The independent-reporter., 1910-07-14
SIXTY HANDS NOW EMPLOYED AT NoRRIDGEwocK SHOPS

lDS NOW EMPLOYED AT NORRIDG
block to go up recently is the f. II.
Vaughan block which is on the east
side of Main street, Mr.. Vaughan
conducting his clothing business on
the first floor. Frank L. Ames, Esq,
and Fred E Webster have erected a
new block on Main street above the
railroad crossing where the Watts
blocks to go up recently Is the f. II.
the Ames & Webster block is build
! ing which has recently been erected
i by c. l.. Carr.
| Sophie May, the popular authoress
of books for girls, made for many
years her residence in Norridgewock
and her attractive homestead near
] the northern terminus of the rail
read bridge across the Kennebec Is il
/ Illustrated elsewhere in these columns.
SCHOOLS, CHURCHES AND LIBRA
RY
Norridgewock has fine high school
building. 1t is an historic structure
and for some years was occupied by
the Hamlin Eaton school, a widely
known educational institution and
considered the best in the county
Mrs Alice X Folsom is superinten-
dent of schools.
There are two churches, Congre-
gational and Baptist There are also
tcurishing fraternal organizations
including the Masons, Odd Fellows
knights of Pythas and the Grangers
The Grange hall is a large and very
creditable structure.
Norridgewock was the home OF
Hon. Stephen D. Lindsey, who rep
resented the Third District in Con-
gress from 1877 to 1888 and his Office
/ building located on the north side OF
! the Kennebec near the highway
bridge across the river, is utilized for
| library purposes, the Norridgewock
Free Library having about 5000 vol
umeS.
THE WATER-POWER AT BOMBA-
ZEE RIPS.
Norridgewock has great possibili-
ties for water power development
Bombazee Rips, there miles above
Norridgewock village, could with q
little outlay according to survey
by Engineer c. S. Humphrey, devel-
op a great number of horsepower and
run mill with almost unlimited sup
Irly of water power By old estimates
it was thought that with dam al
this point a head and fall of twelve
i feet could be secured. On the west
bank of the river the land is favor
able for the reception of mills. The
range of water is fifteen to twenty
feet.
The Bombazee Rips privilege was
sold ten years ago with the eXpecta-
tion that it would be utilized for
pulp and paper mills. The purchaser
was William Randolph Hearst of
New York, the widely known publish
er. 1t was stipulated at the time
cf sale that if the property was not
developed within a reasonable time it
would revert to the original owners.
who are leading business men of
Norridgewock, and should this valu
able water power come again into
their possession extensive develop
ments are to be expected.
FLOURISHING SHOE FACTORY.
The great question of the manu-
featuring world is how to get trade,
UOlu IL anu Ilidhc lllOu6ys NOl All
classes of business have the same
environment but the shoe manufact-
urer can we'll afford to consider his
customer as one who knows and who
has the same interest in common
the sale of shoes An interested buy
er Is far the best buyer, and on the
principle of mutual interest" was
laid the foundation of the Mutual
Shoemakers, Inc.
In April. 1909, Charles o Nor
mandy, President and General Man
ager, came to Norridgewock with his
sister Miss j. A. Normandy and with
friend, B. w. Kidder. and these
formed the initial crew of Norridge
wock's shoe factory. The first case
of shoes were shipped to Boston
May 25 1909. BY June the crew had
increased to nine hands, by August to
13, by October "a, by December 32
while at the present the complement
is about 60. BY January 1, 1911, ii
Is hoped to fill and use every foot
of the present plant of over 25,0OO
square feet of floor space. Selling
was originally done by sending out
single pairs in the mail, which
brought back orders for trial case
these were followed by larger or
ders, and at no time from then until
now have they had less than from
5000 to 10000 pairs ahead in orders.
The factory is equipped with three
motors, and the latest and best of the
United Shoe Machinery Company S
machines. No pains have been spared
to have the correct and most con-
venient position for each machine
which allows for the best handling
of the work. AS the business ex-
pands new and additional machinery
is being installed, and they have re-
Gently adopted the sheet system in
manufacturing that assures prompt
delivery. The factory occupied by
the National Shoemakers Inc. was
formerly used as clothing manu-
factory and is we'll adapted to shoe
manufacturing. The goods manufac-
tured are infants and children 8
Goodyear turns and from 500 to $50
pairs are made daily.
Norridgewock business men have
substantially encouraged the new en-
terprise and c. II. Hussey, a leading
citizen of the town, devotes a large
portion of his time to furthering the
interests of this important industrial
establishment. In F. II. Abbott who
came from Massachusetts, the factory
has a high grade superintendent,
while F. A. Gurney is the capable