Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-01-06
OUR LOCAL INDUSTRIES
HOW THEY HAVE FARED THE
PAST YEAR
And What They Expect During 1905
A Season of UnexampIed Pros
perity - Prospects Of Increasing
Brattleboro's Industrial Capacity.

/ orat'ieporos InoustriaI Capaclty.
The past year has been one of un
usual prosperity for Brattleboro!
| various industries, taking them as {
whole. and the present outlook seems
to Indicate that the next 10 months
viii see "A continuation of these con-
ditions, Indeed the prospect at the
beginning OF 1905 points toward a
substantial growth in the manufac-
turing activity of this town, and II is
not improbable that the present year
Will see the local industrial situation
IN better shape than would have been
thought possible short time ago.
Between 500 and 1000 persons are
now given employment by the differ
ent manufacturing concerns of the
town. and there is strong likelihood
that this number will be substan-
TALLY increased. Nearly all the fac
tories report that the past year has
been an unusually good one. and
many OF them have been obliged to
run overtime in order TO handle the
business which has come to them.
The overall factories have been
handicapped somewhat by the condi-
lion of the cotton market, but IL Is
expected that the coming yeag will
see an Improvement along this iine
The chances for additions to Brat
tleboros list of manufacturing con-
Germs during the coming year are
bright. As soon as Brink e. Washer
occupy their new Flat street machine
lshop, which will probably be In
about two months. they intend to do
considerable manufacturing in addi-
ton TO the repair work which now
Keeps them busy. The articles which
they are planning to manufacture
are drills pullies and various sorts
of small machinery, as well as other
things which they have contracts to
make for out t-of-town concerns AS
stated in the Reformer last week, me-
gotiations are also pending for the 1
occupancy Of the Brattleboro street I
railway company's Centerville fac
| tory by an industry which is said to |
employ between so and 100 hands.
| Yet another firm which wishes to
locate in Brattleboro is the Hartford
Chair company, story OF whose
proposition is given in full in another
column. II the terms under which
this concern is willing to come here
are accepted by the town there is no
doubt that another large plant will
be erected during the coming summer
near the factory of the Brattleboro
Cabinet company, and the fond
hopes Of many local business men TO
have the Hunt meadow covered with
industrial plants will be in a fair way
toward realization.
The Carpenter Organ company has
been able to do more than an aver
age business during the past year al
though the concern naturally looked {
for n slight decrease from 1908 when 1
the amount of business was the iarg {
est ever transacted. The home trade, |
however, has been kept UP to high Z
water mark figures, the shrinkage /
coming in the foreign trade. This Is j
explainable from the fact that the b
firms largest foreign account is In a
Russia. The duller part of the past /
year with the Carpenter company was {
the first six months, business since b
July l having been very brisk. The 8
company has employed during the
year an average force of 30 hands. q
The factory is closed all this week /
for the usual stock taking and over t
hauling as well as to allow the in L
stallation of some new machinery. a
Present prospects seem TO warrant "
an improvement of business during 2
1905, although 1t is a trife early to c
make any predictions. Ii
Business at the Estey Organ fac
tory during the past year has been S
extremely active. Every department n
has worked full time, and in many Il
departments, particularly the pipe b
organ, the employees have been obliged IL
the rush of orders. The number of II
men employed is about the same as f
in 1903, although the force is slightly \
The company does not plan
any material changes or enlargements 81
for the coming year although Of in
course it is adding more or less to n
he plant all the time. The presen, re
outlook leads the company to antici- II
pate a splendid year and strengthens
t in the belief that Its business Is al
booked for a dong period of strong, N
healthy and conservative prosperity. er
Judging from the healthier and more O.
condition of business kl
throughout the country. N
Thirty-five persons are given en- m
,loyment in the hosiery factory of the gs
Manufacturing company,
md additional help is likely to be of
ldded as soon as space can be secured ar
o accommodate it, The business Of fir
his concern has grown rapidly dur he
ng the past year the factory being NJ,
'perated continually on full time, V,
md the conditions at the beginning ot
# the present year promise an even
arger growth. While childrens
hosiery is the main product arrange
nents have been made lately for the
he new venture has proved exceed mi
ngly successful. The concern has sa
its floor space materially or
uring the past year. but is still in CT
eed of more room. dit
c. B. Lamson's cigar box shop in ge
he Ullery annex is a comparatively fol
mall industry yet the year just
losed has been by far the most
in its history. Extra help
'as necessary to take care of the or fro
ers that accumulated for the holi- no
ay trade, and while business just at Do
resent is a trifle more quiet the out c;,
'ok for the coming year is extreme an
; satisfactory. Six persons are reg M,
larly given employment in the shop. 10,
The high price of cotton has affect pr, pr
] business at the Brattleboro Over "a "a
i company both IN volume and In ty.
rofit the past year. but conditions ;r,,
e improving steadily and the out o.
ok for 1905 is exceedingly bright. "a,
he firm is at present occupying the A.,
hole of the building formerly used sor
7 ]. T. Hildreth as carriage shop
ID is employing about so hands. The
rec is working full time at present
I'd there is no visible decrease in s
e number of orders ahead. Although sen
e schedule of wages for the coming We
ar is slightly in advance of that tha
r the year past the company feels leci
at the demand for union made riai
'ods warrants their acceding to ii. inf
Rockwell G. Sherwin's carriage fac to
nv is not concern whose volume Of pet
siness depends so much upon the mel
ice of raw materials. as much Of Gre
cir product is manufactured to or ces'