The Portland daily press., 1869-06-01

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ROCHESTER,, N. III. May 81, 1862
The recent action of the city government of
Portland in granting aid for the construction
of the Portland and Rochester railroad, and
the determination of the Board of Directors of
the company to push forward the work to an
early completion are received with great favor
by the citizens of this town. The business and
social acquaintance between the termini of the
above road has been heretofore small, but the
new relationship and interest which are
springing up are soon to bring about impor-
tant results for the mutual advantage of the
business men of both places. 1t may not ba
amiss to introduce the town OF Rochester to
the readers of your paper, somewhat in detail.
Rochester is the largest wooden mauufactur-
ing town in the State of New Hampshire.
There are three large villages, Norway
Plains or Rochester) village, East Rochester
and Comic. Rochester village, the terminus of
the Portland and Rochester railroad, is one of
the most beautiful villages in New England
Prot. 7. @. Upham, recently Of Bowdoin Col
lege, once remarked, "that he had seen moth
ing like it in his travels in Europe He was
however speaking of his birth place, which the
distinguished Professor is well calculated by
his nature to value and appreciate. This
village contains three hundred dwelling
houses OF neat and tasteful structure, on wide
or extended streets. which are ornamented
and shaded by large number of beautiful trees
The Cocheco and Salmon Falls streams supply
the town with water power. The former runs
through the centre of the village and affords a
magnificent water power, which is but par
TALLY improved.
The Norway Plains Company is located
here, with capital of $25O0o (worth double
that amount in the market) 1t works twenty
five sets of machinery and makes ninety-fiye
thousand blankets, and six hundred and
twenty thousand yards of flannel, yearly! val
ne Of goods 100000. There are several large
shoe establishments located here. One of the
largest tanneries and shoe manufactures in
New Hampshire is owned and carried on by
Messrs e, G. & e. Wallace-value of leather
manufactured yearly is $100. 600 which is large
ly used by them in their own mandatory This
firm make annually three hundred Thousand
pairs of shoes, and also make their own boxes,
at the rate of two hundred and fifty per week.
Mr.. L. Dartley makes eighty thousand pairs
of shoes annually. There are several other
smaller manufactures = and there are also
large numbering operations at this village
Two new churches have recently been erected.
The Methodist at cost of $40, 900, which is
built of brick and is beautiful structure.
The Congregational church has also been re-
paired at cost of $4,000. John McDuffee
Esq, one of the Directors of the Portland and
Rochester railroad, person of great public
spirit and enterprise, is engaged in erecting an
elegant and commodious block of brick stores,
at cost of 100000. The building is four sto-
ries high, of modern finish and is an ornament
to the business portion of the village The
lower floor will be divided into six stores, the
second story into offices; the thirl story is in
tended for a public hall capable of seating
1900 persons. The fourth story is divided into
two halls, one to be used by the Free Masons,
and the other by a new order called the
knights of ST. Crispin. The latter is an or
ganization made up of persons, who are en-
ployed in the shoe business, for mutual pro-
lection. This block will be completed in July.
Brick are manufactured in the village by
by Messrs VIM. +. Hixon and Joseph Nut
ton. They manufactured and sold in 1868
1,zooOO0 brick. There are two good hotels,
much enlarged and improved in 1867. The
ra'iroad depots at this point belonging to the
Dover and Winnipiseogee railroad, also the
Great Falls and Conway railroad, are in close
proximity, are large and beautiful buildings
and we now expect before the expiration of a
year to add at least one more to the number.
East Rochester which will also be accommo-
dated by the Portland and Rochester railroad
is compare lively new village of about 100
buildings
The Cocheco manufacturing company is To-
Gated here with fifteen sets of machinery
They manufactured 1900 900 yards of different
grades of flannel, last year, at a cost of $780,,
600.
The Franconia Manufacturing Company
has lately resumed its work and makes about
5000 yards Of white domestic fannelper week.
There are also large numbering factories on
the Cocheco stream.
Comic village contains about fifty buildings.
The Comic Manufacturing Company is located
here, with capital of $4,000, and makes an
nually, with six sets of machinery, $4,000
yards of plain and twilled fannels in all col
ors, for shirting purposes In one of these