The independent-reporter., 1910-12-01

THE manufacture of cotton goods
in Maine was begun about 100 years
ago" according to an article ON cot
ton goods in the Directory of Manu-
featuring Industries of Maine, just is
sued by the Bureau of Industrial and
Labor Statistics. One of the pioneer
mills was established in Brunswick In
1909. another at Wilton in 1910, and
a third in Gardiner in 1911. Accord
ing to the census figures OF 1917,
there were S11,9l2 yards of cotton
cloth manufactured In Maine within
the census year, but whether this was
all factory product is not made clear.
There were 7S0 spindles reported, but
a part of them may have been woolen
spindles, as the John Mayall woolen
factory is claimed to have been run
ming in Lisbon previous to that time
Wooden and mixed goods were theh
practically all made on hand looms In
the homes of our farmers.
"In 1920, returns made to the Legis-
lature show that there were nine cot
ton and wooden factories in Name, Dut
1t Is probable that majority OF tnem
were wooden mills. We have seen II
stated on apparently good authority
that there were then six small WOODEN
mills in the State. The capital in
vested was small only $1,000 for the
nine mills. Two were located In
Cumberland county, with $4,000 capt
tai; | in Hancock, with $1,000; In
Kennebec, with $4,000; 2 in Lincoln
with $4,000, and 2 ip York, with $1,000
In these early figures 1t Is often I'M,
possible to segregate the cotton ana
woolen mills, or the hand made ano
factory products.
1T is clear, however, that cotton
manufacturing in Maine had very
humble origin and that its early
growth was slow. To show some oil
tn yicissitudes of the industry In lts
early days we here give some facts
as cleaned from Wheeler's History OF
Brunswick, Topsham and Harpswell
in the development of the plant now
known as the Cabot mill.
"The first factory was established
by the Brunswick Cotton Manufactur-
ing Company, which was incorporated
March a, 1909. Cotton yarn was
made, which was shipped to other
mills to be made into cloth. The mill
did not prove a success and 1t is said
,t0nlhnldorc Loot all fnHtI
capital.
THE second mill was that of the
Maine Cotton and Woolen FACTORY
Company, which was incorporated In
October, 1872 This company erect
ed a wooden mill and also bought the
building of the Brunswick Cotton
Manufacturing Company, which they
used for store house. In 1920, there
were 124S cotton spindles and 24t
woolen spindles in full operation, also
9 WOODEN looms, and carding and full
ing machines in proportion. About
! 100 operatives were employed ano
100. 900 yards Of cotton cloth turned of
annually, but the amount of woolen
goods produced Is not given. Both
the factory and storehouse were
burned in 1925. Soon after the fire
mill for carding wool and dressing
cloth was established by John Dyer
which was called the Eagle factory
I'm 1884, the Brunswick Company
was incorporated. In 1886, among the
assets of the company was a new mill
of undressed granite. five stories high
146 feet long, as wide, and capable OF
containing 5120 spindles of cotton
spinning. The company ran this fac
tory until 1910. when 1t was leased to
Allen Colby, who managed lit until
March, 1843, when it was sold at
auction In Boston to Whitwell, Seaves
Company, for $34 4,400. The original
cost was about $4,000 This latter
company entrusted the management of
it to A. P. Kimball & John Dunning
Coburn of Boston, who soon after
wards purchased it; but after carry
ing on the business for few years,
the firm failed and the mill went into
the hands of the Worumbo Manufac-
turing Company, which was incor-
porated In 1847.
CABOT MANUFACTURING co.
This new company ran the business