Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-01-09
10Th Annual Report Of
s. ". Matthews.
New Factories and Mills Of
1906 Cost Three Millions.
State Has 2t5 Labor Unions With
l4,772 Members.

commissioner of Industrial ard Labor
Statistics has submitted the Goth an
lual report of that department to the
lGoEernor and Council. Appended to
this report is that of George F. Morri-
son of Biddeford. Inspector of
Factories, Workshops, Mines and
IQuarrics.
The report of Mr. Matthews depart
ment is very complete and full OF
valuable data and statistics. and one OF
the best ever issued by the department.
1t is the last report which Mr..
Matthews will issue over his siSna-
ture az he has declined to be candi-
date foc rc-appointment.
The twentieth annual report of the
Bureau of Labor includes the invest,-
cations made during the year 1906.
The field of labor is broad one. TO
obtain full statistical details ating
to all departments of labor in the
State" requires much larger means
and more extensive machinery thar
are provided for the use of the Bureau.
Believing that the most important
object Of this Bureau is to ascertain
the conditions of the wage-worl:ers
the Commissioner has continued his
work of Investigating the Trade Unions,
obtaining from them information on
many subjects of public interest md
concern II is gratifying to know that
the work heretofore done in this line
has met with appreciation and general
satisfaction on the part of leading
members of labor organiZa lions, who
have universally urged continuance
of this branch of work The genera!
Information resulting from this in
lvestigation may be briefly summarized
as follows: Number of local organiZa-
tons in 81 cities. towns and planta-
tons, 2lo. varying from l to 81 unions
III Il town. Fourteen unions known to
exist have failed to report. and )
lothcrs which have sent in returns, fail
led to report their membership. This
leaves 1856 unions reporting member
ship amounting to 14.172. Last year
we found PIP unions in the State OF
(which number 1874 reported member
lship Of 1898. This shows a gain of
l3 unions and Il gain in indicated MEM
ibership of ga. Twenty-sevcn new
unions not shown last year have sent
in returns and "a arc reported dis
banded within the year.
The relations of labor and capital
have generally been amcable and
satisfactory. The few labor difficulties
which are reported have been Of brief
duration and have been adjusted with
tout serious effect in the field of
Industry and enterprise. The APP
prentice System has received atten-
ton and it is found that but little in
the way of practical results has been
accomplished.
Among the more important indus
tries of the State is that of the manu-
facture Of pulp and PAPER. This in
dustry has had marked growth with
in the past few years until it has at
tanned the leading place in the list Of
manufacturing industries in the State.
In connection with this report we
publish an interesting paper entitled
History Of Papermaking in Maine,
land the Future of the Industry" by
Hugh J. Chisholm, president of the
international Paper Company, AMI
Ianothcr valuable paper on the process
of Manufacturing Chemical Pulp ard
Paper" by Daniel McMaster, general
manager Of the oxford Paper COM
lrany of RumfOrd Falls.
| The number Of new factories, mills
land shops enlarged, completed, or in
process of erection in 1906, as rcportcd
by the assessors Of cities, towns and
Plantations, IS 1872, costing $2937.5OO,
land furnishing employment to 1924 adj
lditional hands.
| \ compilation Of the manufacturing
Industries of Maine from the Census
bulletin of 1905. is published in this
report and will be found convenient as
la means OF reference and for obtaining
valuable information.
An extended description Of Names
lnow seaport at Stockton Springs. de-
lvelopcd through the extension Of the
| Bangor and ArOOStook Railroad. is
herein given and will prove of great
Interest and value.
Other features Of the report arc a
brief article on the manufactures of
paper boxes. a description of the silk
lnanufdctory in Wcstbrook. the only
enterprise OF the kind in Maine, and an
Particle on the railroads of Maine.
The report of the Inspector of Work.
shops, Mines and Quarries is herein
published. in accordance with the
provisions of the law
The commissioner rcitcrat"s his cX-
rrcssionS of obligation to his efficient
lc!ork. Major Charles J. House. and 10
me special agents employed by him
icr a portion of the summer season.
Francis Wigein of Portland, and
Roscoe a. Eddy of Bar Harbor.
kenn@bec county has shared VERY
largely in the general prosperity of the
stat" during the past year. standing
third in the list in number and value
OF now manufacturing buildings erect
cd and first in the increase in the num-
Der OF hands employed New manu-
featuring buildings were built to the
number Of IA. distributed through 10
towns, at an aggregate cost of S21S 100.
giving employment to 1850 hands. Pc
nohscot county was the high liner with
an expenditure throughout the county
of $1.4Si.100 and Androscoggin next
with sS77 500
A reorganization of the statistics in
regard to trades unions shows that
there are IN Augusta IS unions with a
total Of 452 members: in Waterville.
unions with 39S members: in Gardiner