New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-24
TROY AND NEW.YORK.
IMPORTANT BUSINESS RELATIONS BETWEEN
THE TWO AS REGARDS COLLARS
AND CUFFS

AND CUFFS.
Concentration seems to be the rule in all
lines OF business, and this is especially true Of
manufactures Thus, the silk business is CEN
tired in Paterson. jewelry in Newark. and by
the same law Of aggregation, Troy for many
years has been the headquarters for collars
and cuffs There are at present than
fifty firms there engaged in the manufacture
Of these important accessories to dress, and
some Of the firms are extremely wealthy and
prosperous The business Is one In which large
amounts of capital are invested.
notwithstanding the seeming simplicity Of
the articles in question their actual production
calls for an astonishing complexity of opera
tons In order to meet the growing fastidiOuS
ness Of customers. Style and workmanship are
essentials that must be considered along with
the question of cost and to make the goods
come within reach Of the average buyer and
at the same time to maintain the quality Is
no small problem.
The modern collar and cuff factory as it ex-
lists in Troy to-day Is vertable hive OF energy
and industry. Skilled hands reinforced by
everything in the way Of machinery that hu
man ingenuity has been able to devise. In the
large sewing-rooms thousands Of machines
driven by steam and electricity. click inces-
sanity: the laundry Is supervised by skilled
chemists. and separate depots are maintained
from which the goods are sent out over the
entire country.
Of Cluett. Peabody & Co.. by any chance
to be whrled abroad. 1t would whiten the air
with linen snowstorm of tens Of thousands OF
fakes In collars and cuffs before which Nc
CARNEY might flee in dsnlay.
Not the least Important feature OF the manu-
facture is the development OF its style. The
Idea first suggests itself to the manufacturer
OF his workmen. Perhaps it is to be
merely an Improvement on current styles. pos
sibly straight collar with small points turned
down. or rounded in 'front.' or with a narrower
hoe m
embodied in tangible form in a pattern, and
now comes the important question Of cloth re-
Quired and what will be wasted After this has
been definitely ascertained. wooden patterns
in various sizes are made. one OF which gives
the form of the bard and another Of the col
lar Next comes the cutting which Is done
through many thicknesses Of cloth by keen,
short bladed knives.
After the pieces have been cut out they
put together in little parcels. each containing
the material for dozen collars, and the family
thus formed remains together through all the
various vcissitudes Of its youth in the fac
tories. until, having as 1t were. grown to ma
turity. ii Is dispersed abroad into the great
world. each member to shift for itself or to be
shifted as suits the purpose OF the individual
customer. In the Manufacture. the collars hay
ing been % cut. are CD rum CD, turned az.
stitched. % bands turned over. 90 bands turned,
90 bands stitched, 90 buttonholes cut. CD but
tonholes worked.
When the sewing is finished the goods go to
the laundry. where they pass through dozen
or more processes the final one being the IRON
ing Then follow careful inspection stamp
ing and boxing. and the goods are ready for the
market. Among the well-known firms who en-
gage extensively in this line Of manufacture in
Troy are the International Shirt and Collar
Company Cluett.. Peal body & Co.. Earl & Will
son. United Shirt and Collar Company Corls,
Coon E. Co.. Hall. Hartwell & Co.. Fellows &
Co. Curtis & Co. Vanzandt Jacobs & Co.. Will
lam Barker & Co.. and Emgh. Lobdell & Co.
There also as many as fifty concerns who
make a specially or who manufacture to a
smaller extent.
The last year has seen the introduction OF
new implements for cutting folding. etc, which
have made marked changes in those depart
ties Of production. The output Of collars and
cuffs in Troy aggregates something like 500.
100000 a year. These figures may seem large.
but il is to he borne in mind that there Is proba-
bly, article OF more general use. Collars and
cuffs. too. matter how good the material or
and requiring constant renewal. There are sew
eral concerns in Troy which do an annual bust
ness Of a million dollars and others whose in
dividual sales amount to twice that sum.
Notwithstanding the introduction of improved
machinery The industry gives employment to
places the amount Of money that IL paid in
salaries every week in this line in Troy at
S2rWOO
The output OF the larger factories is some
thing enormous. varying from 2.OtU 10 bod
dozens day.
The principal firms operate their own box fac
tories and are fully equipped for packing. ship
ping etc The largest share of their business
is transacted through New-York. where they
offices. warehouses and showroOm5.
The concerns that do not have offices here oper
ate through the commission merchants so the
Is practically controlled through the
channels Of the metropolis.
Although a review OF Troy's Industries natu-