THE FRED MESSER ERA
1885 -1889
Page 1
The first four years of the Beloit Iron Works were a struggle.
The company had to deal with skeptical creditors and a tarnished back.
ground due to the failure of the old company, Company President, Fred
Messer, led the Iron Works through these troubled years. Before he
died at the early age of forty on September 27, 1889, he helped to
transform $4,200, ten men, and a rented factory into a growing business
that was destined to become the world's largest manufacturer of paper-making
machines.Born in Beloit in 1849, Fred Messer was from a "pioneer family."
His father came to Beloit in 1837 as a mechanic and surveyor. Messer
shared his father's interest in mechanics and in 1869 began to work for
0. E. Merrill and Company as a pattern maker. Messer stayed with Merrill
and Houston through its failure in 1883. By that time he had worked
his way up to Superintendent. After 1883, Messer helped to run the
company for the benefit of the creditors until the plant shut down in
March, 1884. A year later he saw an opportunity to take over for
himself.The dormant factory was a problem to the creditors, an empty shell
that required tax and insurance payments. In March of 1885, they formed
a holding company with the object of selling the plant, but because of
the depressed times there were no buyers. Fred Messer took advantage
of this in July by organizing a group of men to rent the factory under
very favorable terms.
Page 2
Messer induced W. H. Grinnell, Alonzo Aldrich, Noble Ross, and
J. W. Veness to form the Beloit Iron Works. They offered to rent the
old Merrill foundry for the price of the insurance payments, watchman's
wages, and taxes. Since the creditors' objective was to sell, the
Beloit Iron Works agreed to vacate upon sixty days notice if the holding
company found a buyer. 1The offer was accepted, and on July 21, 1885, the Beloit Iron
Works drew up articles of association. The new firm started with $4,200
of capital, but the stock was valued at $10,000. The entire work force
consisted of about ten men -five hired mechanics and the company
officers:Fred Messer. ....... .President
J. W. Veness ....... .Vice President
Alonzo Aldrich ...... .Secretary
W. H. Grinnell ...... .Treasurer
Noble 3. Ross. ...... .SuperintendentWith the exception of Veness, all these men were former employees of the
Merrill and Houston Iron Works. Veness was a Rockton businessman, who
never had much to do with the Iron Works. After a year he chose to sell
his interested and broke off further ties with the firm. In contrast,
the other three officers remained in the business for many years.
Alonzo Aldrich, the Secretary, was to devote his life to the
building of the Beloit Iron Works. He was born in Logansport, Indiana
on March 15, 1858 and came to Beloit with his family in 1870. His
father, William H. Aldrich, was an inventor and manufacturer, and Alonzo
sought to follow in his footsteps. After graduating from Beloit High
School, he studied engineering at the University of Illinois. Finding that
straight "book-learning" was not his fort he left school after a year to work
as a the draftsman Merrill and at Houston Iron Works.Page 3
Since his expertise and inventive genius were soon recognized,
it was natural for Fred Messer to ask the young man to join the
new organization.Noble J. Ross was born in New York on November 25, 1853, and
came to Beloit with his family during the following year. He later
became so interested in mechanics that he hired a tutor to instruct him
in technical courses. He went to work at a local sash and blind factory
and then joined the Merrill and Houston Iron Works as a pattern maker.
and became shop Superintendent and continue& hat job when he and his
three associates purchased the business.W. H. Grinnell, the Treasurer, also had a visible public image as
a member of the local school board and G. A. R. He was born in New York
on October 31, 1841. After serving fifteen months as a soldier in the
Civil War, he went to Madison to learn the machinist trade. He became
a partner of the Madison Foundry and stayed with that company for two
years. Then he left to work in various areas from Beloit to New Hampshire.
In 1875, he was back in Beloit working for the Merrill and Houston
Iron Works. He stayed with the Merrill company until it went bankrupt
in 1883.1 Before he could leave, Fred Messer convinced him to become
Treasurer of the new Beloit Iron Works.When Beloit Iron Works began in 1885, the Directors agreed to pay
unemployment was high and jobless "floaters" roamed the countryside
Messer a salary of $1,200 per year and all the rest of the officers $3.00
per working day. 2 The company faced two immediate problems. It had to
find orders for paper machines, and it had to buy the title to its facilities.
In 1885, business was still suffering from the Panic of 1883. Wisconsin
looking for work. Dissatisfaction grew, so that by 1886 the Knights
of Labor, the most powerful labor union of the time, had an office in Beloit. 3Page 4
Conditions in the paper industry reflected the national trend.
The Chicago correspondent to the Paper Trade Journal was
of the opinion business was so slow that he wrote about weather
conditions for a lack of a better topic. 4 The shrinking market
became even more of a problem after Merrill and Company
reorganized in September of 1885. After Orson had been "frozen
out" of the Merrill and Houston Company by his brother, he
established another paper machine company in Beloit. Orson's factory
went bankrupt about the time of the Merrill and Houston failure,
but he was able to get a new start. In 1885bthe new 0. E. Merrill and
Company posed a significant threat-because Orson's ties with Midwestern
paper mills were probably better than those of the Beloit Iron Works.
On August 1, 1885, the Beloit Iron Works put an advertisement in
the Paper Trade Journal announcing that it was opening as the successor
to Merrill and Houston. 5 Unfortunately the publicity did not bring much
business. Noble Ross did succeed in landing a $11,400 contract with the
Piqua Strawboard Company of Ohio, but the mill refused to make the
$1,000 advance payment until the banker of the Beloit Iron Works sent
a letter vouching for its solvency. The letter was sent; the
money arrived; thus the advance payment scheme so important
to financial their stability of the new company was satisfied. The iron suppliers
were sending to the shipments company C. O. D.Plagued by the fact that the Beloit Iron Works did not have a long
reputation of stability, Ross was not able to get any contracts for
complete paper machines during 1886. Instead the Iron Works manufactured
general machine tools such as the Messer Patent Roll Corrugating Machine ,
other paper machine parts, and flouring mill chilled rolls. By August,
according to the Free Press, the works had a fair amount of business, 7.Page 5
Apparently the financial situation for the company was worse than
the paper reported because at the Director's meeting on August 25, 1886, .
J. W. Veness moved that the Beloit Iron Works be terminated at the
expiration of the lease. This motion was agreed to by the other Directors
present, but Alonzo Aldrich was not there. One can only surmise what
happened between August 25th and the next Director's meeting on September
10, 1886, but it is clear that Alonzo Aldrich, upon hearing what happened
in his absence, was determined to reverse the decision. Without his
actions, the Iron Works would have died as an infant in 1886! 8Not only was the decision reconsidered and reversed on September
10, but J. W. Veness's stock was purchased by the Iron Works. Veness
did not even attend the meeting thus implying that he knew the outcome
beforehand. He was out of the company, and his position of Vice President
was not filled at that time. At the same meeting P the Directors instructed
Messer and Aldrich to purchase, at the best price, a portion of the Merrill
and Houston property.This purchase of a little over one acre of land and buildings was
completed before the next Director's meeting on October 11, for a purchase
price of $20,000 plus interest. One thousand dollars was the down payment
with the remaining $19,000 to be paid by five separate notes at 7%
interest. Optimism prevailed as each of the officers subscribed some of his own
money to buy additional stock. 10Page 6
However, because of the uncertainty surrounding the potential of The Iron Works,
Directors were required to sign the notes as individuals and no deed
was given until one half of the notes were paid. 11Despite these limitations, prospects definitely were improving
for the officers and the forty-eight men then employed at The Iron
Works. In early 1887, R. J. Burdge, the receiver for Merrill and Houston,
and L. B. Merrill, Sereno's son, each subscribed for ten shares of stock
and paid for the shares in full. This put $2,000 more into the corporation.
12 More importantly the magic name of Merrill was again associated
with papermaking machinery in Beloit. Sereno had had his problems with
Merrill and Houston, but if there had been animosity toward the Merrill
family it was gone by 1887.What was good about the investment of L. B. Merrill was even more
true about R. J. Burdge's investment. Burdge was responsible for winding
up the affairs of The Merrill and Houston Limited Company, and it was
highly advantageous for the Iron Works to have him as an investor. In
fact, at the midsummer 1887 meeting of the Board of Directors, he was
named to the then vacant post of Vice-President. 13
Perhaps 1887 was a turning point. 0. E. Merrill and Company, the
local competitor went out of business in January, and 0. E. Merrill moved
to Chicago. More importantly, four paper machine orders were taken during
the year -two from Indiana and two from Wisconsin. These machines were
erected in a former hitching barn on the west side of Race Street. By
the time Fred Messer's new home was nearly completed in mid-September,
the company had become the third largest employer in Beloit with a work
force of seventy-five. 14
Page 7
During the winter of 1887-1888, business continued to improve so that by the
end of 1888 they had received orders for eight complete paper machines.
These contracts were scattered throughout the Midwest and one was in Colorado.
15 Contracts in these areas created valuable ties because the paper industry was
in the process of shifting westward.Business continued to improve during 1889 with the company de-scribed
as "up to their ears" in work. Six complete machines were ordered but repairing
and rebuilding other makes of machines had begun in earnest and was described
as an "immense business." Rebuilds would continue consistently in the future to play a large part in the company's prosperity. 16Spurred by the increased business the company labor force rose to
about one hundred, the payroll rose to $5,000 per month, and the company
expanded to the south. By summer, they occupied "an immense plant,
consisting of six large buildings: a machine shop; a set-up shop;
an oil shop; a casting shop; and a pattern shop." 17 "A mammoth machine,"
98 inches in width then being made, was the largest ever made in Beloit
and was only a few inches narrower than the largest paper machine in
the world. 18Optimism prevailed throughout the summer of 1889 and with good
reason! In four years they had built a reputation for quality among
paper mill men, had improved and expanded their plant so that it was
the largest of its kind in the Midwest, and had prospered financially. 19
They had rescued the old Merrill and Houston Iron Works and brought it
back to become a successful business with a bright future.September was especially significant for the new company initially
for positive reasons and ultimately for a tragedy. Fred Messer had been
authorized to purchase the island property from The Merrill and Houston
Iron Works Company Limited for $5,300.Page 8
This approximate 4-l/ 2 acre property was needed in order to expand the Iron Works due to increased orders. Agreement was reached and a loan was made for $3,000 and then Fred Messer died on September 27. 20 His tragic death at age forty due to typhoid pneumonia cast a pall over the company and the city of Beloit. It is hard to overemphasize the impact of his death since the Daily Free
Press had three major stories on him, the first of which stated
"'Fred Messer is dead!" These few words as they passed from lip to lip, brought tears to many an eye in Beloit this after-noon, for it has been a long time since the community was so stirred over a death as in the case of this honored and
valued citizen . . .. The city of Beloit mourns his death deeply, and a great vacancy in our citizenship is created." 21
As if this tribute was inadequate an editorial followed the next day."The death of Mr. Fred Messer is a public loss. Such men are the pillars upon which communities build. He had been identified with the most important iron industry in this city for almost a generation. To him, more probably, than to any other man, was Beloit indebted for upbuilding upon sure and sound foundation of the present Iron Works from the ruin of 1883.... Kind, intelligent, reliable, persevering, and of untiring energy, he was the model citizen and the model employer....He believed in Beloit and Beloit believed in him. Upright citizen, kind employer faithful Christian, his death is a grievous public loss." 22
After his death the city and company did not seem to be able to do enough
for him. Although he was a Presbyterian, his funeral was held at the
Congregational Church probably because it was the only place large
enough to accommodate the 1200 mourners. His business partners were
pallbearers for a funeral service that was reported in toto by the paper. --
Over seventy-five of the one hundred twenty -five Iron Work s employees
attended and served as part of on honor guard for the pall bearers. 23Page 9
Fred Messer's death was not something the company could shake
off easily, but fortunately he had left the Iron Works in solid financial
shape. On the day after his funeral, the Directors met and decided to
follow through on the purchase of the island property.New officers were elected within a month and a new era began with the election of Alonzo Aldrich as President and General Manager, L. B. Merrill as
Vice President, and R. J. Burdge as Secretary. 24Page 10
1 Reminiscences of Noble J. Ross, February 5, 1932, Beloit Corporation Archives.
2 Minute Book, August 5, 1885, Beloit Corporation Archives.
3 Beloit Weekly Free Press, August 4, 1886.
4 "Chicago Notes," Paper Trade Journal, June, 1885.
5 Paper Trade Journal, August 1, 1885.6 Reminiscences of Noble J. Ross. This contract, for nearly three times
the Iron Works paid in capital, was due for shipment in ninety days although the company, according to their agreement with R. J. Burdge, could be forced to vacate the premises within sixty days.7 Beloit Weekly Free Press, January 14, 1886, and August 4, 1886; Neese
and Dundore, p. 34; according to D. G. Roberts, Messer and Aldrich used the profits from the sale of the corrugator to start the Beloit Iron Works, Roberts to Iron Works Beloit Corporation Archives, September 29, 1941.
8 Minute Book, August 25, 1886.9 Minute Book, September 10, 1886.
10 Minute Book, October 11, 1886; Neese and Dundore, "Pioneer Paper Machines," p. 34.
11 Reminiscences of Noble J. Ross, February 5, 1932.12 Minute Book, January 12, 1887; Book of Beloit, p. 212.
13 Minute Book, July 27, 1887.
14 Beloit Weekly Free Press, January 13, 1887; April 21, 1887; September 15, 1887; September 22, 1887; Neese and Dundore, p. 35.
15 Beloit Weekly Free Press, March 22, 1888; Neese and Dundore, p. 36.
16 Beloit Weekly Free Press, January 17, 1889 and June 20, 1889.
17 Beloit Weekly Free Press, June 20, 1889.
18 Beloit Weekly Free Press, June 20, 1889 and June 27, 1889; Dard Hunter, Papermaking, p. 576.
19 Beloit Weekly Free Press, June 20, 1889.20 Minute Book, September 30, 1889.
Page 11
21 Beloit Daily Free Press, September 27, 1889.
22 Beloit Daily Free Press, September 2.8, 1889.
23 Beloit Daily Free Press, September 30, 1889.
24 Minute Book, September 30, 1889 and October 23, 1889.
Advance to: The Alonza Aldrich Era 1889 - 1916