The daily gazette., 1879-06-10
WilmingtOn's Carriage Trade.
IT'S FORMER VAST PRoPoRTIoNs-How
1T FELL WITH THE CRUST OF 1o75-
THE PROSPECTS FOR REVIVAL IN
THE FACTOkIES.

1T FELL WITH THE CRUST OF 1876
THE PROSPECTS FOR REVIVAL IN
THK FACTORIES.
During the war of the rebellion and
the first ten years following it, the season
Of apparent prosperity which visited the
country, caused a pleasant sky to bend
over the business Interests of Whining
ton. Such time for well doing had not
been known for many years, and few
we're the manufacturers, who failed to
make hay abundantly while the sun
shone, SO TO speak. Among the class of
men who took took the tide a. the flood
were certain parties in our city who en-
ter,d into the business of coach and ca
riage making, and with such care did they
do their work and with such enterprise
did they push their business, that the
name OF Wilmington became q synonym
for first-class carriages. The market far
and wide was supplied from the Viii
mington carriage shops and the city's
reputation, beyond the Atlantic, was as
well known as through the United States.
1t Is probable that no business, before
then, or since, has been 80 extensively
entered into in Wilmington, or has
brouth b the city such vast profits. There
was but one city in the union that sur
passed Wilmington In this line, and that
was New Haven, Conr ecticut. In 1872
the business was at its height. The hum
of busy machinery and the noise Of The
tools OF full forces Of workmen came from
every shop, and every enc Of them were
running to their fullest capacity.
The report Of the Wilmington Board
of Trade for that year has table of
statistics which shows the comparative
value of the industry at that time. In
this table the value of the articles manu-
factured in the city is given. The amount
of work done by the carriage shops for
that year, is set down at 1900, ,6OO.-
These figures are exceeded in a small
degree by the value of the work of the
foundry, morocco, railroad car and ma
chine works. 1t exceeds the receipts for
building ships by $5O0,00O. The amount
of capital employed in this trade, is
mentioned in this same report and is
placed at $SOO,00O, or $50, 900 more than
that employed in either the morocco or
car building interests. From this faint
idea can be formed of what importance
carriage building must have been to our
city. In this same report of the Board
of Trade, the business is thus spoken
of:
"This branch of manufacture has been
uncommonly active during the past year.
Several new firms have been organized,
and all the old ones employed to the ex-
tent of their capacity. The business has
been pushed with degree of enterprise,
highly creditable to the trade and few
years more of similar effort must place
our city on an equal footing with any
place in the country. One fact connect
ed with this branch of manufacture is
worthy of notice. That is that all the
firms engaged in it are composed Of
young men, and while competition is
lively between the firms, the whole trade
derives the benefit of the vigorous prose-
cution of the business. The same per-
| sisience and energy practiced in the fu-
ture as in the past, will soon develop an
interest second to none but iron, in our
city,"
HOW THE BUSINESS FELL.
The great crash that came in 1875, de-
stroyed and shattered many business
firms and ruined many enterprises.
Wilmington was as place paralyzed
for a long time and the carriage business
suffered more than any other. 1t receiv-
ed blow from which it has not yet re-
covered in large degree. For years the
great workshops were almo,t idle, and
he firms engaged in the trade almost
despaired of ever again engaging in the
industry. Meanwhile, the nard times
having in a measure relaxed, a demand
was created for cheaper carriages and
firms in Cincinnati, undertook to supply
that demand, entering into the MAUI
facture in an extensive way. In that
city it has been estimated that 1900
| carriages are manufactured, and one firm
| turns out $4,000. Thus the country was
flooded with cheaper and lower class We
| hic es, and the markets far and near,
| which Wilmington used to supply, were
stocked from these vast factories. And
now when the times are getting better,
| the marke in the west and south west
are kept flooded with these inferior We
hicles, although the people may desire
something better. While the hard times
is the secret of the downfall of the Will
mingon carriage trade, the lower-class
make from Western factories is the great
est cause of its continued depression.
THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE
| TRADE.
As the carriage manufacturing trade
stands now, it presents one OF the grea-
lest of contrasts with its state fivs years
ago.
Then all was prosperous hurry and
rush now there is halting and tarry-
ing uncertainty that shows the precar-
ious condition but it cannot be denied
that great improvement has taken
place. There are now eighteen firms
all of them do ng business in much
smaller way than before it is true, but
still it cannot be denied but that The
business is still considerable item in
| Wilmington industries.
Extended inquiry among nearly oil
the manufacturers large and small shows
that the business is slowly picking up
some of its last vitality. Some of the
small manufacturers,w who depend almost
solely on local orders, say that the trade
| is even worse than at this time last year
but the larger class who ship tho creator
part of their work, report grow
ing healthness. Among the latter class
are McLear & Kendall, Gregg & Bowe,
Samuel ID. Paschall, William H. Wright,
J. w. Reeve, John Green and Robinson
u Co. With all of these, improvement
is apparent and prospects are good. Mr..
Paschall said it was rs per cent better
than last year and that last year
was all improvement over 1877.
The prospects for an increased fall trade
were good. All the Others told about