The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-08-09
4 HOUSEHOLD NECESSITY.
ssoons AxD rev szBx Al RDo.
DUCB0l

There u one industry n The esun1sy -
which the small capitalists have -
able 70 hold their own agaznst the wealth.
lest men In 10. and thAt y ~ indussy q
broom making. Isis businso n which
q journsyman OF skili and prudsnee can
hope TO establish himsslf. II - whhss.
within . very few years af>sr he -
learned HIS trade.
Tho process Of broom making II ample.
and yet Il IL such thai machinery -
never been devised for turning outs &C.,
pIsted broom, and, beyond to sum 30
cssary 70 erect such IN estAblishnsnt -
will permit Of Q certain divkdon u ths
labor. an abundance II capital = Of -
special advantage.
IL h probably on this account tAat 40
industry y not carried sn 70 20 great aa
extent IN this city ~ present ~ u w. -
years ago. The broom center a -
country. however. b In New York onata.
the largest establishments and ~ bet
workmen being located In the hehsvk
Valley. Ths time was when tho Mohawk
Valley was the great broom corn raising
center Of the country, tse: bus Tho -
tough and stringy and more suesulsas
and profitable cabbage hes Arfvsa tAs
wavy green tAssss Of broom essa from
the fats which were once their fAvsri4s
growing place. II was because u IL
prolific yield Of corn there n former
years that tho trade Of MAILING hseons
became 90 well establishsA
Tho growth Of . broom factory b In
teresting. A young man Of eeosonisai
habits learns the trade, and. havtnG
learned ID well. b able 70 do NE squivAr
lent Of turning out frcn 100 - i35 a. -
complete brooms day. A mater q
fact. in well regulated shops NO nAA
makes = complete broom. but oniy 80
part Of IL; but the journeymaA having
learned his trade well can do enough
work usually at piece prices 10 earn frua
- to 90 . day. Out OF this he ought -
save $500 before starting IN trade fer
himself With this sum he oaa buy
enough machinery (at . cost Of $50 ard
stock to SGT from 10 men at work and
keep them going until returns ooms in
from the sales. That h . very modest
capital; but since the machinery costs -
little, men have started on $500. and even
less, and made notable successes - ths
trade goes. Second hand tools can b
had sometimes for 800 or go. = couple a
bales of corn would cost perhaps tS6. 90
handles "a. 90 moro, and Other supplies
$25, and then tho man Il ready 70 50 UP
shop and mako AL the brooms his neigh
bors can use. at least
The trade In New York city calls for
about $50, 900 dozen brooms year. Tho
majority Of them arc made In Amster-
dam and other towns along ths Mohawk
River. Many como from Jsrsey. hsw-
over. The factories arc unprs<sntisus
wooden buildings- Steam power n sAe
larger factories u used In stitching tAe
broom and in winding tho wire around
the corn where IL In secured 10 the handle.
The largest factory in tho business, 90
cording to New York dealer. turns out
1000 dozen brooms . day, or twice -
many as the New York city trade do
mands. In such factory mans wovk
h equivalent TO the making Of from 100
to $50 brooms . day, according 70 ths
quality Of the brooms.
OF tho trade in the corn q dealer said:
~The manufacturers buy their corn In
the West. Kansas corn has tbs best ssp-
utation In this market, but Missouri. n
braska, and Illinois raise = great dsaL
The crop was very small IN KAnsas ~
year. and Illinois did better thAa ~
other State. An ordinary crop b 80 70
400 pounds 10 the acre. II farmer es1n
500 pounds he pays % Soma q ht mart
gage, and whom the crop rsashss COO
pounds he buys . new IN drss for hh
wife and piano for his dsughtsr. And
yet therc II not such terrible proA4 IN
Il. IL brings ell the way from 80 eieo
q ton In New York, the ordinary hroe~s
requiring stock that now ssls fos fron
500 70 $3.50 tom. IL ooss - . ~ -
get IL here from KAnsAs and 80 from Il
linois. Tho middlsmAn out there must
have his commission, and 90 nuse -
New York merchaaA II Q farmer r.
csives gao an acre for his crop he y doing
we'll. Still that 10 better than wheat q
90 cents bushsi.
Tho corn comes 10 this market In bales
averaging 800 pounds eaoh. The corn
from the prairics y balsd with iAth and
wire; but some Ohio corn comes ksre
with very liberal chunks Of wood 10 kssv
the bales from tumbling 10 pieces. TAs
wood sells at the Same price - The oer..
II the buyer doesn't notice IL Somstines
the prairie farmer geh even VITA ~
Ohio man BY dropping sod or two Into
the bunch.
-The corn on the average will make
1000 brooms 70 tho ton. although In sens
fancy brands OF extra heavy broo.as -
much ~ 80 pounds b ussd Tor dsesa
brooms. In the parlor brsems soaA 81