Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-10-29

months, and much of it unreasonable at that,
then began the reduction of products and the
consequent shutting down, or partial shutting
| down, of the manufactures. From day TO
day tor the past two or three weeks these sus-
pensions have been reported in the newspa-
| pers, and ON their face they had q bad look
| for the winter prospects. The timid have
got friRhtened, and the holder have got eau
tious. But the cheerful man of broader views,
and whose views are broader because he is
cheerful, sees no real cause for alarm; he
only sees that the worst is past, and that after
very little time, the capitalist and the labor
ing-m will begin a season of prosperity
| which will be the better on account of the diff
ficultes which preceded it. so far as money
goes we are not so badly off now, and there is
little prospect of the situation being worse.
1t needs only little start, very little start,
| to set the wheels of business a-going again
and to right things all around. And this lit
| tie start is much more likely to take place
than further depression. There are many
sources from which it may come. A paltry
| dozen of confident men may give 1t. A few
large sales in different departments are likely
to do it. continuation of the cooler weather
| is almost certain to give an impetus to trade,
which will have widespread effect. sin
| gle start, and little confidence, are all that
| are needed to restore trade to its normal con-
dition. But if all this should fail, the situa
4 ton is not so very bad. 1t should be remem-
bered, in the first place, that while scores OF
manufactures have been reported as shutting
down or about to shut down, hundreds have
not yet begun any diminution in their pro-
ducts, and a very large proportion do not even
contemplate it. In certain lines of goods
goods that do not perish with the season-it
is proposed to keep right on as though nothing
had occurred. And further, where reduc-
ton is considered necessary, in almost every
case the suspension is only partial, and the
operatives will be retained and receive wages
enough to do more than keep the wolf from
their doors. At all events, the natural conse-
quence of the worst which can occur is a very
early beginning of very heavy spring trade.
January is generally the beginning of it, but
should these times continue the demand is
sure to start in December. 1t is particularly
in those manufactures where . large stock
was already on hand that the cutting down
has begun, and employees should content them
selves with the fact that rubbing along for
| the present may prevent a total want of en-
I,ployment when the winter has begun.
These opinions are the general opinions of
the heads of many of the leading manufactor-
les Of New England, among whom represen-
tatives Of the Daily Advertiser have circulated
widely, and with whom they have conversed
freely during the past few days. Many OF
these gentlemen are even more sanguine than
, expressed above that much better state OF
affairs Is close upon us, and none have said
that they thought worse could happen than
some of the possibilities which have been
started.
MATTE STEVENSON
. We find the following relative to Matte
! Stevenson, the girl who fell victim to the
fever in Memphis while nursing the sick, in
, the Herald of Saturday:
Memphis has promised to erect tall, white
shaft to the memory of a young girl who was
yesterday laid in her grave at Elmwood, and
the name of Matte Stevenson will be more
deeply craven in the hearts of the citizens of
the "stricken city" than it can be done on the
marble column which will mark her resting
place. This little girl, of Bloomington, ILL.,,
vacation with relatives in New England,
when, hearing of the death. dealing pestilence
here, she resolved to come and do what she
could for the sick and dying. Fearing that
friends and relatives would stay her if they
knew her intentions she gave no intimation of
| her purpose till she presented herself to the
Towards as nurse. A doctor applied for an
attendant to wait upon poor, dying woman,
who was in the last stage of the fever and was
suffering the pangs of parturition. Matte
was cent to him, and though greatly surprised
at seeing this seeming child, her words were
such that he could not refuse her aid. She
went to the bedside of the dying. and the at
tending physician reports that she seemed to
know what to do by inspiration. The des-
troyer, however, had too nearly accomplished
his work. That night, with no one near but
this volunteer nurse, the mother and her
saffron hued babe were added to the list of
mortality. Reporting the facts at the head
quarters of the Towards, she WAS sent to the
Lehner House to await instructions. Before
| she had had time to rest she was called upon
again. This time there was an old man and
woman sick at No. 43 1.2 Main street. That
morning they had taken in charge four or
phans whose parents had died in the next
house. Two of these children were now
down with the fever, and Miss Matte was
asked if she would go to them.
81 will, she said, and in a short time her
conductor showed her the sick children. One
of the Towards was placed there to assist her.
The sick were kindly nursed, and in few
days they, with the other two orphans, were
placed in comfortable homes.
After this duty was performed, our heroine
from Illinois was sent to a house on Concord
street, where man by the name of Sullivan
was down with the prevailing malady, and
| four others we're threatened. Here she gave
assduous attention until Mr.. Sullivan died
Frustrated by overwork, she became affected
by the contagion and was carried to the
Walthall Infirmary, now patient herself.
As accomplishing in affection as she was un-
finching in the performance of her self i'm
posed duties, she became pet of the doctors
and nurses, who bestowed upon her every at
tention and used every effors to save her life,
but all was in vain. Her pure spirit has as
cended, and her consecrated body lies in the
grave at Elmwood l will quote few pas
sages from her obituary in the Appeal, which
will give some idea of the esteem in which
she is held by the citizens of Memphis -
Priests, ministers, nurses, Sisters of Charity and
physicians have passed away from their appointed
posts of duty; but Matte Stevenson, name here
| after to be craven on every heart in Memphis be
comes dearest of all; and first, because she fills up
the chasm of war, and has washed away with the
tears of a sublime faith and steady charity all
traces of its existence. Buried and followed to
the silent tomb by the largest cOncourse of citizens
that has assembled in Memphis in months, but
buried her shall he so on oneo f