VAN BUREN — Sysco Syracuse LLC, has recently been awarded a maximum $8.7 million contract from the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency for full-line food distribution to the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. This is a two-year base contract with two 18-month option periods, according to a July 12 contract announcement […]
VAN BUREN — Sysco Syracuse LLC, has recently been awarded a maximum $8.7 million contract from the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency for full-line food distribution to the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
This is a two-year base contract with two 18-month option periods, according to a July 12 contract announcement from the U.S. Department of Defense. The contract work will be done in Northern New York for Zone 2, with a June 30, 2023 ordering-period end date. The contract award date was July 1, 2021.
The type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2023 defense working-capital funds. The contracting authority is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support division in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sysco beat out one other bid for the pact.
The Sysco Syracuse distribution center is located at 2508 Warners Road in the town of Van Buren. Sysco Syracuse says it distributes more than 10,000 items, including meat, poultry, seafood, produce, dairy, frozen, beverage, dry, and canned-food products, as well as non-food wares such as paper plates, napkins, and cooking utensils.
Sysco Syracuse is a unit of Houston, Texas–based Sysco Corporation (NYSE: SYY), which sells, markets, and distributes food products to restaurants, health care and educational facilities, and hotels. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the food service and hospitality industries. With more than 57,000 employees, it operates 326 distribution facilities worldwide and serves more than 625,000 customer locations.
New York farms are expected to produce 2.34 million bushels of oats this year, up 38 percent from nearly 1.7 million bushels in 2020, according to a July 1 forecast from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Yield per acre for oats in New York state is forecast to rise almost 23 percent to
New York farms are expected to produce 2.34 million bushels of oats this year, up 38 percent from nearly 1.7 million bushels in 2020, according to a July 1 forecast from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
Yield per acre for oats in New York state is forecast to rise almost 23 percent to 65 bushels per acre in 2021 from 53 bushels last year, NASS reports.
Area harvested for oats in the Empire State is expected to be 36,000 acres this year, up 12.5 percent from 32,000 acres in 2020, according to NASS.
New York is bucking the national trend as U.S. oat production is forecast to decline almost 37 percent to 41.3 million bushels in 2021, compared to nearly 65.4 million bushels last year, according to the USDA. Large oat-production declines are expected this year in the Midwest states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota, which are big producers of oats.
UTICA, N.Y. — The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties recently announced that it has added Dr. Mark Warfel to its board of directors. Warfel serves as director of the St. Elizabeth Family Medicine Residency Program and the Mohawk Valley Health System’s (MVHS) director of medical education. Warfel is a graduate of the St.
UTICA, N.Y. — The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties recently announced that it has added Dr. Mark Warfel to its board of directors.
Warfel serves as director of the St. Elizabeth Family Medicine Residency Program and the Mohawk Valley Health System’s (MVHS) director of medical education.
Warfel is a graduate of the St. Elizabeth Hospital Family Medicine Program. He received his Doctor of Osteopathy degree from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in Biddeford, Maine, and a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in Boston. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and member of the New York State Academy of Family Practice, Medical Society of the State of New York, the Oneida County Medical Society, American College of Physician Executives, American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and the American Osteopathic Association.
The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, founded in 1952, is headquartered at 2608 Genesee Street in Utica.
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Broome County hotels saw their biggest rebound in customers to date in May as they recover from the business disruptions of the COVID pandemic, according to a new report. The hotel occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county more than doubled (up 102 percent) to 54.1
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Broome County hotels saw their biggest rebound in customers to date in May as they recover from the business disruptions of the COVID pandemic, according to a new report.
The hotel occupancy rate (rooms sold as a percentage of rooms available) in the county more than doubled (up 102 percent) to 54.1 percent in May, according to STR, a Tennessee–based hotel market data and analytics company. It was just the third monthly increase in occupancy in the county since January 2020, with all of them coming in the last three months.
Broome County’s revenue per available room (RevPar), a key industry gauge that measures how much money hotels are bringing in per available room, ratcheted up nearly 175 percent to $50.13 in May.
Average daily rate (or ADR), which represents the average rental rate for a sold room, jumped 35.9 percent to $92.64 in the county in the fifth month of the year.
The strong May 2021 hotel-occupancy report follows the April and March results when occupancy rose 86.1 percent and 38.5 percent, respectively, from a year ago These are the first three months in which the year-over-year comparisons were to a month affected significantly by the COVID crisis. The last year of monthly reports showed significant declines in occupancy as the comparisons were to a pre-pandemic month.
SYRACUSE — The public now has the chance to comment on the $2 billion Interstate 81 (I-81) viaduct-replacement project after state officials released the latest report on the project on July 16. State officials favor the community-grid alternative for the project, which would deconstruct a section of I-81 in downtown Syracuse and redirect highway traffic
SYRACUSE — The public now has the chance to comment on the $2 billion Interstate 81 (I-81) viaduct-replacement project after state officials released the latest report on the project on July 16.
State officials favor the community-grid alternative for the project, which would deconstruct a section of I-81 in downtown Syracuse and redirect highway traffic to I- 481. A portion of I-690 near the current intersection with I-81 would also be rebuilt and a boulevard-like Business Loop81 would be created in downtown.
Marie Therese Dominguez, commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT); Mark Frechette, project manager; and other DOT officials addressed reporters during a July 16 briefing at the Senator John H. Hughes State Office Building at 333 E. Washington St. in Syracuse, next to Syracuse City Hall.
The report issued that day is the DEIS, or the draft environmental-impact statement, available at https://static.parsons.com/I-81-DEIS/07-2021/.
The DOT — working with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) — crafted the DEIS after conducting “extensive outreach with the public and stakeholders” throughout the Central New York region, the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a July 16 release.
Public hearings
The public hearings on the DEIS for the I-81 viaduct project and eminent-domain procedure law are set for Tuesday, Aug. 17 and Wednesday, Aug. 18.
The project team will be holding two virtual public hearings on Aug. 17 at 11 a.m. and then 5 p.m. To submit oral comments, those interested can register at: https://cscos.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uALJ5SbDQRK6IqnilPuYJA#_blank
The project team will also conduct two in-person public hearings on Aug. 18 at the Oncenter. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. A pre-recorded presentation will be shown at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., which will be followed by oral comments.
Public comment period
NYSDOT and FHWA will accept comments on the document through 5 p.m. eastern time on Sept. 14. The entities will summarize and respond to “all substantive comments received” in the final design report/final EIS for the project, per Cuomo’s office.
The public may submit comments using the department’s electronic comment form, accessible through this link: https://bit.ly/3ixawNu.
Additional features
Additional project features that NYSDOT will highlight in detail in the coming weeks will include:
• A Gateway to the City at the entrance to Business Loop 81 featuring a roundabout at Business Loop 81 and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive
• A new off-ramp from Business Loop 81 northbound at Colvin Street
• Bear Street improvements
• Reconstruction of Almond Street to include two 12-foot-wide travel lanes in each direction, widened sidewalks and bicycle facilities
• A new third lane on I-481 between the Thruway and I-690; and a “greatly improved” Exit 3
• A new full interchange on I-690 at Crouse and Irving Avenues to provide more direct connections to hospitals, employment centers, and educational facilities on University Hill
• A reconfigured West Street Exit
• Sewer-system upgrades that will improve stormwater management and water quality
After federal approval, the project will break ground in 2022, Cuomo’s office said.
Preliminary plans call for phase 1 to include work on the northern and southern sections of Business Loop 81; work on I-690 over Crouse and Irving Avenues; and the conversion of I-481 to I-81 including several road and bridge projects along the corridor.
SYRACUSE — Onondaga County is hoping a $5 million initiative called PRIMED will help attract additional film, television, and commercial productions to the area. PRIMED is short for production incentives for movies and entertainment development. “Why are we doing it? We’re doing it because we have an emerging industry … we are past proof of
SYRACUSE — Onondaga County is hoping a $5 million initiative called PRIMED will help attract additional film, television, and commercial productions to the area.
PRIMED is short for production incentives for movies and entertainment development.
“Why are we doing it? We’re doing it because we have an emerging industry … we are past proof of concept for film in Onondaga County. We now know we can do it and we can do it well,” Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said.
McMahon on July 14 announced the incentive program during a press event at the Redhouse Arts Center at 400 S. Salina St. in downtown Syracuse.
The initiative is part of the stimulus package announced during McMahon’s State of the County address.
The program will offer rebates on local spending related to pre-, principal, or post-production process for film, television, and large commercial-advertising campaigns. It includes an additional bonus incentive for those that hire from underrepresented communities including veterans, members of the disability community, minority populations, and for those that hire students enrolled in local colleges and universities so they can “gain valuable experience and learn trade,” McMahon said.
“This PRIMED initiative is going to help give us a little bit of an advantage … create a little bit of buzz, but at the same time, incentivize production here in our community based off local spend,” he said.
Who qualifies
To qualify, an applicant must have 70 percent of its production within Onondaga County. Films are required to have a minimum budget of $1.5 million. TV productions must have a minimum budget of $1 million. And commercial productions need to spend a minimum of $400,000. The rebates are based on the amount of money spent in Onondaga County, McMahon noted.
Eligible expenses in the program include lodging, hotels, rooms, meals, restaurants, transportation costs, construction sets, supplies, and retail. “These are all qualifying expenses,” he said.
A production can receive up to 25 percent of qualifying expenses, plus an additional incentive bonus of up to 5 percent for the hiring it does. The cap per year is $300,000, or two projects, according to McMahon.
McMahon went on to say that Onondaga County is offering the incentive because film production locally is seen as an “emerging industry” which is “past proof of concept” in the county.
The county is also offering the incentive to help a sector that was hurt during the pandemic.
“We’re doing it because our hospitality and arts community and our restaurant community have been hurt drastically through the pandemic. And film drives room nights. It drives spend in these exact areas … We believe this will give us a competitive advantage and will give us a sales tool to continue to go talk to more production houses and get more economic activity in our community,” he said.
New York manufacturing activity jumped in July, according to the latest edition of the Empire State Manufacturing Survey. The state’s general business-conditions index soared 26 points to 43 in the year’s seventh month, a record high, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said in its July 15 report. That easily topped economists’ expectations of a reading
New York manufacturing activity jumped in July, according to the latest edition of the Empire State Manufacturing Survey.
The state’s general business-conditions index soared 26 points to 43 in the year’s seventh month, a record high, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said in its July 15 report. That easily topped economists’ expectations of a reading of 17.4, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The July results — based on firms responding to the survey — indicates business activity in New York “grew at a record-setting pace,” the New York Fed said.
The survey found half of respondents reported that conditions had improved over the month, while just 7 percent said that conditions had worsened, the New York Fed said.
Survey details
The Empire State Survey’s new-orders index climbed 17 points to 33.2, and the shipments index increased 30 points to 43.8, pointing to “rapid growth” in both orders and shipments, the New York Fed said.
Unfilled orders rose. The delivery-times index fell 10 points from last month’s record high, though at 20.2, it indicated that “significantly longer” delivery times are an “ongoing issue.” Inventories expanded “considerably.”
The index for number of employees increased 8 points to 20.6, and the average-workweek index held steady at 14.0, pointing to ongoing gains in employment and hours worked.
Both price indexes were at or near record highs, indicating that price increases “remain significant.” The prices-paid index edged down just slightly to 76.8, while the prices-received index climbed 6 points to 39.4, a new record, the New York Fed said.
The index for future business conditions fell 8 points, but at 39.5 indicated “ongoing optimism” about future conditions. The indexes for future new orders and shipments fell to similar levels.
The index for future employment edged up to a new record high of 43.9, with half of firms reporting that they expect to increase employment over the next six months. The indexes for future prices paid and future prices received remained elevated.
The capital-expenditures index rose to 26.3, and the technology-spending index held steady at 14.1.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York distributes the Empire State Manufacturing Survey on the first day of each month to the same pool of about 200 manufacturing executives in New York. On average, about 100 executives return responses.
Unemployment rates in the Syracuse, Utica–Rome, Watertown–Fort Drum, Binghamton, and Elmira regions were in mid-single-digit figures in June and were roughly half as high as a year ago when the COVID-19 pandemic led to large-scale layoffs. The numbers were part of the latest New York State Department of Labor data released July 20. In addition, all the
Unemployment rates in the Syracuse,Utica–Rome, Watertown–Fort Drum, Binghamton, and Elmira regions were in mid-single-digit figures in June and were roughly half as high as a year ago when the COVID-19 pandemic led to large-scale layoffs.
The numbers were part of the latest New York State Department of Labor data released July 20.
In addition, all the Central New York regions generated more than 5 percent growth in jobs in the last year. That’s according to the latest monthly employment report that the NYS Department of Labor issued July 15.
Regional unemployment rates
The jobless rate in the Syracuse area was 5.4 percent in June, down from 11.6 percent in June 2020.
The Utica–Rome region rate fell to 5.6 percent in June from 10.7 percent a year ago; the Watertown–Fort Drum area’s number was more than halved to 5.1 percent from 10.7 percent; the Binghamton region’s rate plunged to 5.4 percent from 11.4 percent; the Ithaca area’s jobless number was 4.3 percent, down from 9.2 percent; and the unemployment rate in the Elmira region fell sharply to 5.6 percent in June from 12.3 percent a year prior.
The local-unemployment data isn’t seasonally adjusted, meaning the figures don’t reflect seasonal influences such as holiday hires.
The unemployment rates are calculated following procedures prescribed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state Labor Department said.
State unemployment rate
New York state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent in June from 7.8 percent in May and 15 percent in June 2020, according to preliminary figures released by the New York State Department of Labor.
Despite the decline, the 7.7 percent state unemployment rate was higher than the U.S. jobless rate of 5.9 percent, which increased in June. New York’s June rate was tied for the 4th highest in the country with Hawaii and California. Only Nevada, Connecticut, and New Mexico had higher unemployment rates in June.
The federal government calculates New York’s unemployment rate partly based upon the results of a monthly telephone survey of 3,100 state households that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics conducts.
June jobs data
The Syracuse region gained 16,500 total nonfarm jobs in the past year, a 5.8 percent increase.
The Utica–Rome metro area picked up 6,500 positions, a rise of 5.7 percent; the Watertown–Fort Drum region gained 3,300 jobs, up 8.8 percent; the Binghamton area gained 5,400 jobs, an increase of 6 percent; the Ithaca region picked up 4,100 positions, a rise of 7.6 percent; and the Elmira metro area gained 1,900 jobs in the past year, an increase of 5.8 percent.
New York state as a whole gained nearly 690,000 total nonfarm jobs, an increase of 8.3 percent, in that 12-month period. Private-sector positions in the state rose by almost 671,000, up nearly 10 percent, in the last year.
A history of its approach to “common sense heating and sanitary plumbing” If you ever lived in a house that was warmed by an “octopus” steam or hot-water heating system, you would be familiar with the subject of this article: The Pierce, Butler & Pierce Manufacturing Company of Syracuse. A number of homes in the Central
A history of its approach to “common sense heating and sanitary plumbing”
If you ever lived in a house that was warmed by an “octopus” steam or hot-water heating system, you would be familiar with the subject of this article: The Pierce, Butler & Pierce Manufacturing Company of Syracuse. A number of homes in the Central New York region, and around the U.S., undoubtedly were heated by this company’s systems in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with some lasting almost until the end of the last century. The founder of this successful heating manufacturing company was Sylvester P. Pierce.
Sylvester Phineas Pierce was born on Sept. 19, 1814 in Sauquoit in Oneida County, the fifth of eight children born to Dr. Spalding Pierce and Abigail Bacon Pierce. Unfortunately, Dr. Pierce died when Sylvester was just 12 years old, so the youngster sought employment at the local general store to help the family meet its financial obligations. Sylvester then worked for the next 13 years as a store clerk and salesman in Rome and Utica.
Pierce came to the village of Syracuse in the spring of 1839 and established a crockery business with Ransom Curtis selling imported earthenware from England. Curtis retired after four years and Pierce bought out his share of the business in 1843. Pierce then broadened the inventory by importing crockery from Germany, France, and Holland, selling his merchandise to wholesale and retail markets throughout New York state.
Pierce married Cornelia Marsh of Geddes in 1841 and they had three sons — Marsh C., Charles H., & William K. — and one daughter — Emma C. Upon graduating from the public schools, the Pierce sons joined their father in the family business. Emma would marry William A. Butler, who would later join the business.
The crockery company expanded to sell plumbing fixtures and kerosene lamps. Two years after Syracuse was incorporated as a city in 1848, the Syracuse Gas Lighting Company installed the first gas lines to provide coal-gas lighting to domestic and commercial properties. Along with buying their crockery, kerosene lamps, and plumbing fittings from Pierce, his customers also wanted to purchase their gas fittings from him. Not knowing the gas business himself, Pierce partnered with the more knowledgeable George Chase to form a separate company — Pierce and Chase — to sell steam and gas fittings in the 1850s.
Pierce bought Chase’s business interest in 1876. He then added his son, William, and his son-in-law, William A. Butler, and formed Pierce, Butler & Pierce — selling wholesale gas, water, and steam supplies, as well as providing sanitary engineering services. The business grew by leaps and bounds, and by 1885, Pierce, Butler & Pierce had 150 plumbers and steam and gas fitters working across New York state. That year, Sylvester Pierce decided to take on more of an advisory role while his son, William, became company president, and William Butler was head of the engineering department. Other long-time employees managed bookkeeping, purchasing and selling, and receiving and shipping. The company utilized a horse-drawn, stake-body wagon to deliver the products. As a side business, Pierce, Butler & Pierce bought a lead press to make its own lead pipe. The company was located on Clinton Street in Syracuse next to the crockery store. The main office was located on the first floor, the shop was on the second floor, and the pipe cutting and threading machines were in the basement. The company’s two boilers constituted one of the first central-heating plants, furnishing heat to other buildings on the block.
During the following year, 1886, Sylvester Pierce retired, and the company reorganized as the Pierce, Butler & Pierce Manufacturing Company with $200,000 in capital. Two years later, in 1888, although retired, Sylvester Pierce advised that the business invest in home-heating boilers. Pierce, Butler & Pierce Manufacturing Company partnered with Alfred Catchpole, a Geneva, New York–based boiler manufacturer to produce a round-cast-iron heating boiler and established the Catchpole Company with $100,000 in capital. In 1890, the Catchpole Company merged with the Pierce, Butler & Pierce Manufacturing Company. The Catchpole heating boilers were then renamed the Florida steam and the Tropic hot water boilers. The company generated more than $1 million in revenue that year.
These boilers became popular and the production models expanded: 19 sizes for steam and 14 sizes for hot water, all fueled by coal. The business boasted that its boilers were self-feeding, able to run for 10-24 hours without attention. Advertisements in 1890 stated that thousands of boilers were in use, were economical, and most importantly, would not explode! Salesmen sold plumbing supplies, boiler parts, and boilers in almost every U.S. state and the company’s success continued to multiply. Pierce, Butler & Pierce established a jobbing department that was responsible for outsourcing its plumbing and boiler installation and repair to local professionals. These men bought their plumbing and boiler supplies from Pierce, Butler & Pierce and then conducted the installation and repair work in their own locales. The system proved profitable and eventually covered territory from Maine to Ohio. The company also opened branch offices in Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia.
Sylvester P. Pierce passed away on Nov. 5, 1893. Pierce’s funeral was held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Montgomery Street in Syracuse. Nine of the city’s notable men were honorary pall bearers, including a judge, a militia colonel, and seven fellow businessmen. Along with operating his lucrative business, Sylvester Pierce also was a long-time member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, served as a supervisor of Ward 6 for two terms, and was a member of the Whig Party, and then the nascent Republican Party.
During that same year, William Pierce helped form the American Boiler Company, which sold the products of five of the largest American boiler manufacturers. Chicago served as the company’s main office. Three years later, Pierce, Butler & Pierce bought out all the other company stockholders, as well as the company’s manufacturing plant in Eastwood. (Eastwood was incorporated as a village in 1895 and annexed by the city of Syracuse in 1926). The company continued to improve its boiler designs and began to manufacture heating radiators.
William Pierce remained company president until 1914 when Dr. Jesse T. Duryea, a former medical physician of Bronxville, New York, was elected company president when Pierce, Butler & Pierce went into receivership as the result of declaring bankruptcy in January 1914. Dr. Duryea, with his business acumen, had managed hospitals in New York City, and then pursued manufacturing interests, attaining success as president of the Colwell Lead Company, a manufacturer of plumbing and heating supplies. Bankruptcy proceedings caused Pierce, Butler & Pierce Manufacturing Company to be reorganized as the Pierce, Butler & Pierce Manufacturing Corporation.
William Pierce experienced extreme mental and physical anguish with Pierce, Butler & Pierce’s company bankruptcy, coupled with his own personal bankruptcy. Pierce blamed his company’s demise on the acquisition of the Kellogg-Mackay Company of Chicago, (which became Butler & Pierce’s western sales agency), along with a decline in general business conditions of the time. “The crisis came like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky,” Pierce exclaimed at the bankruptcy hearing in 1914. He testified that the Chicago acquisition would have been a good business decision if economic times had been better. Pierce estimated his own personal worth at $1.2 million (about $32 million today). After losing control of the company he had presided over for almost 30 years, and with his own wealth evaporating, he fell into a deep depression, from which none of his family or friends could extricate him. After months of suffering, Pierce took his own life on April 5, 1915 at age 64 while he and his wife, Eleanor, were visiting a relative in Washington, D.C. Pierce left behind his widow, two sons and a daughter, and three grandchildren.
Dr. Duryea was optimistic that the company would soon regain its solvency and become even larger. The corporate office moved to New York City in 1915, where it stayed until 1922 before moving back to Syracuse that year. Duryea forged ahead with his expansion plans and, in 1917, bought the Syracuse Faucet and Valve Company and the Azadian Gauge Company, and combined the two companies into Pierce’s valve and gauge department.
Two years later, Pierce, Butler & Pierce bought the Ames Iron Works in Oswego, which was founded in 1853. This acquisition augmented its product line with Ames uniflow engines and high-pressure boilers. The expansion continued with the acquisition of the Atlantic Radiator Company of Huntington, Pennsylvania in 1920 and the Federal Radiator Company of Zanesville, Ohio in 1923.
Dr. Duryea’s expansion plans were suddenly interrupted with his death from heart disease in 1927. While making his way to California, possibly to visit his brother in Los Angeles, Duryea was stricken in his hotel room in New Mexico. Besides being president of Pierce, Butler & Pierce, Duryea also was vice president of the Kellogg-Mackay Company and president of the Wolf Manufacturing Company, both of Chicago. After Duryea’s death, his son-in-law, Roger Morton, ascended to the presidency. Morton had been employed by the company for many years with his last position being treasurer. Stanley DeLong, general manager of manufacturing, was elected as president in April 1929. Delong offered strong organizational skills and was adept at directing employees to make quality products that were sold around the U.S.
Due to its continued bankruptcy circumstances, the company was reorganized again as the Pierce Butler Radiator Corporation in 1935 with a loan of $350,000 negotiated through the Federal Reserve Bank in New York City. The loan was used as capital and was to be paid back in four years at 6 percent interest. Along with accepting the stipulations of the loan, the company’s presidency changed again with Blair McFarlane, general manager, stepping into the position. The company’s complex reorganization plan concluded in 1936 when all outstanding debts, as well as attorneys’ and other fees were paid in full — a total of $87,829 (about $1.6 million today).
By 1941, Pierce Butler Radiator Corporation employed 300 workers at its Syracuse plant. As World War II was unfolding, 60 percent of the company’s business volume was related to defense contracts. Its federal contracts included supplying heating equipment to the federal government for the Maritime Commission’s shipbuilding program for the U.S. Merchant Marine’s merchant ship fleet. That year, the company reported a dramatic uptick in its business and was looking forward to selling additional plumbing supplies and boilers during the autumn season. In 1942, Pierce Butler Radiator produced heating equipment and auxiliary engines in large volume for the U.S. Army and Navy. One of Pierce’s nautical heating units was installed aboard President Franklin Roosevelt’s presidential yacht (the floating White House), the USS Potomac. The military was installing Pierce Butler Radiator heating equipment in barracks, recreation halls, and hospitals serving U.S. military personnel. The company concurrently sold heating products to the federal government for its domestic low-income housing projects. Pierce Butler Radiator declared a net profit of $473,292 for 1942 (about $7.6 million today).
Pierce Butler Radiator still operated manufacturing plants in Huntington, Pennsylvania; Oswego; and Syracuse. New branch offices opened in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Glendale, New York; Newark, New Jersey; New London, Connecticut; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Richmond and Roanoke, Virginia, along with existing branch offices in New York City and Philadelphia, and the home office at 282 James St. in Syracuse. Its product line included cast-iron heating boilers fueled by coal, oil, and gas; a variety of heating radiators; as well as valves, traps, and thermometers. The company continued to make the Ames univalve engine and steel boiler first offered in 1919.
For some unexplained reason, from this period forward, information about the Pierce Butler Radiator Company becomes unusually sparse. Only two years after fulfilling federal government military contracts, the Syracuse Herald newspaper reported that in July 1944 the Prosperity Company of Syracuse purchased Pierce Butler Radiator’s 44-acre, 350,000-square-foot complex at 701 Nichols Avenue in Eastwood and renamed it Prosperity’s Plant No. 2. Having manufactured laundry machinery in Syracuse since 1915, the Prosperity Company received government contracts during World War II to manufacture aircraft fuselage, wing, and cabin parts. At Plant No. 2, the Prosperity Company made parts for large cargo airplanes and helicopters ordered by the U.S. Army. When World War II ended in 1945, the Prosperity Laundry Company returned to making laundry machinery for civilian purposes. Prosperity remained in business until its parent company, Ward Industries, closed the Syracuse plant and moved it to Portland, Maine in 1961. Members of the Braun family, who had operated Prosperity Laundry Company since 1915, formed another company named G.A. Braun in 1946, initially to sell Prosperity’s laundry machinery. Ten years later, G.A. Braun began to manufacture and sell its own laundry machinery. Today, G.A. Braun still makes and sells its own laundry machinery in its 255,000-square-foot plant in Syracuse and will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2021.
But what happened to the Pierce Butler Radiator Company? Did company officials simply sell the company at its possible business peak, not wanting to endure another bankruptcy? The same Syracuse Herald newspaper article states that “New York City men recently acquired control of the Pierce Butler Corporation” and sold its manufacturing equipment. There is no other information about this mysterious acquisition by these “New York City men” and, very little is known about what factors caused the company’s abrupt change toward the end of World War II.
Under the direction of the unnamed men, Pierce Butler Radiator Corporation continued to operate the Ames Iron Works in Oswego, until the H. Pomeroy Company acquired Ames in 1961. Shortly thereafter, the Fitzgibbons Boiler Company, Inc. of Oswego bought this company. Ames Iron Works closed sometime between July 1963 and June 1964 and was subsequently demolished in early 1965.
So ends the convoluted history of the Pierce, Butler & Pierce Manufacturing Company and Pierce Butler Radiator Corporation and its subsidiary companies. As with so many other American manufacturers of the 19th and 20th centuries, this company took a meandering, tangled path from its glory days of industrial accomplishments and triumphs to its gradual and somewhat enigmatic demise.
Thomas Hunter is the curator of collections at the Onondaga Historical Association (OHA) (www.cnyhistory.org), located at 321 Montgomery St. in Syracuse.
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