The Portland daily press., 1870-05-06
ernss $500 per annuns, in adranee.
DAILY PRESS.
PcAILAND.
Friday Morning, Nay 6. 1870.
Letter from Lewiston.

iLENIoior, NA"y - AOsN.
To the Editor of the Press:
In one particular business is dull with u.s.
and 1t is in that particular which tends
to depress the price of real estate There is
very little new building now, and no prospect
tina. much will be done the present season.
But the mills are all at work with full COM
pliment of hands, except that on the slower
level" The high water curtais operations
somewhat 1t is probable that the mills will
| continue in full operation all the year. If
they do, our people can have no great reason
to complain, for, though not increasing in
population, yet they are proftably busy.
The immediate prospect for large manufac-
turing dividends is not flattering, for the price
ofcotton continues altogether too high for the
price OF goods. Even now cotton commands
price two and one half times greater than it
did before the war. For its last cotton crop
the South received larger sum than ever be-
fore. This year there would undoubtedly be
a greater breadth OF cotton planted than there
was last year; aud if it grow well, the price
Will probably come down. With the raw ma
terial costing less, the mills will make more
goods, for consumption will be increased by
cheapness OF product Manufacturers have
| not a large amount Of goods on hand to-day.
The Franklin Company, A. ID. Lockwood,
Esq, Agent, are thoroughly renovating the
Beachery. The present buildings are to be
enlarged, new dry sheds erected, and all the
latest improvements added. The capacity of
the works will be increased from fifty to one
hundred per cent, so that ten or twelve tons
OF cloth can be bleached daily. The design is
to make this one Of the very best and most
extensive Bleacheries in New England. The
Portland Company are making the steam boil
ers for it. The work is all done under the i'm
mediate direction of Mr. James Whittle, for
merly connected with Messrs. Saylcs' Bleach
cry, r. 1. After the work Of Improvement,
which will cost some sixty or seventy thous-
and dollars. has been completed, the Bleach
cry will be transferred by the Franklin Com
pany to the Lewiston Bleachery Company, a
new organization with a capital of $250,00O.
MIR. Whittle, who is an experienced bleacher
and one whose work gives perfect satisfaction,
will be the Superintendent of the Bleachery.
When in full operation one hundred hands or
upwards will be employed.
The new church of the First Baptist Socie-
ty, Rev. E. NJ. Haynes, Pastor, Is nearly COM
pleted. Its dedication will occur on the 18th,
when it is expected that Rev. DIR. Wood, of
Alton, ILL.,, will be present. Mr.. Wood, man
of uncommon ability, was, for several years,
settled over this Society.
The church, fronting on Bates street, oppo-
site the southeast corner of the Park, Occu-
pies a lot 15Ox20O feet, extending from Bates
to Blake street. The auditorium and vestry
are both upon the ground floor, the latter be-
ing in the rear of the former. This is de-
cidedly comfortable arrangement.
The auditorium is 55xSO feet, exclusive of
the gallery over the vestibule, and the organ
receptacle, which is in the rear of the pulpit.
There are one hundred and forty-six pews on
the floor, with twelve in the gallery, and these
can seat comfortably about 100 persons. The
auditorium has two storeis, pure Gothic, the
uper known as the English clere-story. 1t is
built with truss roof according to a style pa
tented by the architect. From the floor to
the bottom of the truss it is twenty feet; to
the highest part of the auditorium forty feet.
The finish is in black walnut throughout. The
frescoing was done after design by the arch
itect, while the glass for the windows was Sc
lected under his supervision. Iu this way a
charming unity of effect has been secured,
making this probably, the finest, though not
the largest church auditorium in the State,
we'll proportioned, chastely finished with har-
mony Of color and echoleso.
The chapel or vestry is 3Sx40 feet. 1t Is
finished in chestnut, with black walnut trim
mings. There are two side rooms, 15x30 feet.
These are connected by folding doors with
the main room.
The whole cost of this church ed6ce, with
all things complete, organ, furnaces, carpets
0C, ID just AWFUL @fOSOOO3 YCf,OOV, IL thO iOt IA
added The architect mas Goo y. Aracham,
of Boston. The wood work was done by
Goo. Hanson, OF this city; the brick work,
plastering and stucco by Norton & Edwards
also of this city.
Thus we have another substantial and
beautiful church beautiful inside and out for
the service of God and the adornment Of our
town.
For two years our sculptor, Simmons, has
been at work in Rome. His friends in this
city occasionally hear from him, and always
favorable reports. The ideal statue of Roger
Williams, he is making for the state of Rhode
Island and which is to be placed in the gall
lery at Washington, will be finished in mar
BILE by October, perhaps a little sooner. For
one l am mucn pleased with this work,
though photograph taken from the plaster
cast must give but a very imperfect impress
ion OF the real thing. 1 learn that French
and Italian artists pronounce the Roger Will
lians to be the finest work ever done by an
American sculptor in Rome. But this may
be no great compliment, after all, if Jarves is
right in his low estimate of the " ork hither-
to done by American sculptors.
A beginning has been made toward the
erection of a new brick block ON Lisbon
street. 1t is to cover the ground formerly oc-
cupied by the stores which were burned at
the time Chaplin lost his life.
The debt OF Lewiston above resources is
only about S13OOOO. 1t was reduced $4s,OOO
last year, $4,000 by State bonds; and it is
proposed yet further to reduce the debt the
| present year. What other city can show an
| equally good financial standing? There have
been liberal expenditures for schools and i'm
provements notwithstanding.
At the present term of the Supreme Ju-
dicial Court fines to the amount of 5000
have been imposed by Judge Danforth upon
the liquor sellers. BARLOW.