Massena Alcoan, Massena Memo, County Pennysaver
1902 Pittsburgh Reduction breaks ground for initial plant. Wm. I. Bishop, construction Superintendent; Jay Castleman, Assistant. Bridge over Turbine Chambers at Powerhouse opened for public traffic. Closed when Combination Bridge was erected in 1907. Pile Trestle Bridge erected across canal midway between Combination Bridge and Powerhouse- Railroad and Foot passengers. For benefit of Pittsburgh Reduction Company. Removed on completion of Combination Bridge in 1907. Powerhouse completed. E. B. Bumstead, General Manager. 1903 The St. Lawrence Power Company becomes "The St. Lawrence River Power Company." Pine Grove Realty Company incorporated. James Barclay, President; E. B. Bumstead, Secretary & Treasurer. First Aluminum reduced in new Plant-about 2 tons Ore imported from England. William I. Bishop, Superintendent; Allen MacDougall, Assistant; Henry M. Hall, Superintendent Upper Level. Pittsburgh Reduction company erects or purchases 25 dwellings in Pine Grove. 1904 Watertown Free Excursion (first of several) for Pine Grove Lot Sale. Original Deed for Alcoa Mill Site-Corrective Deed 1905. 1905 Herbert Hoover, as consulting engineer, visits Power Development and recommends it be used locally instead of export. 1906 Personnel of The St. Lawrence River Power Company: General Manager-E. Bradford Bumstead; Electrical Superintendent-Irving A. Taylor; Assistant Electrical Superintendent-R. T. Danforth; Hydraulic Superintendent-Geo. W. Martin; Office Manager and Stenographer- R. D. Pierce; Office Boy-Will Stearns; Surveyor-C. W. Judson; Powerhouse Foreman-James Strand; Ice Fighting Foreman-George Aikman; Diver-Charles Blair; Collector of Upton Utilities-Frank A. Hough. Party of English Stockholders visit Power Canal to look over their investments. The Pittsburgh Reduction Company purchases the St. Lawrence River Power Co. and its subsidiaries-98 per cent of its common stock. 1907 Pittsburgh Reduction Company becomes "Aluminum Company of America". Village grants building permit for Kreusler Houses. These multiple houses consisting of 105 apartments erected during the year. Ladder Dredge "Alfred E. Hunt" and 24" Hydraulic Dredge "Zancle" (afterwards "Gillespie") brought to Canal Shipyard at Massena to be completed and electrically equipped. Extensive Dredging operations about to start. Combination Bridge across canal erected, replacing public roadway over turbine chambers and pile trestle railroad bridge. 1908 Office personnel: A. C. MacDougall, Acting Superintendent; H. M. Hall, Upper Level; G. W. Barker, Chief Clerk; J. B. Bayley, paymaster; R. T. Danforth, Engineering; Will Stearns, Office Boy; Maud Reed, Stenographer; Mary Canton, Telephones. 1909 Canal Dredging starts and continues through 1914. Ladder Dredge "A. E. Hunt"; 24" Hydraulic Dredge "Zancle or Gillespie"; 20" Hydraulic Dredge "C. M. Hall"; Dipper Dredge "R. B. Mellon"; Orange Peel Dredge "A. K. Laurie"; Rockbeaker "Tonawanda". Tugs "Monitor"; "Gem"; "Hebard"; "DeGrasse"; "Amos Lay". 1910 T. A. Gillespie Company starts the construction of Forebay Dam and new Powerhouse. 1911 Extensions added to Building No. 8 (Carbon Storage). 1912 Dredge "Hunt" partly destroyed by fire at Canal Dock-Immediately rebuilt. New Powerhouse (Bldg. 29) started (Completed 1913). 1913 Reconditioned Dredge "Hunt" starts operations in Canal. Erection of Cedars Reductions Plant started by T. A. Gillespie Co. Federal Permit secured to dredge Grasse River. Dredge Gillespie moved to Grasse River for next season's work. Canal Dredging practically completed. New Buildings erected: No. 29-Powerhouse, No. 50-Carbons, No. 60-Main Office. Extensions to other buildings. 1914 Philip H. Falter succeeds F. A. Stoughton as Plant Superintendent. New Office Building No. 60 opened. Old Office (Building No. 6) converted into Hospital & M. T. R. R. Office. Grasse River Dredging starts (Ends 1918). Dredges "Hunt", "Gillespie", "Hall", "Mellon" and leased dredges "Empire" & "Lincoln". Rock Breaker "Tonawanda". Tugs "Monitor", "Amos Lay" and "DeGrasse". V. C. Doerschuk replaces P. H. falter as Superintendent. New Setup-V. C. Doerschuk, Lower Level; H. M. Hall, Upper Level; A. M. Nutt, Outside Properties. New Buildings Erected: No. 20-Rodding, 21-Ore Tanks, 22, 24, 26, 28-Cedars Potrooms, 23- Rotaries, 25-Transformers, 27-Oil House, 37-Lightning Arresters, 43-Employment, 52-Carbon, 53-Cleaning, 55-Crushing, 56-Storage, 57-Calciners, 58-Grinding, 59-Mixers, 66-Stores, 67- Machine Shop, 68-Blacksmith Shop, 69-Tool Shed, Extensions to Buildings 1 & 50. 1,000,000 gallon Mill Supply Tank-replacing old 50,000 Mill Supply near Bldg. 66, erected East of Bldg. 131. 1915 First Cedars Power Imported. New Buildings Erected: Nos. 16 & 18-Canal Potrooms, 19 Ore Tanks, 32-Cedars Potroom, 45-Restaurant, 70-Pipe Shop, 72-Pipe Fitters, 81-Reclamation. 1916 Construction of Athletic Field started. New Buildings Erected: Nos. 7-Lumber Shed, 33-Clockhouse, 34, 36, 38-Potrooms, 35- Potlining, 49-Gas Producers, 54-Carbon Storage. 1917 Dredge "Mellon" at work in Canal. Playground & Wading Pool added as annex to Athletic Field. New Buildings Erected: No. 71-Chemical Lab. 1918 Aluminum Bulletin starts publication (Suspends 12-31-20). A. V. Davis addresses workers at Alcoa Field. Labor Day Circus at Athletic Field. 1919 Reclamation Department organized. Home Coming Celebration. 1920 New Chemical Laboratory opens. Fence completed around Athletic Field. 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 Talcott farm purchased in Louisville for Golf Club. 1926 Massena Country Club leases Talcott farm for Golf Course. New Buildings Erected by Alcoa-No. 79 (Merchant Mill). No. 83-Physical Laboratory. 1927 1928 Arthur Vail, Upper Level Superintendent, departs-Replaced by R. T. Whitzel. Brooklyn Nations 9-Alcoa 8 (11 Innings Baseball). 1929 First Ingot Rolled in New Blooming Mill. New Buildings Erected: No. 119-Oil Storage Pit, No. 121-Remelting, Nos. 123, 124, 125- Blooming Mill, No. 131-26" Mill. 1930 Governor Franklin D. & Mrs. Roosevelt guests of Alcoa with dinner at Massena Country Club. Wading Pool near Athletic Field filled up by order Board of Health. Massena 25 Year Club organized. 1931 1932 1933 1934 Aluminum Workers Union No. 19256 organized. 1935 R. T. Whitzel replaces V. C. Doerschuk as Superintendent. Pine Grove Realty Co. liquidated. Realty Department created to take care of Housing. 1936 1937 New Buildings Erected-No. 40, 41 Potrooms, 42-Clockhouse, 48-Rectifier. 1938 1939 Dial Telephones in service at Plant. New Buildings Erected-No. 120 (Remelting). Extensions to Nos. 79, 121, 122, 124. 1940 New Buildings Erected-No. 140 (Morgan Mill). Additions to Nos. 1, 67, 68, 79, 83, 121, 123, 124, 131. 1941 Identification buttons for employees started. Homecroft Realty Corporation incorporated. Ground broken for Plancor (St. Lawrence) Plant. During World War II, extra precautions taken to guard the Aluminum Plant by a thorough check of employees; placing of extra guards and organizing an Air Warden Patrol while the Government used Federal Troops to patrol the Taylorville Transmission Line and the American Section of the Cedars Line. these troops were quartered in barrack in old Silk Mill in village, Hawkins Point and Barnharts Island. 1942 First reduction of aluminum from Plancor (St. Lawrence) Plant. Saboteurs with Massena Map captured from German Submarine on Long Island. New Railroad Bridge erected across Power Canal by M. T. R. R. New Buildings erected: Blooming Mill, remelt and Related. Extensions to Bldgs. 79, 140, and others. 1943 Army & Navy Day at Massena Works. Massena Alcoan starts publication. Plancor No. 226 renamed "St. Lawrence Plant". 1944 Plant Cafeteria opens. 1945 1946 R. T. Whitzel becomes Manager Massena Operations. E. G. Schoeffel-Reduction Manager. John H. DeKlyn-Fabricating Manager. Office Workers Union No. 180 chartered. First Aluminum Bridge Span in U. S. placed in new Grasse river Railroad Bridge. New M. T. R. R. put in operation. 1947 First issue "Management Memo". New Personnel Building in Service-Old Hospital Building (No. 6) torn down. Dr. M. J. Elder replaces Dr. C. E. Elkins as Plant Physician. 1948 Alcoa makes Purchase Agreement with Government for St. Lawrence Plant-Takes possession Nov. 11. 1949 1950 St. Lawrence Aluminum Plant Purchased. 500th Member Inducted in 25 Year Club. First 50-Year Man Massena Works-Charles Blair. 1951 First potline in operation-St. Lawrence Plant. Final disposition of 14-year Government Suit. R. T. Whitzel, Manager Massena Operations, transferred to Pittsburgh-Succeeded by J. H. DeKlyn. Arthur J. Stewart becomes Works Manager Fabricating division. Reconstructed combination bridge opened to public. Tube system from Blooming Mill to Laboratory in operation. [Massena Alcoan 50th. Anniversary Issue: June 1952] 1952 The biggest rain and wind storm in Massena's history disrupted the Alcoa's 50-year celebration and delayed the Massena 150-year celebration. Buildings, poles, trees were blown down. Massena Operations suffered extensive damage. Roofs were blown off some of the buildings, garage roofs were blown several blocks. A new forge press was installed. Alcoa Foundation donated x-ray equipment to the new Massena Hospital. 1953 Massena's Open House scheduled in 1952 was delayed as a result of a storm. An Open House was held in conjunction with the 50 years of powered flight. 7,000 attended. The Alcoa all-aluminum skyscraper was completed in Pittsburgh. Alcoa graduated the first group of secretaries at Massena. 1954 The St. Lawrence Seaway bill passed in Congress and construction was underway. Three $2,000 Alcoa Foundation Scholarships were awarded for the first time to sons and daughters of Massena Operations employees. 1955 Governor Averell Harriman and Alcoa President Irving Wilson spoke on the future of the North Country. Business editors of the nation's leading magazines and newspapers toured Alcoa and Northern New York. 1956 As part of a $25 million expansion program at Massena, the construction of the new P-75 potlines started. The Ashley family at Massena Operations of seven brothers and their service record added to an overwhelming 290 years. This was the longest continuous service record anywhere in Alcoa. Two new industries started construction in Massena - the Reynolds metal Company and the Chevrolet Division of General Motors. 1957 The Alcoa Savings Plan for salaried employees started November 1, 1957. The Long Sault Rapids became a dry bed of rocks as construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway continued. Alcoa's name reached new heights with the completion of the new million gallon water tank. It could be seen a distance of 25 miles at night. 1958 The billion dollar St. Lawrence Seaway and Power Project became a reality, flooding all the old familiar landmarks in the area. A 3-day celebration to commemorate the rising of the new lake and power pool was sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. President and Mrs. Eisenhower were two of the many dignitaries present. Alcoa Board Chairman I. W. Wilson and Robert Moses, Chairman of the Power Authority of the State of New York, poured the first aluminum smelted using power generated by the new Robert Moses Dam. The new potlines started with the St. Lawrence power. The 1,000th member was inducted into the Massena Operations 25-Year Club. The old power house on the Massena Power Canal passed into history after 55 years of service. 1959 The St. Lawrence River Valley was included in New York State as a tourist attraction creating another industry in the area. The colorful, attractive, Massena Central School construction program was completed with considerable use of aluminum in construction. The 50-year old "lower level" smelting plant buildings were demolished as part of a Massena modernization program. Part of this area was converted to a parking lot for Alcoans. During February, 1959, the northeast section of the Pontoon Bridge on North Main Street over the bridge canal collapsed. The cause was unknown. 1960 Nine Alcoans were awarded Master of Science degrees at Clarkson College of Technology climaxing a four year program of work, travel and study. These men were the first of a continuing group to take advantage of the Alcoa Tuition Aid Plan for employees. The landmark high bridge over the old power canal was dynamited. 1961 Massena's smelting division delivered its one billionth pound of molten aluminum to the Massena fabricating division. 1962 New motels, hotels, tourist homes and restaurants were built to accommodate the tourist trade and welcome visitors to the St. Lawrence Seaway. 1963 Aluminum Company of America introduced its new company mark beginning its 75th anniversary year. A $2 million modernization program started to improve the wire processing equipment at Massena. 1964 A disagreement over work assignments in the potrooms resulted in a 7-week strike. 1965 1966 The world's first all-aluminum railroad cars rolled into Massena Operations from the Gulf of Mexico carrying alumina. The Massena 25-Year Club inducted its 2,000th member. John D. Harper, Alcoa President, spoke to 3,000 Massena Alcoans giving his view on what the Zero Defects Program means to Massena Operations and the future of the company. 1967 6,000 employees and their families, visited Massena Operations. The occasion was Family Day 1967. 1968 The Aluminum Workers International Union rejected the new three year contract which resulted in a plant strike for two months. 1969 The space vehicle that landed on the moon contained Massena Operations fabricated rod and bar for its machined parts. 1970 Massena Operations established the all time safety record of 368 days with a total of 5,757,942 manhours of operating without sustaining a lost time injury. Les W. Danforth, Safety Director, stated that this was the safety record for the company, the aluminum industry and the non-ferrous metals industy. 1971 1972 Alcoa broke ground in Massena for a new multi-million dollar potline-the most modern, efficient Hall Process line in the world. The 26" rolling mill was obsoleted by the new 6500 ton extrusion press. 1973 Progress was made in the construction of the new multi-million dollar modernization program including a new P-225 potline, a new and rebuilt carbon baking and carbon rodding facility, as well as an ingot plant expansion. The new central boiler house was completed. 1974 Construction of the new smelter peaked at about 1000 people in 1974. The Massena 25-Year Club inducted its 3,000 member. 1975 The three N-40 potlines were phased out in preparation of startup of the new potline which would meet New York environment standards. Governor Hugh Carey activated the patented Alcoa 398 air emission system on the new line when he made a tour throughout the plant. 1976 Bob Lamoureux, chief inspector, and Nick Viskovich and Mike Tamer, plant superintendents, all Alcoans of long standing, retired. The new multi-million dollar smelting and ingot plant expansion program was completed. Considerable modernization in the rod and bar mill continued with startup of a continuous cold finishing line. [Massena Memo Saturday, June 18, 1977] 1977 Alcoa-Massena Operations celebrates their 75th anniversary 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 The Aluminum Workers Union proudly celebrated its 50th anniversary 1985 1986 1987 1988 The Aluminum Company of America celebrates their 100th anniversary 1989 1990 Carlton Shaver is inducted as Massena Operations 4th 50-Year club member 1991 1992 1993 Massena earns top honors in the first year of Alcoa Environmental Excellence Awards program for caustic dip elimination. 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 The Aluminum Company of America becomes Alcoa, Inc. to reflect its global reach. The merger between Alcoa and Reynolds Metals is announced. 2000 Alcoa Inc. and Reynolds Metals Company announced that the U. S. Department of Justice and the European Union have approved their proposed merger and that the merger has been completed 2001 An 11-year, $297,000,000 land-based remediation project to clean up 17 superfund sites at Massena Operations is successfully completed. Alcoa establishes relief fund for victims of September 11th events. 2002 On July 6th, Alcoa-Massena Operations celebrates its centennial as part of the Town of Massena's Bicentennial Celebration [County Pennysaver, Massena Bicentennial Supplement, July 2, 2002]