The Portland daily press., 1871-08-21
LOiterings Along a New Road.


'Springvale looks attractive from the cars
with its clustered white houses and trim church
spires rising above the foliage; but 1 turned off
in the opposite direction and took a crcuitous
road down to Sanford Corner mile and half
distant My object was to visit the lap-robe
mandatory OF Mr.. Thomas Goodall, the exis-
tence of which had never known before. The
works consist of two large mills on the Mousam
river, Just on the borders Of the village. Mr.
Goodall came to this place about four years
ago, and located on this fine power, and has al
ready built up splendid business, producing
nearly 5000 600 worth of lap-robes and horse
blankets per year. He employs 80 male and
female operatives, pays out for labor, about
$4,000 and consumes some $4,000 worth OF
chemicals and dye stuffs per annum. He uses
large quantities of shOddy, but this is solely in
the manufacture of hOrse-blankets, some Of
which are of extra heavy quality, printed and
bound in the factory ready for market For
the lap-robes the materials are wool and hair
all imported. The process of manufacturing
and finishing is very interesting, and enjoyed
a walk through the establishment, guided BY
one of Mr.. Goodall's sons, very much. The
AODSo
with wooden blocks, and the colors are fixed
by steam process. Goods of about one hun
dred different patterns are turned out, and
some Of the most beautiful colors and combina-
tons imaginable are produced by the skill of the
master and his assistants. IF next winter
some elegant sleigh-robes tare sported in our
fashionable turn-outs, you may safely guess
that the best of them had their origin in a Sc
cluded spot out in York county. Mr. Goodall
is an Englshman by birth, and very liberal
and enterprising gentleman. His home is filled
with luxuries and ornamented with fine works
of art. Two or three sons are employed in the
mills in different departments of the business,
and are skilled. practical young men. Another
son is travelling in Europe in company with
Harry Brown, and is an enthusiastic student
of art, with promise of one day winning a
name by his pencil.
Mousam river is a peculiar stream, in that it
is not affected by drouths or freshets but main.
tains uniform flow through the year. The
reservoir of the stream is Long Pond, three
miles above Springvale, with an additional re-
serve in Square Pond, lying Just above, the
waters of which can be united at a nominal
expense. Mr.. Goodall uses about rs horse
power on his two falls and there is abundant
to spare. he offers very liberal inducements
to parties to Join him in occupying the remain
der OF the power, and the advantages are ex-
celent for almost any kind of business requir.
ing water of unusual purity. But short dis
TANGO from these works is another fine privi-
lege, once occupied but now idle, and the
owners, 1 learn, have been in negotiation with
aorfsn to cI,oo rcok So
this meets with success, others are talking of
erecting tenement houses for operatives. The
influence of manufacturers, controlled by men
of pluck and capital, is nowhere better Illus
trated than at Sanford Corner. Four years
ago the village looked finished, and little
more. Mr.. GoodalPs spirit has infused his
neighbors, and buildings have been enlarged,
renovated and painted I did Iot see dilapidat-
ed building in the village. Mr.. Goodall has
recently completed blocks of tenement houses
for bis operatives and is now building splen-
did French roof mansion of large size for his
own residence. The village sets on plain of
sandy loan, with roads as smooth and lev
ell as trotting course. 1t looks somewhat
naked, but the citizens have begun the work
OF identifying it by setting out ornamental
shade trees along the streets.
Two miles back up the river aud I came to
the village Of Springvale, which has one of the
prettiest streets imaginable. The two villages
are rivals, and of course there is sharp compe-
tition in town affairs and for the Capitalization
OF business. as each possesses great natural ad-
vantages for manufactures. At Springyale is
cotton factory, owned by Messrs Shattuck
q Smith. 1t has 175 looms, employs IS oper-
atives, pays out about $4,000 per month for la
Dor and produces 10000 yards of print cloths
per week. There are also three shoe factories
-one of small production; the others semploy-
ing about 100 hands each and producing about
zzo,Ooo pairs OF ladies' work per year. A water
privilege of about 30 horsepower is still unem-
poyed, and the facilities for building are
good, as some lumber is manufactured on the
stream and other material is readily ceessi-
BILE.
Rochester, N. HI. is 81 miles or two hours
and thirty minutes distant from Portland. At
East Rochester the road crosses the Salmon
Falls river, which divides the States Roches-
Ter, or Norway Plains. as it was called in for |
ner times, is rapidly growing town, already |
railroad centre, three rords entering it, to be
opening of the Rochester and Nashua and |
..Sochester and Concord roads. Tie town has |
hree villages, Rochester, East Rochester and |
ionic 1.-TWO miles below on th Dover and |
railroadl. with total popula-
ION OF perhaps $500, an increase of q thousand /
Il more within the last decade, and chiefly
'ithln the past five years; the prin cipal village
tanning population of about $500, and the
aluation of the town for taxable purposes is
early vi 100000. The water-power' is derived
rom the Salmon Falls river at East Rochester
nd from the COchecO at Rochester, eighteen
llies from the ouslet of Lake Winnfpesaukie.
u Tie last name place is the factory of the
Norway Plains Co. which has a capital of
25O OOO twenty five sets of machinery and
annually 81, 900 pairs of blank
is and $40, 600 yards OF flannel e. & G.
Vallace's tannery and shoe factory is said
o be the largest establishment of the kind in
he State. They use imported hides chiefly,
an their leather, manufacture it into boots
nd shoes, make their packing boxes, and do
usiness of nearly half million dollars per
ear. j. L. .Duntley and Wentworth & Col
y also manufacture shoes and boots quite ex-
and there is, 1 believe, some small
Establishments in the same business. Mr.. |
Warren Wadleigh of Acton, is erecting a shop
IN the Cocheco, for the manufacture OF ak
handles and expects to produce 200 dozen per
week; and near by the village is the large |
Prick yard of Jos. Nutter. where 1000. 900 |
bricks are burned per year. The Cocheco
Wooden Manufacturing Co. is located at East |
and has mill with fifteen sets lof
machinery and manufactures 1 800 900 wards
# flannel. The Comic Manufacturing Co. at |
ionic has capital of $4,000 six sets of ma
hiney and produces 100000 yards of plain and 1
w;lled flannels yearly. Considerable long
,mber is cut in town at various water-powers
n the river. f..
These manufactures are attracting great
,any young men and women away from the
arms in this part of the State, and conseqent-
y farm products have diminished. There is
IN attractyeness about ten hours labor in l
'eU ior one or two dollars per day that will
49, a' - any one from the fields; hence the
o"n 10 'uh OF young people and the streets
'no s'ores are very animated after the hours of '
work are over The traders as a class ara I
prosperous, and am told that "susnens;on,n
ire exceedingly rare. The business co,nn,r,,;- ! ,
y is becoming daily more interested in ~. .