The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1885-10-08
Letter from Massachusetts.

Letter from Massachusetts.
BRoCKToN; IT'S INDUSTRY AND GROWTH.
MANUFACTURES. OUR BASE BALL CLUB.
POLITICS. GENERAL GOSSIP.
Correspondence of the JournaI.J
OF all the enterprsing cities of America,
East or West, doubt if any contain in their
limits more business, pluck or enterprise than
the youthful but growing city of Brockton. A
city which shows the remarkable growth of
over 1000 in population during the last five
years-an increase of one half of its former
size-is almost miracle in sober old New
England and would not be despised even In the
growing West. And the growth has not been
of mushroom character, but steady and is
still continuing, not only in population but in
finances and in manufactures. To visitor
Brockton presents the appearance of western
town. Nearly every building is astonishingly
new and all the prominent business men are
young. New enterprises are started every
day, and. in short, it is thriving, prosperous
town.
Brockton has been for years distinctively
shoe town, but it is not until the last few years
that Brockton has stood forth pre-eminent
among Massachusetts shoe towns. Now she
emphaticay leads. Our growth in this direc-
ton has been more in Campelo and Montello,
the suburbs of the city, than in the main city.
At present there are 100 shoe shops in town,
ranging In size from Geo. E. Keith's, where
four hundred hands are employed, at such
pay that the daily pay roll reaches $1,000, down
through various gradations to small rooms
Every variety of mems shoes are manufacture
ed, through all the styles of Congress, Buttons,
Balmorals and Creedmoors. but no ladies
shoes, no boots and no slippers. The opera
tives are the best paid, in all probability, of
| any in the world and are as prosperous and en-
| terprising could be wished. Cutters receive
| from 50 to 1915 per day. lasters from $1.25 to
| SLIGO per case in different styles. Machine
| stitchers make from 50 to $3 day and Vamp-
| ers even make S. and $6. The Lasters Protec-
| tive Union and the knights of Labor are very
| strong here and occasional varances regarding
| prices occur between the employees and labor
| ers, but there has been no serious trouble for
| some time. Besides our shoe shops we have
but few manufactures. Among the most I'M
CampeIlo, and the Standard Rubber Company.
| Last week our expectation of shoes reached
| nearly 5000 cases and that is the average for
| the year.
| To turn from serious topics to lighter sub
| jects we could hardly speak of Brockton with
| out mentioning our base ball club. AS the
winners of the championship in the Eastern
| I'm ula nd I nd
merit it even more from the fact that the en-
tire city has been crazy over them. The
| grounds here are excellent in all respects and
as our nine has stood either at or near the head
| of the league all the games have been witnessed
| by large and enthusiastic crowds. Possibly
| the last played game of the season was that
| between Brockton and Newburyport when
your Town and only" Dilworh proved himself
worthy of Belfast and her now famous base
| ball club. Had he been supported by knowl-
ton the game would probably have resulted
differently, but he pitched splendid game
| though before small audience, as unluckily it
was the day of great Labor Union picnic.
| When Brockton reorganizes next year here |
hope Diworth will be our ally instead of our
| foe.
| Although this is an off year for politics in
Maine, in few weeks the Massachusetts
| Political cadron will be boiling vigorously
and already our caucuses have been held. and "a
brisk fight begun as to the nominating conven-
tions. The district and county are so strongly
Republican that the only possible contest here
would be over the Republican nominations. SO
| far all moves smoothly on. The only vigorous
| contest is that over the candidate for Senator
| from our district The contestants are Col. j.
j. Whipple, one of Brocktons legislative rep
| resentative of last year and Hon. Ziba G.. Keith
present Mayor of Brockton. Col. Whipple
! rather holds the call over the Mayor but he is
vigorously opposed by the Prohibionists as he
| is unfortunately strong advocate of a license
law and personally interested in the liquor
trade to such an extent that he cannot become
| prOhibitionlst without financial loss ensuing.
| 1t Is almost assured that Gov. Robinson, who
Is universally popular and respected, will be
| renomnated and reelected. By the way, what
do you Maine Republicans think OF the calm
| and collected cheek of our genial Congressman
Long in reading Mr.. Blaines obituary the
other day? Ism. he little previousl You
may rest assured there are many in Massachu-
sets who hope so at any rate. BETA.