San Francisco County
Biographies
PACIFIC SAW MANUFACTURING
COMPANY
CHARLES P. SHEFFIELD,
JAMES PATTERSON
&
N. W. SPAULDING
PACIFIC SAW MANUFACTURING
COMPANY.—Among the men who have contributed a liberal
share in improving the machinery and appliances in use in other countries so as
to adapt them to the requirements of California and its productions are the
founders of the Pacific Saw Works, the oldest and largest manufactory of its
kind west of the Rocky Mountains
At different times along in the
fifties, Charles P. Sheffield, James Patterson and N. W. Spaulding, all young men
and practical mechanics, came to California. In 1858 James Patterson, on
reaching San Francisco, started to work in a little repair shop on the corner
of Battery and Jackson streets. In 1863 he entered into partnership with
Charles P. Sheffield, a former shop-mate in Baltimore, Maryland, under the firm
style of Sheffield & Patterson, and carried on a repair shop until 1865,
when N. W. Spaulding became a member of the firm, and under the title of
Pacific Saw Manufacturing Company they established their works on Pine street,
where they manufactured the first saws made on the Pacific coast. Being familiar with the needs of this coast, and adopting the
highest standard of excellence as the ruling principle in the manufacture of
their goods, the business of the firm grew rapidly in volume, soon demanding
larger facilities for production. In 1868 they secured the land and
erected the commodious quarters they now occupy at Nos. 17 and 19 Fremont
Street. The buildings are substantially built of brick and cover the entire
lot, which is 45.10 x 137 ˝ feet. The main structure is two stories, besides
the basement in height and 110 feet in depth, and the engine room, one story,
occupies the rest of the lot. The business was conducted as a private
co-partnership until 1884, when, for convenience in its management, it was
incorporated, with a nominal capital of $300,000, divided into shares of $100
each, the original owners taking nearly all of the stock. Mr. James Patterson
was elected president and manager of the company, which position he still
fills. The line of manufacture embraces circular and upright saws of all kinds
for cutting lumber, veneer and band saws, and cross-cut and hand saws of every
description. California having the largest timber in the world, the largest
saws in the world are required to cut it; and these have been made by the
Pacific Saw Manufacturing Company. They have manufactured upright mill saws
fourteen feet long from a single plate; have made band saws fifty-four feet
long, and a cross-cut saw thirty-two feet in length. This saw cut the mammoth
tree, Sequoia gigantea, of Tulare county, ninety feet
in circumference, a portion of which will be sent to the World’s Fair at
Chicago in 1893. The Pacific Saw Company also make knives for planing mills, knives for curriers and tanners, for cutting
tan-bark and paper-cutting machines; in short they are prepared to turn out to
order anything that can be made from sheet steel.
The steel plates used in
manufacturing saws are imported from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where they are
made and cut into the shapes desired for different kinds of saws. The plates
are shipped in their untempered state; and if it is a
circular saw that is to be manufactured, the first step is to punch the hole in
the center; then the plate is firmly fastened upon a shaft, and while revolving
the edge is pared until the periphery of the blade is a perfect circle. It is
then attached to a circular machine called an index which marks and cut the
teeth, any number desired, exactly alike and equal distance apart. The saw is
now ready for tempering and is placed in a large furnace and heated to a dull
red color, when it is removed and submerged in a vat filled with oil, with
which some other ingredients are combined. On being taken out the saw is as
hard and as brittle as glass. It is cleaned, replaced in the furnace and heated
to a less degree, and is drawn down to the proper temper. In the tempering
process the blade becomes badly warped, and has to be straightened by hammering
it on an anvil. This is the most critical and difficult part of the work,
requiring the highest skill and scientific knowledge of the business; for not
only does the saw have to be brought to a perfectly true plane, but the
requisite tension must be given to the blade by the anvil work. An expert at
hammering receives $5 to $6 per day. Following the anvil work comes the
grinding and polishing. The stones used in the grinding room weigh when new
3,500 to 5,000 pounds, and last from four to six weeks. The polishing is succeeded
by another hammering to remove any warping that may have been produced in the
grinding, and to bring the saw to just the tension necessary for the work it is
to perform. The saw now only required sharpening to be ready for use.
In December, 1889, Mr. Sheffield
died, thus breaking the business connection which had existed between the three
founders of this prosperous and important industrial enterprise for nearly a
quarter of a century. The Pacific Saw Manufacturing Company controls a large
portion of the trade of the Pacific slope in their line of manufacture, which
has been built up upon the superior quality of their goods as compared with
those produced elsewhere; and also upon the thoroughly honorable method of
dealing with their customers; hence the reputation of the company is of the
highest character.
Mr. James Patterson, the
president and manager of the company, is a native of Scotland, but came to
America a lad of ten years. He began learning the trade of saw manufacturing in
the city of Baltimore when twelve years of age and has been actively connected
with the business ever since. He married in New York city.
Six living children, two sons and four daughters, comprise their family. The
elder son has mastered all the details of the manufactory, and is an efficient
assistant in the business.
Mr. Sheffield was of English
nativity, came to America about 1844, soon after learning his trade of saw
maker, and continued in the business all his life. He was a California pioneer
of 1850.
Source: “The Bay of
San Francisco,” Vol. 2, Pages 157-158, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.
© 2006 Marilyn
R. Pankey.