MILLS AND MANUFACTURING

HUDSON,

  COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK

By Captain Franklin Ellis¹¹³

¹⁸⁷⁸

C. H. EVANS & CO.'S BREWERY

is located on Mill street, near North bay, and the buildings cover an area of about three acres.  It is under the personal management of Mr. Evans, and no pains are spared to make the product of this brewery rank with the best in the country.  By means of improved machinery, improved processes of malting and brewing, are in selecting the best barley and hops, and by the employment of skillful and experienced hands, an ale has been produced that has become exceedingly popular, and meets with an extended and ready sale.  The motive-power is furnished by a steam-engine of forty-five horse-power.  The water used is brought through pipes from a fine spring about a quarter of a mile distant.  The annual product is about 50,000 barrels of "Evans' Ale," in the manufacture of which 100,000 bushels of barley and 150,000 pounds of hops are consumed, and about fifty men are employed in the work.

     In addition to the malt-house is an extensive cellar and sub-cellar, with massive brick and stone arches, and furnishing ample room for the storing of 6000 barrels.  The company also owns a store at 127 Hudson street, New York, which is five stories high, and furnished with a large cellar for storing ale during the hot season.

     This business was first established by George Robinson, about 1820-22, and was conducted by him until 1856, when it was sold to Robert W. Evans, the father of the present head of the firm.  In 1868, Mr. Phipps purchased an interest in the business, forming the firm of Phipps & Evans, who ran the brewery until 1873, when the firm again changed, and became as at present.

WATERBURY & PEABODY'S BREWERY

was also started by George Robinson, and probably several years before that of Evans & Co.  The owners succeeding him have been Benjamin R. Millard, Millard & Barnard, Millard & Waterbury, Waterbury & Martin, and Waterbury & Peabody, the present proprietors.  The building, which is one hundred and twenty by one hundred and fifty feet in size, is situated on North Second Street.  Its power is furnished by a twenty-five horse-power steam-engine, and fifteen men are employed in the manufacture of the ale known as "Present Use," of which about 16,000 barrels are produced annually.

     Brewing and distilling were among the earliest of the industries of Hudson, and the first establishments in this line have already been mentioned on another page.

TRAVER'S SASH, BLIND, AND DOOR FACTORY

is located on the corner of North Fourth and Diamond streets, and is owned by William I. and William H. Traver, under the firm name of William I. Traver & Son.

     The business was first started as a carriage-shop, in 1842 by William I. Traver.  In 1851 he opened a lumber-yard in connection, and in 1863 built the present shop, and entered upon the present business.  The motive-power is an eighty-horse engine.  Connected with the shop is a drying-house, of capacity for drying 25,000 feet of lumber at once.  The firm employ from thirty-five to fifty hands and, when putting in their annual stock from $50,000 to $75,000 worth of lumber, they furnish temporary employment to many others.

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