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HISTORIC AMERICAN ENGINEERING RECORDVMERRILL SILK MILL COMPLEXLocation:233 Canisteo Street, acrossfrom the Erie/Lackawarma Railroad Yards, Hornell, New YorkUTM. N4215-W7737.5/7.5QUAD. Hornell Southeast Date of Construction1900-1902, 1910Present Owner:City of HornellCity Hall108 BroadwayHornell, New York14843Present Use:VacantSignificance:Textile manufacturing was oneof the principal industries inthe City of Hornell. The complexis representative of early 20thcentury industrial buildings.

MAP #1Merrill Silk Mill Oxnple;HAER No. NY-126 (page 2)

Merrill Silk Mill ComplexHAER No. NY-126 {page 3)THE MERRILL SILK COMPANYHORNELL, NEW YORKThe Merrill Silk Mill Complex was built in 1900 by Fredrick P.Merrill, President of the Merrill Silk Company.During the early 1890*s, F. P. Merrill made a trip to Europe topurchase looms.While in Europe, he developed a partnershipagreement with Peter Huguet who returned with Fredrick Merrillto America.Together, they first built a textile mill on ThatcherStreet, known as the Merrill-Field Company, which in 1901 beganproducing chiffon and other silk textile products.In 1900 Fredrick Merrill began construction of the Merrill SilkMill Complex at 233 Canisteo Street, Hornell, New York, whichcovered the block between Canisteo, Pleasant, Spruce and GrandStreets.The Mill began operations on September 29, 1902.Opera-tions at the plant included the weaving, knitting and dying ofsilk cloth and gloves.By 1915 the Merrill Silk Company, with operations in Hornell,New York, Corning, New York and Wellsville, New York, the Companywas manufacturing silk gloves, glove linings, hosiery and lingerie.By 1920 Fredrick Merrill had expanded his operations which includedanother manufacturing plant in Hornell, known as the Merrill HosieryCompany, located on Bank Street.In 1920, Fredrick P. Merrill died.At that time, he was theTreasurer of both the Merrill Silk Company (Canisteo St.) and theMerrill Hosiery Company (Bank St.)Charles Adset was Presidentof the Merrill Hosiery Company and Vice-President of the MerrillSilk Company.

HRER No. NY-126 (page 4)By 1923 the Merrill Silk Company had expanded to include operations in Hornell, New York, Corning, New York, Wellsville, NewYork and Dunkirk, New York.By 1931 the Merrill Silk Company's operations had been reducedto plants in Hornell and Dunkirk.Products included the manufac-turing of silk and nylon underwear, (lingerie) and silk and cottongloves.In 1932 the Merrill Silk Company plant on Canisteo Street closeddown, until 1939.However, operations at the Merrill Hosieryplant on Bank Street continued until the fall of 1977 when thatplant finally closed.In 1939 the Canisteo Street complex was purchased at a bankruptcysale by Hornell Industries.This Company reopened the complex andoperated the plant as a dying and printing establishment until1943, at which time the firm moved to Mexico.The Canisteo Street complex was then acquired by the ChapmanTransmission Company, which manufactured motor vehicle transmissions at this facility for several years.Later, in 1961, the complex was acquired by the Hornell DevelopmentCompany and the facilities were used primarily as warehouse spacefor a wholesale grocery company and a beekeeper.In 1978 the complex was purchased by the City of Hornell for thepurpose of demolition because the complex, due to neglect and lackof maintenance, became dilapidated, and unsafe.

Merrill Silk Mill ComplexHAER No. NY-126 (page 5)In August, 1979, the City of Hornell prepared a marketing brochureand sought proposals from prospective developers in order to determine the feasibility of rehabilitating or renovating the buildingcomplex.However, after two (2) months of advertising, there wereno proposals.The buildings, therefore, will be scheduled for demo-lition.The Merrill Silk Mill Complex, on Canisteo Street, is one of four(4) textile manufacturing complexes in the City of Hornell, and isone (1) of two (2) complexes that have failed to continue operationsas a silk and nylon textile manufacturer.The Canisteo Street complexceased textile operations in 1939, and was subsequently auctioned offat a bankruptcy sale.The other Merrill Company, the Merrill HosieryCompany, located on Bank Street continued its textile operations until1977, when the plant closed.The remaining two (2) silk manufac-turers of the era are still in operation in the City, and continueas major area employers.The Marion-Rohr Hosiery Company, locatedon W. Main Street in the City, presently manufactures women's lingerieand employs about 220 people.The Stern and Stern Textiles Company,located on Thatcher Street, manufactures textiles and employs about90 people.

HAER No. NY-126 (page 6)PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMPLEXThe site was developed and buildings 3,4,5,6,7 and 9 were constructedbetween 1900 and 1902.Buildings 1 and 2 were built in 1910.were no buildings numbered 8.)between 1939 and 1961.(ThereBuilding #7 was demolished sometime(Map #1 shows the complex as it presentlyexists.)The buildings are of red brick construction and are one, two and threestories in height.The buildings have been completely stripped of all salvageableplumbing, wiring and fixtures.In addition, there is not anymachinery or production tools or equipment in the buildings or onthe premises, due the changes in uses of the complex.There areno historical photographs or print drawings which illustrate thevarious manufacturing methods and processes that occurred withinthe building complex.The structure contains five (5) separate but connecting wings.Thefront of the building along Canisteo Street contains two/three storysections connected by a two-story section.A two-story wing occupiesthe frontage along Pleasant Street while a three-story wing occupiesthe frontage along Spruce Street.These two wings are connected bythe Canisteo Street section previously described and by a two-storywing at the rear paralleling Grand Street.The intersection of thefour perimeter wings creates an interior courtyard in the middle ofthe structure.An attached garage structure is located at the cornerof Canisteo and Spruce Streets.Also, there is a separate free-standing structure in the rear along Grand Street which serves nopresent-day function.

Merrill Silk Mill ComplexHAER No. NY-126 (page 7)THE TEXTILE MANUFACTURING PROCESSA City map, dated March, 1915 (Map #2,) illustrates the positionsof the buildings in the original complex and the various processesand functions located within.As illustrated in Map #2, the firstfloor of Building #1 contained the weaving operations with thewarping and sewing operations on the second floor.The first floorof Building #2 also contained warping operations with additionalsewing functions on the second floor.The passageway betweenBuildings #2 and #3 was a clasping room.Building #3 was an engineroom and machine shop on the first flooT, with a storage room onthe second floor and a cutting room on the third floor.WithinBuilding #4, the first floor contained offices and the shippingarea.The second floor was a finishing room and the third floorwas a stock room.Adjacent to the rear of Building #1 were the dyehouse and finishing operations.

Merrill Silk Mill ComplexHAER No. NY-126 (page 8)MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENTIn 1939 the Merrill Silk Mill was sold at a public auction.Courtdocuments pertaining to the bankruptcy sale are provided here asitems #3, #4 and #5.Item #3 provides a perspective drawing ofthe Silk Mill complex at the time of sale in addition to otherpertinent information including power plant systems and manufacturingequipment.Item #4 shows the layout of the buildings, their dimensions, floorarea, and type of construction.Item #5 provides a detailed inventory of all machinery, equipmentand personal property contained in the building complex and utilizedin the textile manufacturing process.These were the only documents available that provide any informationconcerning the various types of industrial and commercial operationsthat have been housed in the complex since 1939, when it was convertedto a transmission factory.

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Merrill Silk Mill CoirplexHAER No. NY-126 (page aP) POWER PT,ANTThree McF.wcn boilers of 240 M. P. each, additional hot waterlicit, pumps, etc.; General Electric 200 H. 1'. D. C. generatorconnected to Ketr steam turbine 500 H. I'.; one RidgewayD. & E. Co. SO K. W. D. C. generator with switchboard, etc.;one Horizontal high speed engine. Also connection with NewYork State Electric and Gas System.ELEVATORS, SPRINKLERSTwo inside service cL'vators and one freight cleviior.GrtimellEQUIPMENTEquipped wiih Tricot, Milanese and Jaquard machines fornuking silk, rayon and cotton cloth. Equipped for dyeing andfinishing thest materials, miking glove) and underwear, sewingmachines and other machines. Machine shop equipped- withlathes, milting machine, shaper, drill, grinder, air compressor etc.rIn addition to the above plant there wilt also be sold at the same time and place the plant of the Merrill Silk Company, locatedDunkirk, New York, consisting of the real estate, land and building, located on the easterly side of Lyon Street.Sale will be in parcels. Parcel No. 1 will consist of the real property, boilers, power plant, sprinkler system, radiators andnmctions lucaitd at llnrnell. I'arcel No, 2 will consist of all personal property, tools, sewing machines, tricot machines, milanesewhines and oilier tools and equipment contained in inventory at Hornell plant. I'arcel No. 3 will consist of all items set fjrth in.reel's No. 1 and No. 2. Sale to be to highest bidder whether sold in parcels or together. Parcel No. 4 to consist of land and builds at Dunkirk, N. Y.LYLE W. JACKSONTRUSTEE

Merrill Silk Mill CorrplexHAER No. NY-126 (page H) ITEMBANKRUPT SALEREAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY-OF—MERRILL SILK COMPANY, BANKRUPTHORN ELL, NEW YORKThe real and personal property of the above named bankrupt will be sold at public JUviiwi iu " - ' ch::t bid-.hr i '« r.hthe Merrill Silk Company, 233 Canisteo Street, Horncll, New York on December Zlat, 1939 at 2 P. M.The following is J schedule of the buildings and plane at Horncll, New York:Ispftuce sr.BIJg. No.1A4t- --Stories1U x \n244 x SiBrick Mi!!' 3 .43 x 110;!;29142x llT" ' j12 x65i]49 x 108I4.92814,190Brick Mill14,190Brick Mil!" '17,97*'brick \filf "'"'"'Brick and Samoorh 2,380Brick MillS.SD0Dye House and Warping10,53444 x 10(i29,308Brick Mil!43 x 110' '6'2 and Baierricnt \2 and 3 andBasementFloor Area Sy. Ft.Coatlriicttwi 1'iJ TypeD'lmciiiiOBt25 0 x94PowcthnuseTotal4,7(10.88,016All buildinfis are interconnecting with passageway* nn ground floors .is well as upper leveli.od ii ht throughout.The d.na contained herein is believed to be correct, but not set forth hereinjcciiriii: survey or crimination mav show.JSBuilding arrangement giveswarranties, and is .subject to any state of factste.t LJtttmivr 4th, 1959.ARRY !. ALLENTrustee's Attorney92 Main Streetllwncll, N. Y.I.YLE W. JACKSONTRUSTEE