Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-10-31
MAINE DISPATCHES.
NO FREE LIME FOR Us.
Maine'S Great Lime Rock In
duStry.
Wealth and independence Dug Out Of the
Knox County QuarrieS.
Exten' of the Business-New Railroad
The Present National Policy
Must be Continued


Special to the Kennebec Journal
RocKLAND. Oct. 80.
If one doubts the genuineness of the be-
lief in protection, let him visit Knox county
and chat with manufacturers or laborers
The lime industry is one of peculiar value to
the State, representing so large a per cent
Of labor and hence any blow that touches it
reaches out to every one directly or indi-
recty connected with the business Some
idea of the magnitude of the industry may
be gathered from the fact that over Sil0, 900
were paid last year for the one item of haul
ing rock from the quarries to the kilns
Gradually the price has been reduced for the
manufactured article until it hardly paid the
running expenses.
Within the past few years large amount
of capital has been directed towards the
opening up of the deposits, along the line of
the intercolonlal railroad, leading out of St.
John \. b. Here, where the road follows
the mountain, quarries have been opened
between the track aud the base of the hills
and the kilns are turning ont hundreds of
thousands of casks without any expense
Of hauling rock or pure lime. These items
are there saved, and when we consider that
the average here is ten cents per cask for
carting the rock, we understand why the
burdens have fal en- so heavily ON the Maine
product. Had our manufacturers taken
their money few years since and gone to
New Brunswick and invested there, more
would have been realized than has come by
continuing operations here. Added to these
troubles came the Mills bill, and the attitude
..f tl
or reduced tariff, so that naturally the
voters of Knox County were aroused in Sep
tember and by their votes recorded their
wishes in reference to the tariff question.
Within the past few years work in the
quarries has been carried to such depths that
II has been difficult Tor the teams to haul out
the rock, while the roads have been well
nigh impossible much of the time. For
these conditions some relief was sought and
II came in the form of an organized company
to build railroad leading out from the kilns
TO the quarries and SO around the city five
miles to the shore above. 1t isnow virtually
completed save that few more kilns are to
be connected. Three hundred thousand
dollars have been expended in this work and
it gives n road thoroughly built up in every
part 1t is very much in the form of horse
shoe with the water front of the city between
the heels, while the quarries are mostly at
the toe At the kilns high trestle work has
been constructed, SO that the cars run close
to the openings and dump their loads down
the yawning chasms If the tariff be re-
moved then all this gees for naught and the
fires must die out. There is not enough in
the business to make it possible TO compete
with New Brunswick even. handed.
The very protection given is what has
brought such wealth to the laborers of Knox
country. Go where you will, in the region
of that wonderful deposit, and the comfOrta-
hle homes tell of the wealth of the laboring
classes. They receive good wages, in return
for hard work, and are able to gather about
them them the comforts of life. Surely no
other class deserve them more, but they are
possible only under the policy which main
tains the industry.
BY the building of the railroad, the cost of
hauling will be reduced from ten to five
cents per cask, dong away with the labor of
five hundred horses. In return the hand
labor will be slightly increased, as derricks
must be used to hoist out the rock from the
quarries growing deeper every day. Thus
the wages will be kept up and the men en-
ployed though in a different manner.
Rocklaud is a city which is growing rapid
ly, a.d along with the new streets many fine
residences are being erected. The result of
the national election is looked for with much
interest, with the Republicans firm in the
faith that the policy which has wrought so
nightly for the good of the labOrers will
be continued in the future. Thus may 1t be.