The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-11-28
GesseraI gtrtclltaemre.
LOWELL.

visited the village Of Lowell, and desirous
of laying before the public correct state
ment OF the progress and present copdi-
tion, proposed a number of queries to Mr..
Boott, from whom he has received the follow
ing answer, and communicated IT to the pub
lie through the medium Of the United States
CHARACTERIZATION Courier.
LOWELL, October %, 1927.
Dear SRI believe the following brief
statement embraces all the objects specified
in your letter of the Odd If, however, |
have in my haste omitted any thing, | will
cheerfully supply it. With regard to Mr..
Hurd's works, am very imperfectly in
formed, and should prefer you to draw
your information from some other source.
There are now in full operation at Low
ell, six cotton mills, four stories high; 1856
feet by "A, containing 2J,0C0 spindles and
about $50 looms, in which were made, the
last year, 5,042, 406 yards of cloth, weigh
ing 1,045, 1886 pounds, from |, 176,0S2 pounds
of raw cotton. The numbers of yam, %,
%, 30 and 40. Two mills for twilled and
four for plain goods. Three other mills
are covered in; the first viii be started in
January, and the other two in July and
January following. There are now en-
ployed 1900 persons in the mills nine
tenths of whom ale females, 20 of whom
are from II to IA years of age. Adjoining
the mills of the MeGrimack Manufacturing
Company, are their bleach and print
works, covering more ground, but equal in
capacity to two mills; something over "A
hundred are here employed, about one fifth
females and one fifth boys. None are
taken under ~. Apprentices are taken at
4 to ,,t,%l ro,n;,-i,,,e no ~
year, including board, SIPS; and S25 in
addition, each succeeding year. Except
in the print works, there are no foreigners,
and these do not exceed one quarter part.
Daily wages would perhaps average SO
cents, the minimum being 81, and maxi
mum 200. At present about % million
yards are printed, the residue are sold
bleached. The average value Of the
prints is about Is cents, of the bleached
goods ~ to ID cents. The foundation of
the first mill was laid in 1929, and the first
return of cloth Nov. 1923. Belonging to
the mills and print works, and in their i'm
mediate vicinity, are 100 tenements, about
"a by 36 feet, which rent from go to 500
per annum. The machine shop is of the
same dimensions as the mills, and gives
employment to about $50 mechanics aver
age wages about so cents; but as a large
portion OF the work is by contract, and
done by the apprentices of the contractors
many of them earn from A to So per day
There are 20 tenements attached to the
shops, the rent of each of which is about
$50 per annum. The cast iron is furnished
from Gen. Leach's furnace, about miles
above consumption averages a ton daily
The company to whom the machine shop
belongs have a large tract of land and an
immense water power and are prepared tc
furnish machinery of all descriptions al
short notice, and erect the necessary build
ings. They have lately contracted to
and furnish the machinery capable Of max
ing 3 million of yards of cloth, yard wide
of No. Ia yarn, per annum, to build &c
three story brick tenements, agents house
and out buildings, to furnish acres oil
land and ample water power, and to put
the same in operation for about 100000
Besides those steadily employed in the
mills, about $50 mechanics, such as ma
sons, carpenters, &c. find constant work
The amount of capital actually invested is
$2,400,000, viz.
Merrimack Manufacturing Co. S1,200,0OC
Proprietors of l.. and Canals 600,O0C
Hamilton Many. Company 600,O0C
With respect to the appropriation OF
land, | will mention a fact. ! purchased
in 1922, Cloths undivided, of farm oil
ITO acres for $500. The owner of the
other l-lOth had agreed to convey it for
200, but dying suddenly insolvent, it was
sold by order of the court, and gave, for
75-lOths of his 1-10th, upwards of S30G0
All his debts being satisfied, the. remain
der was sold year afterwards for the ben
eht OF minor children, for nearly $4,000.
Land fayorably situated, is worth Is cents
a foot, and there are few spots that would
command SO. In 1922, the whole popua-
ton of that part of Chelmsford, which
now constitutes Lowell, did not, exclusive
OF Mr.. Hurd's mill, exceed 100; it is now
probably 5000. The solitary storekeeper of
1872, is now surrounded by numerous riv-
ais, and there are few Injuries, and no
necessaries, that sharp competition among
the dealers, does not enable the consumer
to purchase as cheap in Lowell, as he can
IN boston. Lowell is situated 25 miles N
W. OF Boston OH the Merrimack river, and
is divided from Tewkesbury by the Con-
cord, which here falls into the Merrimack.
Mlddlesex Canal empties into the Merri-
mack mile above Lowell, and furnishes a
cheap conveyance for heavy articles. At
present no manufactured goods are con
veyed by this channel to Boston, there be-
ing no suitable boats. And indeed. if
there were, unless the tolls were consider
ably lower. there would be little saving.
Teanlng is done for 20 cents per cwt. and
the goods carried to any point. The canal
terminating in Charles river, trucking
would be necessary, and the expense
wonld thus very nearly equal teaming.
The consumption Of foreign articles, in
Lowell, such as madden, sumac, indigo,
Nc. gives employment to far more tons of
shipping, than would he required to brine
The manufactured goods from abroad; and
ut the same time furnishes to our own
coasters an immense increase of freight
BY its steady demand for the products Of
The other states of the Union, such as