538 HISTOR V OF COIIASSE T. 



are mutually useful, moreover, and afford a stable condi- 

 tion of society able to endure good times or bad times 

 without much disturbance. 



No strikes affect us because no manufacturing industry 

 has ever engaged a large proportion of our town. Even 

 the shoe business has never been established as a town 

 industry, though some twenty-five years ago a number of 

 small shops in different parts of the town furnished "job 

 work " for a great many upon shoes manufactured in 

 neighboring towns. Also " slop work," or the making of 

 cheap garments, was carried on by many needlewomen in 

 their own homes, after the fishing business had failed. 

 But no large factory since our fish packing, ever has been 

 established here; neither is there much likelihood that 

 one ever will be established. 



The character of this town as a suburb and summer 

 resort, to the exclusion of industries, has become fixed. 

 A fair estimate of the future for at least a century must 

 predict for Cohasset a suburban retirement. Many more 

 homes of a comfortable and expensive sort may be ex- 

 pected to nestle among our ledges and hills. To Nan- 

 tasket upon one side and to North Scituate upon the 

 other must be given the popularity that brings swarms 

 of humanity to the beaches in summer; but to Cohasset, 

 which has no long beach and whose shore line has been 

 preempted already by quiet-loving people, there must 

 remain a long era of immunity from crowds. 



People of large means have laid out generous areas for 

 their "grounds," and no one can see any near prospect 

 of many of these beautiful estates being parceled out to 

 small holders. As rapid transit to Boston is developed, 

 in years to come our hills remote from the shore will offer 

 homes of a less expensive sort to a large number of work- 

 aday people. 



Little by little the old landmarks familiar to our an- 

 cestors will be transformed by the hands of an incoming 



