Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-04-21
SUMNER GARMENTS.
Hon and by whom They are Made.
What Journal Man Learned Concern.
ing the Business

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| Maine in the winter time is very busy
State in many ways. The rivers frozen over
and yielding an immense crop of crystal ice,
harvested by thousands of men and horses.
the woods falling before the aggressive axe
OF as many thousands more of burly and
hardy woodsmen, the factories and shops, the
mills and the marts do not show the sum total
of the industry of the State during the short
cold days of the year. A business that is
now to be enumerated among those that EN-
ploy hundreds, yes thousands of women and
boys and many men. is that of coat and vest
making. All through western Maine are the
headquarters of contractors who annually
bring car loads of summer garments into the
State, to be distributed all through the coun-
try and made in the homes of the farmers,
the village homes and the homes of the city
working people. This work has become an
established business for the winter season with
vast number Of people who would, without
it,be unable to earn very much money during
the winter. The business has spread to the
east, until even beyond Bangor there are
several contractors who manufacture these
summer garments.
The scribe happened at Bowdoinham a
short time ago and learned something about
the business in the Kennebec valley There
are two firms at that place who are now do
ing considerable business, s. W Carr & Co.
and Carr & Croker In conversation with
Mr.. >. w. Carr, some quite valuable infor-
nation was gained The originator of the
business in Maine is Mrs Croker. of Bow
! dolnham, who first undertook the manufacture
of light summer coats and vests about twenty
years ago. She was the pioneer in the bust
ness in Maine. She turned her home into
business Office and storing house and went at
II with vim and push that brought her sue
cess in the way of considerable cash ac-
cumnlating in few years quite a handsome
property. From this venture, sprang the
two firms mentioned above, Mr.. Croker be-
| ing relative of this woman pioneer. The
larger firm of the two the one doing the
! o.
| The goods are consigned to them under
contract price by firms in Boston and New
/ York. When the garments come they are
cut simply, and marked by lots. SO many
garments are tied in bundle and
so many bundles put into bale
Buttons thread and other requisites TO match.
are sent by the gross quantity to be
distributed with the garments to the makers
Mr. Carr employees about POO women who
live all over the surrounding country, fro m
'iraiiner AMI Dresden to Phippsburg and
from Lisbon to Edgecomb. Sometimes his
list contains many more names. He delivers
to these makers by teams so far as he can,
number of garments, coats or vests designated
and to the more distant employees by stage
and cars. When maker is supplied with
garments to be made, she is charged with
by the number of the lot The garments
are delivered in canvass bags, into which are
also put thread and buttons. The coats are
simply sewed together by these employees and
the buttons sewed on. When thus finished
they are returned to the office where the
button holes are made and the garments are
pressed, put into lot bales packed and shipped
back to the Boston and New York houses
Twenty men and women are employed in the
office.
When the business was first started linen
busters and short coats were the only gar
ments manufactured. To these were added
apacas. Then coats and vests of fancy
linens and other light goods followed.
Still later seer-sucker became the leading
goods and the variety of styles
and patterns became almost innumerable.
But now the classes of goods manufactured
by them are of much higher order They
comprise genuine India seer-suckers, fancy
tiannels and woolens, and silks. Alpacas are
also somewhat in line but they are of much
finer quality than formerly.
One of the most responsible positions in
the business is that of inspector of garments.
Every coat and vest after finished IS care
fully looked over and any defect is marked
and remedied. sir. Carr is very particular
that ms Work snail be hrst class and he EN-
ploys the sharp eyes of the sharpest of women
to attend to this part of the business. His
care and thorough management has been the
secret of his success for he will with the close
of this season have manufactured more than
100. 900 coats and vests besides other gar
ments and done a b Isiness of about 800, 600
in his office. Competition in this business is
sharp aud the profit margin small but the best
part of il is the working people get more than
their share per rata of this profit and are
therefore the more benefited.
Carr 4 Crocker do business of about the
same kind though not quite as extensive.
Other firms distributed over the State also do
good amount of work. 1t is said that there
are q firms engaged in making summer thin
garments, employing about 1000 women,
girls and men, and manufacturing about L.
GOO. 900, garments of this variety in this
State alone. Surely coat making is not one
of Mane's smallest industries.
Church Notices.
Unitarian Church; Service at 1890 4.
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