The Portland daily press., 1886-01-05
sAccARApPA INDUSTRIES.
A New one just Brought From Lynn.

"If there's anything that isn't made in
Saccarappa," said visitor recently, I'D
like to know what it is" Notwithstanding.
the diversified interests already here, two
new firms, A E. Towne & Co., and Ken
drick Sc Co.. have started in the manufacture
of counters, |. F. Quinby & Co. in the manu-
facture of shoes, and it is reported that an
edge tool factory is to be built sood on Me-
chanic street.
A reporter for the PRESS called yesterday
at the new factory of A. E. Towne & Co., in
the mill owned by S. H. Lisk, and until re-
Gently occupied by the Presumpscot Knitting
| Company. The business has Just been mov-
| ed here from Lynn, the idea being to be near
Hle leatherboard factory of George E. Davis,
! who has the reputation OF making the best
| quality of board in the market The report
err was shown through the mill by Henry
Hughes. the superintendent, and one of the
| most experienced counter makers in Ameri-
| ca. The mill has capacity for 100000 pairs
| day, and the thirteenth day after begin
ming to unload the machinery from the cars,
they made $4,000 poirs.
| The first operation in the manufacture of
buNoS 6VONto 10 hlllS-tubblli5 pdUtCllo
from the sheets of leatherboard by means of
dies, under a machine called dinker, built
by the Hawkins Machine Company Boston.
These dies are of different patterns, to cut
any style of counter. They have 276 pat
terms now in use. One man can cut about
10000 patterns in day. Four dinkers are
now in operation. The patterns or blanks
are first taken 10 the skivers, little machines
that shave their tops. We noticed one young
lady, an experienced operator, who, we were
told, has turned off $4,000 pairs in a day of
ten hours. Other skivers shave the bottom
of the blank. The latter machine is the in
vention of Geo. E. Davis, and is called the
Davis skiver
After buff1ng the blanks by bringing them
in contact with rapidly revolving shaft,
covered with sand paper, they are taken to
the next story and put through the roller,
which Furnishes them and rolls them into a
seml-clrcular shape, at the same time form
ing them so as to fit the kind of last for
which they are intended. They are then
moulded on a machine invented by j. r. Moi
fit, and built by Hughes & Buttrick. Only
one other firm in the world has the right to
use this machine They will fit counter to
any last in the market, and if new style be
invented can be made to fit that as well, the
change to any form of last possible being
made at very small cost. There are seven
teen moulders in operation, each one of
which makes thirty strokes a minute, so
that if every stroke were utilized one ma
| chine would mould 5000 pairs day. Gener-
ally, however, 6000 pairs are considered a
fair days work. Mr.. Charles Sullivan is SUI
perintendent of this department.
A machine shop, under the charge of B. +.
Buttrick, in which is done all the building,
repairing and pattern making is also connect
ed.
The American Shoe Companys splitting
machine, used in connection with the Union
counter made partly of leather, is a most
interesting piece of mechanism; the knife is
a steel band running over two large pulleys,
about six feet apart, and kept constantly
sharp by emery wheels that rev0lve swiftly
against the steel on the lower division of the
belt.
Two and half years ago, Mr.. Towne be-
gan the manufacture of counters with two
moulders and one dinker, in room about 20
X40 feet from which small beginning his
business has reached, by steady increase, its
present dimensions, "and" said Mr.. Hughes,
TT II soon outgrow this place. l think"
Mr.. Hughes believes that the way to avoid
trouble with his employees is to give them a
fair chance, and though he has been making
counters for seventeen years he has never
had strike or lockout, or any diSSatiSfae-
ton in regard to wages. This is brought
about by very simple scheme, namely, by
paying nearly double what other manufac-
turers do for the same work. He claims
that this not only keeps the man contented
and interested in their work, but that he can
actually make his goods cheaper and with
better results than others who go upon diff
ferent basis,
On the third floor is the mandatory of
Kendrick & Co., who make the same kind of
goods but of a different quality, the greater
part being boot counters and heavy goods for