Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-02-02
MISCELLANY.
IRON the land Of nItIens.
The following letter from the Cine


The following letter from the Cincin-
natl Times viii be found interesting
GLovERsvILLE, n. Y, Jan. 18th, 1867
This is the very centre of the glove ana
mitten business of America, GlOvers
vile, Fulton county, n. Y. There are
more gloves and mittens made here
than are manufactured In all the other
matchmaking towns combined on this
continent. How it came to centre here
would be hard to tell, perhaps. This
region is Just on the edge of the great
wilderness called "John Browns Tract"
a wilderness that covers Northern New
York, embracing thousands of acres of
woods, as primeval as when Columbus
first set foot upon American soil. The
North Woods, as they are often called,
are the resort of hundreds who are
fond of hunting and fishing. Deer are
shot there, and the numerous streams
and lakes afford inexhaustlble supplies
of Trout and other choice fish.
But about GlOversville and its special
industry. The place Is eight miles
north of Fonda, a station on the New
York Central road, between Utica and
Schenectady. 1t Is located on a rOllick-
ing stream that dashes down from the
notheru hills, bearing the unmistakea-
bic Iadian name, Cuyadutta. This
stream furnishes admirable Water-pOwer
and serves a valuable purpose in the
dressing and manufacture of skins. =
The first man who engaged in the bust
ness here was Ezekiel Case, who brought
from Cincinnati in 1903 a knowledge of
the mt nufacture of leather from deer
skins. He engaged in the business at
KingsbOrO, one of the oldest settled
towns IN New York, only two miles
from this place, which was then called
Stump Town.
Deer abounded all about this section
at that time, hut they are scarce now,
and the hides which are manufactured
into leather are nearly all imported from
Central aud South America. Others
embarked in the enterprise, aud the
business of making leather and work
ing it up into gloves and mlttens stead
ily increased, until now 1t is a great in
dustry. 1t finally centercd at Stump
Town, which grew into one of the
handsOmest villages in the state, and
was re-chartered GlOversville. AT this
time Gloversville contains 5000 in
habitants; the majority of which are
engaged, directly or indirectly, in the
mitten business, In 1856 there were
215,OOO doz. pairs of mittens and gloves
manufactured at Gloversville, averag-
ing S13 dozen, making the sum of 81
795, 900. The business for last year is
not closed up yet, but it Is estimated
that it will amount to 100000 dozen
pairs.
Deer, sheep and hog skins are work
ed up. The raw hides are brought here
and properly dressed. They then 90
into the hands of the cutter, who has
dies by which to cut out the gloves or
mittens. The fancy stitching on the
back is done at the manufactory, in
town. and then the most of them are
carried into the country and distributed
about to have the seams sewed up
They are carried for thirty miles away.
The women do the sewing. Instead of
learning their girls to knit and sew
cloth, they learn them TO sew mittens.
The most of the work is done on sew
ing machines now. Before the advent
of that useful instrument, every female
for miles around could always be found
filling in her spare time by sewing on
buckskin gloves or mittens. When
they went to take tea with their neigh
Dor, they didn't take their knitting work
along, but their mitten work A great
many girls are employed in the manu-
factories In town, who earn from 81 to
SO per week. Men make from 3 80
to 50 day.
This is the season when the manu-
factories are idle, the time being de-
voted to settling up the business of the
previous year. While some men have
accumulated large fortunes In the nit
ten trade, a general prosperity is indi
Gated all around. There is work for
everybody, and the pay is good and
certain.
GlOversville is the cleanest, neatest
looking village that ever saw. There
is hardly a house here that is not neat
" painted, and there seems to be a uni
versal pride and emulation to keep up
and improve the appearance of the
town. Some of the church edifices
would be a credit to any city. The
place is growing rapidly, and people of
wealth are erecting very handsome and
costly residences that add greatly to the
appearance of the village.