New Britain herald., 1927-08-26
[. J. WH|TEPL
 MOVED ID BOSTON
(Continued From First Page)

this small staff the plant grew until at the zenith of its fortunes it em- ployed 70 persons. A factory was
 started on Walnut street and then
 the present place at Main and Glen streets was occupied. The retailing
 business was soon dropped because of increasing orders and Mr. Whites giving of his time to perfecting
 manufacturing machinery.
 The company was incorporated in March. 1907. with MT. White the
 moving spirit. A number of inven- tions aided the company, which had its ups and downs until the World
 War period. when MT. White died following a disastrous fire which swept the establishment
 Frost Co., Takes Output About that time an advantageous connection was made with the George Frost Co. of Boston. which
 desired to control some of Whites inventions and contracted for the en-
 tire output of the New Britain con-
 cern. MT. Hobart, who had been with the Frost company since 1899 came here to take charge of pro- duction. J. s. North was elected president and treasurer, Frank Vib- berts, secretary. and MT. Hobart, as- sistant treasurer and perintendent These three men formed the direc- torate.
 The business prospered and still
 does despite the loss felt since the fad of not wearing garters has been introduced. Formerly, Mr. Hobart
 says, the concern had definite types and shades in its garters and was able to stock them in advance just the same year after year. Now with vari-colored and complex webs
 and constantly changing styles. this cannot be done and the plant has to be ready to meet orders for new styles immediately. Quick enough service could not be obtained with the factory here, so the Frost Co.,
 decided to consolidate the two
 plants under one head in Boston and effect immediate attention to orders.
 It therefore. made an offer and has taken over all machinery. tools, and
 merchandise. From now on all the
 patented specialties will be produced
 in Boston, but the White company will retain control of the patents. Mr. Hobart will go to Boston for
 the present and assist in starting the work in the new quarters. His plans
 after that are undecided, as he pre-
 fers to remain in New Britain. Pioneer in Garter Field
 The George Frost Co. was the first concern to manufacture mems gar
 ters. The late George Frost, Sr.. con- ceived the idea of making garters
 for men and abolishing the use of safety pins or just plain shin bones
 as hose supporters. He made the rounds of the fashionable Washing
 ton street clothiers in Boston and
 begged them to try out his new article of apparel. All except one
 laughed at him. and to this one MT.
 Frost carried in person the first half-dozen pairs of garters made.
 From this start grew a concern which is now rated at more than $1,00o,0 ,000 and has assembling parts in Canada, South America, A ustralia, and London, to which tons of ma terial is shipped annually.
 Improvements in manufacture have kept pace with the growth of business and MT. White was one of the cleverest men at this. He invent ed the rubber button used on gar ters, as we'll as many types of man. ufacturing machinery. At present the concern has machines which do work formerly requiring five girls, cutting the cloth, fastening the but ton in place, and vulcanizing it without attention. In cleaning out the New Britain quarters the work men came upon scores of contriv- ances invented by Mir. White so long ago that their use has now been forgotten.