The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-11-19
MAINE TOWNS.
The Grey Wolf stiII:.Iat Large in
oxford.
Interesting Review of the Corn Cam
ming Industry.
High links of the Order of the Great
Tin Spoon at Yarmouth.
Gray.

PERSONAL NOTES.
Mr.. Elmer Osgood is putting In founda
ton for house.
Miss Harriet Weeks has placed an orna
mental iron fence around her.premises.
Messrs. Freeman, Rice g. Co, are putting
up wafer l"zenge which is a sure remedy
for coughs and throat troubles. They have
many unsolicited testimonials from promi
nent business med.
Mr. Walter Leighton has completed his
mouse and it is now occupied by his family
MIR. Andrew johnson, formerly OF West
Gray, is visiting his friends here Mr.. John
| son is employed by one of the Amesbury
| carriage factories as drughtsman.
Mrs. Oscar Brown of Hopkinton, Mass,
| and Miss Ab5ie Libby of Portland. have
been visiting Mrs. b. F. Skillings.
Mr.. B. +. Skillings recently lest one of his
best cows. The tie chain got twisted around
her neck and choked to death.
Mr. Charles Merrill is employed by Free
man, Rice q Co., soliciting orders for their
cough waters. He Is selling lots of them be-
cause they have merit.
Several members of Sloan Lodge, l. o.
y. f., visited Golden Rule Lodge OF Lewis
ton, FRIDAY evening, the 14th inst, to wit
ness the working Of their degree team. At
Yer the ceremonies they were treated to a
nine supper. The visitors are very much
pleased with the degree team. and the cour-
tesy paid them by the lodge.
Rev. e. Bean addressed the scholars Of
pennell Institute on the 18th inst. Subject:
Natural History"
Miss Annie Lee Bean, a graduate of PEN
nell Institute, recently won the prize for
destinations at Bates College, over 80 COM
petitors.
The scholars of Pennel Institute held a
sociable at the Town Hall Saturday evening,
the 10th inst.
census enumeration. We trust he will be APP
pointed as he is worthy Republican.
DRY MILLS.
G. E. Libby is putting in a new water
wheel at his upper mill with other necessary
repairs. t
Saturday morning the thermometer regis
tered 20 above zero.
Charles Thompson has moved into the
Granville Edwards house. Albert Morrill,
moved into the house that he vacated.
The +: W: B. Circle will meet with Mrs.
yember 81. All are cordially invited.
Joseph H. Shaw is at home from Philadel-
phia to spend the winter. He is in very
poor health.
THE CORN PACKING INDUSTRY.
To the Editor of the Press:
Messrs II. F. Webb & Co. have packed
here this season 175, 900 cans of corn. For
this they have paid $4,000; for labor, $1,000 I;
for cases, $1,000 The number of acres of
corn used are 80, and the average per acre
realized by the farmer is $3S.S889. They
have shipped nearly two-thirds of this pack,
and the balance will follow Immediately.
The farmers think that packers reap an i'm
mense profit, and that they get small returns
for growing the corn. Consider the loss this
firm 4, fs.l1
$500 to $1,000, and the loss from this source
occurs yearly to a greater or less extent.
Then the loss from corn of an inferior quail
ty, which in many cases is caused from not
picking when ordered. For an illustration
how the margins are reduced to the packers
extensively carried on. There they pay one
cent per can for corn and the packers get
their cans for 81 per thousand less than iu
Maine. In New York State it is said they
put up corn that Is nearly if not quite as
good quality as our Maine corn. They pay
there II cents per can for the corn. Here
the farmers received 81 cents per can. In
Hartford county, Maryland, which at one
time was considered the fountain heal OF the
corn packing business, In 1873 there were
thirty-on firms that packed BOO cases, or
7,l92, 800 cans In 'S9 there were Is firms that
put up 1920 cases, or 100000 cans Why
this discontinuance of thirteen firms and
such large reduction in the number of cases
packed by the remaining eighteen firms, il
there is the immense profit which some think
In the business. Can we afford here in Gray
to lose this yearly disbursement of seven to
ten Thousand dollars. think everybody
says no. What must be done? This firm
must have the hearty cooperation of the
community, and especially the farmers,
| They must subscribe all the corn asked for
| and pick 1t at the time ordered The latter
must be done order for the firm to get their
fancy brands, which bring fancy prices, and
the last will enable the firm to pay the farmer
| well for his production m
t-Mr. N. G. Cummings, the member of the
| firm who has charge of the business here,
has been tried in the balance the past three
| seasons and has proven himself to be a gen.
tlemanly and thorough business man. Why
| not encourage him to double his business
above.
CHAs. H. DOUGHTY, JR.
| Gray. November IS.