Saco, Maine, USA (Pepperrellborough)
1854 - Saco

Saco, a thriving post-town and port of entry of York county, Maine, on the E. or left bank of the Saco river, about 6 miles from its mouth, and on the Eastern railroad, 13 miles S. W. from Portland. The industry of this place and of Biddeford, a flourishing village on the opposite side of the river, is chiefly directed to the lumber trade and to cotton manufactures, each of which employs a large amount of capital. A fall of about 42 feet in the Saco river, here furnishes excellent water-power, which is extensively used for sawing and driving machinery. There are now 10 large cotton mills in operation at these falls - 5 on the Saco and 5 on the Biddeford side - containing about 55,000 spindles and 2800 looms. The York Manufacturing Company, incorporated in 1831, have a capital of $1,500,000, and produce annually $6,200,000 yards of cloth. The most extensive corporation, however, is the Saco Water-power Company, organized in 1839, with a capital of $1,500,1)00, since increased to $2,000,000. The operations of this company, till 1848, were confined to the erection of factories. That year they commenced the first of 4 mills. to be erected with all possible despatch, for their own use, each to be 240 feet long, 76 feet wide, and 5 stories high ; the largest, probably, in the state. Their machine shop is 271 feet long, 46 wide, and 6 stories high. The Laconia Company have $1,500,000 capital, and employ near 2000 hands. There are also various manufactories of woollen goods, hardware, &c. One of the largest foundries in the state is that of Jarvis Williams, Esq., in which upwards of 1000 tons of pig iron are annually consumed. About 5,000,000 feet of boards, shingles, laths, heading, and other kinds of lumber are annually turned out at the various saw mills here in operation. The shipping of the district, June 30th, 1852, amounted to an aggregate of 879 tons registered, and 1657 tons enrolled and licensed. Of the latter, 1458 tons were employed in the coast trade, and 188 tons in the mackerel fishery. The foreign arrivals for the year were 4 vessels ; clearances, the same. During the period above specified, 1 ship and 1 schooner, with an aggregate burthen of 532 tons, were admeasured. There are here 3 banks - 2 in Saco, and 1 in Biddeford - a savings' institution, an insurance company, 10 churches - 7 in Saco, and 3 in Biddeford - 3 literary associations, viz. the Mechanics' Institute, (Saco,) organized December 9, 1841, volumes in the library, 3500 ; the Saco Athenaeum, with a library of 1000 volumes, and the York Library, also containing about 1000 volumes ; a liberally endowed academy, and 8 newspaper offices - 2 in Saco, and 1 in Biddeford. Since 1844 a new cemetery, called the 'Laurel Hill Cemetery,' has been laid out upon the Mount Auburn plan near the village of Saco. Population of Saco township in 1840, 4408; in 1850, 5794: of Biddeford in 1840, 2574; in 1860, 6095: of both villages in 1853, about 11,600.

A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

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