>From the book "History of Washington and Kent Counties, Rhode Island" by J.R. Cole, published 1889, New York, W.W. Preston & Company. Beginning on page 501. [xxx] respresents either notes or the page number. JOSEPH PEACE HAZARD was born February 17th, 1807, in Burlington, N.J., from whence he a few weeks after removed with his parents to Bristol, Penn., and remained until his thirteenth year, when Peace Dale became his home. At the age of nice years he was placed in school at Westtown, Penn., and pursued his studies at this point until the age of fourteen. He then [502] busied himself in the mill owned by his eldest brother, and in 1835 erected a woolen mill at Peace Dale, which was operated for several years and subsequently leased, after which he abandoned business. Having a taste for travel, Mr. Hazard acquainted himself thoroughly with the land of his birth, and in 1856 made the tour of Europe, spending much time in the cities of London and Rome, which with their historic and antiquarian associations, proved especially attractive to him. For many years much of his time was spent abroad until 1879, when he returned to his native land. During the last two years of his tour he made the circuit of the globe, including the islands of Japan and Iceland, and many other interesting but less frequented points. His home for the past three years has been chiefly at Peace Dale. Mr. Hazard was among the first to foresee the advantages possessed by Narragansett Pier as a popular resort, and at an early day furnished means to aid in its development, and promote its growth as a business center. He is still a considerable holder of land at that point, and in 1846 began the erection of what is known as the "Castle," a picuresque structure surmounted by two towers. Mr. Hazard is in no sense a politician. His sympathies are with the prohibition party, though ever opposed to the claims of a candidate whom he deems an improper person, regardless of party. ROWLAND HAZARD, eldest son of Rowland Gibson Hazard and Caroline Newbold, his wife, was born in Newport, R.I., August 16th, 1829. His parents moved to Peace Dale, R.I., in 1833, and it was in Peace Dale that he grew to manhood. He attended Nine Partners' School in Dutchess county, N.Y., in 1835-6, the Kingston Academy in 1836-7, and later studied Latin and mathematics with the Reverend Thomas Vernon, then living on Kingston Hill. In 1845 he went to the Friends' College, at Haverford, but upon the temporary suspension of that place of learning, concluded to enter Brown University. In the autumn of the same year he entered the Sophomore class in mathematics, and the Freshman in other studies, intending to take only a partial course, as he was not fully prepared in Greek. He soon, however, determined to fit himself for the full course; and by entering the Freshman class gained time from the mathematical work, in which he was in advance, to devote to the study of Greek. He graduated in 1849, ranking in the first third of the class. In the department of mathematics he showed ability, having taken [503] the first prize for three years, and a second prize the fourth year. He also took the philosophical prize for the best essay in that department. At this time threatening of serious trouble with the lungs obliged him to seek a milder climate, and the winter of 1850-1 was spent at the South with his friend and classmate, Mr. James B. Angell. The winter of 8152-3 was passed with the same companion in Europe, chiefly in Italy. In 1854 Mr. Hazard married Margaret, daughter of the Reverend Anson Rood, of Philadelphia, and built his house at Oakwoods, in Peace Dale, which has since remained his home. He has always been active in village and town affairs. At the time of his marriage there was no church in Peace Dale, and one of his first cares was the organization of a Sunday school in the school house. February 13th, 1857, in response to his invitation, thirteen people met at his house, and the Second Congregational Church of South Kingstown was organized. In the autumn of the previous year the large stone building, in which is the Peace Dale hall, had been finished from his plans, and the little church worshipped in that. In 1872 he built the present stone church, drawing the plans himself, down to the minutest detail, and almost standing by at the laying of every stone. With the exception of a few contributions, Mr. Hazard bore the expense of the building, and it was presented to the society, free from debt, at its dedication. Mr. Hazard has always had great interest in architecture, and made careful study of the laws of construction. He built the bridge over Pettaquamscutt river, in 1867. The large worsted mill was built after his plans, in 1872, the weaving shed at a later date, and the stone bridges about Peace Dale are all of his building. One bridge of a single stone arch, with a span of forty feet, is said to be the largest single arch in the state. He was largely instrumental in establishing the Narragansett Library, in 1855. In the organization of the High School he was greatly interested, giving the land for the building, and assisting in its maintenance. In everything relating to the improvement of the village and town he has had an active part, suggesting and planning measures for the good of the people. He laid out Oak Dell cemetery, has opened roads through his own lands and those of the Peace Dale Manufacturing Company for the convenience of the public, drew the plan of the town house in Wakefield, and throughout his life has [504] been active in everything which could promote the welfare of his town. The well-being of those in his employ he has had closely at heart. From 1855 to 1860 he acted as superintendent of the Peace Dale mills, and became thoroughly acquainted with all the details of the business, and the needs of the operatives. In 1864 he became treasurer and senior partner of the Peace Dale Manufacturing Company. He remodeled the tenement houses, and inaugurated a policy of building single houses for the operatives, which they were encouraged to buy on easy terms of payment. A system of public gardens had been in vogue, each occupant of a tenement being entitled to a certain amount of land to cultivate. But these before long were abandoned, as each became possessed of his own land. The personal interest o f Mr. Hazard in the welfare of all in his employ has had much influence in making Peace Dale an exceptional community, free from strikes and other disquieting influences with which many manufacturing villages are inflicted. The distribution of profits and the question of the relation of capital and labor has received his earnest attention. After much study of the subject, and after a personal inspection of the cooperative establishments at Rochdale, England, and elsewhere, he decided to introduce a system of profit sharing into the Peace Dale mills. The plan proposed was set forth in the following circular, which with the consent of his brother, John N. Hazard, he wrote and issued in 1878: "For some years past the subject of co-operation has been attentively considered by the members of the Peace Dale Manufacturing Company. The great depression which has, during that time, existed in the shawl trade has prevented the adoption of any special plan. It would have been useless to offer co-operation to laborers when there was prospect of loss instead of profit. Just here observe that labor can not run the risk of loss, the argument seems sound that it should have the advantage of corresponding gain. However just the principle, there has been developed in practice, particularly in Europe, a tendency to bring labor and capital into antagonistic relations. This is a false position. Capital and labor are inter-dependent. Their interests are identical. Neither is [505] of value without the other, and only when they work together in harmony are the best results attainable. In view of these facts several systems of co-operation have been devised, by which the laborer may obtain a larger share of the product of his labor than usually falls to his lot. The only one which seems to be applicable to the circumstances of the case of the Peace Dale Manufacturing Company, is that which the company has adopted as follows: "The Peace Dale Manufacturing Company proposes, in each year in which there are surplus profits, to divide a sum among all its employees, which sum shall depend upon the results of the year's business. This sum cannot under ordinary circumstances be very large. Before anything can be set apart for it, wages must be paid, interest must be paid, and profit on capital must be paid. Then an amount must be set aside to make good wear and tear of buildings, to replace worn out machinery, and to strengthen the reserve funds, that the company may be able to pass through a year, or a series of years of depression. The importance of this last is seen in the experience of the past five years, when but for the existence of such reserve funds the mills would have been obliged to stop. Out of what is left after all these things are provided for, the bonus for labor must be taken. "Under present conditions the items before mentioned, on the average absorb nearly all the profits, leaving little or nothing out of which to pay this proposed bonus; whatever is left will, however, feel the full effect of any extra care and attention on the part of the employees. If they prevent waste of material, if they save the wear and tear of machines, if they are diligent so that a large amount of work is performed, the sum out of which the bonus is to be paid will be enlarged. Indeed, in proposing this bonus the Peace Dale Manufacturing Company confidently expects that the increased care and diligence which it will thus be the direct interest of each employee to exercise, will result in a saving which will go far toward providing the means of payment. "The mode of distributing this bonus will be by making a dividend of so much per cent. upon the amount of wages earned during the year by the persons entitled to receive the bonus. This percentage will be fixed by the directors of the Peace Dale Manufacturing Company, in view of the year's results, and if in their judgement, after providing for all other contingencies, there is not enough left to make a dividend of one per cent., no dividend will be made for that year. [506] "In case of a dividend it will be paid on and after the 20th day of March in each year, to all employees who were in the employ of the Peace Dale Manufacturing Company during the preceding month of January, and who were in said employ for at least seven months out of the twelve next preceding the first day of February. The amount of wages earned by each employee during the twelve months next preceding the first day of February, shall be taken (to the nearest whole dollar), as the amount upon which the percentage is to be calculated to ascertain the amount of dividend to be paid each said employee. "Employees who have been discharged for cause, who have not worked at least seven months during the year ending January 31st, or who have voluntarily left the employ of the Peace Dale Manufacturing Company previous to that date will not be entitled to any dividend. This plan of co-operation is adopted as an experiment only. If after trial it fails to accomplish the ends proposed, among which greater neatness, care, and attention in all departments of the works are especially desirable, it will be abandoned. The Peace Dale Manufacturing Company expressly reserves to itself the right to modify or discontinue the plan, whenever it shall deem proper; but it also expresses the hope that its continued working will be productive of only good results." Mr. Hazard has also been much interested in agriculture and the improvement of breeds of cattle, and is the president of the Washington County Agricultural Society, to which office he was elected at the organization of the society in 1876. Before this society he has annually (with the exception of one year) delivered an address, in which he has discussed not only agricultural topics, such as the different breeds of cattle, the raising of various crops, dairy farming, ensilage and other cattle foods, but questions of general interest, a sound currency, taxation, the tariff and civil service reform. These and kindred topics have been treated with great fairness and ability, Mr. Hazard making it his aim to convince his hearers, among whom are many farmers, of their vital interest in all that pertains to good government. Some of these addresses have been published and widely circulated, and have attracted the attention of scholars. [507] Mr. Hazard served the town of South Kingstown as moderator for several years, and in the state legislature as representative in 1863, and as senator in 1867 and 1868. He was the independent candidate for governor in 1875, receiving the plurality of votes, but failed of election in the legislature. His candidacy was regarded at the time as a severe rebuke to party methods of management, which had corrupted the people to an alarming extent. In politics he has always been a republican, but not one who yielded the right of private judgment. In late years, therefore, he has been an independent, voting when it was possible with the republicans, but for the best candidate without regard to party lines. Mr. Hazard has been interested in the production of lead. He took charge of Mine La Motte, Missouri, in 1875, when the estate was badly run down, and it has required much attention to make it productive. His active mind has naturally been interested in all new industries. In 1881 he took steps to introduce the manufacture of soda ash into this country. Previously nearly the whole supply had been imported and none had been made by the ammonia process. He was instrumental in organizing the Solvay Process Company of Syracuse, N.Y., and became its president. The first soda ash made by the ammonia process in America was produced by this company in January, 1884, and Mr. Hazard's large experience and practical wisdom have greatly aided the infant industry. The works have grown from a production of forty tons of ash a day to one hundred and fifty tons a day.