Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-04-12
CARRIAGE BUILDERS WORK
The Business is Fairly Good
in Wilmington.
REPORTS FROM VARIOUS FIRMS
New Men Being Taken on
Daily in Some Shops.
II. C. McLear of McLear 81 Kendall, Says
the outloOl< is Becoming More Cheerful
--Other Builders speak in u Like En-
cOuraging Tone.

Most of Wilmington's carriage and
wagon builders are doing fair amount
OF business and the proprietors Of tho
larger establishments say the outlook is
growing more encouraging and think
trade will become brisk soon.
The Bowe Carriage Co. is employing
the same number OF men now that it did
this time last year, but it is not doing as
much work now rs 1t did then. 1t EN-
ploys the same number of men all the
year round. In the busiest seasons It
lets the men work over time instend Of
increasing the number of employees.
The full force is now at work. One
year ago the men worked IA hours per
day; now they are working 10 hours per
day. The cut-under or the two.seat
Rockaway is the spring speciality turned
ont b. this company.
Cooling & Co. report that repair work
is more plentiful now than it was this
time last year, but new work is trihe
less plentiful now than it was then.
The amount of new work, however, is
about the same as it generally is at this
time of the year. The company is en-
ploying its full force and says the out.
look is encouraging. Its spring special.
ties are phaetons, buggies and cut-unders.
MahlOn Foster, who recently pur.
chased John w. Reeves carriage fac
tory, is employing few more men now
than Mr.. Reeve did this time last year.
Mr.. Fot ter has several contracts and
starts business with fair prospects.
Jones Guthrie Il Co. are doing the
same amount of repair work now that
they did this time last year. They are
not doing any work except what is
ordered and have no orders ahead.
Their full force is at work. The Pitts
burg Rockaway and the Corning are
their specialties for the spring trade.
G. w. Horn says his business is a
little better now than it was this time
last year. He is employing the usual
force.
The Novelty Carriage Works have
had two good months this year, and are
doing about as much work now as they
did this time last year. The concern is
employing nearly full force, but has
no orders ahead.
The Inter Nos Manufacturing Co.,
which is engaged chiefly in the manu-
facture of store wagons, is doing now
not more than one-half the business it
did this time last year.
McCabe u Darragh are EMPLOYING
their full force nine hours per day and
are paying the same rate of wages tho
men received 20 years ago. The firm
builds express wagons and was busy all
winter. Considerable stock has accumu-
lated and the firm hardly knows where
to store it. If it had more storeroom the
firm would now be employing its men
on full time. 1t is doing more business
now than it did this time last year. Last
year was a good one and there are indi-
cations that this year will be better.
McLear IL Kendall are employing
now only about two.thirds the number
of men they employed this time last
year, but they are taking on men daily.
MIR. McLear says the outlook is becom-
ing more cheerful. He thinks that when
the weather becomes settled and spring
is further advanced business will in
crease. He cannot see how it can be
otherwise. The firm is constantly turn
ing out vehicles Of new design and at
present is building many phaetons.
Samuel j. White has all the work his
factory can turn out and is daily ship
ping large numbers of vehicles of every
style to all parts of the surrounding
country. The present rush will prob
ably continue two months but what
will be the condition of business after
that time Mr. White is not now pre-.
pared to say. The Tuxedo run-about
wagon is the spring specially turned
out at his factory.