430 



MAINE. 



a history of the Lapham bill in Congress, to 

 which so great opposition was developed in 

 Maine. The object of the bill was to transfer 

 the fisheries from State to national control. The 

 principal difficulties the commissioner has found 

 in enforcing the law are : Extent of coast to be 

 protected, lack of marine police boat, lack of 

 funds, and skillful evasions of the law. 



The commissioner devotes considerable space 

 in his report to a description of the many de- 

 vices employed by the fishermen, transportation 

 companies, and others in evading the laws relat- 

 ing to short lobsters. " Some idea of the amount 

 of this contraband shipment may be gained from 

 the fact that there is a record at this office of 

 nearly 54,000 lobsters less than the prescribed 

 length detected during the last two years in 

 transit in the city of Portland and vicinity." 



Textile Industries. From a census bulletin 

 issued in November, it appears that Maine in 

 1890 had only 106 establishments, compared with 

 122 in 1880. But with 16 fewer mills than in 

 1880, the returns for the census year of 1890 

 show an increase of over $1,000,000 in capital 

 invested, upward of 4,060 more hands employed, 

 more than $2,000,000 . increase in wages paid, 

 and an increase of about $4,000,000 in the value 

 of product. 



The Lumber Product. The operations along 

 the Penobscot river are the heaviest in the 

 State, and here 198,000,000 feet of long lumber 

 have been manufactured. This is about two 

 thirds of the output of Maine. From the Pe- 

 nobscot river have been sent 72,000.000 cedar 

 shingles, about 75,000 cedar posts used in foun- 

 dations, fencing, etc., and 40,000 knees for build- 

 ings and piers and for the construction of ves- 

 sels. The heaviest production of a water mill is 

 20,000,000 feet, and from a steam mill 28,000,- 

 000 feet. Maine has lost the hemlock trade 

 of New England to Pennsylvania, due to lower 

 rates given by the railroads. 



The Columbian Exposition. The last Leg- 

 islature appropriated $10,000 for the erection of 

 a State building at the World's Columbian Ex- 

 position at Chicago. Early in 1891 Maine secured 

 a fine site for a State building. The plans were 

 approved by the chief of construction, but then 

 it was found that a building such as they repre- 

 sented could not be built for the sum appropri- 

 ated. Business men took hold of the* matter 

 earnestly, and advised that the appropriation be 

 supplemented by subscriptions from people re- 

 siding in the cities and larger towns of the State, 

 and that the next Legislature be asked to refund 

 such amounts as might be subscribed. Sub- 

 scriptions were rapidly raised, and the building 

 was well advanced at the time of the opening. 



The Passamaquoddy Indians. Claims have 

 been made in the courts of Maine by the Passa- 

 maquoddy Indians, a tribe living on Lewey's 

 Island, that certain rights have been taken from 

 them, and they ask a restoration. The courts 

 have decided against them, and they have ap- 

 pealed to the Governor and Council of 'Massachu- 

 setts, as Maine was a part of that State when the 

 Indian treaty was declared. The tribe desires 

 to have the case taken before the United States 

 Supreme Court and there tried. The rights 

 which they claim have been abridged are the 

 privileges to hunt and fish at all seasons. 



The Granite-Workers' Strike. This be- 

 gan at Hallowell at the close of April, with the 

 quarrymen, and soon extended to the cutters. 

 It resulted not only from disagreements about 

 wages, but also from an order of the New Eng- 

 land Granite Manufacturers' Association, to 

 which the Hallowell Granite Works belong, that 

 the members should sign only such bills of 

 prices as should expire on Dec. 31, instead of 

 April 30, as formerly. This was understood to 

 be the principal grievance. The change of 

 dates was insisted upon by the company, but 

 they were understood to be willing to compro- 

 mise the other matters in dispute, namely, in- 

 creased pay, change from piece work to day 

 work, and a new classification of their em- 

 ployees. As to the change from May 1 to Jan. 1 

 as the time for the bills to go into effect, the 

 manufacturers said they believed it would be 

 better for both manufacturers and men to have 

 bills end with the calendar year. The large 

 building jobs always came in about the first of 

 the year, and it handicaps contractors to figure 

 on work with an increase in wages pending 

 and the possibility of a strike in the busiest 

 season. 



On the other hand, the men claimed that the 

 proposed change would place them absolutely in 

 the hands of the companies. Under the former 

 arrangement the men were practically masters of 

 the situation, as the busy season begins by the first 

 of May, and the companies must have help. They 

 said that if the bills should begin in January it 

 would be during the dull time, when the com- 

 panies would as soon as not shut down for several 

 months and when the men most need the work. 

 They claimed that the companies could afford to 

 give better wages, and the old arrangement of 

 dates had proved satisfactory to all concerned 

 for several years. 



The Granite Manufacturers' Association of 

 New England is composed of all the firms of any 

 importance in the six States, and its decisions 

 are supreme. The New England Granite Cut- 

 ters', Paving Cutters' and Quarrymen's Unions 

 are affiliated, and together control over 12,000 

 men. The Hallowell company employed over 

 300 men, and had a pay roll of $20,000 a month. 

 A settlement was effected in October. Like 

 those made at other New England quarries, it 

 was on the basis of the Westerly, R. 1., agree- 

 ment, the provisions of which were as follow : 



Article I provides that the bill of prices existing 

 before the lockout shall continue until March, 1SW, 

 and that three months' notice shall be given before 

 that by either party that shall want a change; and 

 (Article V) that if such notice is not given, the sume 

 agreement shall run three years longer. Article 11,111, 

 and IV provide a method of arbitration as follows : It 

 is also agreed that any contention which may arise 

 shall be referred to a local board of conciliation, con- 

 sisting of three referees appointed by each party. 

 Pending such arbitration it is mutually agreed that 

 there shall be no strike, lockout, or suspension of work. 

 Articles VI and VII read as follow: It is hereby 

 mutually agreed that every man shall be allowed to 

 earn his livelihood under the conditions guaranteed 

 him by the Constitution of the United States, and the 

 employers agree not to make any unjust distinction 

 among any of the men who have' been in their for- 

 mer employ. It is further agreed that the number of 

 apprentices employed shall not.be more than one to 

 every five journeymen. Article VIII gives workmen 



