The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-27
BUSINESS OUTLOOK.
The Industrial Interests of
the Pine Tree State.
Effect Of the Liquor Law on
the Trade of Cities.
CHANGES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
MAINE.


LUMBER AGRICULTURAL MANUFACTURING AND
FISHERY NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. EFFECT OF
PROHIBITION ON THE LARGER CITIES.
BOSTON. Dec. a. 1878.
correspondent in Augusta. Me-. in to an
inquiry to the condition of business in the Pine
Tree State. writes as follows about that section:-
The principal sources of in this portion of
the State from ice lumber and farming. There
is manufacturing. but it is not very extensive
There is also, of course = good deal of fishing
farther off toward the coast The ice business last
was very good NY inquiries along the Kenns
cellent Only very small quantity OF last years
crop was left Kennebec ice has acquired
well deserved popularity all the Eastern States
and large shipments were made last year. The prices
not large in previous years but the sales
Preparations for laying in heavy crop for next sea
son are well advanced and large force OF cutters
and storers will be employed.
LUMBER TRADE.
The lumber trade has fallen of in this region, Of
that have been made from Year to year The Kcnne-
bee river is used in the spring only as carry
Large RATS come down every year from the timber
districts. but the business of hewing and ping up
t Mns ns Ss s asny in
Piscaaquis and Washington counties, as well as the
northern portions OF Penobscot. In Aroostook
county there has been q good deal OF government
land sold for clearing purposes within few years.
and sections have been prepared for agricul-
lands have been purchased by capitalists the pur-
pose Of exporting lumber. but there is not much
animation in that branch of trade at present.
AGRICULTURE.
In agricultural pursuits there q very good
raised and large quantities exported during the fall
Prices were lower than in former years, but the
next year are entertained Kennebeo and Somerset
counties. portions Of Androscoggin and Lincoln,
nag ana to the
agricultural communities. In some sections sheep
and horses raised. and considerable money has
haan ffa1,l ad in hia of iu6n
LEWISTON AUBURN.
correspondent in Lewiston. which is large
manufacturing centre, gives very good account of
the condition Of business in Lewiston and Auburn.
two adjacent cities. He says
Some of the largest mills of New England in
full operation In Lewiston, and the fact that the
operatives kept employed adds stimulus to
general business During the past seven years there
Several tracts Of land, purchased some ten twelve
years ago in the outlying districts OF the CITY,
cut up into building lots and moderate priced
houses for mechanics and mill operatives
erected. Many Of them were promptly occupied,
but VIXEN the panic came on and manufacturing
received its first check. necessitatng reduction in
the price and hours OF labor many Of these tene-
ments were abandoned and the owners compelled to
let them at ruinous prices have their property lie
idle The history OF real estate in Lewiston the
same as that OF similar property in other parts Of
New England. especially in the large OF
n.srcs and trade. First grand jump upward good
quick sales and extensive building, then col
lapse and hard struggle to keep the property from
being swallowed up by mortgages and interest.
In Auburn the manufacture OF boots and shoes is
carried quite extensively. 1t is the largest shoe
manufacturing centre in Msine and, = general
rule, the business has been well sustained In both
cities the depression of business has been largely fst
and the fact that Scion Chase the leader Of the green
back movement in Maine converted some OF our
most conservative business men to his theories Of
lief through any agency that offered.
PORTLAND.
A correspondent in the leading commercial city Of
the State says:--
business in Portland is not very brisk at present
according to latest advces 1t cannot be denied that
the stringency Of the Liquor law has tended keep
down the standard Of commercial success. The ho-
tells and there are very fine in that city,
have ali they can do to pay rent the bar is closed IN
each and the Western man who would do business
in Portland cannot obtain his cocktail; not even
his business friend to his room and there discuss the
prospects OF trade over glass OF wine he can i'll
New York, Boston, Philadelphia or other seaboard
cities: ! am not prepared to say that this strict
prohibition. which is fostered by Neal Dow
and his followers does not increase the morals of the
city, but the liberal minded of the community
do not hesitate to say that it proporionately hurts
harder utize her excellent harbor facilities for the
development of first class shipping trade than Port
nearly sIo 600 900 in the building and maintenance
of railroad lines which promised to bring her
large shipments of grain aud other products Of the
West for shipment to England The history OF her
connection with the Portland and Ogdensburg
aud the Portland and Rochester roads is of hard
struggles and discourasinU rcverses. The Portland
and Ogdensburg has been completed so that its
meeting lines tap the great trunk roads for Chicago
and the Northwest but still the immense shipping
business which she hoped for has failed to come.
She has the Grand Trunk and Maine Central lines
also. which give her superior facilities for draining
the rich valleys from the New Brunswick and Cana
dian borders, and her wharf facilities of the best
Her shipping trade is still far below it's possibilities
and she is loaded down with heavy railroad debts Not
withstandng all these drawbacks Portland is in
very comfortable condition. The dry goods trade
shows fair degree of activity-one that will
compare favorably with more pretentious cities
Her machine shops foundrics. factories, &C.
I.al Of urAvlx al.
employment to large number of operatives. Port
land is the distributing point for most of the coal
coal sheds and wharves show good deal of activity
Lumber T. shipped II large qaantiss vs. can be seen
daily recorded in her newspapers.
ALONG THE COAST
business along the bays and Islands of the extern
fined to fishing quarrying and shpbuilding. The
principal shipbuildng points are ut Yarmouth, Bath
Rockand. Waldoboro and other points north. The
extensive granite quarrics in Knox and Washington
counties afford employment to large bodies Of men,
aud consequently stimulate business in the towns
in that section. Shpbuilding, of course, has fallen
away with the decadcnce in our shipping trade Some
the largest and vessels in years gone
by turned out from the yards OF Yarmouth.
bath and Rockland. and men made their fortunes in
that very important branch of industry.
THE FISHERY QUESTION.
The troubles between the Canadian authorities and
our government about inshore fishing on the New
foundand coast have set back the fishery interests Of
Maine, but not near much as those of Massachu-
sets, as there is more coast and banks fishing done
from Maine than there liz tor Dominion herring and
niackerel.
To sum up, Maine has passed through the same
depression OF business other States. Her people
very conservative. thrifty ana cntcrprising and
not addicted to speculation. She is, therefore, in
good condition any her sister states profit by
improvement in the general business outlook of
the nation. With the return of confidence there
not fail TO come to her return of that solid pros
perity which in years gone by made her one of the
most important states IN the Union.
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
DECREASE IN THE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIONS
OF THE GRANITE sTATE--How THE RURAL DIS