Innovation or Bust! The Surprising Story of New England's ...
When Lowell died at the age of 42 in 1817, he left a roaring industry behind him. More than 140 mills had sprung up within a 30-mile radius of Providence, Rhode Island, alone, employing more than 26,000 people. By the 1840s, New England's textile mills were becoming victims of their own success. Overproduction caused prices to plummet.