Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-05-01
FROM MASSACHUSETTS,
The Manufacturing Towns OF New
England--The Lesson of Their Pros
perity to the West--Facts to Ponder
over,
ROCKLAND, Mass, Apr.. 20. 1874


EDITOR BULLETIN:-This is new
town, carved out of the ancient tow
of Abingdon by the Legislature Thu
winter, because it had become 81
populous that under the laws of til,
State, convenience required eithe1
a city organization or division O
the old town. Not many years agt
the town of Abingdon was poor
rocky, sterile territory, covered il
good part with huckleberry bushes
valued at less than ten dollars pei
acre; now, every acre that is suita
bic for building lot within two
miles of the Postoflicc, is worth 6
thousand dollars, and from that up
wards to fifteen thousand dollars. al
which price sales have been made
during the last few months.
Population and money and houses
and shops and most kinds of taxa.
BILE property have increased won
derfully. Neat, substantial dwell
ings are erected on every hand, and
there is pervading atmosphere OF
thrift and comfort, and on account
of the wealth the entire tax for State,
county, school and highway (Which
is all paid in cash) is not greater
than the one item Of school tax will
average in the Independent Dis.
trict Of Independence, Jesup and
Winthrop. And what has caused
this material prosperity? Simply
the manufacture of boots and shoes,
nothing else. That one industry
has made this barren land bud and
blossom like rose, and the same
prosperity and general features that
prevail here, prevail in fifty differ
ent towns in this State, where that
business is carried on, and in the
last few years it has extended into
Maine and New Hampshire, where
it is successfully and profitably
prosecuted.
And Massachusetts,, Rhode Island
and Connecticut are one bee hive
Of industry, all engaged in manufac
lures of every kind, and all growing
rich. In ride around the suburbs
Of Norwich, Conn, | was SURPRISED
at the great number Of magnificent
residences. ''1 Is onc," said my
companion, SIS the residence OF
Henry Bill, who has made a fortune
by publishing books. This is the
house OF John s alter, who has be-
come fabulously rich through his in.
tercst in cotto! factory. This and
that and the oth' : and all tire Gle
giant homes you can see, are occu
pied by men, or ne children Of men
who acquired their wealth through
some branch of .anulacture." But
Norwich is not c nsidered much Of
manufacturing town, though i,
has some cotton factories, the hes,
wooden type factory in the world
steel wagon springs, tool and all
kinds OF iron work manufacture
lock factory and silk ribbon factory
1t may have occurred to You thai
bleached cotton cloth was dear com.
pared with unbleached. 1t is nc
great wonder. The bleachery in
Norwich pays to its stockholders q
dividend of fifty per cent per annum
after paying good wages and liber.
al salaries to all concerned. In 9th
er localities similar business nc
doubt pays similar profit. 10 an
Iowa man the wages of employees in
all the factories of New England
seem generous. Girls in their teens
in some cases receive from five to
seven hundred dollars year foi
their work. Only think Of it, as
much as the majority of Iowa farm
ers, by shaving themselves and fam.
lilies, can make on a hundred and
sixty acre farm, after paying his
taxes, is earned by nimble-finger
ed girl by working not over eigh
or ten hours per day!