The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-08
MAY FIGHT H TRUST
MANUFACTURERS OF BUGGIES TALK
OF MAKING THEIR OWN WHEELS.
Stirs Up the 0utsiders-Extent of
the Overall Business Here.

Manufacturers of buggies. carriages. and,
in fact, all kinds of vehicles, are consid-
erably disturbed over the formation of a
gigantic trust by the wheel manufacturers
west of the Allegheny mountains. the trust
to be known as the Commercial Wheel
Company, and to handle fully 80 per cent.
of the wheels manufactured west Of the
mountains. The Standard Wheel Company,
which has large factories, the largest be-
ing at Indianapolis. is in the pool and owns
nearly one-half the stock. Each company
which enters the trust will hold stock to
the value of it's plant, but the property
will not be turned over to the Commercial
company. The output of each factory will
be sold to the selling or distributing COM
pany at cost, the profit to be the dividend
of the Commercial company. The manu-
facturers claim this is the only manner in
which wheels can be made at a profit. A
year ago the Western Wheel Association,
a similar organization, disbanded because
1T did not control enough of the output
having but 80 per cent.-to prevent COM
petition. Since then there has been de-
moralization in trade, with frequent attempts
to recover. The smaller companies would
not come in and the big ones cut, until
now all but those which make 10 per cent.
OF the wheels are stockholders in the new
company. The present time is about the
beginning of the manufacturing season, and
1t is expected that operations will begin
on a large scale at once and prices be
In anticipation Of this advance the Parry
Manufacturing COMPANY is seriously con-
sidering the manufacture of their own
wheels, a very important item, as this es-
adjustment has, since Jan. l, purchased
q, 46o sets of wheels, and so close do they
price Of wheels would swallow up their
profits.
The Overall business.
But few people in the city are aware
that Indianapolis has become noted as be-
ing one of the largest manufacturing cities
of shirts, pants, overalls and like articles,
and has the credit of turning out superior
goods, as well. But few industries have
come nearer holding their own through the
depressed times than have these. and to-
day they are turning out more work than
at the corresponding period last year. The
five larger concerns have between 1,400 and
1,5W people in their employ. and turn out
on an average ten thousand garments a
day. requiring 10000 yards of cloth, and
the sales of the arments of the five con-
Germs reach S1,5G0,000 annually. These es-
adjustments have seven hundred sewing
machines constantly in service, and these
machines are run by power much similar
to a line of looms in a cotton mill, and
some of the women become experts at turn
Ing out work. The best workers on these
machines make from 50 to $3 a week., and
In other departments the women employed
earn from So to IS. But few men are en-
pioyed about these establishments, and they
are paid salaries. Goods of these manufac-
tories are sold in twenty-five different
States, largely in the South and West. The
different establishments grade the quality
or their goods to the markets they are sent
to, some markets requiring a better grade
OF goods than others, and being willing to
pay more money. Still, indianapolis fac
tories stand at the head in the quality of
goods they turn out. Mr.. C. b. Cones says
that fifteen years ago there was not an
establishment of this character in the city
of Importance. There have been times
when more people were employed, yet at
the present time the volume of business is
very satisfactory. Mr.. Harseim, proprietor
of one of the larger establishments, says
he is now employing a full complement of
people and is behind in orders. To-day his
business is considerably in excess OF last
year, but hardly ub to that of 1892, when
proprietors of the Lyons Shirt and Overall
Manufacturing Company state that they
have within the last few weeks gotten back
to their old volume of business, and are
now working more people than ever before,
but have to sell goods somewhat lower.
Some of these establishments have COM
menced manufacturing ladies' waists. Mr..
Cones says that beside the five establish
ments which are included above there are
several establishments where twenty-five to
fifty people are employed in making shirts
exclusively, and this added would largely
swell this branch of business at Indianapo-
lis. In fact, until one investigates, he says,
they would not for a moment believe what
the extent of this manufacturing interest