St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-04-16
st. Johnsbury's Industries.
swITsER's UPHOLSTERY.


farm house We know oft is "handy."
About everything that is needed for do
mestic use can be procured here. This
is one reason why a place becomes
centre of business-one can sell almost
anything, or he can buy just what he
wants. And so among the various
trades and industries in town Will be
found the upholstery shop of Francis
Switser, situated in the basement of Mr..
Gauthier's building on Eastern Avenue.
Mr.. Switser has been in the business
about Is years. Eleven years ago he
bought Mr.. Casinos interest IN the
business. and in a few years he formed
Il copartnership with Mr.. S. w. Hall of
this place, which continued six years.
Last September he commenced business
upon his own account, and himself and
one man are having all the work they
can do.
The frames of chairs and lounges are
purchased in the white in Boston and
Portland, and finished and upholstered
here to order. The materials used IN
covering parlor sets, so called, are hair,
raw silk, all wool and union terry, Jute,
and enamel cloths, which are bought at
wholesale in the city markets. Hair
cloth, made from the names and tails OF
the wild horses of South America, is
woven in webs of from IL to 30 inches
in width. This material is cut, sorted,
and shipped to this country, and made
into cloth at Pawtucket, r. |. The
stuffing material consists of hair, moss,
tow, and excelsior, so that one can find
Just what he wants and at reasonable
prices; and also, he can find all sorts
and colors of plain and figured cloths
for covering, to suit the fancy.
If one wants any particular kind of
furniture, or any peculiar style, grade,
or quality of covering material not i'll
the shop, he can select from sample
book containing various patterns, any
thing that suits his fancy, or that he
may feel able to pay for, and Mr.. Swift
ser will readily procure it from market
Mattresses are made here to order. The
excelsior stuffing is made of white birch
and poplar wood. 1t is scaled up by
machinery into very thin shavingS
about three inches in width, and then
t stripped into very fine strings, which
makes light, tough material it is then
it comes to Mr.. Switser by the carload
Many of the mattresses are what are
called "woOl top"-they having layer
of wool next to the ticking, which
makes them very easy and agreeable
Every kind of upholstery work is don,
here, and it is delivered according Il
order.
Mr.. Switser is doing considerable
shipped to Barton, Newport, Derby
Rock Island, LunenbuIg, Lancaster
Whitefield, Hardwick, Hyde Park, Nor
. risville, johnson, and BrattlebOrO. l
! is not always the case that this busines
is good in the winter, but this season i
has been good all the time. By gettin!
furniture repaired in season, many fam
lilies would save that, and their none,
p to boot. A ''stitch in time saves nine,
e is good old proverb, and as far as thi
e trade is concerned, we are satisfied tina
Mr.. Swilser knows how to take tn
''stitches." From here we pass up th
western side of Main street quite dis
d tance, to the
ST. JOHNSBURY BAKERY,
where the main labor is to supply th
necessities of the inner man; and he
foIe we get through with this paper th
reader will admit that it takes a goo
deal to do this; and, by seeing wha
only two men are doing in trying t
feed a portion of the public, he ca
thereby realize what all the good house
II wives are daily doing in this communi
4 ty, he may get a faint realization c
s what it costs this country to live. Di
D any one ever think how much food
would take to make a single breakfas
. for st. Johnsbury Do people VIII
Q have never been in the business realiz
e how much hard labor, sweat, and anX
= iety it costs to raise the corn and whea
: they consume? And do men fully re
4 alize what their wives, mothers an
o daughters have to endure over he
: stoves, year in and year out, to fee
. this "variOus creature-man ?"
n To see men doing large bushes
% feeding the public, is, after all, only
n drop in the bucket of what is done
7s that line by the various families of
II community. To feed the body wi
e ever be the necessitous duty of mar
e kind. Nothing short of death will eve
} relieve one of this duty. Our ref1ec
n ions, then, lead us to this point, tn;
le we should be supremely thankful tn;
Of the Father allows the rain to fall, til
W sun to shine, and the grains to gro
- - and ripen all i'll proper order and du
N season; be thankful that there is
l. ''Great West" growing the 'staff
al life in such abundance and to pra
~ with sincere spirit TO Him, that fan
7 inc may never desolate and sadden thi
le as it has other lands. With these +,
is Elections we enter the bakery, one of tt
II oldest buildings on the Plain.
=, This business commenced about :