New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-29
A NEW BRIDGEPORT INDUSTRY
MANUFACTURING BUSINESS SHIFTED Bopihi
FROM ENGLAND-DECLINE N THE PRICE OF
VELVET INDUSTRY
From Special Correspondent Of TIE T'''""e'

filed with such great variety vi -. ,o,
dustries the establishment OF new factory onr.
,. ,,,oh % . stir The $50 or more factories con-
tlnuc TO buzz and hum with activity anu any n,
concern makes but little showing. But one lh''o''
established here within the last year ana nan ia,
already made a place and reputation lor i,S''''
IS a branch Of an English concern, anu "as "''
this country by the effect the mckinney ACT PiVu"
upon the foreign manufacture OF SILK seaiS p'"'"
and yelvets II the bill had not passed the machh'i!
,h, w.s broueht here would s,l occupy some oil the
buildings in the great plant Of the Sir Illus N'
Plush Works of saltare In Yorkshire. Ehgiaha' anu
the orders 10 supply the Am, ,lcan raue "o"i" '
be filled there AS II Is those builoihss "ie nv
vacant and II the machinery had not Deeh p'o"e"
here II would still be Idle. and as useless rs IL was
when the mill shut down In OCTOBER io"o s"".
Of the operatives who thrown out OF worn os
Tho cos,nc ~ this mart OF the mammoth works followed
tho msc hincrv TO America and are now worhihS ia
their old places In the factory here. Inc eion"''
law actually caused the bodily transportation Vi
plant worth now about 100000, with its machinery,
stock and operatives, from England to America Al
that part Of the act concerning the manufacture OF
silk seals plushes and velvcts. should DC repe"eu
,hcra wouId be no for this factory 10 To-
main here The machinery could easily be reshippeu'
the vacant buildings at sataire could be ui'Aeo' anu
the cost OF labor In manufacturing reduced one NAH
The worhmen need not return. Their places could
readily be filled In England. However. IL Is prooaoe
that few Of them would care TO 60 bncK' Many Vi
the men have already taken out papers declaring their
intentions TO become American citizens, ana every
one who has done so Is welded to the Idea OF ITO
lection. He has what that theory has zone LOT
him. by practical demonstration.
The history of the transfer of this branch factory
Is exceedingly interesting The part that Is locaca
here was when in Saaire, engaged entirely In manu-
featuring for the American trade. II was only part
Of the enormous establishment, but 400 persons ont
,ho A making gOOlS lOr Inc
people OF this country. An exceptionally fine trade
had been built up here and for four years SIX months
ont OF every year two shifts OF weavcS were nun
night and day supply 1t. The rest OF the year te
operatives worked fun time OF hfty-sX ana nail
hours week. The passage OF the Mckinley bill meant
the stopping Of this importing trade AS IL WAS com
petition was rendered lively by factories In America,
and the high rate of duty made impossible any Thought
OF competing.
The act went into effect october 9, 800. 1t
provided duty on velvets, pluslNs other pile fab
rics containing exclusive OF selvedgc', less tah -
per cent In weight Of silk 81 so pound and 10 per
cent ad valorem, and duty on the same articles con
tanning exclusive Of selvedges, IS per cent or more
in weight OF silk SO so pound and Is per cent al
yalorrm but in no case should any Of these articles
nav less rate of duty than 80 per cent al vslorem
II was not within the bounds of business scnc TO lie
licve that firm would ST calmly by ana
watch the enormous trade II had built up 50 TO dc
stuc,lon. What was 10 be done had to be tonc
Quickly. In the first place the mills werc closed 10
stop overpNdncton. Representatives OF the hrm' III
GLIDING Mr. stead. the managing director. and two
snperntendents cnme 10 this country In october' lo'o
TO look over the ground They visited iohRers
jamestown and several places In Pennsylvania what
they desired 70 find WINS building Trahy Tor "ccn
pancy and suitable for their purposes They found
one in Bridgeport, and the machinery from 'ahniN
was brought over. while improvements costing S3oooo
IN 1 -
not loom was IN operation, but by June ], 1sol
tho new mills were running night and day on orders
Cor American customers The company Ind made
mighty efforts 70 retain It's American trade and lad
succeeded beyond It's greatest exPectsfions. The Oh
trade was increased and goods were sent INTO paf>
az the country where they never had been knO"h
The American competition was more active than ever
before and the market price now on grade Of eood'
that sold hist year for 81 81 Is 81 30a reduction Of
rear,y 40 per cont.
The factory has had I,al OF over year. IL ha'
employed from 800 to $50 men during that uue. and
pad IN wages for the year ending Jun" !. about
al47 900. The weekly pay roll now averages f-''oo'
A comparison between the wages by the W'eR, re-
ceivei In sanairc and In Bridgeport. Is gwen
COMPARISON OF WAGES
4, Am ss%,., OF Fof hcSl.
Weaycrs (men)...".........9l5 ~ 81 =" - " ,.
Wcayers (women) ........-...-- ~ W IL
Some OF the operatives who followed the machinery
10 this country became dissatisfied and home lex
They went back 10 Englind' bur they nave 'hVar''
ably returned There were TO May weaverS there
ard there was no work. when the firm decided N
start It's branch hero that fact was tod 70 inc opera
tiycs in satalre. But there was no agreement han'
as to employing them except that II WAS Sa'ed that
hands would be needed, and the old operatives "ouo
receive employ ment II they should 60 to America.
The present time is the dnllest season that TINS
| bod in nil The demand Tor Slll
plush has almost ceased but for mollar plush, used
on furniture and In upholstcing cars the demand j.
steady and increasing. AZ II Is Tor mah'ci push
| fine pile fabric between a plush and velvet. u
| the demand for silk plushes had not fallen OIL
| spinning plant would have boon brought over. Nego
,iations had begun with TINT object III vieW' Du'
they have been dropped for the time being. rs II
| &c oil the woollen mohair and silk yarn Is spun al
s.ltsire and the braNch factory pays duty upon IT,
| Counting the duty OF 40 per cent. paid upon Inc
| machinery shipped from Sa!are and that on lin
pNtcd yarns over 100000 has been paid IN th'
past year 20 the Collector OF Customs OF Bridgeport
tn. business OF manufacturing pushes. vevets aho
silks in England Is not only rcmunerative but MghiS
honorable sir Titus Salt, who formed the hrm' was
| the son Of a farmer ard started in business III Il
small wav He was kniehed before lie att1ined
| his greatest success. ard sfterwaid was Hiado
bsronct In the village which he built around III
| establishment, a technical college was endowed
library built and fitted out Sir Titus san dicd some
| time ago and two OF his sons now In the firm
Tie president OF the company IS Charles stead VINO
| started in / fc as workman. Another successm
| Manufacturer Is Samuel &. Lister OF ManninshaH
| Mills, the king OF the silk trade. This m"nnfact
| urer made money at the rate OF s2,ooO,ocO yea'
| for number Of years. lie Is now LORD Masham
When the Mckinley bill WAS passed he tried TO NEE
| the changed conditions by reducing the wages o.
his operatives % per cent, which caused strhe
| lasting nineteen weeks. Many OF the operatives
strayed TO this country and found work In the lac
tory here.
Notwithstanding the fact that the present season u
dull principally because Of the lacl
OF demand for silk seals. the new establishment In
lends TO keep It's 300 hands actively employed II
| England the company manufactures a great man,