It all ends up in a pile

Recycling workers take a look.  Bangor Daily News photo - click

  Finally the bricks are coming apart.  The "Tannery" in Howland is being torn down.  The building has stood empty, or nearly empty for over 30 years.
  The project will create an open space but the main reason for removal is the process to build a fish ladder in one of the two dams nearby, and removal of the other dam.
  Back in history the buildings housed a tannery, preparing hides for the shoe industry.  It began life as a woolen mill before turning to leather.  The textile industry fled Maine for the promise of low taxes in the 1950's and the shoe industry found workers in Asia that would work for a fraction of the wages paid to American workers.  That brings up a good point; have the prices of shoes gone down?
  So here it is, a set of buildings that once provided income and employment to many people going down to make a fish ladders some folks hope a fish will use.  There are others worried that the wrong species of fish will end up further inland and damage the sport fishery.

Pick up the pieces.  Bangor Daily News photo.