The Republican journal., 1921-03-03
Maine Business Shows
Improvement

Absence of labor troubles has been a
considerable factor in the impro sement
in Maine industries over the slack period
of three mon his ago. Shoe and textile
plants have shown the greatest increase.
A. Fl. Berry Shoe Compan! the largest
shoe producers in Portland are employing
20 per cent more operatives than three
months ago The Haskell silk mill at
" estbrook which was doing prac ically
nothing three months ago is now work
ing overtime to fill orders
| The Portland company, the largest ma
chine making plant in this section, re-
ports that the plant is doing less than
three months ago. This also is true OF
smaller machine shops, bat the Fay &
Scott Machine Shops at Dexter, idle since
the first of the year, will resume opera
lions at once at one third capacity.
| The Edwards Manufacturing Co. at
Augusta, is now producing about two
thirds of normal capacity employing $50
persons and working "a hours week.
Three months ago the mill was running
| 80 hours week, with $50 hands.
| Conditions in the Lewiston textile mills
and the Auburn shoe shop, the former
employing approximately $500 operatives
and the latter 500, have improved great
ly since November.
|. Three months ago all these textile mills
were n.iing on half time and at about
fifty per cent production. Now all are on
full time, although some are operating
with reduced crews. The general average
of production is estimated at Is per cent.
! Mil agents say they anticipate grad
ual return to normal production ana that
| further wage reductions are unlikely.
In Auburn, where three months ago all
of the shoe shops were running on half
time and fifty per cent. normal produC-
ton, all are today on full time although
some have reduced crews. Production
ranges from 65 per cent. normal in some
! factories TO full 100 per cent in others;
the general average is approximately 70
per cent. There have been no wage re-
auctions.
Prominent shoe men say that, in their
belief the Improvement throughout New
England has not been as rapid as it has
been in Auburn. They attribute this to the
fact that since the war Auburn has had
no labor troubles although various other
large manufacturing communities have
been thus affected.
1he Pepperell Manufacturing Company
at Biddeford, employing about 3, 800, with
no change in the working force, has in
creased its production of drilliI about 40
per cent, the hours being increased from
80 to 50 hours week. The York Manu-
featuring Company, ginghams, at Saco,
has increased production about SO per
cent, the 900 employees being on full 50
hour time whereas they were working
80 hours two months ago.
h.,C No. n q n "
at Saco, manufacturers of mill machin-
cry, there has been no change, export or
ders for Japan and China keeping the
plant on full time with full crew OF
about 1000 through the dull season.
The Mechanics Shoe Company at Bid
deford reports business practically Hat.
1t is about one third of normal with
crew of less than 100 as compared with
full crew of ESQ under normal conditions
Orders are now coming in.
OF the Sears Roebuck Shoe factories
at SpringVale, number three is running
at about half capacity and number four
is just starting up again. The output of
the former is the same as six months
ago. Work is increasing daily and the
management says the outlook is much
brighter than for long time.
Edward E. Hussey, vice president of
the Sanford Mills Corporation, says pres
ent conditions with them are not as good
as in November, but that business has
improved in the last month
The 81 nford mills are running at about
half capacity and on half time.
At the Goodall Worsted Company
several departments are running only
half time The same amount of help is
employed, but part of the plant has been
closing Gown Wednesdays for the re.
mainder of the week. Three months age
the company was running On full time.