January 3

The first Monday of the year is a cold one and it starts at 7:30 a. m. The work has continued into the new year. The crew does any torch work they can in the morning. It will heat the place up a bit. The Shop is full of confectionery kettles to be made and a variety of replacement parts for stills. Copper sheets are heated and curved to make the kettles. The bottoms and tops fabricated and attached. Drip pans, valves, fittings and assorted other parts are made for the distillery repair jobs that are scheduled for this month. The Kavanaghs talk about the holidays and the family. Gussie has stayed ill and they are all concerned. Of course, Frank most of all. He has had the doctor check his wife. He has diagnosed her with the flu, but she seems to be unable to shake it or fight it off.

January 25

Gussie does not recover. The flu weakens her and she dies this day. Frank is overwhelmed with grief. He has lost a son six years ago and now his wife. He has his smaller boy, Charles, but is inconsolable. The family pray for him and his boy. They rally to support him. Gussie is buried at Loudon Park Cemetery as she was not Catholic, but Lutheran.

February 7

Frank returns to the Shop. He took some time to grieve and take care of his son. His boy will be cared for by Gussie’s sister, Sophia Hobner. The work is still strong and steady. Joe has widened his customer base while staying primarily local. They make forays into Virginia and Pennsylvania for distilling work, but no further. Joe contacts every brewery, eatery, distillery and anyone who could require coppersmithing services. He keeps a constant flow of jobs in and jobs out.

February 11

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performs for the first time.

March 6

A circular fountain and a curved brass rail add to the work in the Shop. The crew works hard, but Joe and James are worried about Frank. He is still despondent due to Gussie’s passing and he is distracted in his work. His brothers understand, but they are concerned if he will be able to move past it. Also they are concerned for his safety as some of what they do can be dangerous. They will wait and give him time to deal with his sadness.

April 10

Frank approaches his brothers at the beginning of this week to talk. He tells them he is not sure he can do this anymore. He is overwhelmed and unable to keep up with the day to day. They are shocked and ask him what he wants to do. He answers that he needs a change. He needs to go somewhere else and try to move forward. He does not know what he will do about his son, Charles. He doesn’t think he can work at the Shop anymore. Joe and James encourage him to give this more thought. That he can not make such a decision rashly. He agrees and returns to work. Joe and James do not know what to think. He is their brother and they want the best for him. Still, they are very worried for him. Not to mention the implications for the Shop. Frank is their best smith and very experienced. Also, he is a partner. They do not want to even consider how they would work that out. They hope he changes his mind.

April 21

On this Monday, Frank tells Joe and James he is resigning. He has made arrangements for young Charles to stay with the Hobners. Frank believes he is better off with someone that can properly raise him. He also tells them that he can not work here anymore. It is too painful to stay and that includes working for the company. He will find work somewhere besides Baltimore. He knows he is a good smith and finding work will not be a problem. The brothers try again to dissuade him, but his mind is made up. Joe will have the paperwork drawn up. They will find a way to pay his share to him. He wants them to pay this money to his sister-in-law over time. To make payments that she can count on to support his son. In addition, Frank has several small lots of property in the City. He asks his brothers to buy them. He will give them a good deal. This too shall go to Charles. Frank does not know where he will go, but he is considering joining the military.

April 29

Frank officially withdraws from the partnership. He relinquishes all hold on the Shop and its name. Joe and James will continue on as partners still operating under the name, the Joseph Kavanagh Company. The family is still struggling to understand it, but they respect Frank’s wishes. The crew are equally confused by this. They will miss Frank. He was a kind and gentle man. A good co-worker and boss. They will keep working. Eddie moves up as the best smith in the Shop now. Even several older gents do not have his level of skill. Mr. Fairbanks and James Woods are both excellent. Eddie is the best after Frank leaves though.

June 12

The crew spends a long Monday working on the summer steamship work and the usual kettles, beer vats and assorted distilling parts. A repair job at Bauernschmidts’s Brewery will take several days. They have a very backed up schedule. Joe and James have lunch together to discuss what they should do. James wants to hire a few more men. Joe thinks they should hire a machinist. They make so many custom parts for different equipment especially the stills. A lathe run by a trained machinist will help them more than laborers. They eat while they talk and agree to hire three more men. An experienced machinist and two more helpers. That brings them to 12 true coppersmiths now including the Kavanaghs. They have an additional 14 helpers and now one machinist, Mr. Abe Saltzman. He is hired within several days. Joe knows many people and finding a qualified machinist with a good reputation isn’t hard for him.

June 20

Leo Kavanagh weds Mayme Smith. Joe and Johanna’s oldest son gets married on a Tuesday evening. The family are thrilled for the couple. The Kavanaghs assemble at St. Leo’s that night. James, Honora and their kids, Joe and Johanna and their daughter, Eddie and his girlfriend, Anna and Frank and his boy, Charles. Also, several of Martin’s daughters are there. Kitty, Regina and Mary Kavanagh. They pray for Leo and Mayme and wish them the best in their married life.

July 7

Eddie drives Joe, James Woods and a helper to Brehm’s Brewery on Belair Road. Eddie loves this truck, but he is dreading talking to his father at the end of the day. He is going to ask for a raise. He is clearly the best smith now. He is senior to everyone but his Uncle James, his cousin James Woods and Mr. Fairbanks. Fairbanks is a good smith, but more of a brazier than a coppersmith. Eddie knows he has more skill than Mr. Fairbanks and his uncle and his cousin. His brother Leo is a fine smith, but engineering and drafting are more his area of expertise. They arrive and Joe does his thing. He chats up the supervisor and the foreman. He does this charming Joe thing he does. He is conversational and tosses in witty repartee. He has that entertainer’s way about him. His old vaudeville days. While Joe talks, Eddie and the boys get to work. They solder some seams and replace a few valves. A quick job that is finished by lunchtime. Joe presses the brewery for more work while he is there. Making sure that Brehm’s will call at the smallest problem. Any issue that comes up they will rush in their truck to take care of it. They head back to the Shop. When they arrive at Central Avenue, Eddie parks out front and they return to the Shop for lunch. The afternoon is a hot one. Eddie works on some brass bearings for a boiler job. All the while, mulling over in his mind what to say to Joe. He calls his father Joe. Everyone does. Joe didn’t stand on ceremony much or perhaps father and eventually grandfather made him feel old. His sons and his daughter and his grandchildren all called him Joe. Just like everyone else. It was always his preference. His way. On the ride home after work, Eddie pleads his case for more money. He is a skilled coppersmith. One of the best he thinks. He works hard and is on time every day. He always does what he is told. Joe listens than says no. He tells Eddie that he must pay his dues. Joe and James are still in debt for the building. Though, that debt is to Joe’s wife, Johanna. Eddie must wait. They are building the business and it will be good for all if they do that. Especially for the Kavanaghs. Joe makes sure to mention. Joe is adamant. Eddie speaks up that a tradesman should be properly paid based on his skills. He tells Joe that not only himself, but most of the crew need to be paid more. If the Shop needs to charge more, they should. Joe cuts him off there and says that pricing and salaries are his domain. Not Eddie’s. He flatly refuses to discuss it further as they pull up at 619 S. Bond Street.

August 17

The dog days of the Shop are here. August is quite often the cruelest month for a smith. Using fire in the heat and the humidity. There is no escape from it. It is draining, but part of the job. The Kavanaghs and workers are fabricating a storage tank for Hannis Distilling. They have multiple kettles, pans and pots being made, but 12 men work on this tank. It will take nearly two weeks to complete. Another week to install. During lunch, they talk baseball. Babe Ruth has been pitching up a storm according to Eddie. Ruth is off to a hot start on the mound with a record of 16-9 so far this year. Eddie mentions that Ruth just out dueled Walter Johnson in a 1-0 win. The Babe pitched a 13 inning complete game shutout. Even Joe is impressed and has to give credit to Ruth. He is turning into a top notch pitcher.

August 19

The crew spends a Saturday prepping for a still replacement at Horsey Distilling. They work most of the day. Knocking off at 2. They try to be out of there by lunch on Saturdays, but the work has demanded otherwise. Or at least Joe has. Joe tells Eddie 2 p.m. is still better then 4 or 5. Before a night out with Anna, Eddie visits his brother Leo at his home on McElderry Street. He discusses their wages. Leo also is unhappy with his pay. He is less inclined to fight with Joe about it than Eddie. Eddie tells Leo they should have a union in there. Besides the better pay, as their customers go union it will be tougher to do work for them as a non-union shop. Leo is not convinced. They have plenty of work. Eddie agrees but thinks that could change. He mostly believes they deserve more money. Joe could charge more and everyone would make more money. Leo will think about it.

August 26

Eddie attends a meeting of the Amalgamated Sheet Metal Workers International Alliance. He accompanies several members that he is acquainted with in the trades. Eddie listens intently as they discuss proper wages, worker safety and even death benefits. He is even more convinced that the Shop needs to find a way to go union. To pay its workers better. Eddie envies the brotherhood these metalsmiths seem to share. They have strength in their numbers. Eddie is conflicted as the business belongs to his family. However, he meets several men from small shops in the same situation. They make it work. They are owners and union. Eddie learns there are several Coppersmith Unions around the county that are associated with this group. One is Local #53 in NY. Eddie gets their address and decides to send them a letter.

September 11

The work weeks begin with a visit to the Shop by Frank. He informs his brothers that he is enlisting in the Army as a coppersmith. He has been classified as such and will be sent to the Panama Canal. They have need of hard working men of many trades. Coppersmith being one. Frank is sure this is what is right for him. His brothers do not try to persuade him. His son will live with the Hobners as arranged. Frank will send what money he can back home while Joe and James send money for the sale of his part of the Shop. They wish Frank well and encourage him to visit when he can. When he leaves, Joe and James agree they hope this will work for their brother. In the Shop, they are bending some decorative brass moldings into an ovular rail. It is tricky. They have a wooden template to match. Eddie and four men are at Globe Brewery to install some new vats. Eddie has heard back from Local # 53. They welcomed his interest. They advised him to try to sway his father and uncle to unionize. The size of the Shop’s crew would be more than enough to start a local in Baltimore. If he can not convince them, they recommend he organize with coppersmiths from a few rival businesses. Eddie is not sure what to do. He is considering.

October 12

The Red Sox beat the Brooklyn Robins 4 game to one to win the World Series. Babe Ruth wins game two. He gives up one run in the first then duplicates his game from August. 13 innings of shut out ball and the Sox win 2-1. For the season, he bats .272, but pitches to a 1.75 ERA and compiles an impressive 23-12 record. Cobb hits .371, but does not win the batting title. Tris Speaker of the Cleveland Indians wins the title with a .386 average. Joe and Eddie go through their comparisons of Cobb and Ruth, as always. Joe admits that Ruth is an excellent hurler, but Cobb will always be the best player due to his hitting.

November 7

Woodrow Wilson defeats Charles Hughes narrowly to win re-election to the Presidency. The Kavanaghs vote for Wilson. They have shifted now toward the Democrats. This started when the Republicans chose Taft over Teddy Roosevelt in 1912. They loved Teddy and voted for him when he ran in that election as the Progressive Party Candidate. That combined with the successful state of the economy for the Shop lead them to vote for Wilson. Joe is convinced now that the election is over the U. S. will enter the war. It is discussed in the Shop over the next few days. Joe is of the mind that Wilson was walking a tight rope to win re-election. He did not want to lose votes by committing too early to war, but did not want to alienate those in favor of it. He talked tough to Germany, but stayed neutral for now.

November 19

Frank sets sail for the Panama Canal. His family bids him farewell. He assures them he shall return by 1918 if not before. His mother, Katherine, is particularly saddened. She has been their quiet matriarch since her husband, Patrick’s death. She watched as things went up and down for her boys with the Shop. She has seen Martin’s problems and then watched him leave Baltimore. Now Frank is leaving too. Joe, James and their sister Sarah Woods comfort her. They are still the Kavanaghs in Baltimore and they are sure Frank will be back.

December 24

The Christmas party. Joe’s and James’ mother, Katherine visits the Shop for the first time. She has never felt the need to see their place of business. They press her to come for this party and most of the family are there. They celebrate with their customers and vendors. There is music and food and drink for all. They act as if it is any other year, but it is not. They miss Frank. They feel for his loss of Gussie. Frank was the younger brother who Joe and James looked out for. He trusted them and they trusted him. They saw him grow up from boy to apprentice to master smith. This brotherhood of three has changed. The two elder brothers are left now. A partnership of two. They were blindsided by this turn of events. Surely, they had considered what will happen in the future. How, some day, one or more of them might leave the Shop. They were not anticipating it happening any time soon, but it has. They celebrate Christmas. It just isn’t the same.

Woodrow Wilson is the President of the United States. Revolution in Mexico leads to an invasion of New Mexico by Pancho Villa. U. S. troops chase them back and follow them into Mexico taking and occupying Santa Domingo. The U. S. also begins occupation of the Dominican Republic. Norman Rockwell’s first Saturday Evening Post cover is published. The National Park Service and the Piggly Wiggly are founded. Jeanette Rankin of Montana becomes the first woman elected to the House of Representatives. Jackie Gleason, Gregory Peck, Olivia De Havilland, Walter Cronkite and Kirk Douglass are born.

There remain 48 states in the Union.

https://theshop-ahistoryofthejosephkavanaghco.com/table-of-contents/

1915 The First Truck

January 17

It is a chilly Sunday evening. Eddie and Anna Hartman double date with Leo and Mayme Smith. Mayme is Leo’s girl. The four have gotten to be pretty close. They attend the St. Leo’s Club Annual Dinner and Dance. The brothers are both members. Eddie has been seeing Anna for the last several months. It is about the same for Leo and Mayme. A pretty big crowd attends and a good time had by all. The Shop is off to a hot start for January. Joe has been bringing work in at a quick pace. More confectionery kettles to be made and repaired this month. Several weeks of repairs for Horsey Distilling. The usual drip pans and a replacement condenser. Fittings and valves are replaced throughout the system. They are always making these for stock as well. The hours are piling up. James and Frank tell Joe they need more help. Several of their “helpers” have progressed to being apprentices. This helps with the volume of copper work they have, but now they need more laborers. Joe agrees and they decide to hire four young men. The Shop’s crew reaches 20.

March 2

Today finds Frank, Eddie and four helpers working on a storage tank for Gwynnbrook Distilling. The tank was fabricated in the Shop then dis-assembled. Now, they are putting it all back together on site and attaching the appropriate valves and apparatus. They will spend the better part of this week there to finish the installation. They load into the cart each morning and reach the distillery by 9. Returning at 4 p.m. for closing time They piece the tank together in two days and spend the next two sealing it and attaching it to the full distilling system. The rest of the crew are working on some general copper work. Some large commercial cooking jackets and a small residential fountain. The copper is heated, turned and curved. Perforated sheets rolled into tubes for the fountain. Whatever is required to achieve the shapes they need. Spring is coming on just as winter has been. Busy.

May 7

This Friday is spent building a replacement continuous still for Baltimore Distilling. It needs to be finished today so Joe puts his best men on it. Frank and Eddie leading the team with five helpers . In addition, James Woods and several fellows are at White Brewery for some repairs. They are fixing some seams and installing some freshly made drip pans. During lunch, the talk of the Shop is that Babe Ruth hit his first major league home run yesterday off of Yankees hurler, Jack Warhop. The Yankees winning the game nonetheless. Ruth went 3 for 5. Eddie again predicts big things for this young local kid. He doesn’t mention that Ruth also committed an error in the game. Joe and the older Kavanaghs again say they look forward to what the Babe will do, but he has a long way to go and a lot to prove.

May 8

Saturday starts at 7:30 am for the Kavanaghs. First thing this morning, Joe drops the newspaper in Eddie’s lap. Opened to box score of yesterday’s Tigers vs. St. Louis Browns game. Joe recounts it before Eddie can take a look. Ty Cobb went 3 for 4. He drove in two and scored two. He also stole two bases. Coincidentally, Joe doesn’t mention Cobb’s error either. Joe makes his point that this is a better day across the board than Ruth’s. It’s a better day for the team and, at least the Tigers won their game. Eddie replies that Ruth will have his days. He is still young. This conversation continues until the rest of the workers arrive and they all get to work. Thus begins a regular Cobb vs. Ruth debate between Joe and his son, Eddie. It will only get worse as Ruth’s accomplishments and stardom rise while Cobb’s diminish. Apart from talking baseball, the crew are fabricating some beer vats. One for Globe Brewery and one for Gunther’s Brewery. They must make the vats and all the attachments by Monday. Joe has promised they will be installed by the end of next week. As always, James and Leo did the engineering and drawings when the order was placed. Today they start building them. It will be a long Saturday at the Shop. After work, the Kavanaghs learn of the sinking of the Lusitania by a German U-Boat the day before. She was on her way to New York from Britain. Nearly 1200 people die. In the next few days, attitudes toward that “far away” war in Europe begin to change a bit. Even the Kavanaghs who were strongly against involvement in this conflict begin to rethink things. The U. S. protests and Germany promises to limit its naval activities to military vessels. A promise they will have trouble keeping.

June 10

The steam ship work arrives to an already swamped Shop. They are as busy as they have been in years. Joe is the one to bring up hiring more men this time. His brothers quickly agree and five helpers are hired within days. The crew are making ballast pump chambers for the ships and the usual brass work that goes with it. They have a backlog of stills to be made and installed over the next several months. Eddie has two boys with him at Brehm’s Brewery for some repairs. Twenty-five men now work for the Joseph Kavanagh Company. All busy and working hard. William Jennings Bryant, the Secretary of State resigns over U. S. handling of the sinking of the Lusitania. This is discussed intently over lunch. Frank is the first to speak up that the U. S. needs to get involved. That our ships will not be safe at sea as long as this war goes on. The rest of the family and crew are not convinced. They are angry about the sinking of the Lusitania, but still not angry enough to want to jump into this war. None are upset about Bryant resigning. Most of them voted against him at least once when he ran for President in the past.

August 15

It is a sunny warm Sunday. After church, Eddie takes Anna Hartman to her first ballgame. The International League Orioles. They ride to the game on Eddie’s motorcycle. Anna holding tight on the back while Eddie cruises through the City on his orange Merkel chewing on a stick of Double Mint Gum. They are keeping quite a bit of company now. Eddie explains the game to Anna. She allows him to do so although she already knows a fair bit about baseball. Her father and cousins are all fans. After the game is over, they have dinner at Joe and Johanna’s on Bond Street. They have a very nice meal and visit. They talk baseball and the family. Eddie brings up the need for a truck again. He tries to convince his father that the horse and cart has to go. A truck is faster, can haul more and costs less over the long run. Joe has privately approached both his brothers about this very thing. With a truck, they will be able to get to and from installs faster. They will be able to respond quicker to customer’s needs and haul more parts easier. The work is there to justify it. They seem to be getting busier and busier. Even with the added help, they are still working six days a week. Joe tells his son that he will think about it.

September 1

The Shop purchases its first automobile. A 1915 new Mack AB Truck with the words Joseph Kavanagh Co. Coppersmiths printed on the side. The bed is open with a rack that can be covered by a tarp. Eddie is very excited about it. Joe is still skeptical, but agrees that this is the way to go. It will be more efficient and more economical. Joe takes Eddie along with him for the purchase. The Shop remains backed up with a great deal of jobs. They have the right combination of customers now. They have a repair at either a distillery or a brewery just about every day. In the Shop proper, they are always prepping for the installs and repairs. They have regular orders for cooking kettles and brass work. Plus, the occasional fountain or railing and the boiler work they do. All these combined are keeping the Shop very busy.

October 13

The Boston Red Sox beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4 games to 1 to win the World Series. Young Babe Ruth doesn’t pitch in the series. The Red Sox are just too stacked with talent and it only took five games. Ruth’s only appearance is one pinch hit. President Wilson becomes the first president to attend a World Series when he arrives for game 2. Of course, the series is discussed at the Shop. Baseball, Baltimore and family talk keeps the day moving along. The work of a smith can at times be tedious like most jobs. It is a constant rhythm of work and labor. Anything to chat about that makes the time go faster is welcomed. Today a brass railing for a “fancy” home as Joe would call it is made. E. J. Codd has sent in a great deal of work for a large boiler system. With a lot of work and a lot to talk about, the day does not seem so bad. Driving home to Bond Street in the Shop’s truck, Eddie mentions that Ruth finished his first full season batting .315. That’s not too shabby. Joe agrees, but quickly mentions that Cobb won his ninth batting title in a row. Hitting a cool .369 while stealing 96 bases. Eddie never questions Cobb’s abilities or hitting prowess. He is just a Ruth fan.

December 24

A Christmas party at the Shop. The Kavanaghs, customers and employees celebrate the season. Eddie and Leo invite Anna and Mayme. They both get their first experience of visiting Pratt & Central. Most of the Kavanaghs are there except for Frank’s wife Gussie. She is ill with the flu. Frank attends with his boy Charles, but they leave early. The rest stay for a long jubilant celebration of the season. Joe holds court among the crowd. He sings some songs and tells stories. He brags to any customer he can find about their truck. It is the latest model and they took their time in choosing it. He tells them all that he wanted the best deal he could get. They will be quicker to respond to issues at any facility. This will make them even better. Eddie talks mostly to Anna and does his best to not listen to his father praise the truck he resisted buying for so long. It is Joe though. It is his way. His style. Eddie takes it in stride. The Joseph Kavanagh Company has finished off its best year since the old Lombard Street days. Their crew is getting bigger and they are staying consistently busy. They have had no gaps in work this year. The Kavanagh brothers have a very good crew and an excellent group of customers. They believe that things will just keep getting better. There is no doubt about any issues this winter. They have a lot of work on the books to fill the cold months. Things are going very well and they see no reason to think that will stop.

Woodrow Wilson is the President. The Rocky Mountain National Park and the Kiwanis Club are established. A proposal in the House of Representatives to give women the right to vote is rejected. Construction on the Lincoln Memorial begins. D. W. Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation” is released. The first stop sign is erected in Detroit. WW1 continues as more countries choose sides and it becomes a slow war of attrition. The U. S. remains neutral. Muddy Waters, Billie Holiday, Orson Welles, Arthur Miller and Frank Sinatra are born. Booker T. Washington and Frank James die.

There are 48 states in the Union.

https://theshop-ahistoryofthejosephkavanaghco.com/table-of-contents/

January 19

A strong start to the year for the Shop. The Georgetown Candy Kitchen and Ruppert Brothers from DC have ordered new kettles to be made. These two confectionery orders combined with their standard January orders from Baltimore candy companies make for a busy winter thus far. Sheet copper is cut then heated. After it is annealed(softened), it is slowly curved and shaped into the desired size of the kettle. Tops and bottoms are fabricated by heating and hammering. Finally, the associated valves and fittings are attached to complete each item. The moments using a torch in January are often the highlight of the day for any of the Shop’s smiths.

February 23

A chilly Monday starts at 7:30 a. m. The Kavanghs arrive and open the Shop for business. They chat a bit as they ready themselves for the day. All employees must be at Pratt & Central and ready to work by 8:00 a. m. Joe is a stickler for this schedule. They get to work throwing some heat at copper sheets to be bent. They are making some drip pans. These pans are placed under stills or vats to catch any small leaks. It is as simple of a thing to make as anything they do. The edges of the sheets are heated than folded over at a sharp angle. Usually by pressing and bending over a steel or iron table’s corner. Once bent, the corners need to be brazed and any final cuts are made. The crew are busy and the morning passes relatively quickly. They are afforded a half hour lunch from 12:00 – 12:30 p. m. While they eat their packed sandwiches, the discussion lands on baseball as it so often does. Young George Herman Ruth has been signed by Jack Dunne to play for the International League Baltimore Orioles. Eddie again speaks of the local club game he saw Ruth play in. He assures the crew that this young ball player will go far. The older Kavanaghs including Eddie’s father, Joe, are not quite so sure. They are excited nonetheless to see a local boy signed to play. The chat is interrupted when Joe realizes it is 12:30 and they must get back to work. The afternoon is spent on more kettle-making and fabricating some brass parts for a boiler. The afternoon passes slowly, but finally reaches 4:30 p. m. They head home. Some by cart, some by foot while Eddie roars off home on his “Flying Merkel” to the chagrin of his father.

April 29

This Wednesday starts a wonderful two-day event for the Kavanaghs. Joe and Eddie will perform at a musical show to benefit St. Patrick’s Church. They will play tonight and tomorrow night. A large group of performers from the neighborhood and parish will be involved. Today at the Shop, a fountain is being fabricated. They drill holes in copper sheets than roll them into tubes after heating them. This work is done by Eddie and several helpers. Meanwhile, Frank and a couple lads are at Brehm’s Brewery replacing some fittings and sealing some leaks. A busy spring day for the crew. After work, the Kavanaghs gather at Albaugh’s Theater for the show. Joe sings “Cruishkeen’s Lawn” and “The Irish Exile”. Eddie sings “Nora Malone”. Both are involved in the chorus/ensemble tunes also. The two-day show is a success and some funds are raised to support the Church and its parishioners.

May 10

A sunny Sunday is spent at Church in the morning and at a ballgame in the afternoon. Joe and his sons, Leo and Eddie attend an Orioles game at Oriole Park to see Ruth pitch. He has caught the eyes of many a baseball fan and scout. He is a clear standout on both the mound and at the plate. After his signing by Mr. Dunne, his teammates begin calling him Babe due to his “baby-face” and young demeanor. Ruth doesn’t disappoint as he pitches a complete game win today. The Kavanaghs enjoy the game, but Joe does bring up that this week will be busy at the Shop. He lets both his boys know that they have repair jobs at Globe Brewery and Gwynnbrook Distilling to deal with in the next few days. Leo and Eddie stay focused on watching baseball. Monday will bring all thoughts of the Shop to them. Joe thinks of the Shop every day of the year. He would tell you that it is his job to do so.

June 15

The week starts hot even for June. The topic that has dominated the crew’s discussions and continues to do so is that Babe Ruth has been sold to the Boston Red Sox. The Kavanaghs go over and over this little tidbit most of the day while they are making some pump-chambers and other parts for steamships. Their usual swathe of ship work in the summer has “steamed in” so to speak. Eddie praises Ruth and is not surprised he was not in the minor leagues for very long. Joe who always assumed he knew a lot more about baseball than most folks, tells Eddie we shall see. In Joe’s eyes, Ruth will have a long way to go to replace the great Orioles of old in his heart. McGraw and Keeler and the rest were the best ever according to Joe. He will root for any Baltimore boy who makes the major leagues, of course.

June 30

Joe reads of the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo. It is so far away. He doesn’t give it much thought. The Shop is very busy with kettles coming in almost every day, the repairs for steamers, breweries and distilleries. Joe is getting better and better at fielding calls, pursuing jobs and scheduling work so the Shop stays busy, but is able to meet its deadlines. His big personality and affable style seems to draw work in to the Shop. He does drive his crew hard at times. Something that his employees take note of especially his sons. They will have to learn to deal with it. His brothers, James and Frank, take it in stride. After all, Joe is Joe. They can handle him and his leadership seems to be working. They are not the big multi-state company they were under Old Uncle Joe, but they are staying busy. They are making money and have re-established the Kavanagh name and its quality.

July 13

Another Summer Monday of work and talking baseball. On Saturday, Babe Ruth won his debut for the Red Sox. The Kavanaghs scour the newspaper for details. They talk baseball as they work. Today, Eddie and two boys are at Gunther’s Brewing for some vat repairs. Eddie and company climb a ladder into the vat and solder some seams shut. The rest of the crew are busy on the steamship repair work and also making fittings and valves. Joe and his brothers have decided they should start stocking these as the demand seems to be steady for them. They produce a variety of sizes and configurations of fittings and valves. They will be readily at hand now as needed. When Eddie returns from Gunther’s he again pushes for Joe and his brothers to purchase a truck for the Shop. The old horse and cart works fine, but automobiles are here to stay. The brothers promised to give it some more thought.

August 4

War erupts in Europe. A domino effect of conflicts has spiraled Europe into war. Sides are chosen up and the conflict begins in earnest. Again, the Kavanaghs like most Americans, consider it too far away to effect them or be of much concern. President Wilson will declare U. S. neutrality as he intends to keep America out of this war. The Shop’s crew toil away in the heat. Finishing the last of the steamer work and attending to a small patent medicine still.

September 8

The Kavanaghs and crew are in the midst of a large job. Most of the crew are in on this one. It is a 2000 gallon storage tank. As always, the sheet must be heated and curved. In this case, many hours are spent by eight men to shape and then braze this one shut. It must be fabricated in whole and then disassembled for shipping. This one blocks up the Shop for 3 weeks. Joe loves it. That gives him more time to schedule work and guarantee a backlog of jobs. Joe’s main focus most days is to assure that they will have scheduled work. Busy days with as few lulls as possible. A busy Shop is a profitable Shop in his eyes.

October 14

Joe reads the newspaper first thing this Wednesday. He is rather disappointed to read that the Boston Braves have swept the Philadelphia Athletics in the World Series 4- 0. This is the team Joe pulls for always. He knows it is baseball and that’s that. He turns his attention to cold-calling some customers. They have plenty of work, but that won’t stop Joe from looking for more. Today they make some cooking kettles for a local cafeteria and some brass bearings and parts for a boiler job.

November 14

The crew are working hard through this Saturday. They are backed up with work enough that they will be working all day today. Some bottling apparatus parts are being made. A column still is being fabricated for Sherwood Distilling. In the afternoon, their work is interrupted. The crew hears a loud crash right outside the building. They rush to the corner and see a man has been thrown from a vehicle onto the sidewalk. A terrible collision has occurred at the intersection. A fire alarm has sounded at the foot of Bond Street. On the way to respond, two fire department vehicles have crashed at Pratt & Central. A fire hose wagon heading east on Pratt and the fire chief’s car heading south on Central. Frank, Leo, Eddie and James Woods rush to their aid. They carry District Chief John Emerson who was thrown to the sidewalk and five other firefighters into the Shop’s office. The small roughly 10 X 10 wood office is filled with injured men. Joe calls the police and hospital immediately. They attend to them as best they can. Several are badly cut and several have broken bones. All are stunned from the impact. The Chief is rushed by car to Mercy Hospital. The rest are taken to St. Joseph’s. The Kavanaghs and crew watch silently as the ambulances drive away. Joe informs Eddie this is why we do not need a truck.

November 21

Another Saturday of work at the Joseph Kavanagh Company. This one will be just a half-day which the crew are happy to hear. The morning passes quickly as more stock fittings are made and several peanut kettles are produced. The Kavanaghs and their workers leave at noon. Eddie cruises toward Bond Street on his motorcycle. He stops at a corner candy store several blocks from home. Eddie has a bit of a sweet tooth. He intends to just run in and out quick, but he notices a young girl behind the counter. He takes his time in choosing and asks the salesgirl what she recommends. She says he should try this new flavor of gum. Wrigley just released it this year. He thanks her and introduces himself. He buys some Wrigley’s Double Mint gum and leaves. He drives off on his bike but, he knows he will be back. He likes this girl. Her name is Anna Hartman. He likes the gum too. One day he will marry this girl. She is my grandmother. And he will chew Double Mint gum for the rest of his life.

November 26

It is Thanksgiving. A day for family, food and thanks. Johanna prepares a traditional feast for her, Joe, Leo, Eddie and Anna, their daughter. Joe’s brothers do the same with their families. They celebrate in their homes, but are thankful as a group. They are very grateful that they have had this new start for the Shop. Things have turned so quickly from bad to good. They are all healthy, happy and gainfully employed. The Shop is on the right track. Joe, James and Frank have done an outstanding job of building back what was lost due to the Fire, Uncle Joe’s death and Martin’s inequities. As a family, they are truly thankful. They have no fear of a loss of work over the winter. Joe has scheduled work in advance that will carry them through the cold. Meanwhile, the War in Europe is escalating and spreading across the globe. It will grow to be the one of the largest military conflicts in history. The U. S. will stay out of it as long as possible. Eventually, most nations including ours are pulled in to what will be called “The War to End all Wars.”

Woodrow Wilson is the President of the United States. The first commercial airline opens in Florida. Ford Motor Company begins using an eight hour workday with a minimum wage of $ 5.00 per day. Weeghman Park which will become Wrigley Field opens in Chicago. USS Amcon is the first ship to pass through the Panama Canal. WW1 begins in Europe. William S. Burroughs, Jack LaLanne, Jonas Salk and Joe DiMaggio are born.

There are 48 states in the Union.

https://theshop-ahistoryofthejosephkavanaghco.com/table-of-contents/

January 13

This would have been Old Uncle Joe’s 77^th birthday. The three remaining nephews, Joe(46), James(36) and Frank(29) carry on his legacy. The day before they bring their families together for Sunday dinner with their mother, Katherine(69) and to remember their uncle. Joe’s wife, Johanna(40) and their three children are there, Leo(20), Eddie(19) and Anna(6). James’ wife Hanorah(31), their sons Guy(9) and James Jr.(5) and Frank’s wife Gussie(27) and their son Charles(2) are there, as well. They eat ham and potatoes and tell stories of their uncle who started it all. His skills, his words, his faith and his great love of family. He had no children that survived, but these men know he was more than uncle to them. He was mentor/teacher/friend and leader. They mean to keep his dream alive. To work together. To provide for their families. To keep Joe’s Kavanagh tradition alive.

February 3

The Shop has started the year very well. There are confectioner’s kettles to be made and a good bit of boiler work. The candy and ice cream companies are the Shop’s standard fare in the winter. The boiler work is from E. J. Codd, one of their oldest customers. Codd is fabricating a large boiler and there a lot of small brass parts to go into it. The Kavanaghs and crew divide up the work and get busy. James Woods and Mr. Fairbanks attend to the brass parts while Frank, James, Eddie and Leo work on the kettles. Each of those Kavanaghs has a helper and everyone is busy. It is the kind of winter that would make Old Uncle Joe very happy.

March 7

The British freighter Alum Chine explodes in Baltimore Harbor. The ship was loaded with 300 tons of dynamite. The explosion is massive and shakes the nearby ground. A fire alarm goes off and firefighters and equipment hasten to the scene. The word spreads quickly and the Kavanaghs are shocked to hear of it. All thought of the jacket kettles they are making disappears in a moment. It was less than 10 years ago that the City burned, so a fire of this magnitude sends much of the citizenry into a near panic. This includes the crew of the Joseph Kavanagh Company. Fortunately, the fire is quelled and there is little to no damage to the City. It serves as a stark reminder to Baltimore of what happened not so long ago.

May 7

The volume of work stays at a high level. They work Saturdays and extra hours to keep up. This is a good thing. Still, the brothers know they can not burn out their crew. Joe, James and Frank decide to hire two more helpers. Today they are making some more beer vats and drip pans. This time for Bauernschmidt’s Brewery. The vats are made by heating copper sheet until it is softened(annealed). Then, they are hammered and shaped. A brass hammer is used on top while a large wooden mallet is held underneath. After the shape is achieved, finishing hammers are used to smooth it out. Tap by tap. A slow process, but something they are good at. The drip pans are simpler. Just anneal some copper sheet and fold or bend it over to make a rectangular pan. This job alone ties the Shop up for over a week.

June 16

A hot busy day at the Shop. Their usual steam ship work has arrived. Added to the kettles they are always making, it keeps them busy. They keep working Saturdays, but only a half-day. Eddie tells his uncle and the rest of the crew of an amazing young local baseball player. Eddie saw him play over the weekend. A pitcher who can really hit too. He is from St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys, but is now playing for different City teams on the weekends. In those days, there were neighborhood teams, and work teams and a variety of club teams throughout Baltimore. The Kavanaghs have always been baseball fans. Eddie is no different. In fact, at times it seems baseball, music and the Shop are the only things that Eddie and his father agree on. Eddie goes on and on about this young left-handed slugging pitcher. His name is George Ruth.

August 9

After work on this Saturday, Joe and his sons Leo and Eddie attend a Baltimore Orioles game. Major League Baseball has moved on from Baltimore, but there is a minor league team in the City now. The International League Orioles play at the same Oriole Park/ American League Park that the old Orioles did. It is a minor league team, but it is still baseball. Joe and his boys have a good time though the Orioles lose to the Buffalo Bisons. Joe tells tales of Wee Willie Keeler and John McGraw. How those old Orioles were so good and played so hard. They were tough and were not afraid of some physical contact in the games. The boys, on this rare occasion, are a captive audience. They watch the game and listen to their father speak of the “glory days” of Baltimore baseball.

October 10

Joe Kavanagh finally gets his wish. He takes this Friday off from the Shop. He rides an early train To Philadelphia to attend a World Series game at Schibe Park. He wishes to see his old acquaintance, Connie Mack. Mr. Mack is the manager of the A’s and is too busy to socialize. Joe is disappointed but not much as the A’s defeat the Giants in this game 6-5. He takes the train home and gives a vivid detailed description of the game to the rest of the Shop’s crew the next day. Later that afternoon the Philadelphia A’s win the deciding game 3- 1. The A’s are World Series Champions again.

November 5

Just before his 20^th birthday, Eddie applies for and receives a motorcycle license. He has wanted a bike for several years. Without consulting his parents, he buys a “Flying Merkel”. It costs him over $ 300.00 He has been saving for some time. He lives at home so his expenses are not too bad. He buys the bike knowing that his parents will not be thrilled. Joe is rather dubious of automobiles, but in particular motorcycles. The price tag also bothers Joe who was always rather frugal. He is upset with Eddie, but this is nothing compared to Johanna. She is sure Eddie will be killed on this bike. Eddie assures them this is a very safe model and he will abide by all rules and laws. He promises he will be safe. Joe accepts it and chalks it up to the second son being the most troublesome. Johanna reminds Joe that he was a second son so perhaps he is right. She begins saying a nightly prayer for Eddie and his Merkel.

November 19

Another busy day for the crew of the Shop. Frank, Eddie and a helper are at National Brewery doing some repairs. They fix leaky seams, replace some fittings and re-shape some vats that have been damaged. Careful hammering and tapping is all it takes. At the Shop, a brass railing is being bent and fabricated for a local school. James and Leo are at Monticello Distilling taking some measurements for another repair. Some columns of the stills need to be brazed and some need to be replaced. It will be an extensive fix once the job is quoted and they are given the go-ahead to proceed.

December 24

The Shop holds a Christmas party at 201 S. Central Avenue. Over time, this event will become a tradition. A large gathering of Kavanaghs and their families and their customers. The brothers, their wives and children are all in attendance. They are joined by several of their brother Martin’s daughters, Kitty and Regina. In addition, their employees are there and customers show up through the afternoon and into the early evening. It is a fun holiday affair full of food, drink and song. Christmas songs and Irish classics are sung. The three brothers join together to sing “O Holy Night” once again. They have much to celebrate. Things are going well with the business and the family. They have moved on from the craziness that was Martin. They are established now at Pratt and Central. Their young workers are learning and developing their skills especially Leo and Eddie. Both have come a long way in a short time. The Shop has a bevy of customers and seems to have settled down to a reliable level of work. They can only hope for more of the same. They face the winter with very little uncertainty. Joe has made a point of scheduling work that they can count on through the cold months. The Shop was able to begin re-paying the loan from Johanna. She is glad of that, but still not happy about Eddie tooling around on his “Flying Merkel”. Eddie spends a great deal of time at the party trying to convince his uncles to invest in a truck for the Shop. Automobiles are not the way of the future anymore. They are the present. A horse drawn cart is archaic in his eyes. The uncles will give it some thought. Even Joe seems to have softened his skepticism about these vehicles. They will see what the new year brings, as always.

Woodrow Wilson begins his term as the 28^th President of the United States. The 16^th amendment to the Constitution is passed allowing for Federal Income Tax to be levied. Basic construction on the Panama Canal is finished. The first automobile highway is completed and named “Lincoln Highway”. The first crossword puzzle is published in NY World. The Federal Reserve is created. R. J. Reynolds produces the first packaged cigarette, a Camel. The National Temperance Council is founded. Richard Nixon, Rosa Parks, Jimmy Hoffa, Vince Lombardi and Burt Lancaster are born. Harriet Tubman and J. P. Morgan die.

There are 48 states in the Union.

https://theshop-ahistoryofthejosephkavanaghco.com/table-of-contents/

January 8

The Shop has stayed busy through the holidays. Candy and ice cream companies have ordered repairs and replacements for their cooking kettles. Today copper plate and sheet is delivered and unloaded. A long process at that time. Everything was hauled by hand or with rope block and tackles. Something that takes five minutes now using over-head cranes and chain-falls took an hour or more at that time. A delivery usually meant the whole crew stopped what they were doing and started unloading the materials.

February 12

Joe receives a call from Globe Brewing. They need some repairs on their brewing system. Frank and Eddie visit them. They braze some seams and begin fixing some fittings. They work to eliminate any leaks. They will spend several days there. Leaving from the Shop early and returning at the end of the day. Eddie paying close attention to all that Frank does. The rest of the crew are in the process of building a still for Harris Distilling.

March 14

Martin pays a visit to 201 S. Central Avenue. His brothers, Joe, James and Frank are shocked to see him. There has been little contact with him since his release from prison last year. He informs them that he is getting married and moving. He is engaged to a widow name Marie Romano. They plan to move to the mid-west. The three younger brothers congratulate Martin and wish him well. They are surprised, but considering it is Martin, not too surprised. He takes his leave of them and is never seen by any of his brothers again.

March 30

Martin Kavanagh weds Marie Romano in Lake County, Indiana. They will settle in the Chicago area.

Martin is essentially out of this story at this point. He never returns to the Maryland and dies in 1919 in Chicago.

April 16

The Kavanaghs along with people around the globe are shocked to read of the sinking of the Titanic. The RMS Titanic was on its maiden voyage when it strikes an iceberg. 1500 die in one of the worst maritime disasters ever. The RMS Carpathia rescues 705 survivors after they floated for two hours in life boats. There are widespread reports of the life boats not being full and safety errors in procedures. Equipment issues and breakdowns. The tremendous loss of life leads to new standards and safety protocols for shipping and boating throughout the world.

April 22

Today is the fifth anniversary of Joe, James and Frank leaving Martin’s Shop. Five years since the younger brothers have been on their own. They have come a long way. They moved to the small 217 S. Central building and now are home at 201 S. Central Ave. They have recovered well. Most of Old Uncle Joe’s customers are their customers now. The local ones. They do not have the means to service the out of state distilleries that Joe did. There are local coppersmith companies in those states now. The opportunity for the distant customers really is not there anymore. It is fine with the brothers. The local brewers, distillers, restaurants and food service companies keep them busy. They also still have a variety of general copper work they do. The fountains, steam ships, boiler work and ornamental rail work is more than enough. The Kavanaghs recognize this day as the start of the new Shop. They do not celebrate it in any special way, but they are very much aware that today is when things started anew for them.

May 18

The Joseph Kavanagh Company continues to receive jobs at a high pace. The brothers have lunch at the Shop on this Saturday. They discuss the high volume of work and quickly decide to hire four new young helpers. These may become apprentices, but right now they are happy to have the laborers.

The Shop now employees 16 people including the Kavanaghs. They are not back to where they were when Uncle Joe was alive, but they are doing very well. The Shop is busy and making money.

June 25

The Democratic National Convention begins in Baltimore. The Kavanaghs were always interested in politics. They were socially and politically aware. I am sure they read the newspaper with great interest. The convention being held in Baltimore was a big deal for the City. An economic boost for the City and its residents. The Kavanaghs were still “Lincoln” Republicans, but I am sure they followed the convention closely.

July 2

Woodrow Wilson receives the Democratic nomination for the Presidency as the convention draws to a close. The Shop is nearly buried in work. They have some cooking kettles to fabricate, but most of the crew are attending to some steam ship repairs. Brass stacks are made and their usual ballast pump-chambers. Mr. Fairbanks and James Woods focusing on the brass work while Frank and James take the lead on the chambers. Eddie and Leo do the initial copper shaping and bending. When it comes to fabricating the chambers, they watch closely as Frank and James assemble them. Adding on the fixtures and necessary gauges. It is a hot July day made hotter by the constant heat of their torches.

September 3

A new sign is erected on the front of the Shop’s building. The Central Avenue side. It is raised and attached by Eddie and Leo. The rest of the crew stands in the street, watching and applauding when the sign is up to stay. Their father and their uncles look on with a great sense of pride. They know they are successful and will be for some time. I do not think they were thinking another 90 years, but they finally have security. The sign will hang there for many years. It changes from “Coppersmiths” to “Bending & Rolling” in about 50 years, but the sign remains the same for generations.

October 16

The Boston Red Sox defeat the NY Giants to win the World Series. Joe and his brothers follow this series closely. It was one of the closest and most exciting Series in baseball history. Game two ended in a tie. After the seven game series was played, it was split 3 games to 3. An eighth and deciding game was added. Its location was decided by a coin toss. Boston won the toss. The game went to 10 innings and the Giants took a 2-1 lead. The bottom of the tenth featured two defensive misplays that lead to the Red Sox winning 3-2. The last run scoring on a sacrifice fly. The Series featured great pitching match ups. Smokey Joe Wood vs. Christy Matthewson. Two of the best hurlers in the game at the time and of all time. The Series had the largest attendance of any so far. It also stoked the fires of interest in baseball and widened its appeal. I’m sure the Kavanagh boys enjoyed this one.

November 5

Woodrow Wilson wins the Presidential election. He defeats the incumbent Republican Howard Taft. Wilson’s victory is aided by the campaign of Teddy Roosevelt. Roosevelt represents the Progressive Party. The Progressives are a group of Republicans who revolted against the party after they chose Taft over Teddy. The Kavanaghs were Roosevelt supporters and voted for him and this short-lived Progressive Party. He actually finishes second in the general election. Outpacing Taft.

December 25

Christmas with the Kavanghs is a joyous event this year. They have come a long way. They have faced some very tough and doubtful times. Now, they feel very hopeful. They probably felt as their uncle did when he finally had enough success to be secure. Joe is able to promise Johanna that they will be able to begin paying back the money she lent the Shop next year. She is happy to hear it. She’s thrilled her sons have good jobs and the foundation for a successful future. Make no mistake about it though, she wants this loan paid back. Joe feels a great relief that now the company and the family will be fine. Of course, he is mostly concerned with his boys. Leo and Eddie are doing very well. Leo has a very mathematical mind and is skilled at engineering and drafting sketches. He has learned much from his Uncle James. Eddie seems to be a natural coppersmith. Some men seem born to wield a hammer. He seems to have an innate sense of how metal will respond when worked. He has been tutored by his uncles certainly. Still, he has natural talent. There is no doubt about that. He works with his Uncle Frank a lot. Joe makes sure of this. Joe wants Eddie to learn all he can. To foster any natural skill he has and build it up. Eddie is learning fast though he is rather headstrong. Leo is the quieter brother. Eddie and Joe are not always on the same page. Sometimes it is like that with fathers and sons. Both Leo and Eddie are hard workers. Following in the tradition of their family. They are different though. Eddie has a bigger personality. The Kavanaghs work well together and they play well together. Music is always a big part of their lives. They just don’t always see eye-to-eye on everything. That is not necessarily a bad thing. At the core of this, is that Eddie and Joe are similar. Loud, boisterous and opinionated. Their relationship will always be this way. Their like personalities conflicting, but also aiding and driving the Shop on to bigger things in years to come.

William Howard Taft finishes his term as President. The first parachute jump from a plane is made by Albert Berry. The Girls Scouts of America and Universal Studios are founded. Three thousand cherry blossom trees are given to Washington D. C. by the mayor of Tokyo. Those are planted and are still there today. Fenway Park in Boston and Tiger Stadium in Detroit open. Jackson Pollock, Les Brown, Woody Guthrie, Julia Child and Gene Kelly are born.

New Mexico and Arizona are admitted to the Union becoming the 47^th and 48^th states respectively.

https://theshop-ahistoryofthejosephkavanaghco.com/table-of-contents/

January 6

Martin Kavanagh is in jail because he can not raise $ 5,000 bail. Clarence Keen has had successful surgery to remove the bullet from his neck. He is recovering. Martin’s trial is set for March. It is pretty cut and dry. There were quite a few witnesses on the street or driving by the hotel at the time of the shooting. Martin will have to wait and see what happens. Mary Rachel has filed for divorce from Martin. She accuses him of unfaithfulness, cruelty and abandoning her and their children. The Shop is off to a good start. Their confectionery work rolls in the door. Kettles are shaped and fabricated. Some are repaired. They are working in this building all the way up until the Pratt & Central building opens. It is only a few doors down. The move should be quick. The brothers are anxious to get there.

February 16

Pratt and Central opens. The water and electric power are turned on. In a great coincidence, Baltimore’s sewage system is completed this year. That makes all of Baltimore happy. They move quickly into their new home. Tools and supplies are carried by hand. Just a few are moved by cart. The brothers are happy and they celebrate the Shop’s new home with a toast to Old Uncle Joe after work.

March 1

Martin pleads guilty to shooting Clarence Keen. He is sentenced to six months in jail. He must also pay $ 500.00 to Mr. Keen for pain and suffering. He begins serving his sentence immediately He is incarcerated in the Baltimore City Jail. Mary Rachel is granted absolute divorce and custody of their minor children. She informs the court that she had Martin arrested for assaulting her in the past. Joe attends the trial and speaks to Martin before he is taken to jail. A brief chat with Joe wishing him well and not much more. Martin is quiet and contrite but hardly sorrowful. The police return Joe’s gun to him after the trial.

April 17

The Shop receives a job for Melvale Distilling. Melvale orders a doubler to be made. A doubler increases the potency of the liquor. It is one of the standard parts of the distilling process. There are a few fixtures and valves to be produced as well. As always, James does the drawings. Frank makes the doubler with Leo and Carey assisting. The rest of the crew are also busy. There are cooking kettles to be made and the Shop continues receiving a steady stream of work

June 5

Eddie returns to the Shop to work. He is finished at school and becomes a full-time employee. Today they are working on some small kettles including one for Sharpe & Dohm. They are one of the Shop’s better patent medicine customers. They have to distill some of their products just like the whiskey industry. They have ordered a 20 gallon still to be produced.

June 15

The Kavanagh brothers have decided to hire more men. James Woods Jr. is hired. He is their sister Sarah’s son. He worked a bit for Martin and also worked at Baltimore Brass Works. He’s a smith and talented. Plus, he is family which is usually a good thing. They also hire another helper. The Shop is very busy. They are working six full days now. They have had a flood of steamship work arrive. They make the pump-chambers for ballasts as they always have in the past. They also receive some of the brazier work. They make some stacks from brass along with valves and gauges. Combined with the kettle work they seem to have a steady flow of jobs. They are busy and there are no signs of anything slowing down.

July 16

James and Frank have Sunday dinner at Joe’s house to discuss the Shop. Johanna serves roast beef, potatoes and carrots. She makes a peach pie for dessert. They go over the jobs they have and how the year has gone so far. All three are very glad they hired some more men. The Shop seems to be in a good spot and headed in the right direction. They discuss Martin and how to handle his release. They agree they should not avoid him, but they can not afford to truly associate with him. They will see what happens in September.

August 14

Gunther’s Brewery needs two beer vats. These are fabricated by James Woods and Frank helped by Eddie, Leo and Carey. These are large vats. Two men with large wooden mallets are underneath while another man hammers the copper sheet from above until the large basin-shape is created. It is a slow process, but something they have done many times. A fountain is fabricated as well. Tubes are made from perforated sheet then they are curved into a circle. Mr. Fairbanks and a helper take care of the fountain. It is a very busy hot summer day.

September 4

Martin is released from jail. His brothers do not meet him. He does not go to Augusta Avenue to visit his now ex-wife or his kids, but rather stays with a friend. The brothers do not hear from him. He seeks out his job at Baltimore Brassworks. He made claims at his trial that they owed him money. They don’t recognize any debt to him nor do they hire him back.

October 26

The Philadelphia Athletics beat the New York Giants to win the World Series. 4 games to 2 games. It is their second straight championship. Frank “Home Run” Baker hits homers against Rube Marquard and Christy Matthewson to tie one game and win another. Continuous rain causes a six day delay between games 3 and 4. It is the longest delay in World Series history until the 1989 earthquake delayed series. Coincidentally, the same franchises are involved with both having moved west. The Athletics to Oakland and the Giants to San Francisco. Joe is jubilant again. The team he roots for has won it all again. Joe is happy for his old friend, Connie Mack, the Athletics’ manager.

November 11

The Great Blue Norther hits the mid-west. A day that starts off unseasonably warm turns frigid in the evening. Record highs and lows are recorded in many places on the same day. Here in Baltimore it is a chilly Saturday with the Shop humming along. They have orders for some repairs from Gwynnbrook and Monticello Distillers. They also have several weeks worth of cooking kettles and pans on the books. They are in a very good position with winter approaching. The brothers are not so worried about the cold weather months this year. The volume of work is high and they have promises of more. They are content and settled in their new Shop. It has plenty of room and is more modern than any facility the Shop has ever had. They don’t know it yet, but the Joseph Kavanagh Company will operate out of Pratt and Central for over 90 years. A tremendous amount of work and great changes will occur, but all within those walls. It will grow and is added upon. Still 201. S. Central is truly home for the Shop. It still exists today. The name is still on the side of the building. A very busy intersection with thousands of people driving by every day. It is old and in need of a new roof and a few other improvements. It waits to be re-purposed. Sitting vacant. The building served the Shop very well. It was our home for three generations and in many ways it still is.

William Howard Taft is the President. The first Indy 500 is raced. The electric starter for engines is invented. IBM is incorporated. Construction begins on Boston’s Fenway Park. Chevrolet begins making automobiles. Ronald Reagan, Joseph Barbarra and Jack Ruby are born. Milton Bradley and Joseph Pulitzer die.

There remain 46 states in the Union.

https://theshop-ahistoryofthejosephkavanaghco.com/table-of-contents/

January 5

It has been a good winter so far. More of the old Shop’s candy and ice cream customers have placed orders for replacement cooking kettles and some repairs. The brothers and their workers heat and hammer. The torches bring some much needed warmth to the Shop. A very busy start to the year.

January 21

Frank’s wife, Augusta (Gussie) Kavanagh gives birth to a son named Charles. The family rejoices and celebrates.

February 7

Joe hires one of Martin’s coppersmiths, a Mr. Fairbanks. He had worked for the original Joe. Older and more experienced than Frank and James and very skilled. Martin’s Shop seems to be in serious trouble. Employees have left. Martin’s friends are the only workers left. The production of whiskey seems to be the primary focus now. The three brothers consider hiring several of Martin’s men, but they settle on just Fairbanks for now. They do not want to over hire and regret it later. They decide on just this one gentleman and Joe gets in touch with him.

March 19

On this Saturday the Kavanaghs have a St. Paddy’s Day celebration. After a half-day of work, it is music, food and drink at Joe’s house on Bond Street. The makeshift Kavanagh band plays. Frank on violin, Leo on the mandolin, James and Eddie on the piano. Joe leads them all in singing, of course. They perform a few old Irish songs including “Cruiskeen Lawn”. One of Joe’s favorites.

May 11

The Shop receives an order for a new copper tank for a hose wagon for the Fire Department. The hose wagon is another term for a fire truck/pump truck of the time. It is essentially a pump chamber similar to the ballast tanks they make for steamships. It adds to the already busy Shop’s schedule.

June 6

Leo and Eddie return to the Shop. This time Leo is staying for good. He is finished with school and is a full timer now. Eddie has one more summer of apprenticeship. They are in the midst of a still fabrication and installation for Sherwood Distillery. They are very busy. Working six days a week. The extra hands help.

July 13

Globe Brewery needs several new large beer vats. Joe takes the call and sends Frank and Eddie to the brewery. They assess the situation and return. A price is quoted and they get the job. James makes the sketches for the vats. Leo assists and observes. Joe has asked James to instruct Leo on making the drawings they need. Joe thinks it is best for Leo to learn this as well as the smithing skills. James agrees. He hopes to have someone to share the sketch work soon especially if they stay this busy. After the drawings are finished the crew begins cutting and shaping the copper. Frank, Eddie and Mr. Carey make the two vessels. They heat the copper to soften it. Then Frank taps with a brass hammer from one side while Eddie and Carey use wooden mallets on the other side. The work piles up. After a long hot day, the brothers decide to hire two more helpers. This brings the number of employees up to eight.

August 27

On this Saturday, Leo and Eddie both take the pitcher test. They attempt to shape a sheet of copper into a drinking pitcher on their own. It is the last step from apprentice to coppersmith at the Shop. It has been the tradition. Both pass. Both pitchers are well done, if not perfect. Joe is proud of them. He congratulates his boys then wanders over to the corner of Pratt and Central puffing on his pipe. The rest of the crew and Joe’s brothers clap the boys on the back. They chat and laugh a bit as only seasoned workers can. Joking with the young apprentices. Joe stands in the open lot at the corner and has a vision of the Shop and its future. This is a good corner with a lot of traffic. Room to build. A good strong Shop could be made here. Something that would last. Permanent premises. He pictures his sons working there and perhaps their sons.

August 28

Joe discusses his thoughts of a new building with Johanna after Sunday Mass. He is convinced they will have the jobs to justify a new place. The work is coming in fast since Martin’s Shop’s demise. They have the right crew and an ever increasing customer list. Unfortunately, if they buy the property and build a building that will take more money. They may be able to raise the money since the Shop is having such a good year, but it will certainly delay Johanna’s loan being paid off. She tells Joe that he should speak to his brothers. If they can do it, she will wait on the loan. She will help if this can guarantee a future for her boys.

September 3

A hot Saturday is spent finishing some small kettle orders. Joe discusses buying the corner lot of Pratt and Central with his brothers over lunch. Joe thinks they should build a new Shop there. Something permanent. James and Frank like the idea as they certainly could use the room. They have eight men packed into a small space now. They will all think about it and determine if they can raise the necessary funds.

September 30

Martin visits Joe on a very rainy Friday night. Martin appears disheveled. Joe leads him into his parlor. Martin asks for a drank. Joe pours each a glass of rye. Martin begins to explain as best he can what has happened. He lived too rich for a bit. He became accustomed to it. The money started running low, but he felt sure he could make his business work. He borrowed money. It did not help. He apologizes for his treatment of his brothers. He congratulates Joe on his success. Martin tells his younger brother that they did it the right way. They focused on the work. Joe listens more than he speaks which is very out of character for him. Martin finishes his whiskey and asks for another. Joe pours him another while he continues to sip his own. Martin then expounds on the problems he has had. He knows he made mistakes, but chalks a lot of his bad fortune up to luck. Joe says nothing as he stares at his glass of rye. Martin is managing a company called Baltimore Brass Works now. He hopes that will help him get back on his feet again. His Shop and the firm of Kavanagh-Ward Brass are both closed now. Martin confides that he owes many people. Not just the banks and creditors. Some of his “friends” in the whiskey trade. Martin admits that he feels like he could be in danger. Joe offers to lend him his pistol. A .32 caliber Smith & Wesson Joe had purchased a few years prior. Martin appreciates it and Joe hands over the gun with some bullets. Martin finishes his drink. They wish each other luck and he leaves. Joe pours himself a second rye and considers all that Martin said. Above all else, he is happy that Martin did not ask to borrow money.

October 2

The Kavanagh brothers meet at Joe’s house for a Sunday dinner of lamb stew. Comfort food on a chilly, damp fall evening. Joe informs them of Martin’s visit and of what he had to say. They are all a bit concerned for him, but they can not worry too much. Most of the troubles he is facing are his own fault. They discuss purchasing the Pratt and Central lot. They have the money they believe to buy the property and build. They are very busy. They would love to hire a couple more workers, but, decide to hold off for now. They will buy the property and find someone to construct a new Shop. If the work keeps coming in at this rate or faster, they will need the room. Then, perhaps, they will hire more workers. The three are in agreement. Joe, James and Frank drink a toast to the Shop. They sit and talk baseball for a few minutes. A little light conversation before James and Frank head to their homes.

October 24

First thing this Monday, the Kavanaghs discuss the World Series. The Athletics have defeated the Cubs 4 games to 1. They were pulling for the Philadelphia A’s primarily due to Joe. Joe’s old friend Connie Mack manages this team. Joe would have loved to have visited him in Philly during the Series, but it ended too quick. The World Series is the subject of discussion for most of the day as the crew works on some boiler parts and a small railing. They remain very busy. Joe is a happy man today because of the A’s championship. He praises the pitching of Jack Coombs who won three games in the series. He goes on and on in Joe fashion on this astounding performance. He even comments how much he loves the name Jack.

November 24

The Joseph Kavanagh Company buys the lot at Pratt and Central from Mary O’Wells. They will have a building constructed on the property. The Kavanaghs begin searching for a construction company to make their new Shop. They are all very excited at the prospect of a bigger building. They have had a great year so far. Because it is such a profitable year, they are able to afford a new Shop.

December 1

Joe finds someone to build the new place. The Stein Brothers construction company will erect the building. The new address will be 201 S. Central Avenue. Construction begins immediately. The hope is that they will be able to move in very early next year.

December 24

Christmas Eve. Each of the Kavanagh brothers celebrates with their families. Except Martin. Martin spent the night before at the Hotel Plaza. He has spent most of this evening at the cafe inside the hotel. At approximately 9:00 pm, he is awakened by the bartender. Martin has fallen asleep and the bartender, Clarence Keen, insists he leave. He tells Martin that this is a cafe and you can not sleep here. An argument begins. A witness recalls that Martin was acting strangely irrational. The bartender ushers him outside onto the sidewalk. The dispute escalates. It gets physical. Martin draws the .32 caliber pistol from his coat pocket and fires. The bullet strikes Mr. Keen in the throat. He staggers against the steps of the hotel and collapses. He is gravely wounded. Martin flees the scene. Walking quickly up Charles Street toward Preston. It was Christmas Eve. People were out and about. A large crowd gathered after the shot was fired. Several identify Martin as the shooter. He is stopped by a police officer on Preston Street. Initially he denies involvement, than proclaims it was self-defense. The bartender attempted to attack him. The police listen then Martin is arrested. He is taken to Central Police Station and charged with assault with intent to kill.

Howard Taft is the President. The Boy Scouts is incorporated. Glacier National Park in Montana is established. Father’s Day is unofficially observed for the first time. The first Paul Bunyan stories are published. The L. A. Times is bombed. Johnny Olson, Scatman Crothers, Artie Shaw, Bonnie Parker, and John Wooden are born. Mark Twain and O. Henry die.

There are 46 states in the Union.

https://theshop-ahistoryofthejosephkavanaghco.com/table-of-contents/

January 4

It has been a tough winter so far. Martin still has the largest amount of the confectionery work, but Joe has managed to scrape some into the new Shop. Frank and Mr. Carey(a helper) work on some candy pans today while James and Mr. Aumen(a helper) begin fabrication of a jacket kettle/cooker. As always, sheets are curved then soldered together to the bottom of the kettle. A top is made and the interior of the entire thing is tinned.

January 8

Frank’s son William Christian dies. The toddler has had the flu for a week and it is too much for the small boy. Frank and Gussie grieve deeply. The Kavanaghs gather to support them, but it is cold comfort after losing their first born so very young. A sudden and horrible tragedy for them all.

February 12

A snowy cold week ends on this Friday. The work has bumped up a little bit, but the new Shop is still struggling. Joe makes calls and searches for anything he can find. Today most of the crew work on a fountain while Frank is visiting Brehm’s Brewery for some repairs. Seams to be soldered and some fittings to be replaced. The fountain is a circle made from hollow copper tube. The tube is perforated to allow the water to spray out of it. They made the tube including holes then curve them into the desired diameter. Certainly, one of their standard old coppersmith jobs.

March 15

Joe’s Shop has made it through the winter and they receive a still job. They are to build and install the unit for Bonita Distilling. They are one of Martin’s customers so Joe is curious what happened. Martin’s shop is in disarray. He has lost some workers due to cash flow problems. Joe, James and Frank do not know any of this, but they are happy for the work. They set about making the 150 gallon still and the associated parts. Something they have a lot of experience doing.

May 18

As the weather gets warmer, the work starts to come in faster. Several of the candy and ice cream companies order some kettles and some repairs. Joe asks them about the other shop. For the most part, the customers were not satisfied with the work done by Martin’s crew. The turnaround for some was too long and those that placed orders found the jobs taking longer than promised. The Kavanagh brothers are heartened by this. That’s not to say they were hoping for bad things for Martin, but their fledgling company is their main concern. They must worry for their own future above all others. They work on jacket kettles and coolers. Whatever is needed with the hope that if they perform well, they will receive more of this work in the future.

June 2

Leo and Eddie return to the Shop for the Summer. They get right into the swing of things by helping their Uncle James and Uncle Frank fabricating some brewery parts for Globe Brewing. After the pieces are made, they will be installed tomorrow. James, Leo and Eddie doing much of the installation while Frank solders seams in several leaky beer vats. Joe’s daughter Alice is ill. Dr. Pierre Dautch, their family doctor, is called. She is sick to her stomach. Sometimes she is violently ill. He prescribes buttermilk and some adjustments to her diet. He assumes she will be better in short order.

July 7

Joe receives a call from a steamship company. The new Shop has not seen any of the boat work yet. Today they receive an order for a new stack and a new ballast pump chamber. This is good work and it keeps them rolling along. Both of Joe’s sons get the opportunity to work on the ship parts. A good experience and practice for them. The business is doing better partly due to the problems at Martin’s shop. However, Joe’s daughter Alice is getting worse. Joe and Jo are worried. She is unable to eat or keep anything down. They pray and hope for her.

August 6

Joe reads a story in the Sun. Martin has declared bankruptcy. His creditors include the Second National Bank, Clendenin Brothers and an Edward Dawson. Joe informs his brothers of this and they are all rather stunned. They knew their older brother was having issues, but had no idea of the scope of the problems. Each of them in turn wonders what happened to Martin’s money. He inherited $ 25,000 less than five years ago and it is gone. They are perplexed. Joe knows what he has to do. He gets on the phone and starts calling every one of the old Shop’s customers. Joe knows he has to strike while the iron is hot.

August 19

Alice dies from an infection of the small intestine. Something that would be easily dealt with today, but at the time, as in this case, could be deadly. She was thirteen years old. The family is devastated. They seek comfort from each other and from their faith. Johanna is inconsolable while Joe seems to take it a little better. That is the appearance, but he is actually rocked by this loss. His heart and his demeanor are hardened.

September 25

A warm fall Saturday is spent at the Shop. Joe’s boys are back at school. For Leo, this will be his last year and Eddie has two more. Joe and his two brothers are suddenly busy. Joe has made contacts with a few of the old Shop’s customers and work is coming in. They have several large commercial cookers to make and a large brass railing. In addition, there are several orders for small distilling parts, pans and fittings. They finally have a little backlog. This bodes well for the future though winter is coming on soon.

October 16

The Pirates beat the Tigers in seven games to win the World Series. Honus Wagner is the star along with Pirates rookie pitcher, Babe Adams. Adams wins three games in the Series. A record for rookies that still stands. The Kavanaghs, no doubt, followed closely in the newspaper. They are all fans especially Joe.

November 9

The Union Soldiers and Sailors Monument is dedicated in Druid Hill Park in Baltimore. The Shop’s crew are working on another still for Gwynnbrook Distilling. This time the customer didn’t bother calling Martin. They contacted Joe. The work was quoted and ordered. Joe and his brothers consider hiring more men. They decide to wait until the Spring. They will work more hours and harder if needs be. They do not want to commit to any more employees just now. The volume of work keeps moving up and up. Martin’s situation has caused a large portion of his customers to become Joe’s customers. They will wait and see for now.

December 25

A muted Christmas holiday. Sorrowful with no song in the Kavanaghs’ homes. In fact, Joe will never sing on the Lombard Street bridge ever again. He was a man who showed little emotion. A stoic who internalized his feelings. Joe and Jo deal with their loss by focusing on their remaining three children. Joe vows to make the Shop succeed for Leo, Eddie and Anna. He will do all he can to assure that they have a good future with an established business. With Martin’s company on the brink of collapse, Joe will continue to seek out all the old Shop’s customers. He will bring them all back into the fold. He has led them this far, he has dealt with adversity in business, he has done all he can for his family and his Shop and now he has felt great devastating loss. Just as his uncle did. The Joseph Kavanagh Company will rise up from the ashes of fire, disputes, mistakes and death. The Phoenix from the Flames indeed. The Kavanagh brothers know that they are close to success and a future on Central Avenue. The Shop will survive and continue on as Old Uncle Joe wanted. Nephew Joe, the song and dance man/traveling minstrel/non-smith but deal maker, is the one and only Joe Kavanagh now. He knows this and he will suffer no others.

Howard Taft is sworn in as the 27^th President of the United States. The NAACP is founded. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway holds its first event. Sigmund Freud gives his only lectures in the U. S. at Clark University, Worcester, Mass. The Manhattan Bridge opens. Clyde Barrow, Benny Goodman, Burl Ives, Leo Fender and Al Capp are born.

There are 46 states in the Union.

https://theshop-ahistoryofthejosephkavanaghco.com/table-of-contents/

January 6

The Joseph Kavanagh Company’s Shop is starting its first full year. They have some work, but not a lot. Joe is scrambling, making calls to get some of their confectionery work into the building. Martin’s Shop has more of that work right now. Martin’s crew seems to be fluctuating a great deal. He hires men then loses or fires them in quick order. Joe is running into issues with his Shop’s experience. Martin has made it known that his brothers have a new Shop and it is not established and reliable like his. Joe is doing his best to fend off any concerns about their lack of experience by making promises of their quality. Today James and Frank make some small boiler parts for Fressdorf & Brown Co. It was a bit of a rush so they needed to start on Sunday the fifth. The rush status means they can charge a bit more money.

March 2

Joe is making more cold calls to customers of the old Shop. He is hearing more about Martin criticizing he and the other brothers. They were not loyal and they do not have the experience to succeed. Martin has harsh words for all three of the brothers, but the strongest are for Joe. Martin plays up that Joe is not a coppersmith and questions how good could they be with a non-smith running the Shop. Joe deals with it as best he can. Deflecting and making assurances of their quality. He emphasizes Frank and James skills and experience to any potential customers. It is a daily battle for Joe, but he has managed to find them work to get them off to a good start to the year. Today the brothers make some cooking kettles and pans. No big jobs, but plenty to do.

April 27

Baltimore Distilling calls Joe. They have a fairly extensive repair job to be done. Joe knows that they have called Martin, as well. Fortunately, Joe is very familiar with Martin’s pricing system. Joe bids below that and wins the contract. This will keep them busy for several weeks along with the small jobs they have been receiving. Joe gives thought to hiring some new help. He discusses it with James and Frank. They decide to wait and see how things go in the summer. Joe’s two boys will start their apprenticeship after school lets out. They will decide after they see how the Summer goes.

April 30

Joe’s Shop fabricates a brass railing for James O’Neill at 116 W. Barre St. A rather fancy rail for a residence, but the Kavanaghs are happy to do it. They curve the brass to the desired radius and shape. They polish it using their own “metal polish” from Uncle Joe’s recipe. Joe is pleased to receive any job from a new customer though Mr. O’Neill will likely be just a one-off. You never know. Perhaps, James O’Neill will return at some point. Joe is still struggling to fight off Martin’s disclaimers about the new Shop. He is getting more and more perturbed with Martin. They have not spoken in over a year.

May 1

American Mirror Co. hires the new Shop to repair some of their equipment. Another small job, but those add up. Some standard copper boxes and fittings. Very straightforward for them. Another new customer and that is certainly a good thing.

June 1

Leo and Eddie Kavanagh begin working at the Shop for the summer. Joe is pleased to have his boys working for him. His brothers are happy to have the help. They start like most apprentices at the Shop. A broom is handed to them on Day One. Assuming you master that in a day or two, then a more purposeful tool replaces it. Joe asks both James and Frank to be involved in the young boys training. They both agree. It is vital that they have helpers, but just as vital that they be trained smiths. The sooner the better.

June 9

Carroll Spring Distillery gives Joe a phone call. They need a bottling machine built. The Shop gets right on it. This is some good old school coppersmith work. A good start for Leo and Eddie. They both watch closely as James makes the drawings for the machine. James was always a talented draftsman. As the project moves forward, Frank moves to front and center. He heats and hammers. Shaping the copper sheet into panels, boxes and curves for the bottling apparatus. Fittings and tubes are fabricated and attached. All the while, Joe’s sons, taking note and helping where they can. They are taking their first steps on the path of the copper trade. It is a long process, but the boys both learn fairly quickly.

July 15

The Shop quotes a job to Mullan and Harrison. They are a marble company that has been contracted to make a baptismal fount. Joe gives them a price for the copper work associated with it. In two weeks, they receive an order. The summer so far has moved along busily. They are not swamped, but considering the size of their crew, they are doing well.

August 27

Joe hears from Gwynnbrook Distillery. The same Gwynnbrook Distillery that Martin and Co. built just two years ago. Joe listens as the gentleman explains that the 7 ft. Dia. still that was installed needs some repairs. There are some leaks. It also need a new man-hole cover. It is nothing serious, but they need the work done. They have called Martin several times to no avail. There is either no answer or a promise of a call-back which never happens. They want someone to visit them, take appropriate measurements and quote the repair. Joe dispatches James and Leo immediately. James makes some quick sketches aided by Leo. They quote the price and the next day they are awarded the job. Frank and Eddie head to the distillery and take care of the necessary repairs. Frank doing the bulk of the work while Eddie assists him. Joe is glad that both his boys have the opportunity to work on-site at a distillery before the summer ends.

September 3

Martin calls Joe at the new Shop about Gwynnbrook. Martin is very upset, but Joe stays very calm. Joe tells Martin they called him and not vice versa. You either couldn’t be bothered to answer the phone or to call them back. Martin answers back that he is just very busy. He is doing great. He rattles on how much better his Shop is doing. Joe and the other brothers will regret leaving him. He then threatens to make as much trouble as he can for Joe. He will continue telling customers how disloyal the brothers are. Joe is unconcerned. He tells Martin you’ve been doing that all along and we are still here. We are doing what we want and will do any work we can get. Martin hangs up in a huff. Joe discusses this call with James and Frank over lunch. They all agree that they can not let Martin deter them. What Martin failed to tell him is that he has been borrowing from the Second National Bank to pay his bills. To keep a larger crew and to pay his rent. The brothers know nothing of this. They speak of hiring some men. Joe’s sons are back at school and they still have enough work to warrant helpers. It is a tricky decision with the winter on its way. They all agree they need to hire now. They hope to be able to ride out the winter, but working with just the three of them is impractical. They hire two young helpers, a Mr. Carey and a Mr. Aumen.

October

The Chicago Cubs beat the Tigers for a second year in a row in the World Series. The Cubs are able to hold down the Tigers’ mighty offense. Ty Cobb has a better World Series than last, but cannot do enough to make the difference. The Cubs win again, but for the last time in a very long time.

November 3

Republican Howard Taft defeats Democrat William Jennings Bryant to win the presidency. Bryant loses a presidential election for the third time. The Kavanaghs voted for Taft. They were Republicans at the time and very much supportive of outgoing president, Teddy Roosevelt. Taft rides Teddy’s coat-tails to an easy victory.

November 21

Joe is receiving more resistance due to Martin’s claims of their inefficiency and lack of skill. He is a good salesman, but he knows he could do better if Martin would back off. That is not going to happen. Joe grows angrier with his older brother. He orders copper sheet and block from Baltimore Copper Smelting. As he finishes the call, the man on the other end of the line confirms they are on Central Avenue not Gough Street. Joe says that is correct. The gentleman asks about the bill. Joe pauses then advises him to send the bill to Gough and 7^th Streets. Attention of Martin J. Kavanagh. Joe thanks him then puffs on his pipe and smiles.

November 26

Martin receives the bill for Joe’s copper and goes ballistic. He rages in his Shop which is not nearly as busy as he has inferred to his brother. He promptly takes an ad in the Baltimore Sun proclaiming that he will not pay anyone’s debts, but his own.

December 5

On this Saturday, Joe visits Baltimore Copper Smelting to pay his bill. He always intended to pay it. He sent the bill to Martin out of spite and for his own personal satisfaction. No doubt it did also buy him a little more time, but the main reason was clearly revenge against Martin.

December 24

The three youngest Kavanagh brothers sing “O Holy Night” on the Lombard Street Bridge as they did the previous year. They then gather at Bond Street for the holiday. A night of yuletide fun and music is held. Joe, James and Frank and their families eat, sing and celebrate. They play music together. Piano, mandolin and violin are combined with all of their voices. The Kavanaghs enjoy this time together. Martin is not invited, but his oldest daughter, Kitty, is. She has always been close to Joe and she accepts. My guess is that Martin did not know. The Kavanaghs brothers have made it this far on their own. Martin’s company seems to be fine, but his debts are beginning to pile up. Joe is still unsure how much success they will achieve. They will work together as hard as they worked for Uncle Joe. The next several months will be a test of the viability of their new Shop. As always, so much depends on how they do over the coming winter.

Teddy Roosevelt is the President. Mother’s Day is observed for the first time. The first automobile race around the world is run. Henry Ford sells his first Model T at $850.00. The upright vacuum cleaner is invented. The FBI and General Motors are founded.

Bette Davis, Jimmy Stewart, Louis L’Amour, Mel Blanc, and Milton Berle are born.

There are 46 states in the Union.

https://theshop-ahistoryofthejosephkavanaghco.com/table-of-contents/

January 7

The winter so far has continued as last year went. The Shop is busy for several weeks than slow for the next couple. The same pattern of ups and downs. Today the crew work on the usual January confectionery kettles.

January 15

James and Honorah have another son, James. He is born this day and named for his father. The family rejoices. Another Kavanagh baby.

February 10

Another clandestine Sunday night dinner meeting at Joe’s house on Bond Street. They go over their plans again, but this time Joe suggest that they name the new business, the Joseph Kavanagh Co. To honor Joe and to also take advantage of his and the Shop’s good reputation. Joe thinks Martin is destroying this reputation. James wants to call it, the Kavanagh Brothers or something similar. Joe pushes for the Joseph Kavanagh Company. He believes they can use the name to catch on quicker with old customers. The reputation that Joe had carried a lot of weight. Frank agrees with Joe that this will help them stand out. Otherwise, they are just like any shop that might open up. The discussion is long, but they eventually agree to the Joseph Kavanagh Co. James is mostly persuaded when Frank mentions how much this will annoy and anger Martin. Perhaps, the fact that Johanna is putting up the money was a factor too. Joe updates them on his search for a building. No luck so far, but he has some leads.

March 29

It is Good Friday and Joe has found a place on Central Avenue. The 200 block. A small building which might be perfect for them to start. He pays for three months of rent in advance. The brothers have slowly taken some tools from the Shop. Not many, just some hammers, tongs and clamps. One blow-pipe. Joe will take last year’s ledger before they break with Martin. Just before it happens. He will not take the present book as Martin would surely notice. It has plenty of blank pages and it does have drawings, pricing and customer information. All things they will need. Each brother continues to memorize and write down customer names and addresses as they can.

April 15

Joe returns from work on this Monday. He tells his wife, Johanna, that they will leave a week from today. When Martin arrives, they will meet with him as a group and tell him. Then, they will leave and immediately head to Central Avenue and get to work. Joe tells her the new Shop will be open next Monday. She tells him that she is pregnant with their fourth child.

April 19

Joe takes last year’s ledger. Quietly slipping it into his satchel as he leaves on Friday. They have not been working Saturdays due to the irregular volume of work. The boys take their pay and head home for the weekend.

April 22

Martin arrives at the Shop at 9:00 a.m. Joe gets up from his desk and calls James and Frank into the office. Joe tells Martin the three of them are quitting as of today. Martin is stunned. They tell him it just is not working for them. They are not making enough money and they have to move on. Martin appeals to their sense of family. Their loyalty to Uncle Joe and the Kavanaghs. Joe answers that they are doing what they think is right for their families and for Uncle Joe’s legacy. He informs Martin that they are forming their own coppersmith Shop. Joe relinquishes all claims to Kavanagh-Brass. They are leaving today and are finished working for Martin. Martin begins to grow angry and starts asking each brother in turn why they are doing this. Joe is spokesman, but all three tell Martin that they are leaving. They can not work for him anymore. Finally, Joe tells Martin the new business will be called the Joseph Kavanagh Company. Martin becomes enraged and shouts that they can not do that. Joe says they certainly can. It is a different name than his Shop’s name. They can and are doing it. Besides, he is Joe Kavanagh. Martin screams at Joe that he is not Joe. You’re not even a coppersmith. If anything, Martin says he is Joe. Joe quickly replies that when customers and vendors call they talk to him. To Joe Kavanagh. When jobs are quoted and completed, they pass over his desk. Martin, again, says you are not Joe. You are not our uncle. Joe says neither are you and motions to James and Frank. They file out of 7^th & Gough. Martin pursuing them red-faced and swearing. The brothers walk away from the Shop without looking back. The last thing they hear is Martin screaming, “YOU’RE NOT JOE!”

The boys walk quickly and do not speak for a few minutes. When they do talk, it is of what they have to do more than what has just happened. They know that they have their work cut out for them. They are resolute in their decision. They know there is no turning back now anyway. They arrive at 217 S. Central Avenue. The small Shop is approximately 25 foot by 50 foot. Not much room, but enough to work. Joe hands the first order they have to James. They are making some brass legs for a still. The price is $ 3.50. The customer is Lewis Elmer & Son. One of Joe’s better customers who he brought to the Shop. He is happy to start with folks that know him and are accustomed to working with him. James and Frank get to work and Joe calls the customer. He informs them that they have broken from Martin and are on their own. They are finishing his parts right now. They can be picked up this afternoon on Central Avenue. The brothers have done it.

April 29

Martin places an ad in the Baltimore Sun that states that Joe, Frank and James Kavanagh are no longer associated with his business. He is still mad and has taken their departure as a disloyal betrayal. He is sure they will regret it and come back to him. He is searching for work. He has some small still parts in the Shop. They are primarily running extra whiskey. Martin has a buyer for this cheap “hooch” and he needs the cash. He sells it to “wholesalers” and to bars/pubs who dabble in cheap unlabeled booze.

May 20

The new Shop has survived nearly a month. Joe works the phones to get work. They have a little, but not much. Today they are repairing a copper coil. Again, for Lewis Elmer & Sons. Joe is thankful for them. He is running into a few customers who will not deal with him. Martin has called and said the three brothers abandoned him and went rogue. Joe denies the first part, but accepts the second part. He makes his pitches to folks that he has the best engineer and the best smith that Martin had. They are at this Shop. He will keep at it to get any work they can. Martin has hired another smith and two helpers. Even with diminished work, he needs the help. It is not as easy as he thought to replace his brothers.

June 1

Joe receives a call from Gibbs Candy. One of their confectionery customers. They have a kettle to repair. This work is primarily done in the winter, but they always did get the occasional repair through the year. He quotes the job and they will receive an order in one week.

July 31

The new Shop receives its largest order yet. Martin Wagner, a small distillery needs a 150 gallon storage tank. Joe is excited to get something more substantial. The material is purchased and the tank is fabricated in a few days. Joe is getting a little more confident that the new Shop will succeed. The volume of work is heading in the right direction.

August 22

Joe quoting more and work is picking up. Martin’s shop is in a slow lull. He has a six man crew now and he has to pay these men, but he is having trouble keeping regular work in the shop. He sells whiskey, more and more, but seems to make less money on each batch. He is passing word on to his customers not to be fooled by his brother, Joe. Martin is Uncle Joe’s successor and the true Joe. He tells this to his friends and anyone he can at any opportunity.

October 10

The Joseph Kavanagh Company receives their first big still job since the split. Carroll Spring Distillery needs a new 100 gallon still and all the associated parts. This is a good chunk of work that will keep James and Frank busy for several weeks. In that time, Joe hopes the smaller work comes in to give them a backlog and a cushion of jobs.

October 12

The Chicago Cubs defeat the Detroit Tigers in the World Series. They win four out of five with one game ending in a tie after 12 innings. The Tigers are led by breakout star, Ty Cobb. Cobb leads the A. L. in hits and batting average at .350. The Cubs pitching is dominant though limiting the Tigers to just three runs in the five games.

November 30

Johanna gives birth to Anna, her fourth child. Joe and Jo are happy to bring their second daughter into the family. Another baby adding to this always growing brood. Jo and Johanna now have Leo (15), Eddie (14), Alice (10) and the new baby, Anna. The older kids have all followed the Kavanagh tradition of music. Leo plays the mandolin. Eddie and Alice play the piano like their father, Joe. Joe discusses his boys working for the Shop with Johanna. She answers that they need to be in school and will stay in school. However, they could work there in the summer as the older Kavanaghs have done. Joe agrees. They can start their apprenticeship next summer.

December 24

After a cold Tuesday at work, the three Kavanagh brothers and their families gather on the Lombard Street bridge. Joe leads his brothers in his traditional singing of “O Holy Night”. They were close, but what they have done this year has made them even closer. As a sign of solidarity or just family, James and Frank decide to join Joe. Both are musicians as are many Kavanaghs. James plays the piano and Frank the violin. Martin is not there. He has had a very troublesome year. The work from his Shop has dropped in quality. Despite selling his whiskey, he is not making much money. His crew is inexperienced and not particularly reliable. Joe’s Shop has had a slow start, but they have persuaded a few customers to send work to them. Martin is the more established business. Joe is doing his best to change that. The break between the brothers causes a huge crack in the family. Sides are drawn up and cousins suddenly do not speak. It has a ripple effect over the Kavanaghs. Martin can not forgive his brothers for what they have done. They are positive they have done the right thing. Martin was leading the Shop down a dangerous path. They have decided to take their own road. The war for the Shop and the legacy of Uncle Joe has begun.

Teddy Roosevelt is the President of the United States. He appoints General George Washington Goethals as chief engineer of the Panama Canal. Hersheypark opens in PA. UPS is founded. This is the biggest year ever for immigration at Ellis Island. 1.1 million immigrants pass through its doors. An economic panic is averted when a group of affluent financiers including J. P. Morgan bail out the New York Stock Exchange for 25 million dollars. This leads to the formation of the Federal Reserve System. An electronic ball falls for the first time in Times Square on New Years. Cesar Romero and Burgess Meredith, Batman’s Joker and Penguin, are born.

The Oklahoma Territory is combined with Indian lands and is admitted to the Union. Oklahoma becomes the 46^th state.

https://theshop-ahistoryofthejosephkavanaghco.com/table-of-contents/