The Northern galaxy, and Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1843-1844, 1844-01-31
LOWELL FACTORIES.

The Tribune has been at some pains in
collecting statements of the Lowell facto-
ries, and gives the following facts:
There are eleven regular manufacturing
companies in Lowell, including the Locks
and Canals or water>privilege company,
which was incorporated in 1872, but did
not commence operations till 1922, which
may be regarded as the year of the foun>
dation of Lowell. Before that time, it
was rugged rocky. barren spot, inhabit-
ed by two or three families of boatmen
and fishermen, and not worth ten dollars
per acre, including every thing upon it.
The MerrImac company commenced busl-
ness the next year, and no other until the
tariff of 1924 was passed. In 1925, the
Hamilton company started :; in 1928, the
Appleton and Lowell; in 1880, the Mid
dlesex; in 1882, the Suffolk and Ire
mont in 1888, the Lawrence; in 1886.
the Boot and in 1910 the Massachu-
sets, being the last. These ii compa-
MES employ an aggregate capital of $780,
100000 employing 295 females, and
2 345 males. Besides these. there are in
Lowell extensive powder mills, flannel
mill, blanket MILL boiling mill, foundry,
paper mill, bleachery, cord and whip fac
tory, planning machine, reed machine, grist
and saw mills, employing capital of
S5000,O00 and 500 workmen, making the
whole manufacturing capital of Lowell
Sll,2o00,000, employing over 5000 men
and women.
The ten principal manufactures already
designated have SO mills. besides print.
works, run 6,l94 looms and POI, 076 spin.
dies. producing 1,425,s00 yards of cloth
per week. or 74,l4l 600 within the year
1s43. The cotton fabricated by them du-
ring the year was 22,ss0,00O lbs. "a
pound of cotton will average is yards
of cloth 100 pounds Of cotton will make
SO lbs. of cloth. A loom will average on
No. II yarn A yards of cloth per day !;
or No. 80, 80. Of printed cloths, 273.>
900 yards per week are made by the Mer-
rimac and Hamilton companies. The
MIddIesex makes 5000 yards of cassi-
meres, 1,s00 of broadcloths per week,
using 100000 pounds of wool and g.
000,0 lbs. of teascls per annum. The
Lowell makes $500 yards of carpets, and
$50 of rugs per week, beside $4,000 of
cottons. Flannels are made at the Ham
ilton, sheetings and shirtings at nearly all,
with drillings, printing cloths, &c. at sew
eral.
The average wages paid to females,
young and old, experienced and inexperi-
enced, is Sl,75 per week beyond the cost
of board; to males, S4,20 per week, or
about SIS per month beyond the cost of
their board. Tine payments are all made
in cash, amounting TO Sl50,000 per
month. We challenge the wide world to
produce, out of the manufacturing dis
tricts of our own country. region where.
in female labor is so bounteously employ
ed and is paid an average of $3.50 per
month beyond the cost of board. And
we challenge this or any other country
10 produce a section in which women
who work for their living are more
intelligen mt, better educated, more virtuous,
religious and Independent than those en-
ployed in the Lowell manufactures. There
have been most shameful ISLANDERS cir
culated with regard to them which ought
TO be put down, In the infancy of these
establishments some females of bad char.
acter obtained employment there, through
deception but these were speedily de-
tected and expelled and, now. if one of
bad character is discovered there, she is
requested to leave directly. as the others
will not endure the association Of vice.
No where is there more correct and Wig
orous moral sentiment than among these
industrious and Independent women.
As to the alleged hardship of factory
labor, we have no doubt that lts conditions,