Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/329

Rh, published the paper until the fall of 1854, when he was succeeded by Van N. Bass and L. D. Churchill. In January, 1855, the name of the paper, which was Democratic in politics, was changed to the White Mountain Banner. Mr. Bass soon after became sole proprietor. The paper ran several years and finally suspended. In 1855 The People's Journal was started by H. W. Rowell as a Know Nothing organ, subsequently Republican. In 1859 this paper passed into the hands of William Davis, who was succeeded by William J. Bellows, in 1861. Mr. Bellows published it a few years, when it was united with the Lebanon Free Press. In 1865 Rowell & Smith started a neutral paper, called the Littleton Gazette. Smith soon retired, and L. W. Rowell continued the paper until October, 1867, when it was purchased by C. E. Carey, and changed to a Democratic paper under the name of the White Mountain Republic, which has continued, under varied management, to the present time, George C. Furber and D. O. Wallace being the present proprietors. The Littleton Argus, a Republican paper, was started by James S. Peavey in December, 1875, and united with the Coos Republican, at Lancaster, in May, 1878. The Littleton Journal, also Republican in politics, was established by B. F. Robinson and P. R. Goold, January 1, 1880. The Republic and the Journal are both flourishing papers, well supported by the community.

Littleton has been an important lumber depot for many years, especially during the period between the completion of the railroad to this point, and its extension through Bethlehem and Whitefield. Gen. E. O. Kenney came from Bethlehem and located here, in the lumber business, in 1852, and was actively engaged therein the greater portion of the time to 1866, Ariel Holmes being his partner for a few years at the start, and his son, L. C. Kenney, subsequently. Others were engaged in the same line, but Gen. Kenney was the principal operator during this period, and in some seasons his firm shipped in excess of 4,000,000 feet, of which a large portion was manufactured at their mills in Whitefield, (now Hazen's Mills), and was drawn to Littleton by team. For the last ten years an extensive business in the manufacture of lumber has been carried on in town, principally at the Littleton Lumber Company's mills below the village. This company is composed of four wide-awake, energetic men,—Messrs. C. D. Tarbell, Charles Eaton, Isaac Calhoun, and C. M. Cudworth,—Mr. Tarbell being treasurer and manager, and Mr. Cudworth, superintendent. They own about two thousand acres of timber land, and cut and manufacture about three millions feet of lumber annually, giving employment to thirty-five men in the mill, and a large number of men and teams outside. Another lumber firm, doing a large business at the present time, is that of Eaton & Green, who operate what is known as the Cate mill, at Scythe Factory Village, and cut out about 1,000,000 feet annually, beside clapboards, shingles, etc. Other manufacturers properly noted in this connection, are—H. C. Redington & Co., who manufacture boxes and house finish; Stephen Eaton & Co., bobbins, producing 1,500,000 annually; and Fitzgerald & Chandler, doors, sash and blinds. The reputation of the latter firm, for quality of goods, is not surpassed in the state.

The most important branch of manufacturing industry in Littleton at the present time is that of glove making, and the "Littleton Buck Gloves" have come to be among the best known in the market. The largest and oldest company, the Saranac, commenced operations, on a small scale, more than ten years ago, gradually increasing, until its establishment is now the largest of the kind in the country. It occupies the building formerly known as the Littleton Woolen Mill, which was erected in 1839, and operated as a woolen factory, by different parties, most of the time to 1874, and has recently erected, in addition, a large building, one hundred and seventy-five feet long by fifty feet wide and three stories high, all of which is used for its purposes.