The Portland daily press., 1889-05-02
ONE WAY TO USE MONEY WELL.
How Freeport Came TO be a Lively,
Busy Town.
Eighty Four Acres OF Land were
Quietly Bought.
And the Industries Began 70 spring
Up for the Benefit OF All.
Correspondence of the PREss.l


FREEPoRT, Me-, May 1. 1889.
There Is not In the whole State Of Maine a
more energetic reminder that some man has
used his wealth with wise philanthropy than
this very busy village of Freeport Four or
Eve years ago FreepOrt was as sleepy place
as could be found within the borders OF
Maine. Once there was shipbuilding here.
and In Freeport ships the old citizens OF the
| town brought home wealth that purchased
ease. But with the decline OF shipbuilding
Freeport became each year more quiet, as the
men who were once active grew older and the
young people sought other places where op-
portunities for earning living were greater.
SO 1t came about that some were calling Free
port a dead place" four or five years ago
when one Of its young men suddenly became
heir to large fortune Of halfa million dol
lars or more.
OF Mr. L. B. Mallet, Jr.. everyone In Maine
has heard. and stories Of his great wealth
and the suddenness Of its coming to him have
been told often. and perhaps with all the en-
bellishments that the facts Of the case war
rant. Mr.. Mallet, young man In modest
circumstances, inherited from an Uncle In
New York a large fortune; this Is the whole
OF the story as far as the acquisition OF the
he has used the wealth so inherited Is a story
Of practical philanthropy that should not be
left untold. There are two ways in which a
man may look upon that which stands In his
name. He may regard himself as the sole
proprietor and devote the possession TO his
own qualification; or he may regard himself
as the trustee OF property that should be
used for the benefit Of those about him. A
glance at Freeport will show at once what
course Mr.. Mallet adopted. For a time after
he inherited his property. Mr.. Mallet gave no
Indication OF his plans for using it. Those
who knew him then say he was In doubt and
no little troubled. Troups Of friends. no
less devoted because they were very new,
and some Of them likewise very solictous
that he should have the advantage Of their
skill In handling his property-added not a
little TO his perplexltles. and increased the
temptation. natural to every man In similar
circumstances, to use the wealth TO crafty
personal ambition and vanity. Then there
| were many sensible people who did not take
the trouble 10 be out OF his hearing before
they shook their heads and gravely prophe-
| sled that so much money would turn his
head" and he would probably 'be well rid Of
| IL sooR."
1t was some time before Mr.. Mallet got be-
| yond his doubts; but he finally came 10 a de-
| termination, and one morning In 1886 the
| people Of Freeport rubbed their eyes when
| they heard that he had bought elghty-four
| acres OF land right In the heart Of Freeport
| village. There were many speculations why
4 uC ouOulU WANT 50 ldnUs lie WtuLEu
because he had planned TO use his money In
such way as to make Freeport one Of the
busiest villages In Cumberland county.
Not long after that 1t was announced that
Mr.; Mallet Intended TO put up a shoe factory
and soon large building 130xf0 and three
stories high, was built AMI leased for ten
years to the Portland firm Of Shaw, GOding
& Co. The factory afforded employment 20
one hundred and forty people, and brought
large and desirable amount Of money into
circulation In the sleepy old town.
While looking for foundation stones for
the shoe factory Mr.. Mallet's workmen went
to Torrey's hill, high eminence east Of the
boulder around which the Children IIa 81 ~Iss The
village had played for years. Then 10 was
discovered that there was more granite In
the HILL and Mr.. Mallet bought It. At the
time he bought 1t he did not realize the ex-
tent Of the supply; but as he has worked IL
he has developed one Of the finest granite
quarries In the State. He Is now working
five large derricks and employs thirty men
quarrying. The granite lies In a solid mass
under the thin soil of the hill, and exists In
quantities that will last for years Of
Quarrying.
At first the stone was used for foundations
paving stone and rough work; but 1t was
soon found TO be Of so excellent quality that
shops were erected, and fine work on mOnu-
ments was begun. Today fourteen men are
at work cutting and polishing granite in an
admirably arranged granite snOp, tnrninS
Here Is then, a granite industry established
BY Mr.. Mallet that gives employment to
forty-four men.
At the same time the granite was dis
covered the want Of brick was felt and
there being an abundance Of clay handy,
Mr.. Mallet established brick yard, at
which over half million bricks were made
last year. Soon after the shoe factory was
built, Mr.. Mallet built grist mill to accom-
modate the people who had been obliged 10
go to Brunswick, Yarmouth or Lewiston for
their supplies This grist mill, with q grain
shed since added has now become the busy
distributing point Of the breadstuffs and feed
used In all the region around.
Soon after.the grlst mill was built a saw
mill was put up TO utilize the timber, Of
which there was an abundance around Free
port. The first year the mill sawed 400 NJ
feet, the next year 500 M and this year will
A coal shed with a capacity Of two
thousand tons, from which the people Of the
region get their coal with the advantages Of
the lowest rates. completes the establish
ments Of Industries, which MIR. Mallet Is
carrying forward under his own eye. At the
| present time he Is carrying on his pay roll
| seventy-fve men. and this summer he will
| be employing not far, from a hundred. 10
| shelter his men he has built sevenIsinglc and
| 1--WE double houses, all well situated aud Of
| tasteful design; and by the.buslness he has
| done has put others In the way Of building
houses until 1t has come to be considered
going up In Freeport
In all there are from two TO three hundred
men employed in Free port, either directly by
Mr.. Mallet or In industries that he has en-
couraged to come to the place. The extent
Of his own business may be judged from the
fact that he pays one-eighth Of the entire
tax OF the town Of Freeport
Mr.. Malet's business Is managed from a
fine office building that he has erected with
granite from his own quarry, bricks from
bis own kiln and lumber from his own mill
The Office Is well fitted up, with all con
venences for the use Of the best methods in
the despatch OF business, and Is under the
charge Of Mr.. K. L. Pinkham, Mr.. Mallets
confidential and capable assistant.
There are much larger business enter
prises conducted In many places In Maine
than those conducted from these Offices In
Freep0rt; but those enterprises are few that
are managed In the same spirit, for the sans
purpose, and under the same conditions.
Mr. Mallet Will tell you that he went into
business to build np FreepOrt. and he points
out to the visitor with the greatest pride the
| evidences that he Is succeeding In this. the
busy workingmen, the new houses going up,
| the him of machinery and the sound Of
| many hammers. He will tell you, and every
thing Is confrmatory Of IL that the plan on
/ which the business Is managed Is not 20
/ make the greatest possible profits, but 20
| furnish the greatest amount Of work and
| advantage to the people Of the town con
| sistent with balance sheet that shall show
a sufficient profit to ensure che continuation
| Of the business.
| Here Is an instance Of the use OF Inherited
| wealth with wise philanthropy that might
| not have been expected Of a young man OF
| modest means and little experience with
| wealth That the Industries established In
so worthy an undertaking may have a sue
cessful continuation, is the wish Of everyone
In Freeport.
II