Ithaca Calendar Clock Co Building

Ithaca Calendar Clock Company
"This company was organized in its present form in1866, with a capital of $100,000. The Hon. John H. Selkreg is the president and largest stock holder of the company. Mr. William J. Storms, a man of approved business training and capacity, is the secretary; Hervey Platts is the principal salesman and traveling agent of the company, while H. B. Horton, a most expert mechanic of great inventive genius, is the superintendent of the mechanical department. All of these gentlemen are stockholders. The business of the company was never so prosperous as now. The sale and demand for the clocks cannot be met at the factory. Twenty-five hands are constantly employed, and a vast amount of labor-saving machinery is driven to its utmost capacity by a powerful engine, and still clocks cannot be made to equal the orders on the company's books. The business of the company seems to warrant the opinion that it will ultimately be one of the most important interests among the manufacturing enterprises of the town.

The business office and warerooms of the company are now located at No. 40 West State street, in the west half of the Merchants' and Farmers' National Bank building. They occupy both stories and the garret, and have an extension in the form of a wing at the north, built of brick, two stories high, 25 x 72 feet, with a fire-proof room 20 x 25, in which is a 30-horse power engine, dry-room, &c. This whole extension is filled with the most costly and ingenious machinery.

The history of Calendar Clocks is so noteworthy that we give the following account of them:

The first machine to keep a calendar carried by the clock, was the invention of J. H. Hawes, Esq., of Ithaca, and was patented in 1853. This machine would not, of its own mechanism, show the 29th February in leap year, and soon found its place on the shelf. Soon after, Mr. William H. Aikins invented a calendar which was perpetual in its operations, and readjusted itself, showing all the changes, including the 29th February. A patent was issued to Aikins and Joseph C. Burritt, for their improvement, on the 19th of September, 1854. The patentees disposed of their patent, in 1854 and 1855, to Messrs. Huntington & Platts, who obtained another patent on the same machine in 1857. The Aikins machine was placed in the hands of Eugene M. and James E. Mix, for manufacture and improvement, and they gave it shape for practical use. Improvements made by the Mix Brothers were patented by Huntington & Platts in 1860 and 1862. In the winter of1864-5. Mr. Henry B. Horton, of Ithaca, invented a new and more perfect machine to keep the calendar, and in April, 1865, obtained his first patent of eight claims. In August, 1866, he obtained a new patent for improvements, with nine claims, making upon the calendar alone seventeen claims. These patents have been transferred to the Ithaca Calendar Clock Company, who are now manufacturing under the rights acquired as above. The value of these patents over all others lies in the fact that every part is perfectly held at all times; that the changes are made instantly and with unerring certainty at 12 o'clock at night; that motion does not in the least disturb the calendar; and that its operation is just as perfect upon the water, even in severe gales, as upon the land, and, indeed, it is the only reliable marine calendar ever yet invented.

 

The company are now manufacturing eight styles of clocks. Some of these are believed to be unsurpassed in beauty, and unequalled for time.”

“Ithaca Calendar Clock Company,” Ithaca Village Directory, 1869-1870, p39-40.

"B.G. Jayne and others to Ithaca Calendar Clock Co., Fair Grounds property, $3,000."

"Real Estate Transfers For The Week Ending Feb. 6, 1875, Ithaca," Ithaca Daily Journal, February 10, 1875, 4.

Ithaca Calendar Clock Company—Office and Works c[orner] Adams and Dey Sts. President, B.G. Jayne; Secretary and Treasurer, W.J. Storms.

Ithaca Directory for 1875-76 

O. H. Bame & Co., Publishers, Ithaca, NY

Ithaca Autophone Co, Auburn and Adams
Ithaca Calendar Clock Co, Auburn and Adams

Norton & Conklin Publishers, Ithaca, NY

"The silk mill which will be operated by Ernest and Herman Levy, in the old Ithaca Calendar Clock Company building will be opened about April 1, it was stated today.... The silk mill will give employment to between 150 and 200 persons of which the majority probably will be girls. This will provide work for the many who were thrown out of employment when the sudden termination of the war removed the necessity for the emergency force at the Thomas-Morse Aircraft corporation factory.
In fact, one of the reasons for the Levy Brothers deciding to bring their mill to Ithaca was that there is plenty of labor here. The firm has 10 silk mills in the eastern part of the United States. The factory about to be opened here was secured through the efforts of the Board of Commerce."

"About 200 To Be Employed By Silk Mill,” Ithaca Journal, January 11, 1919, 3.

“E. and H. Levy, the largest manufacturers of silk ribbon in the world opened a mill in Ithaca…”

“A shortage of women workers is handicapping existing industries of Ithaca and preventing the location here of other factories, according to Ross. W. Kellog, secretary of Ithaca Board of Commerce.”

“Women Workers Needed for Factories Here,” Ithaca Journal, June 5, 1919, 3.

"To the Editor of the Journal--...If the factories would pay a living wage to the women workers--believe me there would be no scarcity of help, as there are many women wanting work, but starting in at $6 a week,--and many women and girls having to pay that much for board and lodging,--what do they get out of it a week, except a lot of hard work? Let the factories raise their wages and see if they will not be overrun with help... ONE WHO KNOWS

"Letters from The People," Ithaca Journal, June 7, 1919 5.

Moving to Duncannon and Berwick, PA.

“The silk spinning business was a new venture in Ithaca and all of the employes has to be specially trained for the work. The company at one time had 100 employes. The capacity of the plant was 160.

            On August 1, 1920, the Levy Company sold out its interests to Jouvand and LaVigne. The sale took place only a few days before the collapse of the silk market and within 10 days the mill was closed. It has not been in operation since…. Because of the fact that the silk business employed women almost exclusively it did not find as favorable conditions in Ithaca as in some of the mining towns in Pennsylvania.”

“Silk Company Moves Mill to Pennsylvania,” Ithaca Journal-News, February 7, 1921, 5.

Ithaca Laundries represented the merger of Modern Method and Forest City Laundry.

Home to Hickey's Music Center since 1991.  

Multi Family Construction: ; 
Roof Of Main Structure: Non Combustible; 
Additional Sections: Section 1, Left Of "Office" (W), 3 Stories, Non Combustible Roof, "Packing 1st, Setting Up 2nd, Finishing 3rd" 
Section 2, Left Of Section 1 (W), 3 Stories, Non Combustible Roof, "E" Open Elevator, "Finishing 3rd" 
Section 3, Back Of Section 2 (N), 3 Stories, Non Combustible Roof, "Autophone Factory, Wood Work 1st, Shaft Hole, Ware Rm 2nd" 
Section 4, Back Of Section 4 (N), "Coal Bin" 
Section 5, Right Of Section 4, (E), 1 Story, Non Combustible Roof, "Hot Air Kilns / Section 6, Right Of Section 4 (E), 1 Story, Non Combustible Roof, "Hot Air Kilns" 
Section 7, Right Of Sections 5 & 6, (E), Stone Building, "Undergr Cistern" (Underground Cistern) 
Section 8, Far Back Of Main Structure, Right Of Section 4 (N), 2 Stories, Non Combustible Roof, "Engs 1st (Engine), Steam Dry Rm 2nd, Ch (Chimney)" 
Section 9, Back Of Section 8, Steam Boilers, 
Section 10, Back Of "Office" (N), 1 Stories, Non Combustible Roof, "Wood Working Mach 1st, Bench Work 2nd, Belt Hole; 
Porches: ; 
Outbuildings: Outbuilding 1, 1 Story, Shingle Roof (Auburn St Side); 
Other: Shaft , Exterior Staircase Right Side (E);