Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-03-02
IT IS MATCHES
That Now Interests the Gen.
eraI Public at Gardiner.
Chance to Locate Plant 10 Employ
Between 200 and 800 Hands.
City Only Asked 10 Subscribe $4,000 and
Exempt from Taxation.

Gardincr March 1.-(SpeciaD. A match
factory, employing between goo and $50
hands, may he established III Gardiner be
fore many weeks. T. W. Mead and A. J..
Potter have been in the city since Satur-
day and have met the board of trade The
name of the concern is the Universal
Match Co. and is Incorporated under the
general laws of tho State with 81, 600, 600
capital Of which SIS, 900 is paid in.
This company Will locate here provided
that $50. 600 Will be raised by the citizens
and that an exemption from taxation for
three years be allowed the concern. This
match is something original, being claimed
to be far better character than anything
of the kind manufactured,
\ prominent citizen, who has examined
the plans, in conversation with the Jour
nal, said, Sunday:
Gardiner has chance 10 bring within
her midst business concern which pro
poses TO do a large business in the manu-
facture of parlor matches and which VIII
employ skilled and intelligent workmen
The matter has been freely discussed by
the promoters of the enterprise, Of whom
r. ". Mead of Boston is president, to-
gether with some of the business men and
capitalists of the city.
The name OF this concern is the Uni
versal Match Co, and it is doing business
under the laws of Maine. They, in the
manufacture Of their matches, will EN-
ploy betwten 200 and 300 hands and Will
use from 10, 600, 900 to 1900, 600 feet OF
lumber annually.
"Gardincr. on account of its being so
admirably located, and so near TO the lum-
Der districts which are reached directly by
the konnebec river, is considered by the
promoters one of the best cities in New
England in which to locate their plant
The water power on the Cobbossee stream
IS unsurpassed. The promoters say that
the plant when equipped will cost between
$500 900 and 5000, coo and will produce
daily 100, 900, 600 of matches.
The process by which these matches
are manufactured is a patent process con
nected by some go patents and are owned
entirely by this company. The wood to
be used will be sapiing pine white birch
and poplar, of which there is an abundance
in this vicinity.
Now it rests with Gardiner whether
this industry will locate here, and it
stands every tax payer of the city n hand
TO contribute their mite toward accomp-
fishing this purpose Gardiner has been
asked to subscribe So 600 shares of the
aonlpany's stock, at 81 per share, any per
son not being allowed to purchase less
than 10 shares Now, why cannot every
man, woman and child come right up and
purchase at least one block, remembering
that every share is interest bearing ana
non assessable.
Now, it seems to me that every one
should take hold Of this and nut let this
opportunity slip through their fingers, as
there are many cities that are anxiously
seeking to induce the company to locate
in their midst but Gardiner has the pref
trence. A match is something that is
one of the actual necessities of life.
at is estimated that every one of the
20. 600, 900 people In the United States use
on an average . matches per day, and it
is earnestly hoped that the required $50,
coo will be raised by the citizens. Should
the plant be located here, there will be an
increase of 1000 in the population, thereby
b9nctiting the merchant ard, in fact, every
one in particular.
Messrs. Mead and Porter will leave, to
day, but the board of trade committee will
have the matter under advisement 1t is
said that the committee will make favor
able report on the matter. A mass meet
ing of the citizens may be held, at the
johnson Opera house, some time this
week, at which speeches will be made by
several in favor of having the plant estab-
lished here.