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The Statistics and Gazetteer of New-Hampshire, Seventh Edition, Compiled by Alonzo J. Fogg. Concord, N.H.: D.L.
season. To show the popularity of the Concord Spring water, it is stated that two thousand gallons are annually sold by the glass in the city of New York alone. The house and springs are owned by Dr. Robert Hall, of Concord.
Manufactories. The manufac- turing business of Concord is con- siderable, various, and, many of its branches, important. If Con- cord possesses, as it is often stat- ed, water power nearly equal to some of her sister cities, it is evi- dent that it has not been utilized, except at Fisherville, to any great extent, to propel the machinery now in use in its various manufac- tories; neither have they, finan- cially received much foreign as- sistance, but depended upon capi- tal belonging to the people of Con- cord. The carriage business has been an important branch of in- dustry for many years. There are four manufactories, the largest of which is the Abbott, Downing Co. This firm has acquired a world- wide reputation for its fine car- i’iages, both for durability and neatness of work.
In 1813 the late Mr. Lewis Downing, then a young man of one and twenty years, came to Concord, from Lexington, Mass., and opened a wheelwright shop at the north end of Main Street. The capital with which he commenced business was $125, $75 of which he invested in a good set of tools. He commenced building common wagons with the bodies fastened down to the hind axle, and work- ed alone, finding ready sales for all the carriages he could make. After the first year his business so increased, that he employed two hands, which number was after- wards increased as the business demanded. |
In 1825 he commenced erecting shops at the south end of Main street, near his house. For twelve years he manufactured only wag- ons, the style of which underwent several changes. The first attempt at a spring was a wooden one reaching from the hind axle to the rocker; which was soon followed by the leather thoroughbrace, and successive styles of eliptic springs. The first chaise he made in 1826, and sold it to the Rev. Dr. Bouton, now residing in Concord.
In 1826 he commenced the man- ufacture of coaches, which have since made the name of Abbott & Downing famous the country over. That year he went to Salem, Mass- achusetts, and engaged J. Stephens Abbott, then a journeyman coach- body maker, to come to Concord and build three-bodies. Mr. Ab- bott arrived in Concord, Christmas eve., 1826, and made the first coach body ever built in New-Hampshire. The first coach was completed and went out of the shop in July, 1827, and was sold to Mr. jWm Shep- herd.
Mr. Abbott, after completing his job with Mr. Downing, went to Framingham, Mass., for the pur- pose of forming a business connec tion, but concluded otherwise, and went to Providence, R. I., and worked a short time, but not feeling contented he returned to Concord in the fall, and became a partner with Mr. Downing, January 1,1828.
Coach building became a leading feature of their business, and for the reason of the lightness, dura- bleness, and elegance of finish of their coaches, they soon found their way into every part of New |