Page 38 - Copshaholm Curriculum Book_2015

Oliver Family History 12

Old mills along the race were razed, an old canal lock for ferries was dismantled,
head gates to an earlier dam were replaced, and wooden flumes that had channeled
water to old factories were torn out. Thousands of loads of gravel were required for the
project. Despite his 81 years, James made daily trips back and forth from the race to
the gravel pit on his Sample Street farm in an open buggy in the winter of 1903 to keep
track of things.

Water wheels of the Oliver Power Plant were put into operation June 6, 1905.
On June 14 the Oliver Hotel was illuminated with power running through underground
cables from the West Race. By July 2, three-phase, 25-cycle current was running to the
Oliver factory on Sample Street. “I never did anything in my life that I am as proud of as
the work I did on the West Race,” James wrote in his diary. The plant cost
$266,376.08, but had taken its toll of James Oliver. He loved the West Race, where he
had made his start, and was determined that the hydroelectric plant would be built just
as he wanted.

However, most of his troubles stemmed from the construction supervisor,
Campbell, a tough, whiskey-drinking roughneck, determined in his ways. James was no
roughneck, but just as determined, and was used to having his way. The two clashed
daily. Once Campbell constructed a wall in the stream past the north end of the
powerhouse. James said the wall wasn’t necessary, that it would hinder the flow of
water. Campbell insisted it was needed to protect the plant foundation. After a lengthy
argument, James took a crew of men out with drills, wedges, picks, and crowbars and
began to destroy it. Campbell and his crew came alongside in a boat. More violent
arguments ended with Oliver raising his hands and daring Campbell to cut them off. It
was a tense moment as the two crews of men armed with picks and crowbars stood
ready to back up their determined leaders. Finally, Campbell backed off and the wall
came down.

Toward the end of the project things changed, however, when Campbell, whom
James kept on the job as supervisor despite their differences, came to James and said,
“Oliver, I changed my mind about you. I wrote a couple of friends of mine a few days
ago that I never found my match until I found an OLD MAN by the name of Oliver that
was much concerned in the Oliver works. He is over 80 years old and I declare he
beats me in perseverance and push.”

May 5, 1905 marked the 50th anniversary of James in the plow manufacturing
business. He had begun experiments for his chilled plow products in 1855. June 12,
1906 he was granted a patent for his last invention, an improved method of turning out a
mold. In 49 years he received 45 patents.

James continued to make trips almost daily to the rural gravel pit in severe
February weather of 1907 to supervise loading of sand for molding plow points. He
developed pneumonia in March, but rallied to the point of being able to return to the
factory in August. During autumn he developed a shortness of breath and a heart
condition. He made his last visit to the factory January 17, 1908, and died March 2,
1908, in his home at the age of 84.

After a private funeral service he was laid to rest along with his wife in the new
Oliver mausoleum in Riverview Cemetery. Factories, stores, theaters, banks, and
public offices were closed as a mark of respect for him, while crowds of workers stood
in the street in a pouring rain to pay homage to him.