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Reminiscences 61 of 123
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the proprietors the place was ill chosen, and, after the experience of
heavy losses, it was abandoned.
A
Doctor Adams,
of Richmond, Virginia, made large offers of increased wages to the
workmen of the Essex Street Works, who were then induced to abandon
their place of work and violate their indentures. They succeeded in
reaching Richmond to try their fortune under the auspices of the Doctor.
A few years' experience convinced them of the fallacy of increased pay;
for, after very heavy losses, the works were abandoned and the workmen
thrown out of employ. The proprietors of the Essex Street Works had
engaged workmen in the mean time, at a very heavy expense, from England--
a most difficult task, for the English government made it a penal offence
to entice workmen to leave the kingdom at that period.
In 1811 the proprietors of the Essex Street Works
erected large and improved works on the shore at South Boston. To supply
the workmen enticed away, and also to meet the wants of their factory,
an agent was sent to England to procure a set of glass-workers. By the
time they reached this country the war with England broke out, and the
enterprise was thus defeated; for it
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