The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-02-02

U
Not only is Maine interested in the exten-
sive cotton mills, owned by wealthy corpora
tons, and creating cities on our principal riv-
ers, but the great mass Of her people have in
terests quite as much identified with the less
er and more private enterprises located on the
smaller streams, that furnish available water
power deep In the interior and all over the
State. Money is power-and power not al
ways on the side of poor mems rights; and
millions concentrated and welded in any one
place by a ssoulless" corporation, may become
power subversive of democratic freedom,
dangerous to social equality, il not all-assum-
ing a naughty contempt of public opinion and
defiant Of salutary laws. The humber inSti-
tutions of industry are safer for the people,
and bring the blessings of free labor home to
every class of society. Monopolies every
where are a doubtful public good. The most
equitable distribution of wealth and labor ac-
cords best with the genius of republican
commonwealth. The wooden mills of Dexter,
Of fVassalboro', Of Readfeld, Of Bridgton. Of
Little River, of Sabattus, of Wilton &C., the
paper mills Of Mechanic Falls, Gardiner, Show
hogan, &C.; the Scythe and Edge Tool Factor
les of Belfast, West Waterville, Wayne and
Fayette, Saccarappa, Wilton &c.; the Starch
Factories Of several of our interior towns; the
bon Factories, the various machine shops, the
Sash and Blind Factories that abound among
us, the Oil Cloth Carpet establishments OF
Hallowell and Manchester, the Tin and Brit
ANNA manufactures of Westbrook, the Shoe
shops ofAuburn and elsewhere, all these, and
kindred works OF local and of domestic indus
try, are amongst the things that should receive
the encouragement of kind legislation and
the public favor H-
Half dozen different kinds of manufac-
lures carried on in place by small copartner-
ships or private individualsare better for that
place and its vicinage than one mammoth
establishment owned by a powerful corpora
ton devoted exclusively to single interest,
even though this operates an invest
ment to twice the amount of the first named.
Indeed, we are always glad to see sewing ma
chimes, knitting machines, spinningJennies
and hand-looms operated by women, giving
them profitable employment at home, rather
than that they should be reduced to the me-
cessity Of repairing to distant cotton mills
for unremitting toll. A girl now can earn as
much with an improved Hand Loom at home
as she can by remaining out at a Factory
abroad. Anew era is at hand for female Ia
bofers. 49,. l'.,s ~, -tas %.
Thoughts like the foregoing occurred to the
writer as he was returning from a recent yis-
it to Wilton, Franklin County. The stream
which discharges from Wilson's Pond is re-
markable one, for the numerous dams that
are or may be erected in its course to the
Sandy river. Amongst the manufactures at
the Upper Village Is Furnelrs Yarn Factory.
TINS hes ~been IN operasion lor years, ana
alacdys gives forth an honest article. Fur
nelps domestic yarns are celebrated for the
excellence OF their manufacture. Mr.. f. is
now preparing to manufacture wooden cloths,
in addition to his knitting yarns. -
At the Lower Village, two aud half miles
down the stream, is Wooden Mill, which is
in iun operation. 1t has been profitable in
stitution during the war. Here also is the
celebrated Scythe Factory, formerly conduct
ed by that ingenious mechanic, the worthy
Mr.. Keyes, who died suddenly two years ago,
but is now owned and operated by his equally
worthy surviving partner, Hiram Holt, ESQ
1t gave us pleasure to go through his works
and witness the rapidity by which piece OF
an iron bar or steel passed through its differ
ent processes till it became polished scytbe
blade ready for the mowers use. He oper-
ates his works nine months in the year, man
utactures about seventy-fve dozens OF scythes
per week, or three thousand dozens per year.
giving employment to sixteen hands whose
wages average over two and one-half dollars
per day. We have heretofore had occasion to
know something OF the excellency of the Will
ton scythes. There are none better In the
country. No defective one is allowed to 90
into the market. They are all perfect-of the
best materials, rightly tempered and beauti-
FULLY formed and finished. He showed us
some OF his ''red backs" which were worthy
a place in the Paris Exposition.
Mr.. Holt had just returned from business
trip to Chicago, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Phila-
delphia and New York, where he found
ready sale for all he can manufacture. The
establishment Of such a factory, and of such a
man in connection with it, is great adyan-
tage to that growing village, OF which his fel-
low citizens and neighbors are all well aware.
ga TRAxI.