MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE The following document is provided by the LAW AND LEGISLATIVE DIGITAL LIBRARY at the Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library http://legislature.maine.gov/lawlib Reproduced from scanned originals with text recognition applied (searchable text may contain some errors and/or omissions) PUBLIC DOCUMENTS OF MAINE: m:rnc nn: ANNUAL REPORTS OF TIU: V,\RIOUS DEP A.RTMENTS A.ND INSTITUTIONS For the Year 1904. VOLUME II. AUGUSTA KENN}'.m:c JOURNAL PRINT 1905 EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF Industrial and Labor Statistics FOR THE STATE OF MAINE AUGUSTA KENNEBEC JOURNAL PRIN't 1905 STATE OF JVIAINE. OFFICE OF CO:\IMISSIONER OF lKDUSTRIAL .-\ND L.\BOR STATISTICS, AUGUSTA, DECE:.\IBER 31, 1904. To His Excellency, John F. Hill, Go,1ernor of Maine: SIR: I have the honor to present the report of the Bureau of Industrial and Labor Statistics for 1904. Very respectfully, SAMUEL W. :MATTHEWS, C 011vmissioner. INTRODUCTION. The criticism of the work of the Bureau is sometimes made that its investigations are not confined within legitimate limits but are carried into fields not contemplated by the law under which it was established. That this criticism is not well founded is shown by the Act defining the duties imposed upon the Bureau, which is as follows: "Section 1. There is hereby established a separate and dis­ tinct department, which shall be called the Bureau of Industrial and Labor Statistics." "Section 2. It shall be the duty of this department to collect, assort, systematize,and present in annual reports to the governor, to be by him transmitted biennially to the legislature, statistical details, relating to all departments of labor in the state, especi­ ally in its relations to the commercial, industrial, social, educa­ t:onal and sanitary condition of the laboring people; and to the permanent prosperity of the productive industries of the state, and also to inquire into the immediate causes of strikes, lock­ outs or other disturbances of the relations between employers and employes." It will be readily seen that the field of operations assigned to the Bureau is a broad and comprehensive one, covering the State with its many and varied industries and interests. With the limited means at his disposal, the commissioner has found it necessary to confine his investigations to a few "departments of labor in the state" each year, making these investigations as com­ plete and reliable as possible. In this way much valuable information as to the resources and development of the State has been obtained and given to the public, and much benefit has undoubtedly accrued from the knowledge thus obtained and disseminated. It may be as difficult to exhibit all the direct benefits to the people of collecting and publishing statistics, as to prove that 6 CO.i\ll\IISSIOXE,R 01' 1NDUS1'RIAL direct benefits, real dividends, flow from a public school. It is beyond question nevertheless, that "all forms of useful knowl­ edg€ add to the power and prosperity, to the enlightenment and rational enjoyment of a community." Agriculture is one of Maine's most important ''departments of labor," and, during the past year, much attention has been given by the Bureau to various investigations connected with this branch of industry. The great county of Aroostook has attained a leading position in agricultural development, and an extended article, entitled "Industrial Aroostook," herein pub­ lished, will be found of much interest and value. Another important feature of this report is given under the head of ''Maine's Milling Industry," this being the first attempt of the Bureau to furnish '"statistical details" of the grain and grist mill products of the State. \Vhile the results of this investigation are not so full and complete as could be desired, they are suf­ ficiently so as to furnish "food for thought" upon an important subject, the cultivation of bread products. Market gardening·, in the vicinity of our cities and larger towns, has become a feature in our agricultural development worthy of notice, and the article upon that subject will prove interesting and valuable. "The Potato as a Commercial Crop" is the heading of an extended and very instructive article, showing the extent, value and importance of the potato as a commercial crop in Maine, giving shipments from all sections of the State, both for for­ eign and home consumption, tables of crop in the State at various periods, as well as official figures covering the amount and value of the potato crops throughout the country. Of electric light and power plants there are a very large num­ ber in the State, including central electric stations, street railway electric stations, and private plants. Returns, more or less com­ plete, have been received from a large number of these plants and much valuable information regarding this important branch of industry and enterprise is thus obtained and given in an extended article herein published. A revision of list of trade unions in the State, correcting and adding to lists heretofore published, is given in this report. Other features of the report are statistical facts in regard to railroads, steam and electric, and factories, mills and shops, built during 1904. AND I,ABOR STA'l'IS'l'ICS. 7 The report of the inspector of factories, workshops, mines and quarries is included in the report, according to the require­ ments of law. During the past year, prosperity has attended nearly all of Maine's industrial activities. Labor has been well employed and peaceful relations between capital and labor generally main­ tained. But few strikes, and those of brief duration and insig­ nificant proportions, have taken place. The commissioner renews his expressions of obligations for faithful and efficient services in the prosecution of his work to his able and competent clerk, Major Charles J. House, and spe­ cial agents Francis Wiggin and E. M. Blanding. 8 COMMISSIONER OF INDUSTRIAL FACTORIES, MILLS AND SHOPS BUILT DURING 1904. In response to the following inquiries: "How many and what kinds of factories, mills and shops for manufacturing purposes, have been enlarged, completed, or are in process of erection dur­ ing 1904 ?" "Estimated cost of same?" "Probable number of hands they will employ?" answers have been returned by the officers of nearly every city, town and plantation in the State. Ninety-one cities, towns and plantations report building in this line as follows : ANDROSCOGGIN COU:STY. Towns. Buildings. I What done. j Cost. I Help. Auburn ......... ·····[Wooden box shop ............... Built new ... $10,000 25 Auburn .............. Two shoe factories .............. Reoccupied .. 500 East Livermore ..... Wood novelty mill .............. Built new .. 2fl,000 150 East Livermore ..... Iron foundry ..................... Bm!t new ... 25,000 100 Lewiston ............ Cotton store house ...... , ....... Built new ... 60,000 Lewiston ............ 1Cotton power house ............. Built new ... 40,000 AROOSTOOK COUNTY. Caribou .............. Lumber mill ..................... Enlarged ... 4,000 Crystal. .............. Saw mill ........... , .............. Built new .. 4,000 - 8 Eagle Lake Pl. ...... Two saw mil is ................... Enlarged ... 10,00,, 200 Easton ....... , ....... Saw and moulding mill ......... Built new ... 5,000 6 Fort Fairfield ....... Starch factory ................... Built new .. 4,000 6 Hill Pl ............... Saw mill .......................... Built new ... Z,500 20 Linneus .............. Cheese factory ................... Built new ... 1,500 2 Mars Hill ............ Lumber and stan,h mill ........ Built new ... a,ooo 6 18, No. Range 10 ..... Lumber mill ..................... lluilt new .. I 15,000 No. JS, Range ](I ••••• Shingle mill ...................... Built new .. I 35 Portage L.ake Pl .... Shingle mill ...................... Built llPW ••. 8,000 20 Presque Isle ......... Saw mill ......................... Bnilt new .. 20,G00 75 Presque Isle., ..... ,. Electric light station ............ Built new ... , 10,000 25 Ree,\ Pl ............. , Lumber mill .... , ................ Enlarge<\ .... l,000 10 St. Agatha ...... , ... , Starch factory .. , ................ Built new .. 4,500 10 Van Buren .......... , Lumber mill .... , ................ Built new .. / Van Buren ........... Shingle mUI ...................... Built new .. I 300,000 175 CUMBERLAND COUNTY. Naples ........... , ... Barrel factory ................... Built new ... 200 Otisfield ............. Two barrel factories ... , ........ Built new ... •8 Portland ............. Solder factory .. , ................ Built new ... 18,000 15 Portland ............. Box factory ....... , ....... , ...... Built new ... 20,000 South Portland ...... Rollmg mill ..... , ................ Built new ... 30,000 150 Westbrook .......... Handle factory ................. Remodeled .. 1,000 10 Windham .......... ,. Pulp mill ....................... Additions ... 3,000 FRANKLIN:(COUNTY. Jay ...... , ............ Barrel factory and saw mill .... Built new ... , 4,500 12 Salem ............. , .. Lumber mill .... , ................ Built new ... 5,000 20 Salem .. Threshing and g1·ist mill ....... Built new ... 300 2 Stro11g ........ , ...... Lumber, moulding and box m111 Rebuilt ...... Wilton ............... Shoe factory ..................... Built new . · i Wilton ............... Birch mill.- ....................... Built new .. 100,000 200 Wilton .......... , .... Woolen mill ..................... Enlarged .. AND LABOR STATISTICS. 9 HANCOCK COUNTY. Towns. Buildings. What