New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-03

The extent to which the manufacture of artificial
flowers is carried in New-York Is almost n
known TO the public at large.
An important section OF the business part OF
Broadway is devoted almost wholly the millinery
trade in its various branches and In that section
centres the flower making industry Radiating
from it like the spokes OF wheel the houses
in West Broadway. West Third, West Fourth and
Bleecker sts., on the West Side and Lafayette
Place. Houston and Second the East. In
these are comprised the large factories employing
from fifty to one hundred and fifty in the busy
seasons while numerous small shops exist where
from one to two dozen workers employed.
Many OF the large manufacturers also i'm
porters. and occupy several floors OF the huge
Broadway buildings, devoting to the purpose OF
display and keeping the factory in the background.
few in West Broadway who manufacture solely
have whole buildings in which all the processes
open 10 the view Of the visitor
A flower factory is extremely attractive place.
Entering, Is in a small incIosed office.
through which entrance the workroous s
gained Once within the workshop the
gardeners" at their pretty labor OF creating bloom
and beauty from embarrassing yards OF material.
The large and perfectly lighted.
with all the facility for ventilation afforded by
many windows easily opened. Long tables extend
around the walls, close the windows, and a sepa-
rate industry seems to be going at every one.
Here workers with piles Of square pieces OF
differently coiored muslin. silk and velvet beside
them assduously cutting them into small bits
with sharp blows Of varied dies The tiny fpag
ments are passed on to another worker who lays
them grooved and futed blocks and with
other blow gives the curl and curve OF rose violet
or pansy petals These are passed TO another table.
presided over by women. and there the petals
attached to their wired stems and the dainty
j.. Formed; but by means COMPLETED, are the
hands and receive leaves and buds before the
gardeners work is done. Then they go inIo the
In this especial establishment there are one hun
n
twenty-five
The display Of finished goods is not large here
some Of the houses where all kinds of flowers are
made the warerOoms are like great garden beds.
ADVANCE IN MANUFACTURING
A Helbrun, an authority on the subject, says
that the great advance in nufacturing flowers
in this country has made immense difference
in the Importation, especially in the last two or
three years. "All the cheaper and medium grades
of flowers made we'll here" he says, and
in the finest qualities the only appreciate in
feriority, as rule being in the coloring we md
shades iiI''S' ''"'0sS'0'e To get '"e
Another authority s Mandel also asserts that
| every flower produced in European factories can
! be copied here with absolute accuracy. except IN
| ent chemical composition Of the water that used
| in Europe being much softer and afording more
Mrs. Katz. the contrary, contends that even
proof thereof points to boxes OF exquisite roses in
| most delicate pastel shades that certainly appear
| 70 equal in purity and sortness any imported .
The business is divided into as many branches"
| as rose push There firms that produce stems
alone slender rubber tubing hardly to be distin-
gllshed from the actual stem. Others receive the
! buds and blossoms and add the foliage, combining
| field flowers, roses. violets or foliage.
DEMAND FOR WORKERS,
1T seems strange that more young women do not
| learn the trade of flower making said manu-
facturer yesterday in view of the that there
is positively demand for workers and that
the occupation is pretty and light and the re-
muneration good as in the average business open
TO them. The work must be less onerous than at
tendance in a store is not required 10 stand
all day. The hours the same, with time al
lowed for luncheon. and in most Of the factories
work ceases on Saturdays ar $40 o'clock in winter
and IN
The payment is the piece basis in estab-
hshments. and then wages vary from the begin
SIS in the busy TO skilled and rapid workers
Where weekly wages paid they vary from 50
TO SO, according 10 ability.
In Europe the trade is carried in families
from generation TO generation. from mother and
father TO daughter and The children learn II
almost in their cradles. This fact by the way
furnishes some cause for complaint the large
manufacturers. Many of these flower makers emf
crate to this country and establish a small bust
ness in their cellar and garnet homes. where they
make flowers almost under SWeatshoD conditions
This class of manufacturer is principally TO be
found on the lower East side, although in point of
fact, Il would he extremely difficult to find them
even II search were made, obscure their
dwellings,