About two hundred and twenty-five hands are now employed in the shops, while many hundred women outside are engaged in sewing upon the gloves. The production is now at the rate of 50,000 dozen pairs per annum, and the pay roll from $10,000 to $12,000 per month.
The Eureka Glove company, which commenced operations in 1876, already rivals the Saranac in the reputation of its goods, and promises to equal it in extent of manufacture. This company now occupies the entire second story of Tilton's new Opera Block, with eight thousand square feet of flooring space, and employs fifty hands in the shop, aside from a large amount of outside labor. The monthly pay roll is from $3,000 to $4,000. The capital stock is $50,000. Nelson Parker is president, Charles Parker, treasurer, and Henry Merrill, secretary. The tanning department is under the management of Porter B. Watson, a thoroughly practical man in that line. Mr. Watson, by the way, is the father of Dr. I. A. Watson, secretary of the State Board of Health, and a brother of Dr. H. L. Watson.
There are three other glove making firms in town—the White Mountain, Ammonoosuc, and Granite State. The White Mountain Glove company commenced business in March, 1880, and has already an established reputation for the excellence of its gloves. The company is composed of Alonzo Weeks, George Whittaker, and Robert Meiner. Mr. Meiner is an experienced glove maker, and has charge of the manufacturing department. Mr. Weeks, who manages the finances, is a prominent business man, who has been engaged as a manufacturer of, and dealer in, boots and shoes in Littleton for the last thirty-eight years. He has also been town treasurer for the last ten years. The Ammonoosuc company, which commenced work last year, is already well started in business, while the Granite State company (Clay & Clay), which commenced in February last, starts out under flattering prospects, and, by producing a superior article from both the grain-tanned and Plymouth stock, is tolerably certain of success.
Another manufacturing establishment of considerable magnitude is that of the New Hampshire Scythe company, which went into operation ten years ago. Both scythes and axes of superior quality are produced, to the extent of 2,500 dozen annually of the former, and nearly as many of the latter. The capital stock of the company is $35,000. George B. Redington is president. Nelson C. Farr, treasurer, and J. H. Witherell, agent and manager.
Ranlett & Harris, carriage makers, do quite a business in the manufacture of all kinds of carriages and sleighs, with an extensive run of repairing. N. W. Ranlett, the senior partner, has been in business here for twenty years, and has gained a wide reputation for superior workmanship. About a dozen men are employed, and steam power was added last fall.
The foundery and machine shop formerly operated by Josiah Kilburn & Son was leased last year by Graham Brothers (P. S. and E. G. Graham), who do a large repairing business, and manufacture starch-mill machinery, Strickland plows, and Bucklin harrows. The Littleton grist-mill, owned by C. and C. F. Eastman and George A. Edson, and leased by E. B. Gates, has four run of stones and a capacity of three or four hundred bushels per day. E. D. Dunn & Co., contractors and builders, carry on an extensive business in this and adjoining towns. Mr. Dunn is one of the best known builders in the State, and has been in business in Littleton upward of twenty years. He built the State Normal School building, at Plymouth, the Oak Hill house, and has had large contracts at the mountains.
Probably nothing else has contributed so much to establish the reputation of Littleton abroad as the stereoscopic view business of B. W. Kilburn (formerly Kilburn Brothers), which has long been the most extensive of the kind in the
