Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-01-05
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employing forty thousand mechanics, with a
capital of S62, 100, Cos, and turning out i'm
plements for our farms valued at Sos, $40, 1856.
The number of manufacturing establishments
in the United States, 253, $40; capital. ST.
790, ,22S ,506; persons employed, 2,737, $50;
wages paid. S947.9l9,614; value of products
over five billions. Maine stands well in the
list, and is becoming leading manufacturing
State. her relative position being about the
fifteenth in the Union. The number Of man.
ufacturing establishments in Maine is 4, ,4Sl;
capital, S49,9S4,51l; number of persons en-
ployed, 52,94S; amount of wages paid yearly,
SIS, ,62l ,53s; value of materials, S5l, 49,
2S6; value of products, SO, ,S25 1893. This
army of mechanics and laborers, and the cap
ital invested, form an interest which calls for
more than ordinary care and judgment, in
order that the rights of labor and capital
should be regulated, with regard to security
and justice. That the great interests of the
country be properly protected, and the wages
of the laborer made remunerative TO himself
should be the true end of legislation.
The manufacturers of our State are con-
stantly increasing, and statistics show that
every branch of mechanical industry is max
ing satisfactory progress. The beautiful
cities of Lewiston, Auburn. Biddeford and
the towns of Waterville and Westbrook may
soon have their rivals in other portions of the
State. The manufacture of cotton takes the
lead. There are but three States in the
Union that use more bales of cotton, but four
work more spindles, and but four employ
more persons in the cotton mills, than the
State of Maine. The growth of this depart
ment of industry is shown by the following
statistics: In 1870 the number of looms in
the State was 9,9O2; the number of spindles,
459.772; the number of bales of cotton used
W. he mn lher of
ed, 9,439. In 1880 the number of looms was
l5.97S; spindles. 695, 1924; bales of cotton,
ll2,3Sl; employees, 1854.
AGRICULTURE.
A great statesman once said: "Agriculture
feeds us, it clothes us, without it we could
not have manufactures. we should not have
commerce; these all stand together like pill
lars in cluster, the largest in the center, that
largest is Agriculture" The State of Maine
furnishes all the natural requisites and ad-
vantages for successful agriculture, unlimited
commerce and extensive manufactures. Ii
has an area of 35, 900 square miles or q, 400
900 acres; its settled area covers only one
half of its territory, and measures 1885
square miles. A large part of this territory
is sparsely settled, 5000 square miles of Its
inhabited area having only from two to six
inhabitants 10 a square mile. We admit there
are many square miles of land which would
require extensive drainage and costly cult
vation for livelihood, but there is little land
so barren that intelligent labor cannot make
it valuable, and there are thousands of acres
of unimproved land in the State of Maine,
with deep and rich soil as can be found
elsewhere, where all the staple agricultural
products of New England can be raised, and
this with the raising of sheep and other stock
would furnish ample reward to a skillful and
Industrious farmer. We invite those seeking
new homes to examine the unimproved and
rich farming lands of Aroostook county and
other portions of our State, now near the
markets in consequence of new railroad facil-
tiles. In cereal productions, Maine makes a
good record. The Department of Agricu-
ture informs us that the soil of Maine pro-
duces more buckwheat per acre than that Of
any other State. In the yield of corn to the
acre, only six States in the Union make
better exhibit, the average being thirty -four
bushels per acre, which is only five bushels
behind Michigan, the State having the largest
production. In rye, Maine is the tenth State,
and in potatoes the same; but in hay, it is
the thirtieth State in its yield per acre, which
is evidence that more cultivation and fertil-
izers are needed on our extended and
wasted fields In the year 1879, Maine
produced per acre l6 7-l00 per cent, more
corn and Clio more wheat than the average
yield of these crops in the United States. In
all these staple productions of the farm,
Maine is ahead Of Vermont s. nd Rhode Island
of the East. and leaves behind her the great
agricultural States of Indiana, Illinois, Wis
consin, Kansas and Iowa of the West. In
1880 the farming industry of Maine owned
S7,S4S horses, an increase of % per cent over
1870, and 43, 3,049 working oxen. Its dairy
interest was represented by l50,845 milch
cows, per cent increase over 1870. There
was also credited to her l47 ,527 other cattle.
The number of sheep on our farms was $685.
9lS, 80 per cent more than in 1870. The
number of swine was 1860, an increase of
of 63 per cent over 1870. The value of Maine
farm products including stock, in 1869 was
S33, 470. .O44 in 1879, $3s 800, ,0O0, an increase
of over IA per cent.
The grand total shows Maine to be one of
the leading agricultural States in the Union.
These facts, which might be extended, should
induce immigration to our State and keep
our young men at home. The majority of
the male population Of this State, and even
of the nation, are busbandmen and directly
interested in agriculture, more than half the
wealth Of the country being invested in that
industry. The pioneer who uses the axe and
the spade. holds the plough and guides it
through the soil of Maine. best knows how
stubborn it is in yielding to the dominion of
labor; but when conquered the result Sc
cures a good livelihood, an honorable citi-
zenship, and an independent home. The
Swedish immigrant and other settlers deserve
the hearty good will and encouragement of
the State, and he who follows the pioneer
and, by science and skill makes two blades
of grass grow where but one grew BEFORE" is
public benefactOr. Both are entitled to the
protection of wise and generous laws. de-