Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-06-22
THE BONNET BUSINESS.

The Bonnet business of Massachusetts, fsavs
the Boston Traveller) commands q largo amount
OF capital, and no small degree of taste and en-
terPrise. Ii Is not every man nor every woman
style OF art. Good judgment and taste are ne
cessary to euccess in the business ..
Inc present year has been a trying one for
bonnet manufacturers. The season opened
with fair prospects, and high hopes of a pros
porous trade were inspired. Many laid their
plans for extensive business, and the conse-
quence has been that an unusual number of
bonnets have been manufactured. In Frank
lin, Mass, somewhat distinguished for its man
ufaeture OF straw goods for half century. there
have beeninearly one hHndTed thousand cases
OF b0nnetS manufactured within six months
These cases probably contained seven millions
OF bonnets, enough for one quarter OF the heads,
great and small, old and young, in the United
States. About three hundred girls have been
employed in the shops, while many others, in
families, have worked at the business. OF
course, when sudden stagnation of the business
occurs, as the case has been the present season,
great losses are the result. Perhaps there has
not been much loss to most of the manufactur-
ers, taking the season rs whole since the COM
mencement Of the trade was profitable. The
loss has come within the last two months. 1t
was good beginning with bad ending.
The reader can form some idea of the vast
number Of bonnets manufactured in the land,
from the number made in the town named above.
1t will be recOllected that the above statement
embraces only six months. If we add to this
the number made in one other town in the State,
(FOxboro') and we shall probably have twenty
five millions for this year. Two towns thus
furnish about one, bonnet each for every man,
woman and child in the Union. AS the men
do not wear bOnnets, and the babies do not
need them, these two towns must furnish every
woman In the land with two bOnnets each-a
very good supply. Then think of the bonnets
made in other places, and say if it is surprising
that that the bushes. is dull. May not one
cause OF the unexpected prostratiOn OF this
branch Of traffic be found in the large number
Of bOnnets manufactured The market must
be overstOcked, and hence the large quantities
OF straw now on hand, while the sale is over
Many people have the idea that certain fash
ionables in our large cities control the style of
bOnnets; in other words, the fashionable buyer
and not the manufacturer, decides the style of
bOnnets to be made. This is not so. The man
facturers control this matter completely. Last
fall there was an association Of bonnet make s
organized in this State for the purpose of ma
king the style uniform. Hitherto there had
been no concert of action in this regard, and the
consequence was that 50 many styles appeared
in the trade as to prove an injury. The above
association was formed to remove this difficulty;
and it has accomplished its object successfully.
Bonnet merchants can afford to work for
small profits, and for no profits at all, this year,
since the previous twelve or fifteen years have
been exceedingly prosperous. The series of
years has scarcely been interrupted by a sin
gle drawback" A vast amount of money
has been made in this time-men have risen
from poverty to affluence-and now q little
bitter with the sweet will do them good