The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw further business growth and speculation about relocating the plant. The company had outgrown its Railroad Street plant.
In 1897, it was reported that B. F. Perkins & Son planned to move its plant to Willimansett. Plans were drawn up to build a new factory in that village. The Willimansett plant would manufacture calendar rolls and operate a machine shop.
Also, at this time, additional plans were prepared to construct two 40-foot-by-160-foot plant buildings in South Hadley: a one-story and a two-story building. This plant would manufacture calendar rolls. As the demand for calendar rolls waned, the plant shifted to producing tissue paper.
In February 1898, B. F. & Son purchased 6 acres of land off Montgomery Street with plans to build a large plant complex. The land was located near railroad tracks, which would facilitate the transportation of raw materials and finished products.
B. F. Perkins & Son was not finished with its 1898 property acquisitions. In November, the company purchased the former Pearl City paper mill of E. B. Currier off the northern end of Woodbridge Street. Mr. Currier had only owned the plant for one year and had renovated it extensively. B. F. Perkins purchased the property at a distressed price and planned to spend an additional $20,000 on renovations and new equipment.
Within one year, the first shipment of Japanese napkins left the Pearl City mill. Japanese napkins are distinguishable by the flower shapes imprinted on the paper, rather than the figures imprinted by the custom of the day. The napkins also had a more natural color and texture.
In August 1899, the Japanese Tissue Mills was incorporated. This kept the interests of B.F. Perkins & Son, manufacturer of calendar rolls and ventilating fans, separate from the tissue production side of the business. B. F. Perkins was named President, and Director, J. Lewis Perkins, Treasurer, and Director, and C. E. Pope of South Hadley was also selected as a Director.
In early 1900, B. F. Perkins & Son announced that it would begin building a plant on the 6 acres of land it had purchased 2 years earlier. Architect William J. Howes developed the factory’s plans. The main building would be a single-story 100 by 40 feet, and the “L” off of the main building would be two stories with the same dimensions. The projected cost was $25,000. The company advertised its 9,000-square-foot Railroad Street plant for sale.
Plans are subject to change, as was the case with B. F. Perkins’ planned move to Willimansett. In late March 1900, the company announced that it would remain in Holyoke. B. F. Perkins & Son acquired the Smith, Wilson, and Sears Crescent Street factory from the Merrick Lumber Company. In June 1900, the company offered its Willimansett land for sale. By September 1900, the company moved into the Crescent Street mill it had recently purchased.
In October 1900, the founder and President of B.F. Perkins & Son: Benjamin Franklin Perkins died at age 74.
Under the leadership of J. Lewis Perkins, the company continued to expand. In 1903, a large addition was planned for the Crescent Street plant, south of its present mill and between the structure previously housing the West, Stone & Company. This was not the building that would later be built at the corner of Appleton Street, north of its plant. Casper Ranger was in charge of developing the plans.
A novel addition to the B.F. Perkins line of goods for sale in 1905 was fireproof crepe paper, the company’s invention. Fire Insurance companies were quite pleased with the product, which could be used not only as wrapping paper but also to decorate halls, stores, and other areas, thereby reducing the risk of fire. The company would also continue to produce the less costly combustible crepe paper.
There is more to report on this important Holyoke business, which continues in Part 3.
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 Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories
Hampden County Registry of Deeds, Springfield, Massachusetts
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