Stark Machine & Tool Co. was established in 1889 or '90 by a group of former employees of Niagara Stamping & Tool Co. Stark introduced their own line of sheet metal machinery, which did well until the company went under in 1894, apparently as a result of the financial panic of 1893. A new business was created, West Manufacturing Co., to take over the Stark factory and business.

One of West's specialties was machinery for making containers such as barrels and drums. In 1903 they were approached by a large U.S. chemical manufacturer who wanted a relatively inexpensive shipping container that was reasonably air-tight and water-tight, although it did not need to be as absolutely tightly sealed as a soldered container. West's superintendent, Daniel H. Stoll, developed a new box seam and a machine to form it, the power side seamer. Within a year West, distracted by other priorities, had stopped making the machine so Stoll left to form D. H. Stoll Co. to make it and other machines. West Manufacturing Co. seems to have faded away after that.

Information Sources

• Much of the history here is derived from the information for D. H. Stoll Co.
• The 1890 Seeger and Guernsey's Cyclopaedia of the Manufactures and Products of the United States lists Startk Machine & Tool Co., Buffalo, N. Y., as makers of beading machines, cornice machines, corrugating machines, sheet metal presses, etc.
• 1893-03-30 The Iron Age.

  The Stark Machine & Tool Company, Buffalo, N. Y., are just completing a complete outfit for the Victoria Mfg. Company, Fort Erie, Ont., for manufacturing the Ehle nestable dinner pail in Canada. This outfit consists of about 125 drawing, cutting, combinations and wiring dies, and six presses of various sizes. This plant, when finished, will probably be one of the most complete of its kind.

• Buffalo 1893, a Descriptive and Statistical Sketch of the City lists "Stark Machine and Tool Co. Hudson c 7th" as a tin can manufacturer, a jewelers' tools manufacturer, machinists, tinners' tools and supplies, and tool manufacturers.
• 1894-09-14 The Railroad Gazette.

  Michael Newell and Daniel H. Stowell, Directors of the Stark Machine & Tool Co., of Buffalo, last week applied for the appointment of a receiver. Their affidavit showed that the company's assets amounted to $105,552 and its liabilities to $95,835.86. The petition asked for the appointment of Michael Newell as receiver, and he was made temporary receiver. The company's capital stick is $40,000. A suit for the dissolution of the company will be argued on December 17.

• The 1895 Ninth Annual Report of the Factory Inspectors of New York State lists an injury that occurred at the Stark Machine and Tool Co. of Buffalo on 1893-12-15 to Paul Cordez: "Forehead wounded by the bursting of emery wheel." Elsewhere in the report, Stark Machine & Tool Co. of 380 Seventh street, Buffalo, is listed as a maker of tinners' tools, with 40 employees. The factory inspector ordered the company to "Attach automatic door to elevator shaft; guard gear on stamping press." The required work was completed.
• 1899-05-30 Rochester Democrat and Chronicle has an article that mentions, "In the matter or the voluntary dissolution of the Stark Machine & Tool Company..."