The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-03-29
Minor Home Industries.

To the Editor Of the Press.
Our community have been called upon by
the press and by discussions of the Board of
Trade to the necessity of increasing the busi-
ness and population of our, city by the intro
duction of manufactures With all my heart
L wish that their efforts may be successful
But while we are considering aud making
efforts to introduce the larger manufacturing
see what we as individuals can do to aid in so
cOmmendable work? s I'm
The increase in population and wealth of our
large cities may be compared to the drops of
rain, which though each drop is insignificant in
itself, yet in the aggregate they make our broad
rivers and our magnificent inland seas.
- will give you few facts which have oc-
CURED within few weeks in illustration of
what mean. A short time since, IN converse
ton in a railroad car with gentleman largely
engaged in business in our city and whose
wealth has been gathered here, the matter of
increasing the manufactures in our city was
alluded to. 1 referred to the hebit of many of
our people purchasing their clothes, furniture
&c. abroad. He admitted at once he purchas-
ed his clothing in Boston. Another gentleman
who has acquired reputation and wealth with
us stated to me that his measure for clothing
was in another city, and he ordered his clothing
as he needed from that city. Other gentlemen
engagedin other professions and business have
stated to me such was their practice
These gentlemen do not complain that they
cannot buy equally cheap of our dealers here,
and as good an article, but they think they get
hattar stvlas from, abroad An this 10 fr,,a If
hundreds here who are gathering from this
community their means of living, accumulat-
ing wealth, and instead of adding to the build
ing up of their own city-thus far-are aiding
to build up other cities. This purchasing
abroad is true, not only in regard to gentle
mems clothing, but furniture, jewelry, articles
for ladies dresses, carpets &c., &C. A few
years since lady of our city concluded to re-
furnish her house and thought she must pur
chase her furniture in Boston. Shortly after it
had arrived here one of the elegant chairs was
broken and taken to the furniture establish
ment of Mr. Corey to be repaired, and consider
able anxiety was manifested by her lest Mr.. G.
should not be able to repair it in good shape
Mr.. c.. told her he thought he could as he made
the chair, and taking the chair up showed her
his name as the manufacturer on the under
side OF the seat. She had, as you see, paid two
transportations and profit to the seller in Bos-
ton, for the sake of having Boston chair
Now supposing it to be true that all these
articles cannot be had in the very best style,
would it not be better for us as a community to
encourage the manufacturing of these articles
here, SO that the manufacturer could by the in
creased demand and increased profits, call to
his aid the best talent and thereby give us the
best styles and at the lowest prices and in this
way aid in building up our city? 1t is these
hundreds of little schemes as well as by the
large ones that we shall succeed and aid not
only in supplying ourselves but become the
manufacturers for other communities-and
thus find tenants for our workshops, our stores
and our homes A. B.