New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-26

for his hats, even loss. The explanation
| Is that domestic competition Is more active Ne"
factories have started, and, 10 meet the demands Oh
the trade better hats have be put on the market
The factories running average OF nine hours
| time, five and a half days week. Bat tins tme ~
| optional with the men, In the sizing department
work be had steadily. but In the higher grades
OF hat making such curriers', settlers End tlmerN'
| the work depends upon the seasons. There i an
interval Of about six weeks TO two months between
| the two seasons. Work Is not entirely suspended,
but the factories are not running their full capSci-
ties.
Danbury Is practically a workirgmenS 'o"h
They own about 1000 houses and only Il small per
| centage Of them not hoise-owneis' I'e nouNc'
| are not cheaply constructed They cost between
| 81 800 and ~. 800 each. and some even moie'
| They are artistic in design. surrounded by nicely
| kept wards Many OF the workmen own II horse ana
carriage Not few possess more expensive houses
and live more generously than some OF the o"herS
| Of factories.
If has bcen carefully estimated that there Is about
81 100000 invested in the hat business IN D3nDnrS'
and about 800 600 in Bethel. The tax assessment
OF property In panbury for 1892. al the esai i''c
OF 80 per OF its value IS about S',2oo.ooo !"
The two savings banks OF Danbury and lethei thec
are three depositOrs having over $4,000. 2oo hiNHs
over e. 900. and not $4,000 I'D haN"s
81 ,OO0 and not over $1,000, and 1o,24" WHO nave
on deposit less than ~ 600. The total deposits
deposits for the year 1891 was S2o3''32 a. iheSe
depositors the bank officials state are made up almost
entirely Of working people who when 'heS ohoc oee'
seldom close their accounts and then Only 'e"p'i''
for the purpose OF buying lot or 10 nlahe d Pd'
mont un,n a house The banks pay per cent IN
terest on deposits and lend money 10 those WHO "'
70 build These loans NAV be paid pach "eehN'
monthly quarterly or annually. The interest Is
paid in advance but is refunded on all paynlatS
made during the yer. Those who nave s'ar'ed
manufacturing accumulated their capital by deposit
ins their weekly savings In these banks. II WIS
in this way that Samuel C. liolley, OF Hoioy hen'
aire a. Co. William Beekerle. Henry Crofut. Byron
De,ter John w. Green and many Others gaihea
their start These now rank among the lcadils
hat manufacturers OF the world
In December, 1885, the Hat Manufacturers Asso
citation OF Danbury suggested to the lia'nhhelS
Union certain rules aud regulations to govern the
manufacturers and the hatmakers. The agreement
WAS proposed by the manufacturers In order to man
tain hardonlols relations with their employees who II
WIS desired should act with them In the adoption OF
OF such measures should tend 10 improve N" cohu-
ton of the business and TO promote the general welfare
of all employed. The manufacturers also voluntarily a'
vanced the prices work. Many agreed 10 the prop
osilion but there were N few fohl SHOPS "'i'n
would not enter into II.
The failure of this endeavOr tob ring all the hat
manufacturers OF the country into the agreement was
the first and only attempt OF the Danbnry hat manu-
facurers to form trust. This failure mas DIV no
means impaired the standing OF the compact entered
into between the manufacturers and their employees
Every condition OF has been scrupOusly observed
There been but strike or lockout sine" De
cember 1855, and that atterward settled In ac-
cordance with the provisions OF the compact. Every
difficulty. great little. l. settled by conference al"
arbitration l,tween the twin associations. Each fac
tory fixes lis prices al the beginning oi III" TWO
seasons in every year but the rat" Of wages remains
i'm a
place In the country where there Is such perfect aud
friendly understanding between propretors ana en'
ployes as nj Danbury. II Is proudly claimed by
workmen as will rs BY proprictorS that Danbury is
the model union town OF the United States
Another thing the Mckinley bill mas brought about
is the establishment OF an industry that never sue
ceedcd here before. Within the last eighteen months
Butler a TNNc,-iy Dinbury. began 10 manufacture
hat trimmings snch traids bands. feathers, etc
They had been In the importing business. and wcnt
abroad twice year to Niy their stock. but the Me
Knley Administrative bill! greatly impeded the i'm
porting OF hat trimmings. They Investigated the sub
ject and the fall OF 1859 started at Mount Carmel
Conn. TO manufacture IN small way the blTds used
TO tie the sweat feathers the inside Of t" hat.
After the passage of the Mckinley bill became assured
they decided TO increase their plant and To NOV" 10
Danbairy. They brought IN no labor. except man
and his wGfe. who wcavers iu a ribbon factory
in NewYork. The other laborcrs were picked mp
here in Danbury, aud trained and educated for
the work of the young firm and their two Skilled
wormen. II Is the only factory VI lis klnd in this
country. The weavers now earn from ~ 81 to - Il
day. as compared with 80 to 90 cents a day earned
by beavers Europe. Mr.. Butler. III" senior
member OF tie firm, said thai their success due
entirely TO the Mckinley bill. why said he, "a
year ago there special hat band selling for
81 25. We entered into competition. and the
thing Is now being sold for 81 cents. Now who pays
the tax?
awe have hitherto made only novelties In hat bands
but 1t will not be long before make the staple
band. In short time We shall put I'm looms
and other machinery which will make plant worth
100000 when do shall make the staple
article. At Mount Carmel and here employ nearly
100 hands. Now. think that is pretty good for an
Industry that could succeed before the Mckinley
bill passed. believe could easily find n market
for three times output. We work full time. ten
hours day, six DAYS week. our employers well
satisfied and ambitious. They seem to have In
t-rests at heart. and they know that If succeed
they viii too"
The Mckinley act has given fresh Impetus 10 the
fur-cutng business. Three foreign firms have
Gently established works in Brooklyn alone In Dan
bury one establishment. the Tweedy Fur Treat
ment Company, Is about TO open It's works. TO operate
a process. The firm OF p Robinson & Co. has
also made new departure. Formerly its work was
confined to choppng but the plant has bel increased
by adding machinery and fur-cutting In all It's
branches win be carried The plant IS worth about
800 OOO and the firm employs about sixty five per
sons. Their business has increased with wonderful
rapidity. The Arm Of A. NJ. d NJ. A. White has been
In the furcuttng business for years; they now
turning out more fur than before. Another
business recently established in Danbury is that Of
the Turner Machine Company, formerly Of Denton.
England manufacturers OF hatters' machinery. The
cutting on Of the importation Of hats In the rough has
rendered improved hat machines I'm England a drug
on the market. This company followed the trade.
About $4,000 Is invested In this plant.
In fact, in every branch Of business affected by
the hat Industry there Is active evidence OF increased
prosperity Ii Is estimated the trade amounts To
nearly 90 per cent more than II did before the Nc
ri. LII nnrod In nurb Doth Ill md