The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1916-03-02
WORK ON THE NEW SHOE FACTORY WAS
BEGUN LAST TUESDAY
Bell Brothers, Manufacturers Have Signed Ten
Year Contract Structure to be Three Story


Bell Bros. the shoe manufacturers,
were in Skowhegan Monday night IN
conference with the trustees Of tie
Shoe Factory Fund and signed COLI
tract 10 establish themselves ii
SkOwhegan for the manufacture Of
their products for term of ten
years. The now building which is to
be erected BY stock subscription on
the lot donated by Mr. and Mrs b T
Steward is 10 be furnished them free
of charge the first ten years accord
ing TO the agreement Work was be
gun Tuesday upon the new structure
which is to be built three stories
high instead of two, but of the same
dimensions otherwise as mentioned
in the account following the subscrib-
ers session Friday evening This
additional story will provide room for
much larger operations and from
three hundred 10 three hundred and
fifty employees will doubtless be en-
gaged there when everything is ad-
iusted and is in running order The
contract for building the basement Of
the new structure has been let 70
Ephriam CoWett. the contract for the
sashes. blinds and doors 10 The Bow
man Hardware Co, and John Oliver
has been elected foreman Of the
building crew.
At the meeting OF the subscribers
of the Shoe Factory fund last Thurs
day eyenig the feasibility Of in
Bell Bros. proposition vas consid-
cred and new method or procedure
was discussed relative to the cameo
ling of the former subscriptions nd
pledging new sums This follow ID
an explanation offered by \ K b.
Ter, in which he pointed OCT the faet
that through the methods 10 De- en-
piCyed by the proposed concern il
question. it would not Be- necessary .
raise funds for the creating of a NV
I firm but simply to supply a building
in which an established concern
might begin operations. The building
according to the Bell Bros. plan must
be provided for them rent free aud
exempted from taxation for the frs
ten years The firm Will furnish
their own machinery but the strue-
fure, which should be in readiness By
the first day OF May. will need to be
equipped with d heating and sprinh-
ling system. The lot which is d.
rectly back of the Madison Ave cal
barn is to be given by Mr. and Mr..
l. T. Steward and d track Will BE-
built by the Somerset Traction Co.
directly through the ear barn in or
der to facilitate the freight handling
over the electric railway. The sum
of S5.274 was pledged for the new
building during the evening and thu
same board of trustees We're re-
elected Preceding Mr. Buffers eX-
planation, remarks were made by
Clyde H. Smith. Z. f Greenwood and
+. W. Briggs bearing especially up
on their Investigations of the pro-
posed concern. which revealed that
the same was without doubt a per
fectly reliable one. 1t is understood
that the firm first began with a very
small capital, but is now recognized
as being among the leading shoe
manufacturers in New England. Bell
Bros. purpose to manufacture moth
ing at the Skowhegan plant except
childs and misses school shoes and
have reputation of running 80
weeks in year When manufacture
ing operations are fully established
about 225 hands will be employed