The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1897-04-15
Legro and SpaIding Shoe Company.
Its History, the Success thus far Attained. and
Its Bright Prospects fer the Future.

The conditions under which the shoe
manufacturing business of the Legro &
Spalding Shoe Company was established in
Belfast, the building and power plant hav-
ing been furnished by about one hundred of
our business men; the provision for exemp-
tion from taxes of the real estate and active
business having been endorsed by about
nine hundred voters out of total of 1880
voters on the check list; and large part of
the stock of the company having been taken
and now held by our citizens, there is no i'm
proprlety but, rather, manifest propriety
IN giving to all the above enumerated inter-
ested citizens, and to the public in general,
the facts in its history thus far and a propbe-
cy from an inside point of view as TO its
future. The propriety of this public exposi-
ton becomes a pleasure when it can be
shown, as 1 hope to herein, that this COM
pany has gone safe and sure to its present
attalnments. and appears to have such a
bright prospect for its future.
The managers and principal common stock
holders in this company, Arthur P. Legro
and Geo. F. Spalding, had for some years
before coming to Belfast manufactured
ladies' shoes in Lynn, Mass, under the firm
name OF Legro & Spalding, Mr., John j.
Lenox OF Lynn being special partner. The
shoes they manufactured there were higher
priced and of finer grade than this COM
pany is manufacturing here; so that it has
been necessary since starting here to go
through all the processes and experiences
necessary and uSual in int
line OF goods, having only the benefit of
their acquaintance with the trade and its re-
quirements as we'll as knowledge of how
to get up the shoes as to style, quality and
COST Starting so late in the fall 1885 as
they did, it could not have been expected BY
any one who is acquainted with the customs
of the trade that they would receive many
orders for the "Spring run" or "sale" 1t
was desirable that they should not.
One object which they had in locating
here, and which the citizens of Belfast had
in inducing them to do so, was that they
might employ local labor. Consequently
they brought with them only heads of de-
partments, and took for their employees men
and women who for the most part knew alb
solutely nothing about the work in which
they were to engage, even to the Office help
Under these conditions there was no safe
course but to start slowly and and be con-
tent to go slowly for many months while
their help were acquiring the knowlege and
skill necessary to make that fine finished
and attractive shoe which would make to it.
self friends wherever introduced. In order
to "break their help in'' with the least loss
in material or customers, they put into the
works at first large quantity of "unorder-
ed" work. This work sold slowly and so
tied up large per cent. of their carital.
But recently it has all been sold at safe
prices Starting in this way, and slowly,
they have been able to give personal atten-
tion to each workman and to all the details,
and have even surprised themselves and their
most sanguine friends by the high quality of
work produced
After getting the work where they felt
it would not disappont their Gus
toners, but would win the duplicate orders.
they organized an efficient corps of sales
men and 'pitched in" to the work of secur-
ing orders, They sell to the jobbing rade I
regard the success they have had thus far in
placing samples as above the average for a
new house. (The new line they are manu-
featuring makes them practically a new
house.) They have sold samples or cases to
from IS to 100 shoe houses, most of them be-
ing among the largest and best houses in
the trade The samples have mostly been
received by their customers and they are
generally we'll pleased with them. Many
orders have been received from these sam
pies already, and not few duplicates, but
1t is too early as yet to expect the bulk of
fall QS90 orders They are usually given
from May 1st to July 1st.
Taking all these facts into consideration,
think it will be granted by all who are ac-
quainted with starting new shoe manu-
featuring business in d new place, and with
uneducated help, that they have pursued
the only safe course in "going slow" that
they have had fine success in attaining their
present position, of above the average
workmanship; that they have been more
than usually successful in introducing their
samples and 'laying their lines' for pros
porous and full "fall sale.''
A man asked me few days since, if this
company was getting fixed "solid'' | ex-
planned as above and told him thought he
had used just the right word. They are on
a solid foundation (best of manufacturing
plant and machinery and have erected a
solid superstructure, (clean. intelligent, will
ling and proficient workmen, desirable
grade of shoes and an efficient corps of sales
men) and have every prospect of obtaini ng
in the near future (within two months) as
much business as it will be prudent for them
to have, until they can "break in' more
workmen. Their pay roll at present is about
$500 per week, making it now the second
largest in the city.
Some impatience has been expressed by
few unthinking citizens, that this manu-
business in which we We're all in
terested and from which we all expected,
and still confidently expect, so much, has
not up to this time done larger business so
as to employ more labor and have a larger
pay roll, and "kick up more dust" 1t has
been only the unthinking who have thus
criticised. Those who realized the essential
element of success were aware that the com
pany was doing all it ought to under the
and as a result we find they
are now solid. 1t is but justice to the mana