History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

13 HISTOHY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
resources of the town, and lias left at least the
foundation of a solid prosperity which the coming
years will consummate. In 1S77 a portion of
Medford, comprising about two hundred acres of
land with one hundred iidiabitants, was annexed
to Maiden.
Retaining about one third of its original terri-
tory, ilalden is bounded southerly by Everett^
westerly by Medford, northerly by Melrose, and
easterly by Saugus and Revere. Its greatest length
from east to west is about three miles, and its
average width about one and one half miles. Its
northern portion comprises a region of rocky hills,
which, a few years since, were generally wooded,
and which abound in many natural beauties. This
section has, in recent years, been invaded by the
builder, and has afforded many j^leasant and ro-
mantic sites. The eastern division, where the
thriving villages of Faulkner's, Maplewood, and
Linden— stations upon the Eastern Railroad —
have, as before mentioned, grown with great rapid-
ity, is probably that which will receive the largest
growth in the early future, as its romantic scen-
ery and the comparative cheajniess of its lands
offer inducements which will not be uinioticed in
the return of general prosperity. At Belmont, on
the highlands at the southern border of the town,
and at Oak Grove, at its opposite extremity, sim-
ilar growths have occurred, with fair prospects of
the future ; while at Edgeworth a vigorous com-
munity of mechanics and laborers has gathered
around the manufactories which are there estab-
lished.
At the latter section the extensive works of the
Boston Rubber Shoe Company are located. This
corporation, which was established in 1853, has
enjoyed a remarkable degree of prosperity. Under
the vigilant and intelligent direction of its treas-
urer, Elisha S. Converse, its interests have steadily
advanced ; and the variety and value of its products
now place it among the largest establishments of
its kind in the country. These works were destroyed
by fire, November 29, 1875, at a time when the
then existing depression caused the liveliest concern
for the welfare of those who were suddeidy deprived
of their accustomed means of livelihood ; but, by the
aid of the benevolent and the care of the corpora-
tion, the winter passed without the extreme incon-
venience and suti'ering which were anticipated ;
and
larger buildings and improved machinery soon gave
evidence of the enterprise and courage of the company
and its managers in the face of disaster and
the discouragements which then prevailed.
Besides rubber goods, the principal articles man-
ufactured here are leather of various descriptions,
sand and emery papers, and shoe-lasts. Other
goods are made to a limited extent ; but, with the
exception of the articles mentioned, the products
of the town are not of unusual importance. The
number of persons employed in manufactures in
1875 was 1,063, and the goods produced were
valued at $2,664,484.
While their material interests have advanced,
the people of Maiden have not neglected those in-
terests which enhance the grosser forms of pros-
perity. In its schools of all grades the town has
taken a high rank, and it has not been niggardly in
its expenditures to that end. "While unwise coun-
sels have at times prevailed, it has, upon tne whole,
performed its work in the interests of education
with ability and discretion. Its twelve churches,
of various denominations, are prosperous, and enjoy
that best adjunct of prosperity, freedom from in-
ternal strife and external opposition. Its charita-
ble bodies and its societies of reform are of large
membership and are ably directed ; and they watch
over the various matters which they have in charge
with spirit and success. A bequest by John Gard-
ner, a native of the town, has been made the foun-
dation of a public library, which, though of recent
birth, has, by a large and increasing circulation of
carefully selected books, already proved its great
urility and insured for itself an ultimate liberal
support and a permanent endowment.