A Third Firm to Begin Business in the Spring. Sanborn & Farnham is a new firm which will engage in the manufacture of brick from the clay deposit two miles above the village. They have purchased of Robert Hasty, the veteran Minneapolis brick manufacturer, his interest in ten acres of the clay bed and as soon as the weather moderates will commence the work of putting in a plant. The process will be somewhat different from that used by the already running, the brick proposed to be made being called sand brick. Mr. Farnham is a brother of the members of the firm of Farnham Bros. and has been intimate with the business since boyhood. Mr. Sanborn is a successful business man and capitalist. The UNION welcomes the new firm and trusts that it will succeed in its undertaking. (The Princeton Union, Thursday, December 2, 1897, Volume XXI, Number 50, Page 1)
There is a change in the Farnham brickyard, E. M. Farnham, so well and favorably known to our citizens, retiring. The firm of Farnham Bros. will be succeeded by the Princeton Brick company, a corporation. The incorporators will be H. M. Farnham, of the old firm, J. A. Sanborn and J. (James) R. Farnham. The last mentioned gentleman will move his family here and will have charge of the town business while H. M. Farnham will look after the yard. Here’s success to the new firm. (The Princeton Union, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, Thursday, February 17, 1898, Volume XXII, Number 9, Page 1)
The firm of Farnham Bros., at Princeton, Minn., has been changed to the Princeton Brick Co. (Clay Record, Clay Record Publishing Company, Chicago, March 10, 1898, Volume XII, Number 5, Page 28)
The Princeton Brick company’s yard was also a busy place, the machine being run to its full capacity. Sales with this firm have been good also and they have already turned out 2,700,000. Mr. Farnham stated that they would undoubtedly reach the 3,500,000 mark and hoped to get 4,000,000. Throughout the season no accidents have occurred and there have been no cases of sickness on the yard. No delays worth accounting have occurred and the firm feels very well satisfied with the run. (The Princeton Union, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, Thursday, September 1, 1898, Volume XXII, Number 38, Page 1)
A Change of Firm. The Princeton Brick company held its annual meeting last Wednesday when new officers were elected. The election resulted as follows: H. M. Farnham, president; G. G. Higgins, vice president; J. R. Farnham, secretary and treasurer. Mr. Sanborn retires from the firm, his stock being purchased by Messrs. Farnham, who now become owners of very nearly all the stock. These gentlemen are both upright, hustling business men and the UNION feels certain that they will succeed. (The Princeton Union, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, Thursday, March 9, 1899, Volume XXIII, Number 13, Page 2)
Princeton Brickyards. The great demand for the brick manufactured in this locality during the past season has resulted in the preliminary work for the establishing two additional brickyards in the clay belt above the village. E. M. Farnham, who was formerly interested in the manufacture of brick here but who has been operating a yard at Pelican Rapids this season, will have one of the new yards, and Farnham Bros., of Minneapolis, will open the second. The work of clearing the ground is now fully under way and both yards will undoubtedly be in operation next season. During the past season the demand for Princeton brick has been much greater than the product of the three yards which are operating at present would supply. In July every brick which it would be possible to manufacture during the season of 1899, had been sold and the principal business of the proprietors during the coming winter will be the refusing of orders and shipping the brick already sold. The reputation our manufacturers have succeeded in establishing for turning out the best brick to be made in Minnesota has brought about this condition of affairs, a condition which must be truly acceptable to them. The brick industry in this section is still in its infancy but it is already a might healthy infant. (The Princeton Union, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, Thursday, November 2, 1899, Volume XXIII, Number 47, Page 1)
Princeton. Brick Manufacturing. – Princeton Brick Co. First Inspection 1899. Adults – Male - 25. Total No. Employed - 25. No. Hours Labor Each Day - 10. Average No. Weeks Employed in Year – 20. Second Inspection 1900. Adults – Male - 30. Total No. Employed - 30. No. Hours Labor Each Day - 10. Average No. Weeks Employed in Year – 26. (Seventh Biennial Report of the Bureau of Labor of the State of Minnesota, 1899-1900, Pioneer Press Company, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1900, Page 117)
The Princeton Brick Co. broke a record last week when it turned out 66,500 brick. The Princeton yards are equipped with the best machinery and the managers are all old brick men and understand how to make every moment count. (The Princeton Union, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, Thursday, September 13, 1900, Volume XXIV, Number 40, Page 5)
The Princeton Brick Co. closed down its yards last Saturday for the season. (The Princeton Union, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, Thursday, October 2, 1902, Volume XXVI, Number 42, Page 5)
Brick Yards Close Down. Last Saturday the brick yards all closed down for the season after a rather poor season, from the standpoint of weather conditions. The four yards of the Cream Brick Co., Woodcock & Oakes, Farnham Brick Co., and Princeton Brick Co., turned out the past season about 14,000,000 brick, of which Woodcock & Oakes made 3,500,000, Cream Brick Co., 3,250,000, and the Farnham and Princeton Brick companies about 3,000,000 each. Last year the same companies made 19,000,000 brick. (The Princeton Union, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, Thursday, September 10, 1903, Volume XXVII, Number 39, Page 7)
The Cream Brick Co.’s head burner is burning a kiln of nearly six arches at the yards of the Princeton Brick Co. It is being burned mainly for the purpose of experimenting and is being watched very closely by all the local cracks and burners. (The Princeton Union, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, Thursday, October 22, 1903, Volume XXVII, Number 45, Page 8)
The Princeton Brick Co. recorded a plat to Brickton this week with the register of deeds, the land being the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section seventeen. (The Princeton Union, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, Thursday, November 12, 1903, Volume XXVII, Number 48, Page 5)
Page 298
. Princeton. Brick and Tile – 1903. Princeton Brick Co. Total Number Wage Earners - 30. Adult Males - 30. Number of Hours Each Day - 10. Number of Hours Each Week - 60. Average Number Weeks Operated During 1902 - 18. Number Employed between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. – 3. Number Persons Regularly Employed Sunday – 3. Established in Year – Illegible.
Page 299
. 1904. Total Number Wage Earners - 22. Adult Males (Excluding Office Force) - 22. Number of Hours Each Day – 10. Number of Hours Each Week – 60. Average Number Weeks Operated Last Year - 18. Number Employed between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. – 2. Number Persons Regularly Employed on Sunday – 2. Changes in Name of Firm or New Inspections – None. (Ninth Biennial Report of the Bureau of Labor of the State of Minnesota, 1903-1904, Volume 2, Great Western Printing Company, 1904)
The Princeton Brick Co. has entirely remodeled their brick plant and it looks well planned too. Gert, the foreman, seems to understand his business. (The Princeton Union, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, Thursday, April 28, 1904, Volume XXVIII, Number 20, Page 8)
Princeton Brick Co. is making extensive repairs. They are putting in a new boiler and building a good substantial engine house of solid brick construction. (The Princeton Union, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, Thursday, May 11, 1905, Volume XXIX, Number 22, Page 8)
The Brick Output. Brick-making at the Princeton yards is about finished for this year. The total output for the season is 17,500,000, divided as follows: A. W. Woodcock, 4,200,000; R. P. Morton’s two yards 7,000,000, of which about 1,000,000 are hollow tile brick; Farnham Brick Co., 3,000,000; Princeton Brick Co., 3,300,000. The demand for brick this year was not as good as last and a large stock will be carried over. (The Princeton Union, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, Thursday, September 19, 1907, Volume XXXI, Number 39, Page 1)
Bring your logs to the brickyard to be sawed, as the Princeton Brick company will operate its mill again during the month of April. Princeton Brick Co. (The Princeton Union, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, Thursday, January 30, 1913, Volume XXXVII, Number 6, Page 5)