The Portland daily press., 1872-04-05

Yesterday was in the Harness Factory of
Mr.. Dunn, and was greatly interested and
pleased with the establishment. 1t hes grown
up from very small beginnings to its present
large proportions. Mr.. Dunn's success has
arisen from the care and fidelity with which all
his work is executed; nothing is suffered to go
out of his shop, unless it is exactly what it is
represented to be-perfect in material and
workmanship, according to its class His har-
nesses are of every variety, from the light,
jaunty and elegant gig harness to the firm
heavy work harness, fitted for the heaviest
horses in constant hardest drag; in all of them
none but the best stock is used, put together in
the most faithful manner.
Mr.. Dunn has built up a trade that extends
very largely over the country, and his harnesses
are known as 'The Portland Harness. as
Kimbalps carriages are, by the name of the
city where they are made: and like the Kim
balls, he has been annoyed by makers else
where, who turn out inferior goods, and label
them by his trade mark, availing themselves,
dishonesty, of his well earned reputation for
excellent and faithful work.
Mr. Dunn's establishment is now twice as
large as it was two years ago, employing twice
the number of hands, among them many fe-
males; to whom he furnishes employment well
suited to their ability. In reply to my ques-
ton, he said nothing prevents the enlargement
of his factory but the want of more capital.
He is constantly increasing his production as
his means expand, and will continue to do so.
Newark, New jersey, is the great harness
making city of the country, as Portland is now
becoming great carriage making city. Like
shoe making and carriage making, harness
making employs great number of hands in
proportion to the value of the goods. The cost
OF them is largely in the ,oork put into them.
and the business is therefore of great impor-
lance in building up city. A great Touring
mill, may employ large capital, and perhaps
make great deal of money; but in proportion
to the amount of its business, it employs but
very few hands, and consequently will not con-
tribute very much to render city populous,
and to increase its general trade.
We have now, already, well established here,
the shoe making and harness making business,
both of them under the management of men
thoroughly competent to conduct them. The
expenses of these establishments are now very
nearly the same as they would be if they were
doing twice or three times more business, and
adding thousand to the population of the
city, requiring two hundred more dwelling
houses and paying out greatly increased sum
| in wages.
To establish cotton mill, wooden mill or
machine shop, requires very large outlay of
capital in buildings and machinery, at the very
start, and it the enterprise should not succeed
there is SO much dead capital planted, which
cannot be utilized. In the shoe making and
harness business it is not SO, no dead capitaI is
necessary, every dollar is active, and if the en-
terprise should not succeed, there will be very
little or no loss. One or two hundred thousand
dollars added to these several establishments
now in successful operation, would give en-
ployment to more hands and increase the pop
ulation of the city, more than ten millions
would in -four mills; and such an investment
would be perfectly safe to those who should
make it. Why won't some of our capitalists
do something practical, in the way of increas
ing our industries. Nd