Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-03-20
BIC EXTENSION
To Be Made to Our
Hathaway Shirt Factory.
It VIII Increase Present Capac-
ity BY so Per Cent.
Modern System Of Automatic Fire Sprink|sIs
Also 10 Be Installed.

IN ''NNF' anu one Ot liic IlloSl re-
liable industries i'll Watcrville, as is
well-knoWn. is the Hathaway shirt
factory. NO finished products of the
KIND turned out by its machinery have
markets extending ever such Il large
part of the Union ana no brand OF their
manufacture has been so widely adver-
tfZed upon its own merits as have the
shirts which have been carried away
from its doors; and yet, so quietly and
unostentatously has this work been
going on i'll this city for the past 60
years that none except Il few of the in
dividuals most directly concerned with
the plant, it is quite safe to assume,
have been at all aware of it's economi-
cal significance to the community which
II mas done so much to upbuild or to
tine countryS markets which it has
helped so much to supply.
Not only has it been n special policy
of its management to retain none but
the best class of employees and to make
the best financial profits possible. but
1t las built up reputation for economy
along certain lines which are much neg
lected by other manufacturers. BY
this special reference is made to it's I'M
paralieled fire protection, of which more
will be said later on. The principal
thing of Importance in connection with
this plant just at present is the addi-
ton to its capacity for turning cut
work and it's greater protection from
fire which "a proposed extension % the
plant will signify when the plans have
materialiZed.
A contract has been signed with the
ti,sy,, Of o 4.
city which, when fulfilled. viii have re-
suited in an extention to the north cnd
of the building containing 5000 Squire
feet more area on which to set ma
chinery. This extension is to take the
place Of the only wooden exterior to be
found on the property of the company
which, in due time, as the work pro-
ceedS will be torn down and in the
factory where at present nearly go
skilled hands are enjoying employment.
$50 men and women or onc-half as
many more than 1T the present time are
employed will be found sitting before
the humming wheels. Where Formerly
12cO shirts have been cut and made IN
to garments in one day and been set
onto rolling stock for TRANSPORTATION.
1890 per day will 20 to tn markets; and
the local conditions effected ~ tile in
GuStry "ili i,ecotnr changed for The ct
ter in iiii" prup"ri ulI
Thus, in answer to tie Question of
what tn" principal object or The change
nigh, BE- the foregoing ma! be tol,d-
cred DIS tho sub.tau~c of COL Lcighton's
remarks. viz, more capacity 70! work.
more work ana better and moro
tn"i'uSh ir" ITuics ton. The WORK o.i
the extension would have been s;urtrti
Monday but for the bad WcItn"r.
Although the north end of the factory
is to b. literally torn down. the amount
Of work cone Ut tn" machinery will
not be materially changed or >.aninsll-
81. The wooden part consists. chiefly
Of Z stock st":ac" *pac" and drying
rooms. In order that the interior of
the building will not be affected by the
last spasms of winter, the cute. well
Of the proposed structure will be raised
about the end and, while the basement
is being further cXcavated, the drying
rooms above viii be supported by props
until the work is entirely comrlcted
There is no time limit to the contact
as 1t IS taken for granted that the firm
employed to do the work will CONFLICTS
it as soon as possible. The building Will
probably require two months time to
BE completed, possibly 10 weeks.
Tho extension is to be, in every sensc
but one, an independent structure BY
this is meant that all of the machinery
used for the entire manufacture OF Il
shirt will be duplicated. a separate
wall VIII be erected adjoining the
factory as ii stands at present ana ali
of the constructions of the interior and
exterior will be after the most modern
methods and devices of fire precautions
The north end annex is to be culIipDed
as is the rest OF the factory with auto
matte fire sprinklers, the doors are to
be encased in tin and the four walls are
to be built after the fashion of "frc
walls" The elevator, which, by the
way is an innovation. is to be likewise
fire proof. The machine is to be en-
closed in a fire proof shaft, equipped
with automatic doors which will open
and close automatically with the move
ment upward and downward and are
to be cncaSCd in tin.
The improvements are by no means
to be confined to the foregoing
AS was said. one of the principal
hobbies of the mana cement of this
company is that IL plant wherein are
confined helpless women by the
hundreds should be adequately protect
ed by the best known devices from
fire. To this end the factory is to be
equipped with automatic fire sprinklers
connected with water main similar 10
| those used in the Lockwood and River
view mills of this city When this is
done there will be a system of pipes
running parallel with and below each
ceiling, suspended seven inches from
the plaster each having, at the heads,
perforated spots which will be covered
with thin coverings of soft metal very
| susceptible to change Of temperature.
A fire will have made very little pro-
gress before the temperature has been
| raised to 165 degrees, Fair. but if at
any time this limit is over-reached. the
| metal no longer withstands the pres
sure OF 80 or 100 pounds from the city's
| main and almost simultaneously water