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In the 1870's Henry Hale acquired a small washboard factory near Warm Brook
in Arlington, Vermont, which he converted to the manufacture of furniture. The enterprise grew into East Arlington's largest industrial complex. Marketing
was undoubtedly one of Hale's priorities. His catalogue of chairs and hardwood
furniture was actually published two years before the purchased of the Arlington factory.
Hale's expectations of growth were realized and the company exported their furniture to many countries, especially Latin America.
As the company grew and with the ever present danger of fire, a concrete building was erected in 1911 by Hale employees under the supervision of a local contractor, James W. Tynan. The company decision was rewarded because "it was never known to have had a serious fire." The Hale company continued to manufacture various lines of high quality furniture until its closing in 1992. Sources: Arlington Along the Battenkill, Its Picture Past: 1993; Arlington Townscape Association, Inc., by Hugh Henry.
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Like many companies in the early 1900's, the attitude towards workers was not
generous. "Pay was not lucrative." A typical Hale & Co. work week comprised
of a ten hour weekday and nine hours on Saturday. There was no stoppage of
work for lunch. This typical early twentieth century employer/employee attitude
sparked a labor strike in 1908.