Ad from 1850 Philadelphia City Directory

Between 1827 and 1848, Jay Bates operated a machine shop and brass foundry that manufactured metal lathes, although fire engines and pumps were perhaps more important product lines for him. In 1848 he sold his business to A. L. Archambault.

Information Sources

• December 1839 and March 1840 Journal of the Franklin Institute had text ads from Jay Bates.

  FIRE ENGINE MANUFACTORY, BRASS FOUNDRY AND MACHINE SHOP.
  THE SUBSCRIBER continues to manufacture to order, FIRE ENGINES of a superior quality, of any size required, on the most simple and durable principles. Specimens of which may be seen. SUCTION ENGINES of a superior quality, competent to raise water upwards of twenty feet perpendicular height.
  NB. Machines in general made to order.
  JOEL BATES, No. 13 Drinkers’ Alley, Philadelphia.

• The 1851-52 Thomson's Mercantile and Professional Directory, for the States of Delaware, Maryland, ... has a text ad for "A. L. Archambault, Machinist, No. 13 Drinker's Alley, Running from Front to Second, between Arch and Race, Philadelphia, (Successor to Joel Bates,) Manufactures Steam and Fire Engines, Steam Portable Hoisting Machines, Turning Lathes, Slide Rests, Planing Machines, Lever Presses, Stocks, Dies and Taps; also, Mill Gearing, Shafting and Machinery in general. Boring, Turning and Planing. Screws cut to any Pitch. N. B. Steam Boat and other Machinery repaired in a satisfactory manner, and on reasonable terms."
• The 1899 book, Annals of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania in the Olden Time, mentions some fire engine makers, including "Sellers & Pennock built a few engines between 1820 and 1827, and Joel Bates between 1827 and 1840." That is the only mention of "Bates" anywhere in the book. Archambault is not mentioned at all.
• The 2004 book by Andrew Dawson, Lives of the Philadelphia Engineers: Capital, Class and Revolution, 1830-1890, mentions in passing, "Achille Lucien Archambault, who bought the machine shop of Joel Bates on Drinker's Alley in 1848". Elsewhere in the book it mentions "Some small and medium builders, such as portable steam engine maker A. L. Archambault saved capital by dispensing with a foundry and instead bought in components."
• An October 2004 document by Joseph H. Davis, An Annual Index of U.S. Industrial Production, 1790–1915: Technical Data Appendix lists "Hand Fire-Engine Producers", including Jay Bates of Philadelphia, active 1837-1845.