The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-12-25
THE SEAL PLUSH MILL.
An Interesting Meeting Of Gentlemen
Yesterday.
M'KINLEY BILL MAKES ENGLISH
INDUSTRY MIGRATE.


doubtedIy Make 1t Go-Prominent
Portland Capitalists Meet With Him
The Bradford Plush Business Must Mi
CRATE and Some of 1t May Come Here.
A meeting in the interest of the seal silk
plush mill was held yesterday afternoon at
Room 30, First National Bank Building.
First in order was the reading of notices
explaining the object of the meeting as the
choice of location between Portland and
South Portland. Among those present
were: Messrs. c. #. Libby, George P.
Wescott, Frederick Robe. Philip ii.
Brown, General j. M. Brown, Elias Thorn
as, Captain Charles FL. Chase. A. Little,
Captain Boyd Of South Portland, Spencer
Rogers, l. c.. Atkinson. Captain Horace
Davis and Walter Ackroyd of Bradford,
England, an expert in the plush business.
Governor Robbie was called to the chair
and opened the meeting by calling upon
Mr.. Isaac G. Atkinson.
Mr.. Atkinson said: A
81 have been looking about the city for
several years for suitable site for the es-
Establishment of this mandatory and have
decided that this place presents advan-
tages, as the nearness to tidewater, etc,
and also nearness to the city that. no other
place does. l have secured the land and
am prepared now to deed it gratis to the
company. My offer includes lot 400 feet
long by 200 wide, and 300 yards from tide
water. / will also give, am in fact under
contract to furnish, 5000 yards of building
stone for the foundation, and have ar
ranged for wharf suitable for vessels of
1000 tons to lie by to discharge their car
goes"
Mr.. Atkinson then spoke at length of his
firm belief in the remunerative nature of
the plush industry and the certainty of a
full return to the investors. He said
further: II am willing to f0reg0 the bene-
fit that might derive from my work and
investigations In the plush business, and If
it can be shown that any public spirited
citizen will make an offer that shall be
considered by the investors as good as this
one OF mine. In the city proper. l shall go
in with both hands, shall furnish full in
formation on the subject and shall SUBJ
scribe as much capital. namely $4,000 on
my own account, and $4,000 of outside
capital thatlI have secured. as if it were
my own Offer"
Mr.. Atkinson spoke at length of the
nearness Of the proposed tract on the Cape
to Portland, and the fact that 1t would be
tributary to the city, and closed with an
appear w IAo pIUJcCbuIS VI bub ptuSu Hills
to leave him out of the management, other
than as deeply interested stcokholder.
After Mr.. Atkinson's remarks Mr.. P. II.
Brown asked as to the amount of stock
subscribed. Mr.. Atkinson replied that al
Though he had no stock lists filled out, yet
he had on memoranda about $4,000 SUBJ
scribed.
Question was then asked as to what eff
feet removal Of present tariff on seal
pushes would have on such an industry.
In reply it was stated that silk seal plush
would always be in use by those not af-
fording seal skins. And it was thought
that the manufacture would always be re-
muneratlve on this side of the water If
once established. There are but two import
ant mills in America now making silk seal
pushes, one in Utica, N. Y, and the other
in Bridgeport. CT. The mill at Sanford,
Me-, does not make silk seal pushes. The
Mckinley bill has ruined the silk seal
plush industry In England; and the Brad
ford manufacturers are getting ready to
come to the United States.
Mr.. Ackroyd was then questioned as to
the manufacture. He explained that he
had had entire management of the mills at
Bradford. With him had come Ian expert
dyer and fnisher. This skilled labor is
absolutely Indispensable, and several fac
tories started here have failed on account
of lack of proper dying and finishing.
Mr.. Mitchell, the Bradford expert here,
Is possessed of the secret whereby Walker
d Co., the great plush makers of England,
give their goods its lasting color.
Mr.. Wescott read the terms upon which
stock was to be subscribed; and suggested
that clause be inserted that If any Port
land offer equal to that of Mr.. Atkinson's
should be made the stockholders might
make choice of location.
Mr.. Wescott said he had had some ex-
perience with this manufacture; and al
though some In the meeting had thought of
using buildings already erected he could
assure them that structure should be
specially built; that the foundation should
be CT stone with no cellar, as any vibration
of the floors would interfere with the per-
feet working of the looms.
IL was thought that if the stock should
be subscribed for the in coming week, and
the company organized, the treasurer and
Mr.. Ackroyd could at once proceed to Eng
land to purchase machinery. and that with
in four months the fabric might be on the
market for sale.
The entire stock will have to be 100000.
of which Mr.. Atkinson said he had mem
oranda of about $4,000.
l
Christmas Trees at the Gospel Mission.
Last evening the annual Christmas tree
festival was observed at the Gospel Mis-
sion. The large hall was decorated to rep