The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-05-09
The Plush Mill Sold for a Live Buyi-
ness.
LOWELL ARMS co. WILL MAKE III
THEIR FACTORY.

Unpromising - Ether Launches and
Power Road Wagons to be Built-NIr
Twombly Associated in the Business.
The PRESS recently stated that the John
P. Lowell Arms company had secured the
refusal Of the plush mill at South Portland
with the object of usi1sg it. if found suit
able for the manufacture of launches and
bicycles, 10 be propelled by the ether motor
which is the invention of Mr.. Willard j.
Twombly of mis- city. and the nature of
which has been fully described in the
PRESS. together with cuts, showing the
application of this new motor to launches
and bicycles.
The John p. Lowell Arms company has
retained this refusal Of the plush mill. de-
spite the statements that it would possibly
be purchased by other parties, and this
morning the PRESS is able TO make the fol-
lowing satisfactory statement to the people
of Portland and South Portland in regard
to the result of meeting. held Tuesday
evening:
The John P. Lowell Arms Company,
Tuesday. completed the negotiations for
the plush mill at Cape Elizabeth to he used
by company to be formed next weeE, OF
which Col. BENZ. S. Lowell. son of John P.
Lowell will be the president, and Mr.. W. /.
Twombly. the inventor of the ether N otor,
will be manager. 1t will be "a stock COM
pany, organized under the Maine law, with
100000 capital. Besides the mill, the pur-
chase includes an acre of adjoining land.
formerly owned, by Mr.. Converse, Boston,
Isaac G. Atkinson's assignee.
They will build large boat house. which
will lie an addition to the mill and work
upon which will begin Immediately.
The manufacture of launches will begin
at once. They expect to employ next win
ter from $50 Ito 200 hands. They will, of
course be skilled laborers and will be Port
land residents if suitable men Gamble found
here.
Mr.. N. A. Jacobs. the veteran boat build
Ell, will probably be in charge of the build
ing of the hulls. In the pure base of the mill
the plush-making machinery-was included
This will be sold at auction. They intend
to buy new machinery for the manufacture
of the launches.
MIR. Twombly will probably go Ito Phila-
delphia about the first of June to purchase
the machinery.
BY one year from the present time it is
expected that carriages and bic jcles pro-
PEELED by the ether motor will be ready for
sale. Negotiations are in progress with Mr..
Henry K. Stickney, the tmachinist, to take
charge of the machine shop. 1t is also pos
sibility, in fact proha Diiity. that the ] ohn
P. Lowell Arms Company. will erect on the
additional land bicycle factory to employ
SEQ men. The town of South Portland ha S
agreed to abate taxes for ten years on the
entire plant. There is also expectation
that Portland will aid the new enterprise in
the expense of the necessary dredging.
Mr. Lowell says that he considers a power
propelled bicycle and carriage a necessity
of the future and feels confident that the
ether motor is the motor TO accomplish
this feat in locomotion. 1t is light. simple
and compact. inexpensive to operate ana
not liable to get out of order.
Mr.. liver johnson, of Fitchbug,
Mass. president and manager of
the Iverl johnson Company. that manu-
actures the Lowell bicycles. told Mr.. Twom-
bly, recently that all his life he had been
watching for motorto propel carriagesand
this ether motor is the only one he has seen
that fulGlls his ideas of what a motor for
that purpose should be.
Mr.. Twombly says that if they had built
mill it couldn't be better suited for their
purpose than is the plush mill. The only
necessary change is the replacing of tn
plush machinery with that for making the
launches etc.
Governor ROBBIE was seen by representa-
tive of the PRESS, and said Eyes, I have
sold the plush mill to the Lowell Arms CON-
any of Boston; and I feel confident that
,,,s1 l.,sx>
greatest benefit to South Portland and Port
land also. 1 have had several offers. but
was anxious not only TO get a good pl ice
for the property, but also to get an industry
established. The prospect for such Il result
seems to me very gratifying. The price
paid by the Lowell Arms company for the
property is fifteen thousand dollars. The
first thing the Lowell Arms company will do
will be to get out the plush machinery and
start in manufacturing launches, road
wagons 10 be F1un by mechanical lower.
etc. But they tell me that there is a pros-
pect within year that they Will enlarge
the plant for the manufacture of bicycles.
and employ as many as five hundred men.
Of course these men will be largely skilled
workmen.of high grade. The Lowell Arms
company are firm very strong financially
and very enterprising. l regard it an ex-
cellent thing that they havo become inter-
sted here"
The people of South Portland and Port
land will agree with Governor Robbie in
this.
This new industry seems to be an assured
fact, and this community is indebted to Mr.
Twombly for it, and TO no one else. not only
did he invent this motor and interest the
necessary financial backing, but he urged
very strongly and successfully that the
mandatory be located here. The Lowell
Arms company had been planning 10 use
an empty Woollep mill in Fall River, that
cost good deal of money to build, and
could be purchased at great bargain. But
Mr.. Twombly persisted in his argument as
to the advantages of Portland and the
deslrability of the plush mill, and finally
succeeded in bringing about the gratifying
purchase of that mill and the good news of
aslarge and important addition TO the man
ufacfuring interests of this community.
bicycling IS yet in it's infancy. 1t is grow
Ing with giant strides. Portland is just as
good place 20 manufacture them in as any
other. and If the ether motor is the success
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