...Bijou was located on the south side of East Main at Leffert Street in the East End.  It occupied a former stable where the Little Giant Sleigh factory started manufacturing sleighs in 1884.

...oh, that's what the mail box is used for

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Bijou rug and carpet

By Bob Cudmore

Mohawk Carpet Mills and Bigelow-Sanford made Amsterdam’s reputation as the Carpet City.  There were other carpet mills.  One factory that had a brief existence was Bijou Rug and Carpet.  The word “bijou” is of French origin and means an intricately wrought trinket.

An October 5, 1886 headline from the Amsterdam Daily Democrat was printed in a recent column.  On that date the Bijou factory was destroyed by fire.

Jerry Snyder, co-author with Robert von Hasseln of the picture history book “Amsterdam,” did some digging and found that Bijou Rug had begun operations only six months before the fire.

Bijou was located on the south side of East Main at Leffert Street in the East End.  It occupied a former stable where the Little Giant Sleigh factory started manufacturing sleighs in 1884.

The October 29, 1884 Daily Democrat reported that John Russell of Little Giant had disposed of his interest in the sleigh company to carpet maker Herbert L. Shuttleworth. 

Snyder wrote, “The sleigh company was still in business on October 5, 1885 when their "commercial traveler" (salesman?) set out on his first trip, heading for Pittsfield and Boston.  I guess his trip wasn't a huge success as on February 3, 1886, the Democrat reported that the entire on-hand stock of the company (1800 sleighs) was sold to Henry L. Smith of Albany, who had previously purchased 1500 sleighs from them.”

On April 29, 1886 the Democrat wrote that the Amsterdam Rug company had filed a copartnership with the city clerk.  Members were Dr. E. T. Rulison, John W. Hill, Luther Ensign and F. S. Gardinier. 

The Democrat account continued, “Smyrna rugs similar to those turned out by Howgate, McCleary & Company (another local rug maker) will be manufactured.  The company will occupy the Little Giant sleigh factory.  Dr. Rulison will be the financial man of the concern, while the others will have charge of the work in the factory."

Bijou Rug suspended operations little more than two weeks later on May 15, 1886.  The Democrat reported that the company had bought machinery from the Sanford carpet mill and an engine and boiler from Little Giant.  Then Gardinier withdrew from the enterprise and went into the grocery business, taking over the former Miller & McConnell store on Grand Street. 

The Democrat wrote, “A gentleman, who for a while thought seriously of taking his place, after looking the matter over, decided not to do so.  Dr. Rulison found that too much responsibility was being thrown upon his hands and that the enterprise would require more of his time than he expected and more than he could spare from his professional duties.

“The yarn, etc. which had been purchased was shipped back to those from whom it was bought and the machinery, engine and boiler are offered for sale. An excellent opportunity is offered for men with a small amount of capital to engage in business that could hardly fail to prove remunerative.”

Five months later the Bijou factory was destroyed by a fire that may been set.  There was $800 insurance on the building (owned by a man from Illinois) and $3000 on its contents.  The alarm was sounded from the bell of the First Baptist Church but three fire companies arrived too late to save the structure.  Two horses were badly scorched.  In 1893 a Methodist Church was built on the site.  That building is now used by St. Mary’s Hospital.

Tomorrow, Friday, April 8, 2022

Episode 417-Bryan Jackson is author of Why the Titanic Was Doomed.

New in The Gazette and Recorder this Weekend  

Saturday, April 9, 2022- Focus on History in the Daily Gazette and Amsterdam Recorder-John Philip Sousa’s friendship with Jessie Zoller from St. Johnsville.

Bruce Dearstyne on The Historians

Friday, April 15, 2022 Episode 418-Bruce Dearstyne is encouraging New Yorkers to celebrate April 20 as the birthday of the Empire State.  The first New York State constitution was adopted April 20, 1777 during a momentous year for the state during the Revolutionary War.  Bruce Dearstyne was formerly on the staff of the Office of State History and the State Archives.  He has written books and articles on New York State history.

Empire State Engagements is a long-form interview program created and hosted by Dr. Robert Chiles. It features conversations with historians of all aspects of New York State.

A conversation with Dr. Bruce W. Dearstyne about his New York History article "The Debut of the Administrative State in New York" (102.2), as well as his books The Crucible of Public Policy (Albany: SUNY Press, 2022) and The Spirit of New York 2nd ed. (Albany: SUNY Press, 2022). 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXBPEdgab4A

https://www.empirestateengagements.com/episodes#dearstyne

Amsterdam and Mohawk Valley Weather, Thursday, April 7, 2022

https://dailygazette.com/

https://www.recordernews.com/

Leader Herald

Launch into More

Andrew Pugliese

https://www.leaderherald.com/

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