The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-08-19
Daily Output 500 Dozen.
FARCE PLANT OF BIRDsEY, SOM
AGENCIES MAINTAINED II
ALL THE LARGE CITIES.
From the Bridgeport Conn Mceoins Tel
egraD, June l6

egraD, June 10.
One Of Br:dgsports most active nauafac-
,urerers is the corse, factory of D;rdsey
Souers l. Co Notwithstanding the extreme
depression 10 business affecting anos; eCcry
line, Il visi; to TIE factory shows :Ea, this
depression has not caused them 70 limit
their production in any way. and it IS only
until recently that they have been able to
supply the demand fer their goods without
working the factory at night, the latter hay
ing been the rule during the spring s*asoo
The factory is now running lis fullest capacity
and ten hours day.
Their brands Of corsets must certainly ce
popular wilh the people or otherwise they
would MOI hace been so favored with an
amount of business which has pushed thelI
plant to It's utmost capacity. 1t has been one
of the cheerful sights oftbe city to see escl
window of their immense buildings rehectiog
the light and activity within. Our city
is certainly fortunate 20 have an industry
furnishing employ ment to so many Of her
people.
The manufacture Of corsets has had quite d
history. The o!d-fssboned stays in which
The grandmothers of the present generation
we're won't to lace themselves up 10 con.pli
snce With the dictates of dame fashion, when
compared with the easy fitting, flexible and
gracefully curved corsets OF the present day
appear almost like instruments Of torture and
oae can only wonder how they were ever
worn with any degree Of comfort, not to say
pleasure There are many kinds and varle-
ties of corsets on the market to-day, each
maker claiming certain points CT excellence
for his branch 1t is reasonably certain;
however, that no corset manufactured in this
or auy other couD'ry combine go many good
features as those Of Bird5ey, Somers & Co.
These ccrsets are knows and worn through
out the Uuited States and Canada and thelI
sale is constantly on the increase. The plant
is located on Burroughs street, where 1t oc-
cupes g floor space Of $4,000 square teet.
The business was founded 10 1865 and from
a very modes. beginning has grown to vast
proporticps To-day FIVE hundred persons
are engaged in this factory and even this
large force is not sufficient TO always keep up
with the demand. The Armorside, Trlcera
and + P. corset are the special brands man
ufactured and their superiority is universally
admitted by the hundreds of thousands o.
women who wear them The company has
an elaborately fitted store for the sale of its
goods at No So Leonard street: New York.
Agenciss are also maintained in Boston, Chi
cago, San Francisco and New Orleans.
There is also branch establishment ct Br-
rningham, ibis State, known as the Brming-
lam Corset company aud the conlbiced out
put Of the two factories, together with what
they are compelled to have made by outside
manufactures ia over 500 dozen day. Both
companies are owned and managed by Bird
sey, Somers 4 Co. Both Mr. Birdsey and
Mr. SomeTs are business men and practical
in every sense Of the word thoroughly IA
niliar With every branch Of The business. 1t
is to their able and Intelligent management
that the company enjoys such prosperous
aud continually expanding business. Highly
esteemed IN business circles they are held IN
equsl regard by their fHlow-citizens gene
rally