New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-12
FALL RIVER.
DESCRIPTIVE NOTES OF A GREAT MILL
TOWN. ta

TOWN.
from AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TRIBUNE.
FALL RIVER Aug. 10.-LOoking on map
one foots up the activities and resources of State
by the extent and conplexity Of its railway communion
tons Unconsccusly have como to measure the act'-
ity OF cities In some hat similar way only study
the telegraph wires instead of the tracks The cir
cuaon of the body polite in Boston is yet normal and
tranquil The private wire has not yet found its way
into the houses OF business men, and you may enter
scores OF public where business men may be met
without hearing the incessant chatter OF the ticker
Looking overhead at the intersections OF the business
streets, tho wires weave widely meshed web. NO
where Is the sunlight svamped through thousands OF
wires in lower Broadway. Wall, New and Broad sts
The fever and congesve stages do not yet furry the
pulses OF the BostonIans.
The Old Colony corporation spreads like octopus
ali southeastern Massachusetts,, only 1t does not
apparently exhaust the territory has conquered with
Fail River at the mouth of the Taunton River for It's
initial point its great res of steamboats, and propelers
take up aud carry forward its traffic to New York. the
lines OF this corporation feel their inland until they
have reached every nook and OF the pennsuar
region. branch down to Newport where part OF
the steamboats, find terminus. Another branch taps
NewBedford another leading branch makes the great
sweep OF the entire peninsula and stops 1t Provncetown
and Cape God at the ocean and oil these have ther
objective point in Boston Yet another branch pushes
boldly out towards the northwest Ranking Boston and
tapping long lire OF bustng towns alive with factories
aud shops until 1t pulls mp at Ftchburg, sendinga
sinister scout mp to Lowell ITSELF thus literally crcum-
venting Boston, and silly coaxng away the merchandise
that would naturally pass through Boston hands.
Possibly there not aneater exemphcation OF cQrpo-
ration web-spinnng. OH q small SCALE to be found IN the
United states This corporation Is built upon capital
and that make large figure in New York. Boston
and Fall River. It's enterprise perennial and
everybody knows that its Sound steamers have for
generation been the stanchest safest and most
prudently differed inland waters. Very lke,this
pethorc monopoly finds good in this policy OF
enterprise.
CITY AND PEOPLE.
This city covers bold dome like elevation rising put OF
Mount Hope Bay which is eastern branch OF Maria
ganset Opposite lies the gentle swell in the ransgeant
landscape called Mount Hope, homo of King Philip and
the Namponoys Fall River rests on an unreasonable
boulder Of granite formation, primitive rock Never
was there more inhospitable foothod for city growth
At last thin coating OF soil skins the rock-bed They
blast out trough for the water and gas pipes and
shallow cellars Rock oostructs everything and OF
sluggish mpenetrable obstinate SORT so that blasting
calls for the maximum of powder and Paddy. and the
minimum OF cubic feet. In 1860 the population had
barely reached 1900. single creek from the lake
on the plateau eastward found its across the town.
making headlong plunge into the bay near the present
steamboat landing Along this fall-hence Fall Rivers
series of factories planted themselves scaling the ascent
like steps, almost joining hands, perhaps there were
dozen. all told.
Now the population exceeds So and there moro
than hty-two cotton Mills representing active capi
tai of more than ST. 100000. Much Of this owned
elsewhere Some OF them stock corporations with
shares in small amounts to invite Investments from
thrifty operators and trsdespeople Besides the print
works ore the most extensive in America and the Old
iron loops are on very extended scale For many
years Fall River largely distanced Lowell In m num-
ber of spndes But in all other particulars the contrast
fayors the latter city, It's operators have pleasant
homes with orderly and attractive boarding houses for
the under the best management There are no
strikes save very long intervals and the tone Of fac
tory-operave lie Is healthy and hopeful In Fan River
there ia dsco and squalor The houses for work
people hdeous The mos, desirable them
40 and the malcontentsffom all quaf-
tiers way here and accept whatf can get sure
Of oycrscers and met turn oy aponcy
every convenient prefer undsra connective
which docs not crupe TO reduce tue COS, OF @
The English spinrers know all about them The grievance
nsvsr on 5, able and Of rrta
BILE the nrst spark kindes and nows ana everybody
m 4 curious to observe colony OF about 900 Cana
dans gradually gathered here for mill work They have
sced together; compatrots under the shrewd direction
of their raeeinr priests built shops houses
and roomy churches aud they constitute an important
element In the population at once tnfity or"ery anu
improving
FEATURES OF LATER GROWTH.
Only few years ago series OF startling defacations
some few OF which reached the courts-in mill and
bank properties and reaching about 100000 in vol
une struck the business interests with something worse
than a panic. Trade and production staggered, the
suffering was deep an widely spread among the opera
tves and tradespeople holders OF mill stock. Shares
went down 10 80 that now command $3.50
Three OF the treacherous officials were sentenced to
Canads All moved In the best social and religious
cles Three four families represented Old Fall River
they were spoken Of the Royal families All acquired
and nursed large fortunes HUI the rnnI OF outside
CORPORATIONS brought about their abdication. and now
he people" have taken up the reins laid down by tho
MI MaIf dozen beautiful buildings have sprung up here
and there out Of the % recsnS compee de
particularly fine There bold handsome block called
the Music Sns h heights ~ aud both city and land
scape toward Providence. the Episcopal and Congrega
ss r. is ~orh mentioning that Public school and
Fire Department buildings are after the most approved
nians Tbe city has purchased and partly improved
neiy situated PARK OF about seventy In central
position and looking out on the EXQUISITE scenery nave
land and sea the far north Fall River with radius
OF fifteen miles. centres Providence WIN It's more
machine and metal works. New Bedford and Newport;
To the north and are nestled ana grouped
conceivable thing which machinery ana neenanlcs III
n npscss Ss activity The Soils thin and niggary
and theirs IA no room for drones and oilers
4 yoa GH and Rhode viii
notice that IT'S almost all coast and marine inward
ness that the proportion OF coast to land area without
nreceden It's pct theory Of Arnold Guyot and other
preat cosmoogsts that direct relation pay be demon
sraed bptween social and intellectual energies or
neone ana the proportion between the coast ana land
areas For example he notes the HelIespont and It's
Iindling penetratve Greek civilization; Italy oil coast
creat Britain with endless coast snnosities and
estuares penetrating It's vtals he then turns g south
nstnai coma The theory works well aud finds brilliant
exempllncaton this inneroceanc region. where the
b,r tides rse and fall within touch OF nnetentha OF
The population It's hike finely aerated brain-the
blood perfectly oxygenated .,,, -,
The Nemesis hanging over this not-brained region
seems 10 he competition. There Is steady ssepless
strugce TO reduce the cost OF production, where the
slightest fuot,iaton makes or breaks market Millions
are ali the while sunk In inventions which compel
change OF machinery that great corporations are COB
Hing mn the little fishes for they alone can manipulate
E,nda denandnd In sich extensive measures. And