This Is New England (1940s)

[Applause] New England more than 300 years ago New England unexplored and unknown for here rockbound coastlines uncharted waters that challenged the skill of sailing Masters in search of harbors and here that met the ocean rivers with powerful currents and menacing Rapids but here too were rivers that man could harness and rivers that man could use for roadways here were the hills covered with Forest of Pine and Spruce and Ash ra material for building and here was the soil New England soil then industry began began when the first settlers turned carpenters put together four walls and a roof and farming began began with the plowing of the first Stony field the planting of seed and the patient tilling of rugged Earth the woods the rivers and the hills gave up their animal life but when population increased fur bearing animals became scarce and so the colonies turned to the Sea turned to the Sea for another product of tremendous commercial and economic value fish mackerel and cod found in richly stocked Banks along the coast fish in abundance to supply enough food which the soil refused to give fish for trade and Export fishing in turn created another new industry ship building Oak and fur from the forests went into sturdy ships for fishing failing ships ships needed to explore new and distant fishing Banks ships for the expanding coastwise and foreign trade the infant colonies were growing in commercial and economic importance Colonial Merchants sent shiploads of dried Cod grain staves and headings for Hogs heads to West Indian plantations received in turn cargos of molasses for the manufacturer of rum New England rum for export and by way of the West Indies ship sailed to Europe returned with manufactured goods and articles of luxury the colonies of necessity were engaged not in large-scale manufacturing but in the production of goods from natural resources and then in the colonies in a thousand different localities in the home then in small shops there began an era of individual craftsmanship for New England was at work finding new ways to meet the economic needs of its people laying the foundation for Mighty industries of the future men worked with hides and turned them into leather leather for boots for shoes for harnesses and saddle bags ship builders called for Rope Rope for rigging and for tackle rope for the ships of trade and commerce the housewives were busy with spinning and weaving drawing thread from wool and flax and weaving it into fabric for articles of clothing and in every settlement throughout the length and breadth of the industrious colonies the Anvil and the forge rang with the song of metal upon metal metal transformed into tools for industry metal for the tools of the Craftsman and The Artisan metal for manufactured goods New England became the workshop of the newly born nation on the banks of its rivers settlements arose for here was transportation for materials and supplies and here was water power to drive the Mills power for the new factories out of the shop the mill and the factory came the beginning of a long list of manufactured goods turned out by Colonial Craftsmen inventive genius turned its talents to problems of manufacturing and Industry at the end of the 18th century Eli Whitney already famous for his invention of the cotton gin changed the entire concept of factory operations and established new standards of accuracy and precision with his development of ages Jigs and fixtures by which similar operations could result in the production of any number of absolutely uniform Parts with each passing decade New England increased in economic stature and importance population grew and towns expanded into cities a new kind of Transportation began in 1826 with the first railroad in the United States using 2 mies of track to carry Granite for Bunker Hill Monument the 19th century saw the development of a new kind of power power from Steam to drive the wheels of industry and the network of Steel rails spread wider across the New England scene replacing the need for River Transportation as the railroad grew so grew New England [Music] and so today from a rich background of manufacturing tradition and honest craftsmanship of adaptability to its natural industrial location and of diversity of production modern New England emerges even more boldly on the industrial and economic Horizon of the nation today in New England as in the past its 19 principal Rivers contribute water for the use of Industry abundant water pure and soft water for the texti paper rayon bleaching and canning Industries there is power in this great industrial center power generated by steam plants at Tidewater power generated by hydroelectric plants in this compact manufacturing area power costs are low low in cost because transmission lines are short and line loss is held to a minimum the interlocking system of power lines assures continuous service regardless of plant breakdown power in any emergency Dependable power power that reaches into every Community to meet every demand of Industry today as in in the past sheltered deep waterer Harbors continue to give a tremendous industrial Advantage from strange Lands Beyond the Seas from lands below the equator from all over the world come caros of raw materials the forests and Fields of the world the Plains and the plateaus Supply a wealth of materials for manufactured goods rubber wood pulp and wool in Bales sugar hides and cotton in Bales CLE and hemp and a thousand other supplies today the railroad keeps Pace with the rapid tempo of industrial activity moving raw materials and finished goods with ever increasing efficiency to meet the demands of expanding industry upon the railroad Falls the burden of moving the bulk of supplies in into manufacturing centers raw materials into the classification yard at Cedar Hill New Haven train loads of steel iron copper aluminum leather and hides and fuel for power raw materials classified and reforwarded to Providence Boston and other focal points of manufacturer for uninterrupted production the big factories and the little factories the small Mills and the large look to Dependable railroad service for a continuous supply of raw materials today New England's industrial strength lies in the skill of its Artisans and Craftsmen men trained to expertness through generations of specialization here is the highest concentration of skilled labor in the nation here is reserve industrial Manpower for production of fabricated highquality manufacturers here are the machinists the tool makers and mechanics here are the electricians the engineers and Mill rights and here are the men to work the metals metal for modern Precision Tools raw metal treated Twisted hammered and forged into tools for a thousand uses Metals for Chucks and Taps and dyes Metals for presses lathes and drills metal for machines that work the metal machines that roll and press and Forge the steel iron copper and brass into manufactured goods Metals for Machines of unbelievable skill machines that cut and grind and polish machines that perform miracles of modern mass production today the national importance of this Center of industry is based on its diversity of manufacturer and products from its plants shops and factories are closely linked with American industrial business and family life scarcely a factory or shop exists that is not equipped with some New England made Machine Tool or Implement and hardly a home is without one of its products for throughout the Civilized world the trademarks of this manufacturing area signify excellent workmanship and honest value for the fine products of wool and cotton of silk and rayon the nation still looks to New England at xxbridge at Southbridge at Thompsonville and salesville at New Bedford and Fall River at many another city are the Mills and the power looms the Dyers and the finishers and the Allied textile Industries wool into blankets clothing Upholstery and insulation cotton into printed cloth printed cloth on complex presses cotton into sheets and pillowcases curtains and wearing apparel cloth and fabric into dresses threads and ribbons and hosery wool and cotton and rayon and silk into thousands of different articles for the families of the nation wool two for the rug and carpet industry wool transformed into Exquisite patterns by by power looms of intricate design twisting and weaving with fascinating Rhythm and speed an Old Colonial industry brought up to date leather and hides are long familiar products leather for the belts of Industry leather tanned curried and finished leather too for boots and shoes of every size and description Footwear made in one of the World's Greatest Shoe producing centers pure soft water is available in abundant quantities water for Quality paper and a light Industries raw materials and supplies are within easy reach and a temperate climate with ideal humidity conditions lends a helping hand in this complicated industry which produces paper for books and boxes paper for labels and Specialties paper for the Publishers and printers the brass and copper industry founded by Colonial Craftsmen for the making of brass buttons and copper kitchen wear today Prides itself on having the largest plant in the world buttons and kitchen wear are still to be had but now the industry manufactures more than a 100,000 other brass and copper products for household and Industrial use and for the building industry lolium in up-to-date designs for attracting Home Interiors Roofing building paper and asphalt shingles of composition and asbest insulating materials and weatherproofing every type of quality product for the Builders of modern homes New England builds the clocks and the watches that keep time for the nation builds the speedometers and teters recording instruments and automatic counters for the special needs of Industry carrying on old traditions are the silver Smiths of Providence and Meridan Taunton and Wallingford and many other cities fine silver and Cutlery for the tables and the kitchens of the nation silverware and plate wear of worldwide reputation from New Britain Stamford and New Haven come hinges locks and door checks manufactured by long famous names in Industry special builders hardware for an endless list of uses quality products fine Precision products gun making calls upon the skill of men who know Metals highly specialized workmen who are at their best in solving the intricate problems of a fine craft that increases in Perfection and in National importance with each passing year the very nature of New England's closely knit industrial organization it's a abundance of skilled labor special Machinery materials and metals well adapted to the manufacturer of countless small metal parts for electrical appliances radios Motors sewing machines telephones and typewriters here is the modern counterpart of Eli Whitney's gauges Jigs and fixtures which make possible interchangeability of standardized Parts essential to mass production methods wings of Commerce and defense manufacturing on a dramatic and spectacular scale in the factories of Bridgeport and Hartford the airplane industry demands the skill of a tremendous variety of precision workmen men trained in a 100 crafts to plan and design to build and use the tools to form the metals and the Fabrics men with long experience in mechanics and machine scy men who know Precision Instruments down through 300 years of ship building have come old traditions old traditions now carrying on in the building of Mighty Ships for defense of the nation Swift new Watchdogs of the sea sturdy hulls of Oak have long since given way to sturdier hulls of steel steel hulls for the Navy and steel hulls too for ships to carry on foreign trade rope making is still a part of ship building but newer methods have replaced the old rope spun by Machine rope and cordage for an increasing variety of industrial uses rope for the modern ships that go down to the Sea pleasure boats and sailing craft looked upon with admiration and respect by Sailors and land lovers alike ships to for the fishing industry modern trollers equipped with complex up-to-date facilities from humble beginnings commercial fishing has grown to ranking importance and every day trollers unload more than 70 varieties of fish at Boston Fish Pier the largest fish pier in the world today's catch packed in ice and shipped by railroad finds itself on tomorrow's dinner tables in cities far from the sea today New England is at work carrying on with modern efficiency the old established Industries adapting itself to the new scientific research always testing always checking cooperates with industry world famous Technical and Commercial Laboratories colleges and universities look to the Future for bold new industrial Ventures look to the Future for new specialized Industries adapted to this favorable manufacturing environment from instruments of research have come Plastics Plastics molded into articles for the automobile and the home the electrical building and numerous other Industries already these new manufacturing Enterprises are in full operation equipped to process the raw materials that have emerged from laboratory experiments out of the shop the mill and the factory come the products of new manufactural reputation rolling off production lines in a NeverEnding stream quality Precision products ready for distribution and consumption in the markets of the world markets closely linked with New England by fast and modern railroads bringing together producer and consumer in the quickest possible time New England's natural location is an undeniable IND industrial Advantage for within a 500 mile radius are important economic factors population manufacturing distribution facilities and wealth within easy reach by Dependable Transportation are all the Necessities for manufacturing Enterprise close at hand are the suppliers to Industry sources for tools and equipment materials and service the map of the United States takes on new proportions when observed from the manufacturing and distributing point of view for within a 500 mile radius are more than 38% of the total population of the country the nation's greatest market area 49% of all manufacturing plants 54% of all industrial salaries and wages 63% of income taxes and 70% % of the nation's savings deposits important advantages for business and industry New England soundly built and soundly developed where brain power and Manpower pull their skills to Mutual Advantage where 150 years of banking and financing experience are ever ready to meet the needs of industry and business alert to present day requ to the promise of the future New England where government sely liberal government looks with open mind at business and industry not as a source of Taxation but as a source of employment and wealth New England where Cooperative government looks with understanding at the problems of Industry New England Workshop of the nation turning every kind of raw material into manufactured goods quality products of skilled labor men with times of experience in different crafts shops m Mills and factories pouring out a wealth of products products shipped on Rolling Wheels to the Far Corners of the [Music] nation manufactured goods of worldwide reputation carried and distributed by the New Haven railroad serving busy New England product for the home and farm of American life men at work on New England products mastering metals and machines lending hands in Friendly Spirit feeling bonds of understanding this all this is New England [Music]