Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-10-21
AUGUSTA HAaNEssEs.
History OF the Industry, aud 4 Glance
Into Que OF Its Busy Factories.

| reporter was unusually impressed with the
busy hum which came from the ops door Of
an unpretentious building On the east side Of
Water St Over the door was suspended the
sign Charles Doughty" AMI glance a,
the show Windows, which contained peculiar
exhibition Of all sorts of paraphernalia used
in the manufacture Of harnesses gave one an
idea of what the place was for, The Jour.
nal man entered out of curiosity and foun |
the proprietor, = most genial gentleman.
busily engaged in cutting some oddly shaped
piece, of leather,
Can you give us bit of history about the
harness business in our city. Mt. ID ushty ~
asked the reporter.
Yes, l guess SO. Let me see The
harness business in our city dates back to
1855 or thereabouts when the firm of Parker
harnesses in the building now used By my
self. From this beginning it has greatly en-
larged and a. the present time we have on
Water street four separate concerns operat-
ing five factories and turning out about
1000 or 1900 harnesses per month. The g.
tsblishn ut Of Parker 4 Robbins continued
in op. rauon until some twenty years had
elapsed when the factory was taken by John
Robbins, junior member Of the firm ani by
him run IA July lss3 when the stand and
business was purchased by Doughty Bros.
In January 1883 my brother aud dissolved
partnershi Nnd since that time have been
running alone"
"There have been other concerns of
courier
"Oh. yes Collar & Hamilton started in
1872 and went out of business in 1874. selling
their stock and fixtures to Joseph Miller 4
Co., who in turn sold out to IIerrick 4
Avery in 1877 or '7s. This firm ran short
tine and sold out TO Herrick 4 varney
who failed in 1886, My brother George
started in May. 1883, in the Kennebec
Journal block. Mr.. Hamiin has also been
engaged in this business for some wears aud
at the present time runs two factories
Pullen 4 Shorey, another firm. started in
February, 1887, in Union block and are now
manufacturing harnesses on special order.
This is brief outline OF the business, past
and present"
The steady click Of machinery presented
the next question to the reporter and he re.
marked interrogatively.
"You seem to be doing good bit of busi-
ness here, Mr.. Doughtyf"
well, yes. were doing a little something
People don't really know how much we are
doing"
'Wiil you give us few figures regarding
your industry"
"Well. we occ py the entire building OF
five stories, each f)or measuring 6Ox20 feet
| employ a crew # forty workmen and run
four wax thread machines which will turn
off the same amount of work that 40
other men could do. OF tbi. crew are
girls whom I employ to do the stitching and
pad making, operating light machines. We
are turning out now about 600 harnesses q
month. On the second an1 third floors
on the main floor are tine saddle makers and
the packing and shipping is also done here,
and on the two floors below are cutters and
harness makers. We make about half by
machinery and the other half by hand
What are the average prices paid to work
menu
"Well, good harness makers get sI2 and
SIS per week and from that down TO the ap-
prentices who get but 81 or s.. Round
| stitchers get from 81 80 to sI2. / let all the
saddles | have to one man and he hires his
own help. II 10 the same in the other branches
and simplifies the work for me The work
men nearly all work by the piece
"Do you do any retailing or repair work. =
"No. we sell to jobbers only. We have
two customers in tbi. city and others in Bos.
ton, Worcester, Providence, and sell even a.
| far south ss Texas, and west to Kansas
We co1ld place double the number Of har
nesses if we could make them. carry abou,
$1,000 worth Of stock on hand outside OF
harnesses ready for shipment and in process,
Of construction. ! buy all my harness stoci
from Pit,sburg. Pa
How does our State an1 city compare
with other States and cities in this Industry ?
"Our State manufactures more barnesse
than are made in New Hsp pshire and Yer
mont both together and Augusta sends out b,
far the largest per cent Of these. 1t is = biI
industry but there Is lots Of competition arr
harnesses 20 low
"Ai What prices?"
"Well, I make them at all the way fron
ss TO sl2 and SIC and the margin at tbes
prices 10 very small"