Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Q) Was Spangler a tinkerer prior to inventing the upright?

A) Yes, he was an inventor. His former, less famous inventions included a grain harvester, a velocipede wagon, and a ‘combined hay rake and tedder’, which he invented when he was just 18! He lived off the proceeds of these devices until his finances were depleted, as he reinvested his earnings into new projects. His financial situation forced him to take a temporary evening job as a janitor, cleaning rugs in the Folwell Building. Lucky for us that he did - this was where the idea of a machine which would sweep up and remove the dust, without stirring it into the air, first came to him.

Q) How long until the vacuum business became successful?

A) Building up sales was a very gradual process; in 1908, Hoover found just 372 customers. During the years 1909-11, just over 2000 a year were sold. But in 1918, 70,000 Hoover cleaners found owners! By 1923, Hoover had sold their 1,000 000^th cleaner. Hoover’s market was severely limited by the price of their product, and most significantly, by the fact that very few homes at this time were wired for electricity!

Q) What was the reaction from people when they saw a vacuum cleaner for the first time?

A) Curiosity, I suppose – as we will be when the first hover-cars appear for sale! When H C Booth first introduced his horse-drawn vacuum cleaner in Britain, society ladies would hold dinner parties while their house was being cleaned, so their friends could witness the spectacle of several long hoses being fed through the windows and doors of the house, while uniformed men did the cleaning! Owning a vacuum cleaner was the height of luxury, and became a status symbol among those who could afford them.

Q) How did Spangler and Hoover get along? How was Spangler compensated? Was he part owner or an employee? 

A) I’m not sure about Spangler’s relationship with Hoover - W H Hoover’s wife was Spangler’s cousin, so he was a member of Hoover’s extended family. Spangler was the Company Superintendent, on salary and royalties. He went on to design several other machines for the company, as well as many small improvements to the suction sweeper design. He died suddenly in January 1915, but his family continued to receive income generated by his many patents until 1925.

Q) Do you have any pictures of Spangler or Spangler working on the vacuums or Spangler and Hoover together?

A) Whenever Spangler is mentioned, online, in books etc, one particular photo is always used. This is the only one I know of:

Q) Did Hoover pioneer DTD or any other business ideas?

A) Hoover did pioneer door-to-door sales, and over its 100 years in existence so far, too many other business ideas for me to list! They led the way.

As the story goes, J. Murray Spangler had severe allergies to dust and dirt.  So he was unable to get up close and personal with the dirt by using a broom and dust pan [the usual tools of the day].  Spangler's first portable vacuum was made of rudimentary objects that he put together into a vacuum.  After he acquired enough money he fitted the electric motor and bag to a manual carpet sweeper of the day.  These were in use for several decades by this time and sold commonly through the SEARS catalogue for just 5-6 times the cost of a broom [2 bits at the time].  Early vacuums even used the generic name "electric sweeper" in deference to its carpet sweeper roots.

Rather a motley looking picture of Mr. Spangler.  Probably in his early 50's. 

Carmine D.

I'm not so sure.  Maybe for sentimental reasons.  Buy for practical reasons?  BOSS HOOVER was a practical business man.  The plant was over 100 years old.  What would it have taken to bring it up to current standards?  Alot.  Too much.  Raze and start over.  It was a good run.  Time to begin anew.

Carmine D.

I can't see 'Boss' Hoover looking kindly on the termination of so many, many loyal workers' jobs. As someone who took such good care of his local community - as preacher, as mayor, as generous (and frequently anonymous) benefactor - I'm sure he would be just as disgusted with what happened as many of the rest of the rest of us were. When he passed away, two services had to be held to accomodate the sheer number of mourners who had travelled to pay their respects. He wasn't your average cold, ruthless 'captain of industry'. He was a real humanitarian, and I don't think he could fail to overlook the human impact caused by the closure of his beloved, century-old factory.

Not for nothing have the North Canton locals branded TTI 'Totally Tradition Ignorant'.

Carmine D.