Connecticut western news., 1907-08-15
Crisis has Been Reached in Affairs
 of Canaan Industry
HOUSES ARE IN UNUSUAL DEMAND
Unless Reliable Manufacturing Company Can Obtain Help, Plant Must be Moved-Operators Would Come if They Could Find Houses or Boarding Places.

In last weeks issue THE NEWS told the story of the difficulties the Reliable Manufacturing Company of Canaan IS having because sufficient help cannot be obtained. The publication of the story resulted in few applications for em- ployment but the number is not suffic- iently large to materially improve the conditions and now comes the announce ment that unless the company can obtain the required number of operators in Canaan and the surrounding villages, they will be compelled to move their machinery to some place where plenty of help can be guaranteed.
 And there are number of such places. Each would be glad to obtain the plant and in one instance there are parties who are ready to invest $50, 900 in the busi- ness if the Reliable company will con- sent to locate in their city.
 The company does not wish to move and only as a last resort will removal take place but the fact remains that they cannot afford to stay in Canaan, con- tinue to limit their output to 50 dozen pairs of hose per day and decline orders for 200 dozens per day simply because the help cannot be obtained. It is business where the profit lies chiefly in the volume of goods manufactured and continuing on the present small scale means a loss to the company and pre- vents them from taking advantage of the prestige which the plant has with the trade because of the superior quality of the goods made by it
 Canaan cannot afford to lose this in- dustry. Even in it's present small pro- portions it is of decided advantage to the village and never in the history of the town has there been within it's borders a a plant which had greater promise of a prosperous future. It is an instance where the question of enlargement is not problematicai but on the reverse, immediate expansion would be positively assured were there sufficient employees to make the goods.
 Last week the excess of orders over the production was 20, 900 dozens, to-day it much greater and manager Roberts is compelled to decline orders from some of the foremost dealers in the country,
 In view of the foregoing facts it will be readily seen that it would be suicidal business policy for.the company to re- main in Canaan ifsthey cannot get suffi- help to increase their.output.
 There are several reasons Ewhy this help cannot be obtained,l the foremost being that there is an, extreme scarcity of houses for rental in ..tne village, the greatest in it's history, another is that there is scarcity ofiboarding places for young ladies, third that the train schedule on both railroads is not so arranged that the residents of nearby villages can accept Canaan employment and board at home. And there are Ca- naan women and girls who might accept employment here but who, without iu- vestigation, have classed this plant with other manufacturing concerns where the management does not exert the proper care in the selection of employees.
 A fact that may not be generally known is that this company pays the girls while they are learning the busi- ness The sum::.is sufficient to some what more than coversthe cost of board As the young women become more pro. ficient, the wages are increased and when certain figure is reached, they are placed on piece work and paid what. ever they earn. In several instances the present employees..fnd $9 to BIO in their weekly paylenvelopes.
 As above stated. the plant will be moved from Canaan only as last resort Hoping to relieve the present situation, the company is considering the establish ment of branch factories in other places although results are never as satisfactory by this method as where all parts of the work are done under one roof.
 If the company finally concludes that theirremoval is imperative in order te preserve the business, it means back ward step for Canaan which would be most unfortunate in view of the forward strides made during the past few years particularly last year and the year previous.
 The Board of Trade will in all pro ability, glve this matter consideration