The Republican journal., 1911-06-22
Odd Industries.
A Number in Maine That are Positively
Unique.

A Number in Maine That are Positively
Unique.
Maine is State of odd industries. Of
course the word odd in this case does not
mean nonsensical, foolish, or anything
like that. Far from it.
1t might better be expressed by saying
that Maine is the home of unique indus
tries. They are scattered all over the
State, some in the northern part and
some in the southern or eastern or west
ern.
Right in the center of Maine, at Water
ville,is the factory of the Reyes Pie Plate
company That name in itself is sug-
gestive of unique industry. The plates
manufactured are not of tin or of ware,
nor are they used in which to make the
pies. They are but the pulp plates such
as find their place in the bakeries all
over the country.
Millions and millions of these plates
are turned out in a year and it is no ex-
aggeration to say that the annual crop OF
pie plates if stretched out in straight
row across the country could easily reach
from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
In some of the places where there is a
large birch growth, there are many mills
devoted to the manufacture of spools and
spool wood. Here also are manufactures
for shoe pegs, shoe shanks and other
wood novelties.
At Paris is located the Mason Manu-
featuring Co., which makes toys of all
kinds and children's furniture. Here
also is the Paris Manufacturing Co.,
where children's step ladders, sleds and
wagons are made. This plant is said to
be the largest of the kind in the world.
The Centrifugal Leather Co. at BuN-
ton manufactures leatherboard. This is
not the kind of leatherboard used as
chair seats. 1t is an entirely different
variety and goes into the making OF
boots and shoes. There are number OF
other leatherboard makers in Maine, one
in Belfast.
A striking proof that nothing is allow
ed to 90 to waste is found in the plants
of the Lane-Libby Fisheries Co. at Nnal-
haven and PASSPORT. Here fish heads,
skins and other refuse from fish are
turned into glue and fertilizer and both
products are much priced.
There are no moccasins more highly
valued than those produced in the State
of Maine. Some of them are made by
private individuals, while others are the
product of regular manufactures. Deer
hide and moose hide are both use lin their
manufacture Closely related to this IN
dustry is the manufacture of snowshoes.
There are several places in the State
where these are turned out, and Name
snowshoes, no matter what the model
may be, are highly priced all over the
world.
Old Town canoes, made originally by
the Indians, are a product that have
brought Maine into the lime light. At
kennebunk, canoes are also manufacture
ed, and in small way at other places.
All of them are fine examples of work
manship. The canoes of Old Town, how
ever. are regarded as the best and are
famous everywhere.
The largest mill of the kind in the
world is to be found at Milo, where the
Boston Excelsior Co. turns out excelsior
for the stufing of furniture, and to be
used in packing glass and other fragile
wares. Twenty-Five men are employed
all the year round at work on the fine
wooden shavings.
All along the Name coast there are
factories where clans are canned. In
no other State in the Union is this in
dustry so great and it may be said that
Maine canned clans supply the worlds
market.
Maine canned blueberrles supply the
BURBERRY pies of the world. The can
ming of this berry has grown to the size
of an industry all by itself and the inter-
Co. Oh 10 hot TO- in,
the country.
Toothpicks are manufactured in many
places in Maine; in fact, the toothpicks
of this State are about all that are used
in this and other countries.
A. F. Copeland of Bethel manufac-
lures leather mouth bits. Lewis Mann
& Son of Milton plantation make clothes
pins, and other articles. Fred E. Thorn
as of Bangor produces some of the most
famous fish rods in the world.
One of the big industries located in