Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-06-09
OUR INDUSTRIES.
The Manufacturing and Publishing Plants
That Promote Augustus Welfare.
The Large and Varied Industries Where It's C,r+ R,.
and Muscle Are Employed

For a city of its size Augusta has a
nu,uper of large and varied induStri S
MS manufacturing and PUBLISHING m
,atpsts contribute largely TO its welfare.
and are industries of which the city is
mstly proud. Augusta has ever be n
remarkably fortunate IN the public
s,,rIt ana enterprise of its Leading
men. and for the most part they have
invested their capital at home. 1t
would be of much historic interest to
trace the growth of industrial Augusta
and note the changes and develop
meuts that have taken pace since
CAPTAIN Howard built his little saw mill
on RIGGS brook in 1863, but IN this a =
1icle 1t is only possible to glance at
some of Augusta's leading industries
OF the present day.
The building of the dam in 1887, as
narrated elsewhere, was the beg inning
of the city's industrial prosperity,
though this venture was financial
failure for its promoters. Today the
great mills at both its ends show that
their sacrifice has borne it's fruits in
after wears To the genius of h. c..
Allen. three ltCdutS dSo, 10 uuC thS
enormous publishing business that h S
done SO much for the fame and ad-
vancement of the city. This wonderful
man. Americas greatest publisher.
now sleeps in Forest Grove and his
stately publishing houses are devoted
to other uses, but other great publish
ing houses have sprung up and the
work begun by f. c. Allen lives on.
EDWARDS MANUFACTURING COM
PANY.
Augustus largest industry is the
great plant of the Edwards Manufac-
turing Company at the west end of the
dam. Here there has been cotton
mill since 1915, but the establishment
was not of great Importance until the
mill and dam property was purchased
in 1861 by the Spragues who We're eX-
tensively helped by the city. They
built another large mill building, in
creased the capacity of the factory
from 10000 to $4,000 spindles, securely
replaced the part of the dam washed
away in 1870. and made numerous other
Improvements. In 1873 the Spragues
failed and the mills We're operated I'M
der a board of trustees until 1882, when
the property was sold to the Edwards
Manufacturing Company.
For the past Is years this company
has operated the mills without a stop,
except occasionally a few days in spring
from high water. During the past few
years of business depression when so
many mills everywhere have been shut
down, the Augusta mills have run on
full time with no decrease in the num-
Der of employees. The city has been
signally fortunate in the good manage
ment of the mills that has made this
prosperity a possibility. Moreover
labor troubles have been unknown here
and the relations of employer and en-
ploye have always been most harmO-
NOUS
The Edwards Company has add, d
three large mill buildings, making the
factory now consist of five distinct
mills, all connected and operated to
their full extent. They run now 100000
splhdles. and the capacity of the mills
ls36,o00 600 yards of print cloth and light
Sheeting. annually. The employees num-
Der 1880 of whom about two-thirds are
French, and nearly all of whom occu-
Ply houses owned by the company. The
pay roll of the company is $4,000 per
month.
The directors of the company are
Jacob Edwards, Dexter N. Richards,
Orlando H. Afford, Isaac Fenno, Will
IAN Endicott. j. Manchester Haynes.
and Joseph II. Marley. Mr.. Richai DIS
is president Mr.. Edwards, treasurer
and Nathaniel w. Cole, agent. Mr..
Cole has been connected with these
mills i3 years. having come here from
NeWburyport, Mass. at the age of 20
years to become an OVerSeer in one Of
the rooms. He has held his present
position at the head of the mills many
years. and deserves a great part of the
credit for the success of the company.
The mills employ water power equal
TO 900 horse power, which is almost
hall the water power supplied by the