Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-12-20
iCoNiMUNICATED.
COMMUNICATED.
THE S0EERS BROTHERS.
Taree Fairfax Cornty Boys-HoW They have pros
nared In RrnnElyn Now York.

Taree Fairfax County Boys-How They have pros
pared in Brooklyn, New York.
The following, taken from . Brooklyn
paper, describing the splendid new factory
oi ii,s So1ers Brothers, may be Of interest
! 10 *o;ue og the former friends OF these iu
( 2,niuus ard industrious young men. They
/ had uG first only u partial education, 1t q
o2 schoc! house near their sick fathers
in:il, only receiving half day instruction,
;1e'.' serEic ; i.siag required on farm, PER
farming su,:D !atior ~ was recespart f'r The
auyt.:r. II The family. Tn@y All tnree
ism:i> el,ry,,i Re tipiScopal High School
...u.... tne canrge ut R=y. ". Mcclure,
g.,i;.Ir thy ,o'k !. very My $ aud. Alter
la a.. ,r..ie s.rt 10 the, cstaDlishm. III Of
:. M;.-.rs. r'ui. 4 Hunt, al WnoI;lar, hear
Bl,lutore "i,crv they sGUu gave evidence
! i! great iue,,ijan!rat ski!--vne Of :hs,a IL
,:iau4:!4,-:na, - considerable ability Hnd
/ auo!;ler mmEi"s chemistry hi SPECIALITY.
! ia.r went - hg.,.,kiyn WIN 10 nla.ey. hn.
I !, large a.uuunr y. brains, See The r@auit--
/ since he close Of ;hc war. III 1868, nil lheir
supar., uischsnefy paid llr and their niIit
| business cotdn'tr o. cash basis:
| Frolr, the ~ y Zeal Estate and Building News.
Tb. decoration Of tin goods, first prac
ticed bv Ficnc: inanuit 'LurerS and suDse-
quentiy improved by English houses, has
Dee;. hroaguI 20 special perfection iii the
| United :,;ates where Ihe beautiful tin signs
! aud decorated ,iuwarc boxes, show canis-
| l4ls. etc. are familiar objects in every
store aud household Brooklyn, n. u, is
! he aea@c,ua.ters fov the business, only
frs ca:cetus Ct any Importance beng To-
| Gated outside Lna city, and among the lead
| ing firms in the trade is The house of Somers
! Brothers.
! Among the first 10 engage in the industry.
! The hr.u for some years followed the methods
5! introduced from England into this country
and established large works on the corner Of
| Front and Pearl streets. In spite Of the
! crude character Of the work, compared with
| their present productions. the firm rapidly
! extended their connection, especially among
| wholesale houses who preferred 10 have
| thair labels printed on their tin packages,
| unit! i finally uG!grew their accommoda-
| tinns They had made some expensive eX-
/ pai;,neuts III ,hcir work, moreover, the re-
| suits q! which were to enable them in the
first place 20 print directly on to the tin
| i.or2 - SnaoIb, instead OF q prepared surface,
| sonnet mag never before accomplished, and
| ~ .ue treatment ol The Tin so that the i'm
! ,,r,ssiou vas made ~ clear and snooth as
| il prim,a,, Oil the smoohe.t paper. At the
! s,.lIo tire ihcy cncapaned the work very
| considerably nnd were aolr to supply their
! pria:eG boxes at Il price almost as low ;:s
demanded ior plain tin packages with fairly
! ;,:inted i,hei5 attached 10 thea Machinery
| H"s perfected Cor their n!aunlactnre withnn:
| .n.a.. uni the Meas. clean aud ;je;rcily
/, j.. bt packages thus ploriuu"'', w II ih"ir
o.u,r sistin4 covers aId we'll hinge'i l,s
/ odd prompt iavor among merchants. EIaiI
if.rtut.ss aud til" pubic.
! Tn, resu. cEthesc improvements was a.;
/ !. crease il heir trade beyond The 0us.ih..
! c raci oc lheir old establishment, in spa
/ OF The greatly 'nCrsased quantity ot wurh
! jt,tir Now machinery rendered possible, a,''
] day were liLaiiy compelled 10 seek :. ste
! .,r u Ecw IulIiin-. THcy spcc cdvt! -.
! .t,.n. Rp-in. /. piGi .! Grnuad IN tn c,rl:r
J q, ,null avenue auoi ThI0 street, MheTf
! .,,, have erected handsome w.rhs, whica
/ -, rr .4uir2i:;9 with the fines. 81 ma
chue'y.
nv process Of manufacturing the boxes,
! -. 5 xcaciin5ty interesting. The Tin
F., .:.,,.., carefully selected and of the finest
coal grade, iii order to ena;le ,hem
l.. and inc strata Of stamping, etc. are
~ ;a,.anped IA peculiar preparation b,ing
, a~...! for tie purpose. The japan is dried 20
a certain consistency, after which the pre-
...tr. d pIat,s 60 TO the printing presses where
~ u special process OF lithography, lnvoiv-
il" The ti-e OF numerous stones, the design
desired Is cvcu'ually printed in all its colots.
rn;s iesiCt IS iraWu after due preparation
~ The suhiect, by u number Of skilled artists
in The employ ofthe irm on separate stones,
and lie, cclcacy Of the work and the artis-
tic nature ci tho results, hespeak the high
| csa skill.
From ne printing press the sheets go to
| ,hc iupaunar and are again coated this time
| with = transparent vanish, and after care
! FL baking they are then ready to De turned
| in:o boxes. The Gsvices have been printed
on the sheets with due regard 10 their ulti-
mage shape, aud after being cut up into the
| requisite fnruS, the parts are introduced in
- ;he shnpiu. r,aclliues Here they are
| ,rrssse:! -, '..wagedn iuto shape, the lids
| aud ',o.:oirs hein. fitted in the operation,
| and skilled bands subsequently put them TO
.ce,her. Upwards Of 200 hands are employ
| ei III the wc.k,, Il large majority OF them
/ being females, who feed the various ma
chimes, assemble The goods, etc. The ar
:anuemen,s made for their accomoda-
ton in the factory are exceptionally
good. Separate dressing rooms, closets,
| ere, in different parts of the building being
1 PROVIDED ipl SdtL SCaj Oihtieh PiS9
over those used by the women, which are
rencheG by separate corridors from the diff
I,rens floors, in order to ensure the privacy
and comfort The 6r,n have found so condu-
GIVE to the moral and sanitary welfare of
their work people. as we'll as TO their prac.
| tical usefulness.
| The new building cost upward OF $50, 900,
aud is in every respect model structure,
reaec,ipg the greatest credit on the member
OF the firm who designed it and prepared
the plans It is IL this practicability Of
| character that Messrs. Somers Brothers
have found one of the most valuable factors
in their success. Not only have they i'm
proved the appearance of their productions
by introducing new forms and designs, Civ
| ing them finer flush and adapting them
to more varied uses but they have them
s-lves designed all the machinery and labor
{ wing anDqratrs used in their cOnstruc-