The first sheds of the Torrington Company were built in 1906, two long brick structures that were connected midway in the form of
an “H”. It is not clear to me how these initial structures became
incorporated into the airless, mass of sheds that remain today, but I'm
sure they're there and that I've passed through them.
The brightly lit shed in the middle of this picture has a concrete inset
above the entrance saying, “1912.” That was also the year in which the
company's initial steam-driven, belt and rope system was replaced by an
Allis Chalmers engine and generator providing the enterprise with
440-prime-volt current, power which did not come on wire poles. 1912, a
pivotal year! The world was electrifying and thereby creating increased
demand for all the things that made wheels spin. Additional sheds were also
added at that time. The Balkans rumbled.
