The Newtown bee., 1890-09-26
FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 90. 1890.
LONG HILL.
ToUsEY's SHIRT FACTORY

Is carried on the principal business of the
village, employing As hands and sending
out many thousand dollars worth of fin
ished goods annually. Almost the only
garment made at the factory is the pat
ent elastic web underwear, which Mr.
Tousey makes for j. A. Seriven q Co. of
New York. The firm in New York hold
the patent on this style of underwear and
Mr. Tousey is the only manufactures of
the goods in this country. The gar
ments made are for mems wear and prin-
cipally drawers, only an occasional order
for dozen of the shirts being received,
while their output Of garments is about
$50 dozen weekly.
The popularity of these goods is the
elastic stripe about an inch and half
wide sewed into both inside, outside and
back seams of the drawers, rendering
them very comfortable for the wearer,
much more durable and healthful Ma
terial for the webbing, which is made ut
their shop, is imported through broker
from England and is of superior quality.
1t Ia shipped to them in huge cases wound
ing about $50 pounds each.
The business has increased about one
half during the past year, necessitating
changes which Mr. Tousey recently COM
pleted. w. b. Coan placed an iron flume
leading to the water wheel, removing the
wooden one which had done service
dozen years or more and placed Hum
ming Bird wheel of siX-horse power,
which displaces one of less capacity,
both made by Willis Reed of Danbury
and admirably adapted ror light work.
The shafting connecting the wheel with
the shop is supported in mid-air on an
iron truss between the two buildings, in
stead of underground as formerly, obvi-
ating the trouble caused by frost heav-
ing the shafts out of line and every mod
ern device in pulleys and betting is util-
lied to make the most of the power fur
nished by the somewhat diminutive
stream damned for their use. On the
first floor of the factory, which is of wood
and about 2lx7O feet, is the boiler, engine
and knitting room combined. An up
right, 10 horse power boiler, fitted with
automatic draft attachments, heats the
building and furnishes power for the new
six-horsc Gardner upright engine placed,
this Summer. The engine in use for sew
eral years was inadequate to their grow
ing business. Frank Packard is in charge
of the six knitting machines which knit
the elastic webbing for the side seams
and bottoms of the drawers; winder is
also 10 operation filling lG huge bobbns,
from which it goes to the knitting ma
chimes. The webbing for the side seams
Is woven like stocking leg, with four
needles omitted at the right point, which
admits of its being easily cut into strips
of the required width. From one to two
cases of caps are used weekly in making
the webbing.
On the second floor is the cutting room,
where j. w. French fashions the gar
ments to be made, cutting up 270O yards
weekly OF the best material for this class
of goods, Wamsuttas, Jeans and Main
socks In plain white being used chiefly,
though some goods are made up in ma
terials resembling outing cloth and heav'
Ter cloths are used for Winter underwear
On the third floor are the Is Wheeler &
Wilson sewing machines, 10 new ma
chimes having been added, this season
They belt direct to the shafts running
lengthwise of the room along the foo
and Mr. ,Tousey anticipates putting il
more machines, making two rows the en-
tire length OF the factory. Monson Nal
lett presides ut the button hole machine
which Is kept In constant motion and at
tends to repairs on the machines in tn
room.
In the smaller building, which cover
the wheel pit, are the ironing, storag
and packing rooms, where several hand
are kept busy fitting the finished gai
ments for the shelves of the city dealer
These goods are seldom seen on tn
counters in our local stores and are in dc
mand among a class who can afford t
pay from 81 to 81 25 for Summer under
wear and from $3 to IS for Winter gan
ments, for which Mr. Tousey frequentl
has orders. Mr. Tousey has manufactuI
ed other underwear since he commence
to make this style, six years ago, but
so great has been the demand for tn
patent elastic web goods that he ha
confined himself almost exclusively t
their manufacture.
Naturally one recalls the time, 80 or
years ago, when w. 7. Tousey, father o
the present owner, made shirts In SINAI
way at his house and, later, in the sho
formerly used by Hadley, now OF tn
Star shirt factory of Bridgeport, wher
he continued in business till he moved T.
the present location, where it grew IN
der the watchful eye of father and son
till the fathers death. That it
destined TO still further extend an
be OF still greater volume Is evidenced b
the energetic way in which the preser
owner conducts the business and adapt
his plant TO the demands of the trade
Many will join us in wishing Mr. Touse
nothing but success in his business as
increases on his hands.
As will be seen by notice elsewher
Joseph Hawley has decided to give .
business for awhile, on account OF POI
health. Ills many friends and Gust
mers will miss him from his routes. Al
gMne.asxsx0sxs.szaszx 1izass&<zsecSaEasN4..-44s
Richard H.,Boylstonzwas at the re
tory, Sunday.
The Strattord granite works ha
placed monument In the family plot
Wheeler r.. Tousey. 1t Is in cottaI
style and Is built from the celebrate
swedes granite, which is becoming
popular for monumental purposes in q
large city cemeteries. The stone Is qua