Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-05-06
WHY DO OUR Young Mrx CO

"Water"ille," sings out the conano,
"-tervills," mutters the brakam., ".
step out of the cars on the platform. urea,
crowd Is at the depot; Colby students are
paradins up and down, swinging canes and
smoking cigarettes; hackmen are yociferou..
ciahorihs the merits of the respective
hotels with which they are connected Far
the nonce Waterville wears a me,ronoI;,,n
ar. Since spring opened the town has bec,
perfect hive of industry. Tie building n.
new mill has given great impetus 10 all
kinds of business. New families are CON
stantly moving in; trade is brisk at the stores
real estate IT going up every day the college,
were never in such prosperous condition.
In order that the outside world may know
that in the heart of Yankee Maine there is
one town which is rapidly filling up with all
kinds of great and small manufactures. which
has growing. thrifty and cultured population.
the Journal recently detailed a representative
to that busting burgh with instructions to
interview the business men and learn the
present and future prospects Of Waterville az
place in which to settle and invest capital
| THE NEW LOCKWOOD MILL.
| Everybody is talking cotton mill. The
site of the new mill, which is just south of
the other, looks like an immense stone quar-
ry. Nearly hundred men are at work on
the foundations. S. I. Abbott, Esq, the
agent of the present Lockwood mill. and one
of the best business men in Maine. is stand.
ing on block of granite, listening to the
strokes of the workmen's hammers, which
make merry music in the soft May air. From
him we learn that the new mill is to be 500
feet long, 100 wide, and five stories in height
1t will contain 81, 900 spindles, and will give
employment TO about 600 operatives. In the
present mill 375 men, women and children
are at work. The Lockwood Mill is famed
for the quality of cloth which it manu-
features. The operatives at work in the
mill at Watervil.e are rather superior,
rs class. to the ''help'' which is now getting
to be so universally employed in New England
factories. There are many French Canadians
but they are fast getting Americanized, and
make peaceable and valuable citizens. In
securing operatives for the new mill. care
will be taken to secure only the most intelli-
gent and sober orkpeople
OTHER INDUSTRIES
| The town is filling up with small manufac-
tories. Thousands of dollars are disbursed
every month by the various enterprises. This
! A. Il.
and makes trade lively. One runner for a
Boston clothing house sold bill of goods in
Watervlle amounting to $1,000, on a
recent afternoon. The Maine Cen
trail Railroad constantly has from so to
90 men in its shops, repairing and painting
ears, etc. There are two shirt factories. c.
+. Hathaway employs from 80 to 100 Ameri-
can girls all the time, in this business, at
shirt in the market No inferior goods leave
his factory. As a consequence he has more
orders than he fill. James King, a
nephew of Mr.. Hathaway, has leased the
entire upper story of the magnificent
Dunn block on Main street. and keeps
40 or 80 girls busy at the same occupation.
j. Peavey & Bros, readymade clothing deal
ers at the corner of Main and Silver streets.
manufacture more clothing than any other
concern in Maine. Their work is done
principally BY farmers wives and daughters
| in the country towns around Waterville. who
earn good many dollars in the course of a
wear in this way I. 5. Bangs has -four an d
grist mill near the bridge, which accommo-
dates the grangers of Vassalboro', China.
| Albion. BENTON. and other towns. Some five
men have steady work at good wages there.
| Mr.. Bangs is an enterprisng man. and Is
largely interested in the Winslow tin mine.
Weber. Haviland Philbrooks
iron foundry is in active opera
ton The proprietors are Young and ener-
cetic men and are doing big business. Smith
{ Meader, whose planning mill was displaced
by the new factory, have moved their building
down toward the "Plain.." and contemplate
running it in the future by steam. At Cram
mett's Mills on the Messalonskee, there is a
host of small manufactures. employing from
AZ. RI fftv men each. J. Furb1sh has
sash and blind factory, where some 20
sk;lled mechanics earn good wages. Mr.
W;nslow Marston. match manufacturer, has
gone to dipping his matches. His matches have
a biyh reputation. although not made in heav-
on and he is to enlarge his facilities for man.
,s.c,uring. There are grist mills and saw
mills and shovel manufactures and shahk
f.ctories on this busy stream. and sui It's
o.n.c;tv is not fully utilized. There are
three fine mill privileges on the Mesa
,opskee within two miles iro"'
the post office, where capitalists
can profitabIy erect manufactures OF
various kinds. This stream drains th'rty-s'N
miles of lakes, and furnishes an untaiilhe
supply of power. There are many o.ne'
sm,u manufactures in Waterville. Inc
n,.ce !. a miniature Providence, r. l.
The PRINCIPAL STORES.
like Augusta, Watervile has large eouh'
.ur ,r.de II is surrounded by prosperous
owns There are no vacant stores to De
and the merchants apparently are ooi"s