The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-11-10
Names Shoe Industry.
The Value Of the Product in 1905 Was
Over @10 nnO mn esr2n v,

Aue value u tNe I1OOUCt IN 1SVO " u
80. 30. Over $12, OOO, 900. .&e3a v
Maine is now the seventh State in shoe
manufactures, but she declines to stay
there. The demand for more factories
is increasing every year and it is being
supplied as rapidly as possible. In some
cases buildings formerly used for shoe
shops are being re-occupied, in others
new buildings are being erected. Maine
is destined to become a shoe State of the
first magnitude during the next decade.
ut was about Is years ago that the
first shoe factory Of which we have any
record in this State commenced opera
tions," says an article in the Directory
of Manufacturing Industries recently is
sued by the Maine Bureau of Industrial
and Labor Statistics. Cup to that time
most of the footwear had been made by
local shoemakers, and it was several
years later before our people generally
purchased the factory product instead of
having their feet measured for their
boots and shoes.
although Auburn has been the lead
ing town in the manufacture of boots
and shoes and now gives employment to
three-eighths of the shoe workers in the
State the industry did not originate
there. The first factory of which we
have record was started in New Glou-
cester in 1874 by A. P. White, who at
first employed II hands. He moved to
started a factory. at North Auburn, at
ployment to 38 hands. Mr.. Cobb moved
to Auburn in 1856, shortly before Mr..
White.
''In 1854, Ara Cushman began the
manufacture of shoes at West Minot.
This third shop increased the number Of
factory shoe workers in the State to 60,
and by 1860 the number employed had
| reached 10. Mr.. Cusbman moved to
Auburn in 1862. Thus nucleus of the
! industry was formed in Auburn, about
which other shops have been built until
now the city contains nine shoe factories,
giving employment to little over 5000
hands. The adjoining city of Lewiston
has one shop, employing 25O hands,
while Mechanic Falls has one which gives
employment to 80 hands, making 3, 445
employed in Androscoggin county.
Cumberland county has five factories
in operation; two each in Freeport and
Portland, and one in Yarmouth. These
furnish employment to 750 hands. In
Franklin county, New Sharon and Wilton
have one factory each where 146 hands
are at work.
'.In Kennebec county there are four
factories in operation; one in Augusta,
two in Gardiner and one in Hallowell.
They give employment to 1850 hands.
The one factory in Warren in Knox
county employs ITO hands and 4O5 are
employed at the factory in Norway, the
only one in Oxford county.
} ''In Penobscot county new company
is just starting the manufacture of shoes
in Bangor in building formerly occupied
by the same business. They will employ
200 hands. In Sagadahoc county, one
factory in Richmond gives employment
to As hands, and Somerset county, with
one factory each in Norridgewock and
Skowhegan, gives employment to 80
workmen.
"Waldo county has one factory located
in Belfast; where 1926 hands are employ
ed, and Calais in Washington county has
two where 235 are at work. In York
county the principal shoe factories are
in Sanford (Springvale postoffice) and
South Berwick, one each, although there
is a small concern in North Berwick,
also small factory in Acton where
stitching only is done, and another in
Kennebunk where counters are made.
The total number Of hands employed in
the county is 808.
''The census of 1905 gives the number
of shoe factories in the State at so Civ
| ing employment to 3,942 men, 1,791
women and AZ children, total of 5, IT'S.
Our present returns show 81 factories,
giving employment to 5,488 males and
2,251 females, a total of 8,039. While
the number of factories has fallen off Is
per cent, the number of hands employed
has increased 80 per cent. The tendency
has been to larger factories which can
undoubtedly be worked more economi-
cally than smaller ones, and so far as the
| present business is concerned it seems to
| be on solid financial basis.
reference has been made to the fall
ing off in the number of factories. Prac-
tically every city and large town has,
sooner or later, made strenuous efforts
to locate this industry within their bor-
ders. Factory buildings have been erec-
ted and exemption from taxation offered
for term of years and the new business
started, but in too many cases the manu-
facturers have proved irresponsible and
dropped out. leaving the factory unoccu-
pied. Experience has been good teach
er and the State seems now to be well
rid of the tramp shoe manufacturer.
''The business is firmly established and
is one of our very important industries.
The value of the product in 1905 was
over SIP, 900, 600, ranking fifth among the
manufactures of the State, being exceed
ed only by pulp and paper, lumber, cot
ton goods and wooden goods"