 1.5 million envelopes daily. The company was shipping throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and parts of Great Britain.
The company's fortunes were about to turn after seven successful years. On Sunday afternoon, January 22, 1988, a large fire destroyed the Holyoke Envelope Company along with the neighboring B. F. Perkins machine shop. The fire was fueled by 20 million envelopes and 200 tons of paper stock. Additionally, fifty envelope machines, twenty printing presses, and workers' tools were lost. 265 employees were temporarily out of work. Losses were initially estimated at $175,000, with insurance coverage of $115,000.
Within three days, the company secured the use of the Morgan Envelope Company's premises at night for nighttime operations. The Morgan company was large and had exceptional equipment.
Shortly thereafter, in February 1888, 18,000 square feet of space was rented temporarily in the D. Mackintosh & Son building. Thirty envelope machines were to be installed for use by May. Boxes were to be produced in the Whiting Street building on Main Street.
Within two weeks of the fire, in early February 1888, Holyoke Envelope Co. purchased land on Main Street at the base of South Street opposite the New York Woolen Works and Beebe & Webber Co. The land was 340' by 250', and it was anticipated that production would be 50% greater than the former facility once the plant was running.
The new plant would be 300' along Main Street, 80' deep, and three stories. Initially, except for offices in the northwest corner of the building, there would be an open floor plan. It would be accessible to two rail lines and the horse-cars on Main Street. The anticipated construction cost was $40,000, and a start-up date was expected on June 1, 1888.
The contractors for the 642 Main Street factory building included:
C. H. Bausch, iron works
Lynch Brothers, concrete work
G. L. Bosworth & Co., stonework
Holyoke Steam & Gas Pipe Company, piping
On August 8, 1888, the building was completed, and the mill was operational. A department producing paper pads and tablets was also added. The total cost of the entire project was $110,000.
In 1893, the company's superintendent and inventor, James Ball, devised a two filament light bulb. When the first filament burned out, a tweak of the bulb would allow the second filament to continue providing light. The company applied for a patent. Mr. Ball left the company that year, eager to return to England, his home country.
The company experienced a downturn in 1893 and 1894, as competition in the bidding process intensified. Changes impacting the industry were on the horizon.
In 1897, the company was awarded a contract to supply the Department of the Interior.
In March 1898, company officials stated that the company was not included in discussions about joining a combine of envelope manufacturers. However, competition in the market was so severe that some type of merging of interests was thought to be in the best financial interests of the envelope producers. It was believed that this would enable the ability to regulate prices.
In June 1898, the Boston Evening News reported that the Holyoke Envelope Company had been part of an envelope trust for several years, along with other companies. The trust was known as the Standard Envelope Company, also referred to as the Envelope Trust. The trust controlled 85% of the envelope production in the industry. That trust was sued and lost a court decision on reneging on a contract.
In July 1898, the United States Envelope Company was formed, and the Holyoke Envelope Company was purchased by the combine. This will be continued in the following story on the successor enterprise.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican; publication dates and pages are shown.
Ancestry.com (paid subscription), Price & Lee City Directories, Holyoke, Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Cultural Information and Research System (Macris), Massachusetts Historical Commission, Secretary of State's Office, Boston, Massachusetts
Registry of Deeds, Hampden County, Springfield, Massachusetts
Secretary of State, Corporation Division, Boston, Massachusetts
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