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among business men as well as greatly reducing the pressure upon our courts, a very desirable thing. Every commercial organization should have committee of arbitration and every effort should be made to cultivate a willingness among the members to refer all differences among them to this committee.

The settlement of the tariff question, for a few years, at least, and the bright prospects for a busy season, should encourage our business men to more united action, to the end that we of New England may not only retain what we have but secure as much more as possible of the good things that are in store for us. If business men would everywhere adopt this system of arbitration it would save a large percentage of expense. Much good can be done by our Boards of Trade in educating the people to this system of settling disputes.

EDGAR POTTER,
Secretary.

Framingham Board of Trade.

BURLINGTON

Editor NEW ENGLAND MAGAZINE Dear Sir:-One of the best evidences of the attractiveness of the city of Burlington, Vt., as a home, is the fact that many who have once made it their residence, return to make it their permanent home.

It was my happy lot to be Principal of the High School of this city for more than six years. I was then called to the principalship of the Bridgeport, Ct., High School. Ten happy years there were soon passed, and a few years later I was able to return to Burlington and build a home there, in one of the most beautiful parts of the charming city on which you have lately published a most attractively written and illustrated article. I want to thank you for it, and in response add a few words.

The city is worthy of notice, not only on account of its beauty in detail and setting, but because of its exceptional social, religious and literary features. It has long been famous for its University, its preachers of marked ability and character, its libraries and the genuineness of its people. Examination of its streets, homes and public buildings would tend to show the truth of the last statement. It is a fine specimen of the best type of New England cities, and there are few,if any, of the smaller cities of our entire country that equal or surpass it in beauty or the other essentials of a choice residential city.

Allow me to add that I am exceedingly pleased with the way you are now setting forth the beauties and other attractions of our beloved New England.

Yours truly,

JOSEPH DANA BARTLEY, M.A.

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T is always difficult even for those having most to do with them to gather adequate conceptions of the significance of large figures. Upon the average mind they leave little impression beyond that of vague wonder; tons of cotton, thousands upon thousands of whirling spindles and millions in wages-we know that all this is vast, immense, but after all it means little else to us, and that is one reason why so familiar an institution as the great Amoskeag Manufacturing Company, of Manchester, New Hampshire, is really so little known, not only to the public in general, but even to the business world.

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At the same time an intelligent appreciation of such a great industry is a very desirable thing to foster and it is the purpose of this article to bring out the salient facts in such a way that they may be grasped.

A very ingenious and effective plan for this purpose was devised by the management at the time of a recent visit and tour of inspection by a large body of business men. January 21, 1908, one hundred and fifty men, representing the wholesalers, buyers and jobbers of the dry-goods and dressgoods trade of the entire country, made a special trip from New York to Manchester for the express purpose of visiting the plant of the company. In addition to this number about seventy representatives of the textile trade from Boston and southern New Eng

land came up with the officers of the Amoskeag Company.

While the occasion was improved in many ways by the visitors, perhaps no feature of their entertainment was more effective than the exhibit which had been brought together of one day's product of the entire plant. Closely packed as for shipment, the exhibits filled a space one hundred and twenty feet long by one hundred feet wide, stacked in tiers breast high. There within range of the eye were sixteen thousand pieces of cloth, each containing about forty yards. Stretched out in one piece it would have reached from Manchester to New York, or made up into clothing, etc., would have supplied a very considerable city.

No less imposing than the quantity was the wonderful variety of styles and patterns and the excellent quality of the goods. In the first tier were shown the product of the Langdon Mills, where a thousand looms are employed in the manufacture of gray and mixed goods of the same class as has been turned out by this mill since 1870. The old trade marks, "G. B." "76," and "Alexandria" being among the valuable assets of the corporation. Next to this was shown the day's product of the famous "A. C. A." ticking from the Jefferson Mills, the narrow blue and white stripes of which are familiar all over the world. These were shown in several styles from the light "C" ticking to the "XXX" which are used

for both mattresses and awnings. The "A. C. A." labels bear the fac-simile of gold medals awarded to the Amoskeag Company, one at the London Exposition in 1851 and another at the Paris Exposition in 1855 and the maintenance of this international fame is a matter of just pride, not only with corporation but with its employees. Alongside the tickings were shown several hundred cases of indigo blue denims running in several styles, and in the same section the "Amoskeag A❞ seamless grain bags. Next to these were shown the "Outings," napped goods, which although of comparatively recent origin have come into great popular favor for various grades. of underwear and dress goods. The Amoskeag product in this line includes a number of favorite brands and affords steady employment for some three. thousand looms.

More than two counters across the broad hall were used to show one day's product of the mills in staple ginghams, which the Amoskeag Mills began to manufacture about 1867. On the next four counters were displayed the fancy dress ginghams in all their endless variety of color and pattern. The Amoskeag Company refrains absolutely from the use of any color which will not stand the hardest test of soap and water. Their goods are thoroughly washed and shrunk in the finishing process, and will stand the severest tests. Eight thousand looms are constantly run in the production of these goods. In connection with this exhibit was that of a large variety of plain chambrays and stripes made expressly for outing shirts, etc. Four counters more were required for the daily product of worsteds, the display containing ten thousand pieces. This is a comparatively new line for the Amoskeag Company, but the quantity turned out is enormous and the cloths are all staple fabrics dyed in a very great number of shades.

When we realize that this great exhibit in all its variety and quantity represents but one single day's work, we can more readily understand how the

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It is interesting also to note that the great water wheels, thirty-four in number, furnished 16,488 horse-power and the 146 steam boilers consume 100,000 tons of coal per annum and furnish 22,000 horse power. This is the mechanical power which turns these thousands of spindles and looms. Back of this lies the brain power of hundreds of skilled employees and particularly of the executive heads. The business management of the corporation is carried on from the Boston office and in under the direction of Mr. Frederic C.Dumaine, Treasurer of the company, while the mills are under the superintendency of Mr. William Parker Straw. Mr. Herman F. Straw is the agent.

The early history of the Amoskeag Company is full of interest.

The real start in the cotton industry in Manchester was made back in. 1809, when Benjamin Prichard came here after attempting to make cotton goods in New Ipswich, and at the old Goffee place at Bedford, and forming a partnership with Ephraim, David and Robert Stevens, built a small mill on the west side of the falls at Amoskeag village. The next year a stock com

pany was organized, first called the "Amoskeag Cotton and Wool Factory" and afterward incorporated as the "Amoskeag Cotton and Woolen Manufacturing Company."

The agent of the first corporation received a salary of $180 a year and a good weaver could earn thirty-six cents a day. The mill was without pickers or looms, the cotton being picked and the yarn woven in the neighborhood. Dividends did not materialize so abundantly as anticipated by these pioneers in the field and after carrying on the business until 1815 at no profit, there was not much done until 1822, when Olney Robinson came here from Providence, R. I., and started up the mill again. Larned Pitcher and Samuel Slater, of Providence, had Sol Robinson's machinery and loaned him money, and when Robinson failed to make the venture pay they came into possession.

Prospects brightened materially in 1825, when Messrs. Sayles, Tiffany, Dean and Gay were admitted to partnership. The three first named had been engaged in manufacturing in Massachusetts, and besides the practical experience gained there they brought plenty of capital with which to carry on the business. Dr. Dean became the agent of the firm and re

moved to Manchester in 1826, to devote his entire attention to promoting the interests of the company.

The charter of the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company was granted by the New Hampshire legislature, July 1, 1831. The act of the legislature which made possible a capitalization of $1,000,000 was accepted twelve days later by Ira Gay, Willart Sayles, Oliver Dean, Larned Pitcher and Lyman Tiffany, the latter acting also as attorney for Samuel Slater. At a meeting the next day, July 14, by-laws were adopted and the organization perfected, Mr. Tiffany being elected president; Mr. Gay, clerk; Mr. Dean, agent, and Messrs. Tiffany, Gay and Sayles, directors.

All of these incorporators were practical mill men, and four of them, Mr. Pitcher being the exception, had been identified with the mills in Manchester for six years before 1631, in the course of which time the possibilities of Manchester as a cotton manufacturing center had been borne to them. The company started off with very promising prospects and from the beginning wise management made for the continued expansion of the industry which has resulted in the mammoth business of to-day.

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GETTING CLOSE TO THE PUBLIC

HOW A BIG BOSTON CONCERN IS DOING IT

By WALTER E. WELD

F John Magee could walk down Summer Street, Boston, this evening, with what mingled feelings might he survey the two gigantic electric signs which proclaim his name. to the passing throng at the corner of Otis Street. And what would be his astonishment as he looked into the brilliantly-lighted interior of Number 64 and saw there such an array of heating and cooking appliances as he never dreamed of when he started his small stove foundry fifty-three years ago.

These beautiful and artistic quarters at 64 Summer Street are the new exhibition rooms of the Magee Furnace Company, of Boston, the company to which John Magee gave the name and the impetus more than half a century ago, and which has inherited from its sturdy Scotch founder the honesty, the sincerity and the enterprise which have enabled it to become sponsor for the largest line of heating and cooking apparatus under one name in the United States.

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chef directing his assistants as they prepare the coming meal on Magee Hotel Ranges. Visit the suburban homes, from modest bungalow to most pretentious mansion, and you will find that they, as well as the office structures in the business section, are kept at the required temperature by means of Magee Heaters.

When you have seen all these evidences of its truth, you will begin to realize that there are some grounds for the Magee Company's claim: "The New England Standard for Over Fifty Years."

It would at first seem difficult for a manufacturing concern to get nearer to its public than was this one with its countless agents and extensive advertising, yet there was still much to be desired. The wholesale sample rooms were not centrally located with reference to the general public and this caused the Company to take a radical step, with the result that last month Boston saw, for the first time, the magnificent exhibition rooms of its largest range and heater manufacturing company opened in the heart of

THE STORE WHICH MARKS A NEW ERA

IT IS COMPLETELY STOCKED BUT
NOTHING IS FOR SALE

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