The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-10-10
From the n. Y. Times.
HARD TIMES IN THE CITY.

HARD TIMES IN The ClI1.
1t is certain that than two thousand girls en-,
gagged in the various departments Of manta and cloak
making, are already out of employment Nearly every
establishment Of numerical importance has reduced the
number of hands from one-third onehalf and some
of them more Bulpns establishment before the failure
offered employment romsix to eight hundred girls and
McKenzies establishment in Canal street, before his
flure gave employment to two hundred girls all
of whom have been discharged with the exception two
But the discharges have not all been occasoned by the
panic The fall and winter goods nearly all made up
and when that is the it is customary 10 reduce the
number of hands until the time when they commence
making up for the spring and southern trade The guam
tty manufactured has been less than for two years pre-
yous in consequence of the favor which the new styles
of shawls find with the ladesa fact which caused a
curtament OF the quantity manufactured the close
of the regular making season, and threw very many
out employment at earlier day than usual The eff
feet of the panic will be felt more the delay
in commencing to make up for the spring and southern
trade
The bonnet business has not suffered 30 much many
other trades, although there not SO much doing
common at this season The stock of fall bonnes is not
so large usual. The principal manufacturers
deavorng to make up in accordance with each day or
weeks demand that there have not been many en-
poyed and as the demand continues, there have not
been SO many discharged The decrease is estimated at
from 800 to 900 hands.
The iewelry business is already seriously affected Sew.
eral establishments that have employed from twenty to
fifty men have discharged, some one-third and Others
one-half their usual number But as the quantity of
iewelry manufactured here but small in comparison
with the quantity imported, the curtament in the num-
Der of employed in manufacturing is not large The
effect of the pressure comes chiefly upon the wholesale
and retail dealers heavy importer of French ewelry
in Nassau street informed reporter that he the
only person who had entered his establishment in three
weeks. He had had purchasers, neither had there
been any sufficiently curious as to how he was
getting along to stop in and inquire. All through the
city the trade is nearly at 'standstill. =
Messrs Starr Underhill, No. 127 Maiden lane who
have recently suspended, largely engaged in the
manufacture of hats, which were made in Bloomfield
Orange, and Newark, N. j. and Stapeton, Staten
Island They furnished employment to about 800 hands
who are thrown out of work. Their payments were
from 81 900 to 81 800 every Saturday They had dis.
counting facilities with the country banks, which, one
after another obliged to contract their discounts
compelling them to seek elsewhere for the to pay
their hands They have sold goods eight months to
the large trade in ST. Louis, Chicago Cincinnati, Phla
delphia Baltimore, and all the principal cities From
present indications they prospect of resumption
of business for months to by the hat manufacturers
to whom they have given employment.
In Danbury and Bethel Connecticut the people al
most wholly employed in the manufacture of hats Not
less than from 1900 to 1900 persons find employment
there all of whom have been deprived of business by the
interruption of this branch Of trade.
All these establishments winding up and finishing
what is hand, but they not manufacturing one
new hat. There is, they say large demand for the
goods but they have money to pay the hands with
and must therefore stop The propieors of of the
largest houses say they viii not resume any rate be-
fore the LIST of January.
Frank straus, No 81 vesey street, cothiers (aed)
out of employment Every girl and man, however, was
paid off before they were, discharged.
There in the city any quantity of persons engaged
in manufacturing and vending patented articles few are
employed in the production and sale of cac but their ag
gregate number is large. These generally but little
affected by the present financial crisis The effect of
distribution Of labor generally to to labor
his allotted portion long the which
poys him continues single degree above the of to-
way continue do business at ALL their three or four
hands each pretty certain of retaining their places
One of reporters yesterday visited the Crystal Pal
ace with view to ascertaning from those who have
charge of various home manufactured articles exhibit
ton there what the effect of the present money convu
sons upon persons engaged in the manufacture of their
several articles of trade has been From the statements
of these individuals it would appear that there has been
dscharging of hands and contemplation of doing
on their part 1t is noticeable, however that there
patent-rght for sale just now.