USA > Vermont > The Lake Champlain and Lake George valleys, Vol II > Part 28
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Available statistics are unsatisfactory in describing the development of these assorted industries. In the first place many of them are State-wide figures. For example, Vermont in 1823 is said to have had twenty-seven cotton and woolen factories, thirteen paper mills, two hundred and eighty-six fulling mills, two hundred and fifty card-
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ing machines, three hundred and eighty grain mills and about one hun- dred and fifty distilleries. Our six Vermont counties included in this research may or may not be indicative of the development of the State as a whole. In New York State, similar figures are even less valuable because of the greater area and number of counties in that Commonwealth. In the second place, industrial statistics for vil- lages, cities or counties too frequently include lumber and mineral products and are not itemized by industries. In the third place, there have been varied conceptions among people reporting as to what should be included or listed under the general term, industries. More- over, some of these business establishments have little continuity. What is true of one town one year may not be true the next. Some small firms come rapidly into existence only to meet an equally sudden death. Other industries are shifted easily from one community to another. Since the industrial development of individual towns and cities in earlier times has been traced in the county chapters, we shall be primarily concerned here with the history of the past half century.
The leading industrial center of Clinton County is the city of Plattsburgh. In 1900 it had a total of one hundred and thirty-one industrial establishments in all, or seventy-five excluding hand trades. Paper and wood-pulp was the leading business, but there were nine firms making men's clothing, eight firms manufacturing women's cloth- ing, six firms making cigars, cigarettes and smoking tobacco, and three firms producing bakery items valued at $50,208. According to the 1914 report on manufacturers, Plattsburgh had four firms with busi- ness exceeding $100,000. At that time the principal industry was the manufacture of automobile bodies and parts, while paper and wood- pulp held second place, and paper goods third place.
In 1929 Plattsburgh had twenty-eight establishments with a pro- duction in excess of $5,000. They employed five hundred and eighty- four workers (average for the year) and produced goods valued at $4,376,668. Although during the depression years the number of firms in this city declined, the number of laborers employed and the value of products increased, contrary to the general situation prevalent throughout the nation. In 1937 the number of establishments doing business in excess of $5,000 was twenty-one. During this same year employment was given to 1,016 workers, while products were valued at $7,698,292. These included wall paper, paper, machinery, shirts,
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piston rings and other goods. This tremendous change is indeed quite an accomplishment for an era of national depression, and Plattsburgh must be classed today as strong and progressive economically.
Other Clinton County communities that might be mentioned in connection with assorted industries are Rouses Point and Keeseville. Products from the former town in the 1930s include bookbinding machinery and skis. In the latter town, which is partly within the limits of Essex County, products include nails, furniture, wagons, shirts. In addition there are paper, pulp and rolling mills.
In Essex County there are no large industrial centers. It will be recalled that many communities in this mountainous section have had an important place in the lumbering and mining industries. Other developments are few and far between. In addition to Keeseville, there is industrial activity at Ausable Forks, Port Henry, and Ticonderoga.
Foremost among the industrial centers of Saratoga County is Sar- atoga Springs. In 1900 it possessed eighty-seven establishments, excluding hand trades. At that time its leading industry was the manufacture of foundry and machine shop products, and there were three firms thus engaged. There were, in addition, companies inter- ested in baking, men's clothing, women's clothing, photography, print- ing and publishing, tobacco, cigars and cigarettes. By 1914 a great change had taken place and foundry and machine shop products were relegated to third place. At that time the leading industry was the production of hosiery and knit goods, while second place was occu- pied by druggist preparations. There were no firms possessing busi- ness in excess of $100,000. In 1929 there were thirty establishments having a business of $5,000 or more. They employed two hundred and fifty-nine workers and produced goods valued at $1,693,393. As in the case of Plattsburgh, an important development has taken place in the depression years. Although the northern city's growth has been greater in terms of dollars and cents, Saratoga Springs has had a greater proportional development. By 1937, its twenty firms, employing eight hundred and sixty workers, produced goods valued at $3,999,894. Like Clinton County's metropolis, its industrial future seems bright. Its chief porducts of the 1930s are from its machine shops, knitting mills, establishments preparing chemicals and bottled spring water, and firms making wall paper, gloves and shirt waists.
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In 1900, Ballston Spa had twenty-nine establishments, excluding hand trades, which produced goods valued at $2,885,797. These included men's clothing, saddlery, harness, tobacco, cigars and cig- arettes. During the same year, Waterford had forty-two such firms, producing goods valued at $2,914,860. Of this total $2,210,550 consisted of hosiery and knit goods manufactured by nine establish- ments. At the same time Mechanicville had thirty-three firms pro- ducing goods worth $1,934,047. There was also other industrial activity at Corinth, Hadley, South Glens Falls, Schuylerville, and Stillwater. During the past half century, Mechanicville has produced a wide variety of goods including pulp and paper, paper boxes, knit goods, shirts, collars, gloves, dry mats, mattresses, sash and blinds, iron beds, metal goods and bricks. At Waterford we still find knit goods being manufactured. In addition products made here have included gloves, fire hydrants, valves, lathes, stocks and dies, and brush-making machinery. At Ballston Spa industries have included foundries and machine shops, pulp and paper mills, a tannery and a shirtwaist and textile factory. The communities of Saratoga County mentioned comprise the most highly industrialized area in the terri- tory covered by this research. Ballston Spa, Mechanicville and Wat- erford, in particular, possess the atmosphere and appearance of indus- trial centers to a degree that cannot be matched in the other counties. This can be said without any fear of contradiction.
Practically all the industrial activity of Warren County is confined to Glens Falls. In 1900 it had eighty-eight firms, excluding hand trades, producing goods valued at $4, 133,859. In addition to forest products, they manufactured bread, carriages, wagons, men's and women's clothing, confectionery, lime, cement, saddlery, harness, tobacco, cigars and cigarettes. By 1914 there were twelve firms hav- ing an annual business in excess of $100,000. The leading industry was the manufacture of men's clothing, followed in second place by pulp and paper, and in third place by cement. In addition to these products there have since been manufactured here, wall paper, silk, lace, paper boxes, matches, collars, cuffs, dresses, chemicals, brushes, auto accessories, paper mill machinery and bricks. By 1929 the indus- trial development at Glens Falls had increased until fifty-two firms employing 2,390 men were producing goods valued at $12,216,961. This was more than double the amount produced at Plattsburgh and
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Saratoga Springs together. Since 1929, the value of goods produced at Glens Falls has been withheld by the government to avoid disclosing approximations of data for individual establishments. Its thirty firms, which in 1937 employed 1,602 workers, rest on a secure eco- nomic foundation and have been largely responsible for the unusually high per capita wealth existing in Glens Falls. This city, despite its large industries, has kept itself remarkably clean and beautiful, and in many sections it more nearly resembles a resort or residential com- munity. There is minor industrial activity at Luzerne and Warrens- burg.
In Washington County there has been a fair amount of industrial growth. Here we find no cities, factories being spread out among the various towns. Of these, Hudson Falls, then called Sandy Hill, was the leader in 1900. At that time it had twenty-one firms producing goods valued at $2,280,820, a figure that was exceeded in our five New York counties only by Glens Falls, Ballston Spa and Waterford. It has produced paper products, wall paper, paper bags, mill machin- ery, cement products and gasoline engines among others. At Green- wich there have been manufactured recently shirts, underwear, linen, thread, paper and farm machinery. At Salem we find shirts and road building machinery, at Granville slate products, and at Whitehall silk yarn.
In our Vermont counties, we find much the same situation that exists in New York, excluding Saratoga. Of these, one of the least industrialized is Addison. Middlebury, with a population of 2,006, is the largest community, but it is primarily a college town. The little city of Vergennes, one of the smallest incorporated cities in the world, has a population of only 1,705 and certainly cannot be called an indus- trial center. Here we find large dairy plants, and firms making shade rollers and spark plugs, but little more can be said. Lincoln was once very active industrially and still has a bobbin factory and a creamery. Bristol is very busy manufacturing caskets, mailing boxes and wood novelties.
In Bennington County, industrial activity of recent decades has been largely confined to Bennington Township. Here considerable manufacturing has developed, and several kinds of goods have been produced in extensive quantities including knit goods, woolens, hos- iery, shirts, collars, cuffs, needles, knitting machinery, wax paper,
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woodwork, underwear, and scales. Manchester has marble mills and woodworking industries.
Of much greater importance in the recent development of manu- facturing than either Addison or Bennington counties is Chittenden. As we have noted, Burlington's rise to fame was largely due to the lumber industry and to the building of railroad lines to this lake port. There can be no surprise, therefore, to find that lumber continued to be important here after it had literally vanished from other centers. As late as 1914 it was one of Burlington's principal products, sharing this honor with planing mill products, cotton goods, and patent med- icines and compounds. In that year this city had a total of seventeen industries valued in excess of $100,000. In this respect Burlington led all other communities in these eleven counties by a considerable margin, being followed by Glens Falls with twelve such industries. Fifteen years later, in 1929, we find that there were fifty establish- ments with an annual production in excess of $5,000. Altogether these firms manufactured goods valued at $12,077,671. The only city in these eleven counties reporting a higher figure was Glens Falls. During depression years a decline set in at Burlington, the production of 1933 being little more than half that reported in 1929. In 1937 there were forty-nine establishments of the above classification pro- ducing goods valued at $9,204,870. In spite of the fact that this sum was considerably less than that reported for 1929, it was greater than that of any other city in this area, with the possible exception of Glens Falls, which did not report. Goods produced at Burlington in the 1930s included dyes, bobbins, screens, boxes, lime, maple sugar prod- ucts, confectionery, woolen and cotton goods, brush fibers, refriger- ators, shade rollers, overalls, brooms and broom handles, children's suits, blinds, sport clothes, fertilizers and poultry foods. Today this clean progressive Vermont metropolis faces the future as one of the most important manufacturing centers of this entire area.
No community in all Vermont is so entirely an industrial town as is Burlington's next-door neighbor, Winooski. It is very similar to the mill towns characteristic of the Boston area, or to certain of Sara- toga County's communities. Ira Allen laid the cornerstone of its industrial development, and a woolen mill was established here as early as 1835. Today the American Woolen Company operates here one of the largest textile plants in the United States. The manufac-
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ture of textiles constitutes Winooski's leading industry. This commu- nity is also noted for window screens, being at one time the world's largest producer in this field, due to the leadership of the Porter Screen Company. Here we find also a third major industrial devel- opment, centering around the manufacture of furniture, by the Ver- mont Furniture Manufacturing Company. Other Chittenden County industrial centers of minor importance are Essex Junction and Rich- mond. The former is noted for its brick and tile, whereas the latter has been a large producer of condensed milk.
Franklin County is less industrialized than Chittenden. Fore- most among its communities is St. Albans, the railroad city, with its railway shops and foundry. Other industrial interests consist of can- ning, cigars and condensed milk. This is very much unlike most rail- road centers, however, in that it is unbelievably clean and free from smoke and noise. Swanton is noted for the sash and door industry; East Berkshire for the making of farm machinery; and Richford for veneer packing cases, veneer panels, overalls, garments and oat prod- ucts. Grand Isle County has no industrialized towns.
The development of Rutland County was in large measure based on its mineral resources, particularly marble, and has been discussed in detail in the chapter on minerals. Of the communities here, the city of Rutland clearly stands out. In 1914 it had eleven industries valued at more than $100,000, as compared with Burlington's seven- teen, Glens Falls' twelve, Plattsburgh's four, and none at Saratoga Springs. At that time its principal industries were scales and balances, steam railroad repair shops, foundry and machine shop products in addition to its marble and stone works. Fifteen years later, in 1929, Rutland reported forty-one plants with an annual production. in excess of $5,000. Goods manufactured by these were valued at $6,550,057, considerably more than the amount produced at Saratoga Springs and Plattsburgh, but much less than that produced at Glens Falls and Burlington. This figure declined to $2,702,254 in 1933 and climbed up to $3,739,695 in 1937. At this time, Rutland trailed all the other four cities mentioned. In this decade the chief industries reported were scales, stone-working machinery, fire clay and a cream- ery. In addition to mineral products of various Rutland County towns, there are also others. Wallingford possesses one of the twelve plants operated by the American Fork and Hoe Company, largest
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manufacturers of garden tools in the world. Fair Haven makes shirts, while Brandon possesses a toy factory, mineral paint works, and kaolin.
Now that we have completed a survey of the part the individual communities play in the present and recent industrial development of this area it is interesting to compare the various counties as separate units. In this study we must more or less disregard Grand Isle County because few statistics are available. It had but two plants pro- ducing in excess of $5,000 annually and figures were withheld to avoid disclosing data of individual firms. In any case in any statistics deal- ing with manufacturing this county must be last, because it is almost entirely an agricultural area. Here we shall primarily concern our- selves with the other ten.
In 1929, Rutland County's industries were apparently the least centralized because it had one hundred and twenty-three separate plants, leading Saratoga which had one hundred and six. Following in order were Chittenden, Warren, Washington, Franklin, Clinton, Bennington, Essex and Addison. When we examine the value of products manufactured we find that Saratoga's one hundred and six plants produced more than double that of Rutland's one hundred and twenty-three. Indeed, Rutland occupied sixth place, being exceeded by Saratoga with $35,661,678, Washington with $22,746,098, Chit- tenden with $19,814,848, Warren with $17,317,262, and Franklin with $17,077,562. Following Rutland's production of $16,011,525, came Bennington, Clinton, Essex and Addison in that order.
All counties reported fewer plants in 1937 than in 1929. As on the previous occasion Rutland led, this time with ninety-one, followed by Chittenden with seventy-eight, Saratoga with seventy-six, and then Washington, Clinton and Warren (tied), Franklin, Bennington, Addi- son and Essex. With the exception of Clinton County, all produced less in 1937 than in 1929. In the later year, Saratoga County con- tinued to lead with $33,247,390, with Washington still in second place with $17,833, III. Chittenden had narrowed the gap, but remained in third place with $17,548,286. Meanwhile Clinton County's pro- duction jumped from $8,597,372 in 1929 to $14, 137,779 in 1937 and carried it from eighth to fourth place. Due to this sensational devel- opment in depression years, Warren was pushed from fourth to fifth place, and Franklin from fifth to sixth position. Bennington remained
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as number seven, but Rutland declined from sixth to eighth place. Essex remained number nine and Addison number ten.
The value of products manufactured by the various counties does not always have the same implication as does value added by manufacture. In this respect Saratoga County leads again, but the only other counties occupying the same rungs on both ladders are Bennington, Essex and Addison. In this comparison, Chittenden is second instead of third, Washington third rather than second, War- ren fourth rather than fifth, Rutland fifth rather than eighth, Clinton sixth rather than fourth, and Franklin eighth instead of sixth.
Of all these statistics the most astounding deal with the recent growth of Clinton industrially. The odd part of it is that most of the development took place after 1935. In that year production was valued at $6,962,796, yet more than doubled in the next two years, reaching $14,137,779. Over three million dollars of this increase came from the city of Plattsburgh alone.
Labor statistics in these eleven counties offer little of the unex- pected. In 1937 Saratoga led with 5,145 average wage earners for the year and also with $5,999,679 paid in wages. In both cases these figures exceed similar statistics for 1929. This would make the aver- age amount of money received by the laborer as very close to $1,000 per year. This is slightly less than in 1929. In this eight-year period, Chittenden and Rutland changed positions, the former moving from fourth to second and the latter going from second to fourth. In both years Washington County held the number three position. In 1937, Chittenden reported 3,885 laborers receiving $3,619,693; Washing- ton paid 3,391 workers $3,301,727, and Rutland employed 2,780 men earning $2,652,930. Bennington employed more laborers than Warren, but paid them less. Clinton was in seventh place, Essex in eighth, Franklin in ninth, and Addison in tenth. It would seem that, in general, wages are slightly higher in New York than in Vermont. In 1937 in each of our Vermont counties, the average amount earned was slightly under $1,000, whereas on the other side of the Cham- plain Valley the amount was in excess of that sum. The only New York county found to be an exception was Washington.
Of our five main industrial centers, all reported the number of workers, but not wages paid, Glens Falls omitting that total. Bur- lington was first with 1,692 laborers earning $1,600,240. Glens Falls
-
(Courtesy of the Bennington Chamber of Commerce)
BENNINGTON, VERMONT, VIEWS Museum, Post Office, High School and Library
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reported 1,602 workers, while Plattsburgh was third with 1,016 work- ers and $1,019,07I. Saratoga Springs' eight hundred and sixty laborers exceeded Rutland's eight hundred and thirty-two, but the Vermont city paid $811, 173 in wages, while Saratoga paid $736,498. So far as these industries alone were concerned, the average annual income of the workers exceeded $1,000 in Plattsburgh and probably in Glens Falls, but fell under that figure in Saratoga Springs, Burlington and Rutland.
As a rule, the proportion of inhabitants of the counties engaged in these industries is quite small. Of all, Bennington leads in this respect, 2,570 being employed in industry in 1937 as compared with a 1930 population of 21,655. Similar figures for Saratoga County are 5,986 and 63,314, the number of workers in this industrialized county being less than one-tenth of the total population. At the other extreme we find Grand Isle, Franklin, Addison and Essex. Figures for Grand Isle for 1937 are unavailable, but in 1929 it had but eighteen indus- trial laborers out of a 1930 population of 3,944. In Franklin, Addi- son and Essex the ratio is in the vicinity of one to thirty; the first reporting, on the basis of 1937 statistics, nine hundred and sixty-three out of 29,975 ; the second, five hundred and fifty out of 17,952; and the third, 1,004 out of 33,959. Because of this situation industrial problems are not so serious here as in other sections. Factory work- ers are not so dependent on their jobs because the resort areas and farms also present employment possibilities. On the other hand the employer can easily tap unused labor when he needs it, although it may be unskilled. To be sure, there has been a certain amount of strain and friction between capital and labor from time to time. Both sides have resorted to the usual methods of gaining victory. In gen- eral, however, this section has been spared fanaticism and bloodshed. In a section such as ours, where we find intense individualism, it is too much to expect people always to work together in complete harmony, whether employers or employees. If our entire population, or even a substantial part of it, were engaged in industrial pursuits, struggles between capital and labor would be of vital concern, but it must be remembered that this is primarily an agricultural and resort area.
It would not be fair to underestimate the importance of industry to this section, however. Even disregarding for the time being the great lumber and mineral industries, the smaller assorted plants and
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factories bring much wealth here. They provide work, and in many cases supplement agriculture and resort business. They are indeed of great importance, both directly and indirectly to these counties, and their prosperity as they affect labor, capital and the public is essential to the best interests of us all. Industry in general is strong enough here to meet the needs of the population, yet not dominant enough in our economic order to rule our lives and chain us to the machine age.
What the future of the lesser industries will be in this area no one can state. There are many advantages, particularly the great supply of water power. On the other hand, there is every reason to believe that there will be sudden changes, mushroom growths, unex- pected reversals and shifting around. There has always been a ten- dency for the small industries to rise and disappear in a haphazard fashion. What is true of an industry in a certain community as I write this chapter may be out of date next year. The reasons for this inconsistent development are nearly as numerous as the firms them- selves. They may have to do with financing, management, local con- ditions, national depressions, new discoveries or inventions, person- alities, politics or plain luck. Perhaps the outbreak of a war creates an unexpected need for a certain product and catapults the owner of a sick factory into Millionaires' Row. Some of our industries at the moment are veritable gold mines; some are sick near unto death; in between there is a tremendous range. Many have had hard fights to outlast the recent depression, and others have fallen by the wayside. Success in these lesser industries seems to be a fickle goddess, scowling ominously one moment and smiling the next. All around us is cease- less change, with the future apparently as unpredictable as anything can be. We only know that whatever part of the industrial order may be assigned to the business men of these counties will, on the whole, be featured by courage, efficiency and integrity.
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