Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-10-22

| was hlled, yesterday, the organization
papers of the Rhode Island and Alaska
Gold Mining Company organized at
Kittery, with capital stock of $500, 900
| of which $50 has been paid in The
officers of the corporation are: Abram
c. Montfort Of Pawtucket r. l., presi-
dent and treasurer.
The" Journal has Hon. S. w. Mat
| thews to thank fol. a copy of the pro-
ceedings of the 18th annual convention
of the national associations of officials
of bureaus of labor statistics in this
country. 1t is compilation of value
and interest. It'c6ntains among other
| important matter reports from tn.
| heads of bureaus of states and among
such we find the following from our
labor commissioner, Mr.. Matthew's:
Maine.-Mr. Matthew's: Mr. Pres-
dent and gentlemen: My report on
the current work of our bureau in
Maine will necessarily be brief from
the fact that our report is issued at the
close of each calendar year and has not
been entirely formulated. Therefore l
have not fully organized for the cur
rent work of the year, although 1 have
made some plans and arrangements in
that direction. In the first place, l
shall continue the work of investigat-
ing the manufactures of the State on
the same lines pursued last year. Last
year made personal investigation in
some of our more important manufac-
turing toWnS-LeWiston, Portland,
Waterville, etc,-and went into the
facts quite fully. This year 1 propose
to take up other towns. 1 find that
with the limited means at my COM
mand I can do better and more thor
|sOugh and more satisfactory work by
restricting the field of my investiga-
tions instead of attempting to spread
all over the State. Four years ago l
took up as a special investigation &
branch of industry that brings into the
State from beyond it's borders large
amount of money That investigation
related to the summer resorts and fish,
ing and game interests of the State.
and it may surprise some of these
younger brethren to learn that the in
vestigation shows that the little, down
east State of Maine has received over
| SIC, 900, 900, which has been brought into
! the State from beyond it's borders
| through it's summer resorts and its
| fishing and game interests. Our people
were surprised by the results of the
| investigation, as some of you may be.
The proprietors of the summer hotels
became greatly interested in the inves-
tigation, and they made very full re-
| turns as to the number of their guests
| from outside the State, the amount OF
money they received from such guests,
and other facts connected with the
subject, for they recognized that it
would prove a good means of adver-
tising their business. ] propose to
take up this inquiry again this year.
I shall not go into it as fully as 1 dld
four years ago, because it is impossi-
BILE for me to do SO; but l propose TO
secure sufficiene returns to show the
present condition of the summer resort
industry. The immediate effect OF our
former report on this subject was an
increase of the appropriation Tor the
fish and game interests from $5OoO to
| S25. 900 per annum, and it has been
maintained ever since at the latter fig
ure. We have fish commissioners and
game wardens, whose sole duty is to
protect the fish and game of the State.
Last year the number of deer Killed
during the open season, as SHOWN by
the returns from the railroads. exceed
ed 5000, and other game. including car
ibou, moose, etc, is very abundant,
So, taking it all in all, Maine has be-
come a great summer and sporting re-
sort. We sell our water by the cubic
foot and we supply healthy air and
beautiful scenery to all corners.
1 would state that the municipal
ownership of water works, gas works.
and electric light plants is not very