Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-12
JOHNSON BROS.
Their HalfoweI! Shoe Factory Will
Soon Be Enlarged.
Two Bright Active Young Men Of Experience
In The Business.

Business enterprise, continued patience,
close application, and sharp eye to
details, have been characteristics of
the success attained in shoe manufacturing
by johnson Bros. Of Hallowell. They are
still young men and are surely under way al
present to develop much greater business
than they have worked up in the past seven
years. They we're born in Appleton, 80
miles east from Augusta, aud worked for
several years on farm.
When young men they had fancy for
the shoe business, and left Maine for Mas
sacbusetts. At Lynn positions were Sc
cured in large shoe factory, and they be-
gan their career in the business for which
they have since developed liking amount
ing almost to fascination. Here Is years
was passed, during which time they be.
came familiar with the, manufacturing
of shoes. In 1887 there enterprise had in
creased to the extent that they bought out
their employers. The prospect of dollar
in the shoe Industry in Maine looked bright
4
to them and after conducting the business
in Lynn short time they began in Halo
well on small scale, increasing it gradual
ly into an industry of which the city feels
proud.
Now the plant will be enlarged about one
quarter more than double the present ca
paciiy. At present l75 hands are employed
and the force will be enlarged in proportion
to the plant. The present quarters consist
of four story building, counting the base
ment. The addition will give front of
175 feet, from Second street to the Maine
Central Railroad depot. The addition will
be four stories, counting the basement.
The work of tearing down the old brick
buildings has begun.
The new additions will be completed by
September, and before, if the firm dee ms it
advisable to rush it. The steam power
will also be enlarged or arrangements will
be effected to have electrical power to
drive the machinery. When the two addi-
building will be taken down and the rooms
or flats will be all in one, thus affording a
greater convenience.
Possibly a few remarks regarding the
present quarters might serve to interest,
and convey an idea of what the enlargement
will mean. The leather is procured from
New York, Philadelphia and Boston, chiefly
from the latter place, it being the great
leather center of New England. The small
wares and findings come chiefly from Lynn.
The raw material passes through 1.-THE various
departments, four in all, till it is made into
shoes. y
The daily make is 20 cases, 60 pair lots.
From 60 to 20 girls are employed in the
stitching rooms. The building is heated
by hot air by Boston hot air blower. 1t
is machine somewhat similar to a large
boiler and inside is $500 feet of pipe. A
two horse power engine drives it. and inside
at one end, is a large fan, the rapid revo-
lutions of which force the heated air
through pipes to heat the departments.
The cases in which the shoes are packed
for shipment are made in Augusta by j. M.
Glidden. They hold from IL to 60 pairs.
The firm is composed of w. c. and X.
M. johnson. w. G. johnson makes two
trips a year to California, covering $4,000
miles. Two-.hirds of the intermediate time
is spent in Boston, New York, Philadelphia,
Pittsburg. Chicago and st. Louis. His Wis
it's to these places are in the interests of the
shoe business. Their business has increased
to Ave times its size, since they started in
1887. They will have ample means for a
large business when the new plant is COM
pleted. Finances do not hamper them a
particle. They own the plant out and out.
All the hands are young workers and
Mr.. johnson says, at is the young men
and women who do the shoe business Of the
country" All the hands labor 10 hours a
day and work by the piece. Hallowell has
reason to rejoice that this industry will be
enlarged and therefore be still greater. a
benefit to the city. s