USA > Maine > Androscoggin County > Atlas and history of Androscoggin County, Maine > Part 20
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In 1867, '8, large additions were mada to the mill, In- creasing is capnolly several full. Tur Frankil Com. pany, which owned the Lincoln mill as well as the Hill 41 x 100 feet, a immber-hanno 38 x 04 test. In March, 1863, munchine shop, conelmied to make an wildition to that huihling so ss to connect it with the Lincolu mill, and convert it into a cotton factory. In addition to this the will received an addition of duty- three feet on the eastern enl. These allitlona increased the capnelly of the mill frem 5472 to 21,744 spindles.
The new mill-the [lill machine shop, with the adil- tlon muule to It, in 50 x 182 feet, and five storles high. The Lincoln produces 3,000,000 yards of forty-Inch sheel- Ingn per anumm, nud consumes 1,040, 000 poomla of cotton nunnally. It employs one huwired aml twenty-four manles, and two hundred amil oighty-three fewales. The montiily pay roli amonnte to $12,500.
The Bates Manufacturing Company .- The first mill erected after the Water Power Company commenced the development of our quanufacturing interests was the No. 1 Bates mill. This company wus Incorporated In 1856, sud finmeillately commenceil the construction of this mall, irhtch was pat in operation in 1852. tt ls 60 x 280 feet, and four storles lilgh, and is situated on the went side of the main canal, w little less than one- fourth of a mille south of Maln Street. Shortly after this mill was put In operation, the company commimord the construction of their seconil mill, which Is situated only a few reils month of No. I. Thla till was "' started up'' lu 1864, and is 60 x 280, anil four storles high. lu 1863 the Bates company commeured the orection of their third (woolen) mulil, which commenced manufacturing In 1865. This mill Is 50 x 170 feel, and three stories bigh. There mills have been rou with more than ordinary success nudler the direction of Blessra. D. M. Ayer and C. I. Barker, who bave successively bren ngenta of the corporation. The nomber of spiudles ju the notion departmout ts 55, 196, There aro 934 narrow and 93 bread looms. These mills manufacture sheetings, satteen Jeans, fancy cords, silesins, Marsellles quilts, orochet quilts, common quilts, gingliams, Seersuckera, and cottonades, In all 7,180,589 yards aunu- ally. lu the woolen mill are manufactured Moscow bsa. Fors, repellents, fancy cassimeres amil Slasher's cloths, making 118,925 yards per annum. The woolen mill has eight sata of machinery and thirty brond looms. There are Ave hondred uisles and ørven hnmirrd females In the the woolen department. There are annually nued 1,748,- 167 pounds'of colton, and 363,245 ponuds of wool, and the value of dyes used per annum amounta to $ 51,089 99.
Hill Muunfacturing Company .- Among our manufso- Inring euterprises none sre more successful than the tollls on the Hill Corporation. The Hill Manufacturing Company was Incorporated In 1850. Their first till (No. 1) was completed in 1854, and manufacturing immediately commenceil. Their second mill (No. 2) waa not completed autil 1864, at whiob time manufacturing was commenced. These mills are 09 x 216 feet and slx storica lilgh. There are also conileoled with these inills two pickera four stories halgh. One thousand persous are emplayed by this corporation, elght hundred of whom
cloth (sheeting), which require about 2,500,1w00 lbs. collou sunually. The monthly psy-roll amounts to #28,000 ; the number of spindles 51,000 ; the presrut capital $1,400,000. J. G. Cobaru, Esq., the agant, has beon counguled with the intils from the start.
The Androscoggin Jfilis,-This Is one of the mammoth mills of the country. The company was Incorporated lu Istit and the erection of the milll humedlately commended, and in the following year was ready to manufacture goods. There are three mills on the Androscoggin Corporation. No. 1 milil Is 74 x 542 feet and five-atories high, with two winga 48 x 100 feet, and four alories lu height. No. 2 mill is 74 x 180 feet and three stories hlgh. The company commenced manufacturinggoods in this mill In 1867. The third mill (No. 3) is 14 x 166 feet and thrro stories high. Maunfacturing was commenced lo this tolll lu 1872. The anunal prolurlion of these tills is 7,450,000 yards of cloth, Incluilug sheeting, shirtings, priuta, and Jeaos, and 1,800,000 bags. The Androscoggin Mills run 57,368 spindles, equal to 02,248 for fine work, employ eleven linn- dred persons, three hundred and fifty of whom are maies ; monthly pay-roll and ilisborsewants in Lewiston 045, txHI. They also consutuo sixty tous of staroh. A. D. Lockewood, Esy., becatne agent of the corporation In 1861, & position which he retained until 1870, when J. W. Danielnon, KAq.| assumed the charge of the mills an agent, Mr. Dantelson bad beun muperimendeut for novaral years.
Copunental Mills, - This outupany was Incorporsted
own the Lincoln mill, the grist-mill building, the De Witt February 4, 1865, with a capital of $1,000,000, and por- bonse, sind short one-fourth part of the bienchery, ss well as many shops and buildings, in various parts of the city.
employed by the corporation three hnulred snd fny feinales aml one hundred and sixty males. The mill produces 5,541,762 yards of brown ubeetings snil 75,000 pounds of battlug per annum, consuming 3,1180, 000 ponui! ! if cuttun squually. The total smount of disbursementa
faitun ind/s. - Tuis corporation was Incorporaled Feb, 8, 1563, as the Lewiston Bagging Company, and counmnomed the manufseinre of hagn in March of the following year. Ål that time, and for several years afterwards, the com- pany fessail reoros In the grint-mill buthling ; subse- queully for some yesra they ocoupled romwas tu the l'ortor (Continental) Mill. Desiring to enlarge their business, they commenord In 1800 the vivotlou of their first (No. 1) Dill, which was complutel atul put in operation Int 18Gl. This will Is 72 s 104 fret aml four storles high, and an ell 50 a 121 teet and four storles high ; coutleoteil to tho eil is the pleker 53 x 77 feet. lu 1806 the corporation completed the secotil ( Nu. 2) mill, which Is 72 x lug frul, Alul au ell 4.1 x 05 feot, four stories high. These mills run is,(mm) spiniles. The batting mill (Nu. 3) in 31 x 44 feet. There is also a store-lingse 38 x IU feel, a colton-house the name of the company was chsuged from tho Lewiston Bagging Company to the Lowlalun Mills, and the capital Augmented by the abilitinn of @whit001; the present capital is $500,000. The company manninetnre tiekings, denlms, stripes, glughatus, cottomies, ornsbergs-coarse ir hitte goods for the Sonthoru market, lucinillug Cuba- cotton anıl Jute bags, jule trine, battlug, as well as ducking and uberluts,
There are manufactured by this corporation 60,000 pounds of batting ; 10, 400 poumlauf onrpel warps ; 277,968 poumls of jule livino ; 633,872 cotton bagn ; 320, Sur jule haga, besides osuabergs, stripes, iJuniium, tloking, oto., lo the amount of 3,247,468 yards annually. In thu pruiluc- tion of thede goods, 3, 600,000 pounds of colton amt buitttoo pounds of jute Are used per annum. The corporation ilsburses In Lewiston als,000 por month, anul emplys Avo hundred and fitty-two females amt two buutrel and ifty- three wunles, A large bushioss Is ilone In dyving, amount- lug to ves, 000 pounds per anumin, at an annual onal for ilyes of $30,000; they cungmme 50,000 poutle of starch aul 500 casks of lime annunliy.
Autora Jfilis,-Karly In 1664 D. M. Ayer & Co. leased rooms in the grist-mill buibilog, for the purpose of mann- fnoluring cotinu aml wnolen goods. In the autumn of that year the machinery was completed aud maunfilo- turing cowimouced, Subsequently Mr. Ayor soll ont to D. Cowan & Co., who have continued the hu-incas. They have three sets of machinery and manufacture wilton, fauoy rassimeres, aud repellents, Amounting to 15two yards nunually. There are employed in this till twenty- dve males anil twenty-five fownles, whone tuonthly pay- roll amounts to $2:00. They consumo 150,000 poumis of wool por aunym.
Cumberiii Mitt .- This mill connuenced maunfacturing goods lu 1808, and Is owned by Menars. J. L. II. Cobb & Co. It Is 60 x 72 feel, three stories high, and has thieo Bets of wonlen toachinery, and employs about Ilfty jurou, one-half of whow are females, Messra. Cobb & Co. muaun- faoture gray, brown, and black repelleute, amounting to 200,000 yards per annum, and consume 260,00 pounds of wool annually ; the monthly pay-roll Is dingo.
Was boil! about 1852, and oniarged In 1805, amil again the following year. Two years lator the Interior of the hnilding was remodeled, and now constitutes one of the bent appointed establishments of the ktuil In the State. All kinds of Iron amil brans onstings are manufactureil at this establisbinnut ; wonlen and cotton machinery amil shafting. The company are the exclusive manufacturers of the celebrated Thomas'a ioom, which la employed esolusively in the manufacture of fancy gnods.
Lewi'ston Bleochery,-The bleachery cowuwenord opera- tlons In 1864, havlug beeo lessed In N. W. Farwell, Kal., by the Frenklin Company. Mr. Farwell did a very caleu. vive business until 1870, Extensivo repairs wore maile limmediately after Mr. Farwuli's lenne expired, auil to sre females. There are manufactured 7,400,000 yards of Jaunary, 1872, the Lewiston Bleachery wss lucorporated
with a capital of $300,000, and Is uow owned by the Franklin, Androncoggia, and Bates companlus, of this city, and the Pepperell and Laconla companies, of Bilde- ford. The bieaubery in now able to turn out fourteen tous per diem, and employs In the varlous departmenta one bundred and suventy operatives, only sixteen of whom are fetuales, Thu corporation have extensive dye works connected with the bleachery, which consumes apunally 815,000 worth of drugs and dyes of various colors. There are blesched annually gooda to the value of $5,500,000, The sunual consumption of cost is 3000 tous ; lme 1600 barrels ; woda arb 26ti,HI0 pounds ; bleachlug powders 1144,MR1 pounds; sulphurlo aold 300 oarboya : potain starch 70 lous ; corn starch 30 lous ; Hour 52 harrels ; whest starob 15 tons. The disburse- mente in Lewiston per mouth are $15,000.
Card Factory .- The manufacture of card clothing waa commenced fu lewiston about 1851 by J. Smith & Son, who had been dolug a small business In Westbrook, Malna, The machines, twelve lu number, wera put In operation In the griat-till buliding, where they were lu mniecessful operation nutil 1858, During this year a buliding bad been constructed, especially for this bus !- less, on the Cross Canal, and the machines Mmoved lo It. For some years previous to 1860, D. F. Nuyen, Hogy had been connected with Mr. Smith, and had the auper- lutendonoy of the business ; aluce thnt time be has been the proprietor. In September, IBut, Mr. Nuyen com-
liam R Frye, brothers, both of whom have done mach in alding lo the prodnotive industries of Lewiston. The caphal of the new corporation was not to exceed $100,- 6500 are In ase. These falls were. originally called the ' 000 In "' real and patsonal property, " anil the extent and Uppermost Falls of the l'ejepacot, and for many years after the settlement of the place were known as llarrls's Falls. The Indian nste was Amytonponook-clay-land- falls-taking the name frem the character of the soil In the immediate vicinity.
scope of the charter was such as to enable the company to mounfacture "' mod, colton, wooi, front, and sleel." The organisation of the onmpany was speelily consom- lunled, aod the first meeting of the directors took place June 12, 1834. The directors were Edwin Little, Samuel Pickard, John A. Briggs, Wiltism R. Frye, and John M. Frye, with Edward Little, president, aud Win. R. Frye, clerk.
The onmpany linmedlately bought the failing mill and converted il into a satinet mlil, with two sets of manhi- nery. This was In 1834, and these were the first logins " started up" In Lewiston The snocens which attended this new efurt induced the company lo enisrge their business, and In 1836 the brick tuill was built, which was called the oassimere mill, taking tta name fruto the kind of guods manufactured. Hapily was the till completed before the spring frenhet of 1837 nnilerulued the wall on the river side, cansing It to tall Into the river. This solsfortune, followed by the funnoial embarrassmouts of that year, was disheartening to the company. although young, Inexperienced, ami comparatively uu- knomi in the market, yel the quality aud texture of their goods were such as to secure the favorable nolics of purchasers and thereby secured varly sales.
To-day the company is one of the best of our monn- facturing enterprises, aod under its veteran agent, Col. John M. Frye, has schieved a staoding in mauutacturing circles second to none of Its competitors. Col. Fryo has occupied his present position from the start.
There are manufactured ju these mills repellents, meltous, and casslmeres, to the amount of 230,000 yards per annum. There are vis sets of machinery, which require ninety operators, half of whom are females. The monthly disbursements aro 82000; and the annual non- snmption of wool 250,000 pounds, about half of which is pu chased in Maine. The dye-house connected with the inills requires the nenal variety of dyes, the cost of which Is from 82000 to $3000 annually.
The Old Cotion alift .- About 1836, Mr. John A. Briggs put np a wooden building on the site where the grist-inli building now stamls. The rear of the butlling was three stories high, the basement of which was occupied by a Mr. Johnson, & marhinist, who did a small business In iron work. The second story was occupied by Col. Tein- ple Tibiella, who did consbleratle iu wood turning, con- tining his business mostly lo cabinet-work. The upper Bory was oorupied by Mr. Ephraim Wool for mannfao- turing cotton warps and batting, a business which he onrried ou for a number of years. Mr. Wood was the pioneer, In this place, iu the manufacture of cotton. lle ilualiy sold out am removed lo Winthrop, where he be- came connected with the mills in that town.
Mr. Joseph B. Harding, of Gorham, became the proprie- lor after Mr. Wond of the "Old Cotton Milt" and con- tinted to manufnoture batting and cotton warps. lle afterirards-abont 1844-made some aililitions to the mill, putting lu thren cotton looms, where he commenced the tonunfacture of cotton cloths. Mr. Ilarding made the firat cotton goods in Lewiston, and continued thelr mann. facture for several years with considerable success. Aller Mr. Harding disposed of his Interest In the mill hr re- muved to Yamonoth, anil became connected with the colton mills of that place. The "Old Still" was partially destroyed by fire March 17, 1850, and the remainder war removed In April following, to make room for the grist- will bullding, which was put up that year. For several years it had been owned by the Water Power Company. The Great Audroscoggin Fills Dam, Locks, and Cunal Company .- This company was incorporated February 23, 1836, with a capitsi of $100,000. It was the design of the projectors of this company (the Littles) to develop, on a scale larger than formerly, the water power at Lew- Isten Falls. Associated with Elward Littlo, Esy., as cor- porators, were Josiah Little, of Newbury, Mass., Thomas B. Littlo and Joslabi Little, of Minot, Samuel Pickard anıl Edward T. Llille, of Danville. The corporalom owned the water power at this place, as well as a large amount of land lu the Immediate vicinity of the falls, on both sides of the river. In 1837 the company proonred the services of Mr. B. F. Perham, of Bostoo, a civil engineer of skill and experionce, who made a survey of the pince, aod constructed a plan, showing the survey aml levels as well as profiles of different sertions of the territory. Be- yond this thry minde no effort to develop the mannfuo- Inring resources of the place. In 1845 the corporalloo petitioned the legislature through their agent, Josiah Little, for a change of name, to the Lewiston Water Power Company. The petition belng- granted, the name was forwally Inserted into their charter, by a vote of the com- pany, November 19, 18+5, Certificates of stock, bearing the new naine of the company, were issued to the share- holders, who soon disposed of them to parties iu Boston. The Water lower Co. made extensive addillons from 1846 to 1850 to their real estate, by the purebase of Several valuable lots of land. In the spring of 1850 work was commenced on the canal, under tho direction of their englueer, Mr. Steveus, and works of more or less magni- tude projected. The first section of the canal, as far as the Bates mnlll, was completed In May, 1851. The canal Is sixty-two feet while and fourteen feet deep, and the ex- leusions, which bave been tuade since 1851, wake It now about three-fourths of a mile in length. There are several sbort or oress canals, connecting the main canal with the river, on which several of the mills are located. The locks at the head of the conal are a fine piece ot tuasonry, being built of granite Inid tu cement, and contain eigh- teen large galrs besides two Hy-gates, whose capacity Is equal to six of the other gates. The capital of the " Water Power Co. " about 1850, was tueresved to $500,- 000, and subsequently to $1,000,000. The stock and real estate of the corporation was purchased by the Franklin Company In Aprit, 1857.
Lewision Machine Company,-The Lewiston Machine cotton mills, and seventy-five males and fifty females In Company was Incorporatut Feb. 4, 1805, with s capital of @100,000, and soon after purchased of the Franklin Co. the machinery and tools lu the old Ilul inachine shop, which they subsequently remneed to ton foundry build- Besides these mills there are two pickors, one large ilye- } Ing near tho Maine Central depet, The foundry building house, cloth-ball, two cotton honses, aod a large repair shop. In some of these buildinga there is a large amount of cotton machinery. The present capital, $1,500,000.
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menced the confirnetion of a commodions and substantial two classes, consisting of eight memohiera, and Its present hirick building, on the Cross l'anal, In tho rear of the Bates Millla, 76 x 80 feet aod turne storles high, with an ell 30 x 30 feet, and the same height an tho mein building, into which he moved his card machines and business in Merch, 1867. Mr. Nuyes, omploys leven men, and his hnaineny amonnie to 835,000 per ounum. Ile does a small burinosa in manufacturing belts.
Gas Works .- The Lewiston Gne Light Company was Incorporated In 1858, enil commeneed tho manufacture of gus the following year. These works are situated near the banks of the river In the rear of the Andrus- coggin Mills. There are three brick hulldinga connected Faculty of the Theological School .- Rev. Orin B. Cbenney, D.D., President ; Rev. Jobb Follonton, D.D., Prof. of Bouleucastical History and Pastoral Theology; Rev. J. J. Battler, D.D., Prof. of New Testament, Literature will the works, The gasometer la 60 frot in diamoter all 40 feet In depth, with a capacity of 120,000 feet. The retort house has six henohes. The company omploy about mixteen man, and manninoinre about fourtren million onbio feel of gna per annum, and consnme 1800 and Honilletlos ; Rev. B. F. Ilayos, A.M., Prof. of Mental tons of coal. Its disbursements in Lewiston are 83,000 a and Moral Philosopby ; Rev. J. A. Howe, A.M., Prof. of Systemello Theology ; Thomas II. Rich, A.M., Prof. of Hebrew. month. J. P. Gill, Ent., has been, from the start, the Agent outil recently.
Schools .- Previous to 1705, when the town was incor- porated, tho schools woro condneted hy privato contri. hutlons. There are no records of the schools or the persons who tanght them. Danlel Davis, who came hero in 1777, taught school for a number of winters lu his own honsa, and perhaps his brother Amos, wbo onmo here cerllor, was employed in teaching. Mr. Ambos Davis bulli a small house for Birs. Poor, a ralative of his, noar where Danlel B. Jones resides, on Ssbattis Street, in which she taught ochtool for a buncher of years. This was probably as early as 1780. Dan Rend, K+q., who came hore in 1788, was a school lancher for a number of yearo, and there Is no doubt of his having been em- ployed In that ospacity soon after his arrival. An early as 1791 n Mr. Daniel Gous taught In Mr. James Har- Mitchell taegut in the west ond of his log house In 1793 or '4. Mr. Mitchell lived on the farm now owoed Ly Capt. Silas B. Osgood. Mr. Benning Wenthworth taught In Mir. Alitohell's honse In 1799 and 1800. Alont the anine timo a Dr. Barrett was employed lu leaching In a amall room In one end of Mr. Jamen Ames's black- smith shop.
În 1795 n school-honse, the first In town, was built on the farm of Den. Joslah Mitchell, near the residents of Col. llam, which was oconpled for a inenting and town- house for nearly a quarter of a century. This aolinol- honer was not entirely demolished until Two years ago. Some two years afterwania a school-honsa was built at Barkor'n Mills.
In 1799, aml perhaps bafore, Dan Read, Eaq., tanght school at Lowoli's Corner, in a hoone ownad Ly Mr. Chase Wedgewood, gramlfather of Dr. M. C. Weilgewood, of this city, which was nitmated only a short distance from tbo towu pump. Sohoolo wrro langht undunbledly more or less of the thne in this district before the "rection of the school-house In 1804. The house was localeil on what le now the corner of Main and Bates streets. Schools were started In different parta of the town, and school-houses bulli as the Interests of the people demanded. About 1802 Richard D. Harris, from Con- nnotleut, commonoed teaching In Lowlston, which gare uew interest to the conse of odneatinn. But no one, perhaps, ountributo more to the advancement of our schools than Mr. William Bond, who taught some port of every year, except two, from 1807 to 1839. Rev. Benjamin Thora taught benrly as many yoara as the fariuur.
It was not, however, nuill the fall of 1850, that a high school was organized In what was then the village of Lewiston. During the anmmer of that year a two-story school-honte was "hnilt on tho alle of the old one just east of the Main Street F. Baptist church, and In Sep- Imoher of thai year two schools were opened in the bullling. The high school www ander the charge of Mr. George W. Jewett, an exporienced and successfol ieschrr, and the grammar school under the direction of Misa Augusta l'illabory. Since that time our schools have constantly fnoreased, and at the present time we have within the ihnits of the old villago districi thirteen school-houses and thirty-one schools undar the direction of more than forty teachers,
The firat number of the Lewiston Gazette was published February 10, 1872, by Wm. H. Waldron, and is issued froin the old Journal office in Waldron's block. in the campaign of LATE It supported the fortunes of Mr. Greely. Once a WY'rek .- The frel nurubor of this paper was published April 12, 1873, by Miss S. W. Sauford and Mri. E. S. Getchell, who are also the editors. It is a charter was granted by the legislature, Incorporating the ; quarto sheet and he devoted to current literature. It is published from their office over Donlol Wood'o atore on Lisbon Street
Bates College .- The Parsonsfuld Academy, an Inst]- Intlon under the direction of the F. Dsptist dlenoml- Datlow, waa burned September 22,1854, leaving the denomination without any literary lustitution in the Stato. In November of that year the question of estab- Hahing a new institution was under consideration at the sublial convention, Subsequently, March 16, 1856, a Stain State Seminary with an oudowment by the State ol #15.000. The trustees inet at Vienna In Joue, 1855, and after several days of delibaration dechiled, hy ono vote, to locate the new Insilintion at Lewiston. Rev. O. B. Cheunvy, of Angnata, who had taken o deep Interest in the establishment of the semmary, and whoso vole decided the location of the institution, was chosen presi- dunt. The site of the seminary was, offer considerabile ilinunoslou and some negotiation, determined apon and the coustrnotion of the buildings Immediately undertaken. The Former-stone wno lald with appropriate cerumoores, June 26, 1856, Rov. Goorga Knox, of lewiston, Bapilar, offering the prayer, and Rev. Martin J. Steore, of N. H., dollvering the oration. Tho selninary was open for the reception of alndenta Septomber 1, 1857, aod the first olass graduated the following Jule.
lu 1863 the trustees lustituteil a onllegiale course of staly and changed the name to Haters College, la honor of Benjamin E. Botom, of Boston, Its most muntocent donor. Mr. Bateo has given the coilego $100,000, end proposes lo giro $100,000 more on oundition the friends of (tio college will ralna en equal suma within five years from February 21, 1673, The action of the tristeus waa legalised by the legislature Juna 19, 1864; and Buvs College graduated ito fral oless, oousisting of eight mieiubers, July 31, 1867.
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