The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1910-04-14
MUCH MANUFACTURING.
IN SKOWHECAN
Manufacturing Takes Large Place In
Work of Town.

Skowhegan has the greatest mum
Der of industries of any incorporated
town in Maine. Some of the indus
tries in Skowhegan are: The Ameri-
can Wooden Mills; the Marston Wor-
sted mills; the Commonwealth Shoe
& Leather company; three pulp
mills: a novelty wood working shop;
j spinning mill; two sash and blind
/ factories; a scythe factory; a foun-
dry; a casket factory; two large saw
mill; two corn shops; two grist
mills; the Skowhegan Jersey cream
+ cry; a picker-stick mill; stopper
i factory; and a rug factory. There
are also other minor industries.
1t has been said that the people of
i Skowhegan are prosperous and thrill
/ ty. 1t is not strange that they are so,
considering the facilities for the
working man. Skowhegan has about
1900 voters and for the most part
these men find employment in our
mills and factories. Unlike many
manufacturing towns Skowhegan has
class of people who work in the
1 factories and yet are permanent resi-
dents of the town. About three
4 fourths of them own their homes.
Skowhegan is also unlike any other
/ town in the variety of its industries.
There are very few towns in New
England that have scythe and
grass hook factory and the Oldest
one. probably. in Maine is the Nolin
j Manufacturing Co. This business has
been in operation over 80 years. The
products which are hay knives, grass
hooks and scythes are sold in all
parts of the country. The annual out
put of the factory is about 500 dozen
scythes, 100 dozen hay knives and
5000 dozen grass hooks of different
styles.
Another industry peculiar to Show
hogan is r. l.. Mitchell's novelty shop
which makes clothes dryers and
/ horses. ironing boards and other
household furnishings. This is one of
the oldest plants in Maine and en-
ploys about % men. r. l.. Mitchell,
the second Oldest resident of Show
hogan Is owner and proprietor.
There are five industries in Show
! hogan that afford work nearly the
/ year round for from 900 to 800 hands.
/ These are the American Wooden
mills, the Marston Worsted mills, the
Commonwealth Shoe company the
Spinning mill and the three pulp
mills.
The American Wooden mill was the
first of the most important factories
to be built in Skowhegan. This was
esta blished in 1875 by Lewis Ander
son. Seventy-five hands were first
employed. In 1882 the present mills
were built About 200 hands are reg
ularly employed. The product Is
10000 yards per week. Arthur Jones
Is agent and William Elliott paymas-
ter.
The Marston Worsted mills were
established in 1899. The first presi |
dent was the late c. A. Marston. The
present mills were built in 1903. |.
They are situated on the south side |
of the river near the Maine Central |
railroad tracks. About 275 people |
are now employed
The Commonwealth Shoe & Leath-
err company gives employment to
about $50 hands bringing in a large |
amount of money to the community. |
The factory was built in 1882. The I
building is 200 by 48 feet five stories
high and bulr Of briioo,n,. The goods (
manufactured by previous operators
have been ladies' shoes exclusively |
but the present company mahufae-
lures mems shoes entirely. 1t has a
combined output of 1000 pairs daily. |
P. ]. Shanaban is superintendent.
The Spinning mill in Skowhegan is
a recent industry but is most valu-
able one. 1t employs a large num-
Der of women and gives employment
to many people who could not work
elsewhere. The Spinning mill was
established about six years ago and
employs over one hundred hands
The pulp mills of this town play
no little part among the varied indus
tries of Skowhegan. The first mill
was started in 1880. The first COM
pany was the Carrabasset Paper Co,
which later became the Skowhegan
Pulp Co. The daily product of pulp
is Is tons. Thirty men are usually
employed. Charles E. Young is sup
erintendent The Riverside Pulp
Co located on the South side of the
river is owned and operated by the
same men as the Skowhegan Pulp
Co. About Is men are employed
here. The other pulp mill is situat-
ed in the old Anderson mill and was
started recently by E. l.. Savage.
There are about rs men employed
here. Soon there will be installed
here new machinery for making It's