The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1856-09-11
american Clock Business.

Ont OF thirty-one clock manufacturers emu
nsated by Us in articles on tie subject two
.sars ago. four have been destroyed by fire,
s.ioe have stopped by failure. and five have
,aased manufacturing on account OF small
,-osIs There are still thirteen factories ma
say clocks. but there are only six of them
.,aoing full time, and with full CONF pliment
Ihands These six viii produce about 95.
10 clocks this year. The remaining seven
aaories will make bout 48 900 clocks, ST
IA, the total production Of clocks this year
I'll not exceed $4,000
The Jerome Manufacturing Company in
1853 and 1851. produced each year Ala 900
socks Thus they must have produced on an
usrsse more than one per minute. The fac
nry Of J. c. Brown, during 1851 and 1852.
sued from sc, 900 TO loo, 600 clocks annual
!, makino a total from the two establish
nsn,s. Of over so. 600 clocks each year. The
,ssona Company manufactured about 15J,
qo last wear. Thus it viii be seen that all
he thirteen factories now running will make
t,dlv ore.fourth Of what was produced by
Ares Of our large factories now standing still.
The question naturally arises. what shall We
IA for low priced clocks in the future?
There is still a large amount offancy clocks
an hand, which will probably last out the
aason, but the wooden frame, 80. e." and
share top Gothic" clocks are not being made
and there is compa paraively none in the mar
ket The wooden frame clocks cannot b
made tOy the prices they have been sold at. Il
Is estimated that nearly halt a million OF dol
lars have been lost in selling clocks under the
cost. within the last three years. The clocks
br expiration have anou lted to about one
million Of dollars annually, which alied Us
n the exchanges with the old country. As
an instance. we know one house that lmpor,S
shawls. linen, collars and lace goods from
scotlsnd and makes lis exchange IN clock
But il they were To send a bill of excianIe, u
Eoall cost them from 10 8 per cent, Bu.
sending out clocks at 5 per cent pratit 81
more, it III axes then at least 3 per cent. 'n
tie clocks. which is a paying business. Trere
are doubtless many similar agents in the ex
poraon of lie article, which IS all advantage
a aourseIyes, and for this reason we desire 10
zee il iostered and again take its place anon :
he industrial products of our country The
basiness has resulted so di>astrou>ly to those
eagagei il it, that some time must elaPSe be
bre capital viii seek this channel rs an invest
nent unless something Ike combination can
be made to sustain the prices. Foreign coun
Hies, WIN tIlNAI low S'''t'N''f 80
sppear from the past. compete with "a IN ma
King cheap household 81, cks. Norkmen "i
Enghnl cannot be induced to nut together
work 50 rccklessly. They are an-azei at the
fought Of shaping the Pars by the bashei,
end puttar them toge her aS boy sets ten
pms. America makes a clock while Europe
pa,.ing on It's apron. The clock bushes ;
row stands in peculiar position. There has
been no rise in prices. bat there appears every
reason to anticipate one. Tae amount OF low
priced clocks male this year will 10. supply
he home ma; ke:, ami the expectation ol the
article must almost wholly cease tor time a
esst Il j. said that one or two English
agents have been to the clock districts. aad
have secured them thorou .aly 20 buy all thal
could be found finished. bur The amounts Were
snail. without a prospect OF getting more. II
the American manufacturers can combine,
and form rules which shall prohibit the con
anaal cheaper ng process, and fix minimum
price varying with the quality ordered but
never such as TO forbid living profit, the
clock manufacture may again rise; without 1t
there appears every sign OF a long sta5nalion.