Lowell Daily Courier, 28 November 1888, p. 8

H.  Hosford  & Co. to Adopt the Lamson Cash Carrying System

Charles A. Cox, general agent of the Lamson Cash Railway company, was in Lowell yesterday and arranged with Mr.A. G. Pollard for the introduction of the Lamson cash service into the establishment of H. Hosford & Co. It will readily be seen that to adopt such a system of tracks in mid air, in so well appointed a store as that of Mr. Pollard, so as to make the store at every point accessible to the cashier, and yet not to disfigure the establishment, will be a matter requiring the highest order of mechanical skill.  The Lamson people propose so to perform this work, making it in fact a test of their skill, a sample of what can be done in the way of adaptation to a store, overcoming the most serious difficulties. The tracks will be in operation the first of 1884.

The rapidity with which the business of the Lamson cash railway has developed within the past three years is really wonderful and almost beyond conception to those who have not watched it closely.  The writer remembers visiting Mr. Lamson 's store on Merrimack street a few years ago and writing a description of his new "cash carrier," which was the first newspaper article published concerning it.  The apparatus had been set up in his store by himself, and illustrated what might be called  "a good idea." Mr. Lamson has since spent all his time in improving the invention, and the ingenuity in overcoming obstacles and improving the carrier generally, as displayed in the systems now being set up, is remarkable and commands the immediate admiration of all who look into the invention.  The Lamson Cash Railway company has recently moved into its new quarters on Walker street.  It is difficult to realise that in is so short a time the business of the company has outgrown two shops on Fulton street and Broadway, and now occupies the entire three stories of a brick mill 100 x 50 feet, but such are the facts.  And we are informed that it seems doubtful that if even the present quarters will be of sufficient capacity a great while.  But the company has plenty of territory for growth, owning about two acres of land lying between Walker street and the Pawtucket canal.  In the mill there are employed about 75 hands, and the average production is two cash railway systems a day. All the work is done at the mill, except, of course, the iron castings, manufacture of wire, etc.  Most of the machinery was made especially for the business, and many labor saving inventions have been devised and adopted as the business has progressed.  One marked improvement is in the balls used for carrying the cash.  They were formerly made of boxwood, from one block, by hand, and were very expensive; now they are made in two pieces, of maple or birch, are turned out by machinery very rapidly, and the cost has been reduced about 90 per cent.  New machinery, or changes, in old, is constantly being adopted as experience suggests. The company is now about 35 orders behind.  Besides the employees in the mill, the company keep fifteen men on the road receiving orders and setting up systems.  The Lamson cash railway is in use in about 800 [or 300?]  stores in different parts of the country, including some of the largest stores in New York and Chicago.  It is also in operation in this city at Kimball & Co.' s, Oswald & Aldred's,  Mitchell's,  and  J . L.  Loiselle's, and will soon be set up with all the latest improvements, as stated, at Hosford & Co.'s. For the accommodation of any who would like to look at the Lamson system in its present perfection a sample system has been set up in the office of C. L. Knapp & Co., in Central block, where all information as to its operation will be given.