St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-12-11
VOL. Tx NO. 3O9S
THE SHOE FACTORY SCHEME.
What the Board OF Trade Have Done and what
the Citizens Propose to DO.

lots Of correspondence and meetings re-
garding the proposed removaIofthe shoe
factory Of Amos T. Stocker from Lynn
to st. Johnsbury and the whole af-
{ ir eliminated in n mass meeting held at
Town Hall last night, when stock
was subscribed Tor the new corporation,
which will probably he called the st.
Johnsbury Shoe Company.
Our r. aders have been kept informed of
the progress o. the scheme and they were
told last week that o. S. Abbott had
been sent ny the Board Of Trade to Lynn
to look up Mr.. Stocker and others and
report at the next meeting, The month
~ meeting Of the Board Of Trade vas
held on Mondayevcning and Mr.. Abbott
presented the following report:
To THE ST. JoHNsBURY BOARD OF TRADE:
My investigation into the affairs Of
Amos +. StocEcr Ol Llnu, Mass. relative
to coming to st John>bury Tor the pur-
pose of manufacturing OF shoes. was very
satisfactory to me find that Mr..
Stockcr has reputation that is unques-
toned among the leading business men
and shoe manufacturers of Lynn, as an
h nest, upright squlre'dealing man and
q good mann turer in his particular
line. SO tar aS | can tind he has not mis-
represented himself or his business to the
people OF this town. find the laiger
part of his machinery in good condition.
| nnH II ~
not up o dare, but are in good Working
order. | am not an expert on those
things. SO will not undertake to explain
to uevery partlcularin rcglrd to them.
As To the value you can see by the
schedule
As | understand from Mr.. Slocker, lie
does not put the machinery in at their
cost or at a Iorced sale value, bur at n
fair valuation tor the manufacturing of
Sh 'es. And III my judgment this IS lair
and husineSs'llkc way to do, as it is to
he common stock.
AS to the capital stock, would sug-
gc>t that it he $50 600.
| interviewed several shoe manulactu-
rer' IN regard to the matter aud they all
say the same. ) art IN q small waV and
work up. especially when YOU have all
, inexperienced worknen. They say It is
not necessary to purchase large lot of
stock i'll advance, especially when the
market is subject to such fluctuations as
at the prt sent time
Increase your business and then in
crease your plant. which is a very easy
thing to do should it prove success.
Should it prove q failure, the stuckh Id
ers would have less to lose. This plant
would have capacity o fifteen cases or
900 pa'rs, per dav, running on tuIl time
with about 100 operatives, divided al a
ratio OF about 60 women to 10 men
Wages of operatives will be according
to their ability to learn the business
As regards the plant of Mr.. Lowell. l
do not Sc how it could he used here in
connection with Mr.. Stockers.
A great part of the machinery would
be use 'esS an idle stock, as they are the
same III the Stocker vi mt.
As regards this man Lovel, Twas not
able 10 find out anything about him that
would he satisfactory H. a business man.
His financial standlug he would not
make any report OF, so con lu led at
once that he is not the man that we are
looking Tor.
You will see by the schedule that he has
a large lot of merchandise and stock on
hand, and at prices that are vrry much
in exc SIS OF he market odav. | lhlnk it
enlrey useless to spend any tune AMI
mou,y ON Mr. Lowell am satisfied
that with good m mag mrut a small
shoe Industry would he prrlirab Z to lhe
st"ckho'd 'derS and give employment to
our people who are looking tot work.
On motion OF Capt. Z. L. Hovey it was
voted that Mr. Stocker be invited to
come to st. Iohnsbury on Tuesday and
efforts be made to draw up an agreement
between the Board OF Trade and MIR.
Stocker looking to the establishment OF
the shoe factory here. The meeting then
adjourned until Tuesday night, awailiog
MIR. Stocker's arrival.
On Tuesday afternoon special town
meeting WAS h, Id to vote on the cxcmp
ton ot taxes for ten years of any shoe
factory that might he located in town
within the year. Over 500 voters attend
ed the meeting and resolution iutro
duced by George II. Cross to adup tn,
article and exempt any shoe factory wa.
adopted unanimously. The meeting ad
journed with much enthusiasm manifest
ed TOR the new enterprise.
On Tuesday evening there was a goot
Attendance at the Board OF Trade room
aud Mr.. Stotker was present He toIC
, thcrl what he wanted to do, why h
wanted TO remove from Lynn and VIVA
the prospects Tor success were in St. Iohns
bury.
1 The Board OF Trade dr,c ctorS met wit
Mr., Slocker twice on Wednesday and o
. Wednesday evening an agreement wa
, drawn up that was satisfactory TO a
: parties interested and signed both b
MIR, Stocker and the ofiic rs OF the Boa,
; OF Trade. The agreement provides tina
{ Mr.. Stockcr VIII put in his plant at a
; appraisal and take stock as comprnSi
II ton. The new company will be MAJ
=. aged by Mr.. Stocker aud the rest OF tt
,. capital stock beyond the value of tt
?. plant is to be subscribed for by the cit
: zens OF st. Johnsbury. Thycapital OF Il
70 new company is to be $50, 900 divide
j. into shares OF $25 each.
President Matklnnon presided at Il
Z mass meCl inc nt he rnvyn Iull Ia