Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-04-07
Tbs whoIesaIe Clothiug Trade:

The wholesale clothing trade in this
country has become Of such vast import
anoe, as well in its magnitude ss in the re-
duction of prices which it has occasioned
in what may be justly regarded as one Of
the first necessities Of man, that it de-
serves place in our columns, and our pa
irons will doubtless be pleased to see other
representations from the great warehouse
Of Messrs. Kirkland, Bronson & Co.
This branch of industry is of domestic
origin, and was almost unknown forty
years ago; the nearest approach to it in
that day being the msnufscture Of cloth
ing by Q few individuals IN the CITY, VINO
had branches for the sale of their goods at
retail in some of the Southern cities. The
demand from Southern merchants, hoWev.
er, which arose for clothing ready made
for sale, soon developed the wholesale
clothing business, and prior to 1887 there
were half q dozen or more houses in this
city engaged exclusively in the trade, and
some Of them to q considerable extent
The business WAS almost wholly confined
to the South, and the class of goods made
up for the trade at that period was mainly
Of the lower and inferior grades. The re-
vulsion Of 1887 prostrsjted this as well as
other branches Of BUSINESS, and extin
guished the firms then engaged in 1t. With
the subsequent reviTalof trade, new hous-
es entered into the business, other cities
became identified with it, the western
country opened up the new markets for its
sale, and the business rapidly increased,
until, in 1850, it had attained its zenith.
Then came the war, and with it the loss Of
the Southern Indebtedness, in consequence
Of which it again suffered temporary re-
verse. But clothing is an indispensable
commodity, and hence we find the business
quickly revived under the management
Of larger, wealthier, and more experienced
firms.
New York has always been the chief de-
pot of supply, and will elwsys control the
largest share Of the business. New York
clothing is famed fer and wide for its ex-
cellenoe-the characteristics which distin-
guish it above that made in other cities be-
ing novelty in the designs, durability and
taste in the material and trimmings, and
superiority in the workmanship. In for
mer times manufacturers hesitsted in
making up anything above the medium
grade Of goods. But now, in addition TO
manufacturing heavy lines Of the medium
and lower grades, first class house like
the one above named is obliged also to keep
q full assortment Of fine goods, equal in
every respect to the very best custom
made work.
There are now engaged in the wholesale
clothing trade in this city alone over one
hundred firms, with capital invested of
at least ten millions Of dollars. The num-
Der Of operatives in New York and vicin-
ity who gain their living from the cloth
ing trade is about 10000, one half Of
whom may be employed on Government
work and in the retail trade, and the other
half by the wholesale trade, which con-
tributes toward their support not far from
ten million Of dollars year wages The
amount Of internal revenue which the
Government derives from it is probably
more than million Of dollars year
HarPsr's Weekly.