The first steam fire-engine in America was manufactured in Lawrence. Paper-mill ma chinery is also extensively manufactured, as are also shoes, foundry products, carriages and steam fire apparatus, engines, boilers and mill fittings and findings of all description.
The industrial unrest which has been gen erally attributed to Lawrence is now the sub ject of systematic study by a commission of citizens employing a high-grade publicity ex pert, and seeking by co-operation with the heads of the industries to establish a new in dustrial consciousness and relationship be tween the workers and the employers. The means employed are to• 'be along the lines of those advocated in the Rockefeller Industrial Plan of Shop Committees, Co-operative Man agement, ultimate partnership and ownership by such .employees as fit themselves for it; an increase in home and property ownership as a stabilizer of labor and a means of reducing labor turnover; a development of parks, play Founds and recreational centres; the increase in interest in education, Americanization and naturalization, and a broad comprehensive plan of housing and city planning, Site and Environment.— The site was pe culiarly adapted to the building of an import ant industrial centre. The small Spicket River here enters the Merrimac from the north and the Shawsheen stream enters from the south. The location is healthful. The rapid Merrimac River divides the city into nearly equal sec tions, the northern half now having i the lar gest population and most important industrial establishments. The city was laid out in 1845 46 by the founders and promoters, and has been built largely in accordance with original plans.
Public Works and Buildings.— The water works, established in 187445, were so ample that extensions have tint made it necessary to reconstruct the pumping, platror the storage reservoirs. The source of water supply is the Merrimac River. The .filtration beds that cleanse the current before it' is distributed for use were designed and constructed in 1892 under the care and approval of the Massachu setts State Board of Health. The experimental station of the Massachusetts State Board of Health is established here. 'Illuminating and heating gas and electric lighting and power are supplied by a single chartered company. The
courthouse was erected in 1903, at a cost of $250,000, and the post office was erected at about the same time at a cost of $150,000. The school buildings are large and commodious. The old city hall, the' original House,)) served for a quarter century almost every con ceivable public use and is still a noticeable structure. Other notable features are the Essex County Training School, Children's Home, Cottage and 'Lawrence hospitals. A noteworthy experiment is now being tried by the American Woolen Company at its Wash ington Mill, where an immense modern build ing has been erected, part of which is being devoted to the use of a day nursery where the mothers employed in the mill can bring their children mornings and leave them in charge of trained nurses.
Parks and Pleasure The fo'und ers of the city wisely reserved a common of 17 acres at the very centre of the business and residence section as a public pleasure ground. No buildings are allowed upon this central park and no public reserve in the common wealth is more nobly wooded or more truly the people's ground. About this central park the largest public buildings the leading Prot estant churches and many of the best residences are grouped. Four large outlying parks in a nearly wild condition but of much natural beauty and several smaller squares are well cared for by an established park commission of five members. A playstead of several acres exclusively for games and athletic exhibitions is conveniently located.
Banks and Savings has one national, three trusts, three savings, three co-operative and one Morris Plan bank, the total savings bank deposits being over $30,00,000, and the total bank deposits, savings and commercial, being over $56,000,000.
Churches and are over 40 organized churches in the community, the Roman Catholics having much greater numbers and larger value in property than any other denomination. There is an organized city mis sion. A General Emergency Hospital and Chil dren's Home are maintained by the Ladies' Union Charitable Society, a protectory or asylum for orphans or destitute children, an endowed Home for Aged People, and every nationality in the community has its own relief, benefit or social societies.