Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-09-03
rnR BODIES.
TIE CHAIR TRADE IN NEW
NOl2 *.

4 stranger, on observing the vast throng Of
operatives pouring from the ferry boats and
through the main streets of thecity, TO and from
their daily toll, is led to wonder often times, how
so many find employment, and, from their re-
spectacle dress and appearance, of evidently so
good a description Those that have any such
doubts know but little of the mighty business
which is transacted in Gotham, and the extent
of its commercial and mechanical operations.-
In proof OF this, they need carry their thoughts
no further, as to one greatbraneh, than the com
mon chair they sit upon. This article alone, to
say nothing of the mahogany or other dnseriP-
tons of fancy chairs, employs in this city about
one million dollars OF capital, there being eight
large houses ndabout one hundred smaller ones
engaged in the business. The number of such
chairs manufactured in or for New York is about
four millions annually, and the value S6,00D,0O0
annually.
In New York city, about one thousand men
two hundred females and four hundred children
are employed in tine manufacture of the cane
bottom and other common chairs and about dou-
BILE that number in the country for this market.
OF the four million chairs about one third are
manufactured in New York, and two thirds by
machinery in tue Eastern States, and on the line
of the Hudson river. In regard to the sales,
about one sixth are disposed of for city mse.
four sixths for country trade, including Calfor-
MIA, and one sixth exported to the West Indies
and South America. The cost of the wood with
which they are made is about $3op,000-it con-
Sists of. black walnut, oak white and curlcd
pie. and white wood The other materials used
are rattan, or split cane add rush for the seats;
varnisLeS, paint and some gold leaf
The wood is brought from the Western States,
by the way Of the E,ie Canal, usually in pIankS
OF u and IL feet When received into the man
nfactory here, it passes into the hands Of the
different branches of worlImen, FOR the purposes
of saving, turning, seating and trimming or put
ting together; also, as to some descriptions as
vcneering. The chairs when put together, which
they are without glue, then go into the sands Of
the varnishcrS. painters and gilders, whence
they return to the varnishers, ready 10 be pre-
pared for immediate use or taken apart for trans
portation- or shipping. In latter process the
backs are kept entire, but the whole Of the re-
snainder, such as legs, rnnSs, cane bottoms. &c,
are taken apart, sorted and Compactly boxed up,
SO that the chair is exported with aS close pack
ing, nearly, as cloth or any similar article.
The young women and children employed i'll
the factories in New York, are engaged almost
exclusively in the cane and rush work connect
cd with the chair In tle country they are also
employed in the process of painting and gliding
This, as already stated, is buta sketch OF the
business in New York connected with only one
branch the common char, and which is by no
means the largest, or one Of the largest. The
fancy and mahogany chair employs, probably,
in the city, four five times the capital of the
common chair, and very large number of opc-
ratives in the manufacture. The heads of some
of the establishments, in both branches, are
among our most entcrprising, shrewd and pros
perons men, and the whole trade emphatically
exemPlifes the adage that Industry is Wealth.
Sun.