Baltimore Hats Part 6

In January, 1875, Isaac H. Francis and James E. Sumner, who had been in the employ of Wilson & Perry, started the straw hat manufacturing business at the N. W. corner of Lexington and Liberty streets, and in the following year Wm. T. Brigham (then of the firm of Cole, Brigham & Co.) became a.s.sociated with them, the firm being made Francis, Sumner & Co. In 1877 the firm of Cole, Brigham & Co. was dissolved, Mr.

Brigham becoming connected with R. D. Hopkins, as the firm of Brigham & Hopkins, occupying the premises No. 128 West Fayette street (present No. 211). In 1880 Mr. Hopkins was admitted as a partner in the firm of Francis, Sumner & Co., and Messrs. Francis and Sumner became members of the firm of Brigham & Hopkins, the interests of the two firms having always, in fact, been identical since they were first established. The two firms were continued until July, 1887, when, by the withdrawal of Mr. Sumner, they were dissolved, and became consolidated as the firm of Brigham, Hopkins & Co., now occupying the large and s.p.a.cious factory at the corner of German and Paca streets, erected in 1884.

In the year 1880 Messrs. Francis, Sumner & Co. placed their interest in their Lexington and Liberty street factory with Wm. Fales and Jas.

M. Hopkins, transferring their own entire business to the enlarged premises at 128 W. Fayette street. Fales & Hopkins continued at the corner of Lexington and Liberty streets until the fall of 1883, when Mr. Hopkins, forced by declining health to give up business, sold his interest to Mr. Louis Oudesluys, the firm becoming Fales & Oudesluys.

Mr. James M. Hopkins died of consumption at Colorado Springs, February, 1884.

In 1885 S. C. Townsend and John W. Grace became a.s.sociated with Messrs.

Fales & Oudesluys, and a new firm formed, as Fales, Oudesluys & Co., continuing for two years, when it was dissolved, Messrs. Townsend and Grace remaining as the firm of Townsend, Grace & Co., at 128 W.

Fayette street, while Messrs. Fales and Oudesluys formed a new firm, as Fales, Oudesluys & Co., locating at 115 S. Eutaw street. Mr. Fales remained in the latter firm but a few months, when it was again changed to that of Oudesluys Bros., comprised of Louis, Adrian and Eugene Oudesluys, now doing business at 115 S. Eutaw street.

In 1878 Mr. M. S. Levy, who was then a cap maker, commenced the finis.h.i.+ng of straw hats, having the hats sewed by others, while he did the finis.h.i.+ng and tr.i.m.m.i.n.g, his place of business being then at the N. E. corner of Sharp and German streets.

With increasing trade, Mr. Levy removed in 1881 to more s.p.a.cious quarters at Nos. 318 and 320 W. Baltimore street (present numbers 216 and 218), where he commenced the general manufacture of straw hats. In 1883 he took his two sons into partners.h.i.+p, the firm being made M. S.

Levy & Sons; their premises being destroyed by fire in October, 1886, they removed to 117 S. Sharp street. In September, 1888, being again the victims of fire, they occupied temporarily the premises N. E. cor.

Paca and German streets, remaining there until taking possession of their present extensive factory located at the N. W. cor. of Paca and Lombard streets.

In 1880 Tomz, Richardson & Co. commenced in a small way to manufacture straw hats at No. 341 W. Baltimore street (now 317), but, from lack of business experience, soon abandoned the undertaking.

Messrs. Bateman & Richardson in 1882 embarked in the business, occupying a portion of the premises No. 5 S. Liberty street. In 1883 Mr. Scutch was admitted as a partner, the firm becoming Bateman, Richardson & Co., and, removing to No. 55 St. Paul street (now 313), continued until 1885; not meeting with antic.i.p.ated success, they gave up the business.

Messrs. Francis O. Cole & Co. in 1882 commenced the manufacture of straw goods, erecting for the purpose a building at Nos. 7 and 9 Saratoga street (now 424 E. Saratoga), continuing business until 1885, when the firm was dissolved.

Mr R. Q. Taylor has long been engaged in the manufacture of Mackinaw straw hats as a specialty. His acquaintance with and interest in this product dates as far back as 1850, when he first used the Mackinaw for his retail trade, since which, every season the "Mackinaw" has been the prominent straw hat sent from his establishment, and for a period of fifteen years was the _only_ article of straw hat retailed by him.

The successful control of a special style as an article of fas.h.i.+on for thirty-five consecutive years is a remarkable record, an accomplishment that plainly shows ability as a leader of fas.h.i.+on, for which Mr. Taylor's natural capacity so well fits him.

Mr. Taylor confined the use of the "Mackinaw" hat strictly to his retail demands until after the year 1868, since when he has manufactured the article for the trade, distributing his products over the entire country, and establis.h.i.+ng for "Taylor's Mackinaws" a national fame.

In addition to the manufacture of men's and boys' straw hats, which cla.s.s has heretofore comprised the larger proportion of such goods made in Baltimore, another branch, that of ladies' straw goods, has been developed, and is already a.s.suming interesting proportions, promising to become a valuable addition to this industry.

Messrs. Wolford & s.h.i.+lburg in 1883 commenced the manufacture of ladies' straw goods at No. 6 E. Pratt street, remaining at that place for one year, removing in 1883 to No. 205 Camden street, where they are now located.

In 1887, Messrs. L. W. Sumner, G. K. Thompson and D. Whitney, as the firm of Sumner, Thompson & Whitney, commenced the manufacture of ladies' and misses' straw goods, locating their factory at 317 N.

Howard street.

At the present time there are in Baltimore, apparently in prosperous condition, eight straw hat establishments, giving employment to eleven hundred hands, male and female, and producing annually, manufactured goods to the value of upwards of a million dollars, in the distribution of which Baltimore is brought into close business contact with every State and Territory of the Union, and the city's importance as a manufacturing centre is enhanced by the character of articles sent forth by those engaged in this cla.s.s of business.

GROWTH OF BUSINESS.

No. 14.

For many years the Mackinaw took precedence of all straw hats as the most desirable summer article for gentlemen's headwear, far out-rivalling in its success as a fas.h.i.+on any other straw product ever introduced to the American people. Having attained this prominent position mainly through its successful management by Baltimore manufacturers, it forms an important factor in the prosperity of the straw hat industry of Baltimore. In fact it is the actual foundation of the present large and increasing straw goods business of the city to-day.

While the Mackinaw hat had previously found favor with a few prominent retailers, it was not until the year 1868 that Mr. W. T. Brigham, then of the firm of Wm. R. Cole & Co., observing the merits of the article, concluded to undertake its introduction to the trade, to whom it was generally quite unknown. Among those who had used profitably the Mackinaw for their retail trade were R. Q. Taylor, of Baltimore, Charles Oakford, W. F. Warburton and Louis Blaylock, of Philadelphia.

Though it was an article of domestic production, the beauty and commendable qualities of the Mackinaw were indeed a surprising revelation to the trade at large. Each year added to the popularity of the Mackinaw, until it became the acceptable American straw hat, without which no first-cla.s.s retailer could consider his stock complete. While the great demand existed, Baltimore continued to supply the larger proportion of all the Mackinaw hats sold, and taking advantage of the reputation thus gained for such goods, her manufacturers produced other kinds of straw hats, and by the exercise of proper care and attention acquired such skill as to secure for the straw goods products of Baltimore the worthy reputation of being the best made in the United States, consequently and beyond contradiction the best in the world.

In the earliest days of straw hat making in Baltimore, at the time when the Mackinaw was being introduced, the sewing of straw hats by machine was a new invention, and practically a close monopoly controlled by a strong combination of wealthy straw goods manufacturers of the North, who, jointly as a stock company, prevented the sale of the straw sewing machines outside their own circle.

Fortunately for the success of the new undertaking in Baltimore, the good qualities of the Mackinaw hat were more satisfactorily retained by hand sewing, rendering machines in their manufacture a useless requirement.

Thus an advantage was gained in supplying a hand-sewed hat, embodying such points of perfection in style and finish as to quite surprise those not familiar with the manufacture of such goods. The "Mackinaw"

of Baltimore make continued to grow in popular favor until it had secured a greater distribution than was ever before attained by any other article of straw hat, making a remarkable record for tenacity, by holding for upwards of fifteen successive years, popularity as the leading article of summer headwear.

Baltimore continued to enlarge and increase her straw hat factories and improve their products, so that now in this industry she stands in the proud position of being the leading city in the United States in the production of the best cla.s.s of straw hats.

This, in brief, is a history of another branch of the hat business, which attained large proportions, supplementing the one which, having gained a degree of importance in the manufacturing history of the city, was by force of circ.u.mstances reduced to comparative insignificance.

The growth of the straw hat business of Baltimore may be looked upon as somewhat phenomenal. The first introduction of the Mackinaw hat by William R. Cole & Co., in 1867, may be taken as the beginning of straw goods manufacturing, and with but a single manufacturing firm existing in 1875, its development and increase dates from that time.

It is doubtful if in 1875 the total value of manufactured straw goods produced in Baltimore reached the sum of $75,000, while in the face of a steady and constant decline in values--the result of labor-saving machines, together with reduced cost of raw material--an increase in production of twenty-fold is an accomplishment of less than fifteen years. This success cannot be attributed to any local advantages, but is due entirely to the energy, enterprise and business qualifications of those engaged in the business, qualifications which have accomplished the result of giving valuable a.s.sistance in the city's advancement as an important manufacturing centre. It has also, by the recognized merits of its products, lent a worthy influence throughout the whole United States in sustaining the excellent reputation long enjoyed by Baltimore for the good quality and reliability of its manufactured goods.

HISTORY OF THE MACKINAW HAT.

No. 15.

A result of the remarkable popularity of the Mackinaw straw hat was, that Baltimore came rapidly forward as a straw goods manufacturing place, becoming important as a center in that particular branch of business; therefore a history of the article which contributed so largely to the development of this industry is likely to prove both interesting and instructive.

"Mackinaw," as a trade term or name, does not, as might be supposed, indicate the region from whence the articles comes, but undoubtedly received its christening from some one of the few retailers who early used these goods, in order to create a distinction from a similar, but much inferior article, then termed the "Canada" hat. While both the "Mackinaw" and the "Canada" are made of wheat straw, the difference between the two, as the product of one country and of nearly the same lat.i.tude, is a great surprise. The wheat of the eastern part of Canada produces a straw dark in color, harsh in texture, and of little use for making a hat, while that grown in the western part of the same country is clear and white in color, possessing a brilliant enamel which imparts the beauty that rendered the Mackinaw so famous as an article of fas.h.i.+on.

The Mackinaw must be considered a local rather than a national production, coming as it does from a region comprised within a small radius around the city of Detroit, part of which is Canadian territory and part within the borders of the United States; for while considerable straw from which the plait is made is raised and plaited within the limits of the State of Michigan, by far the largest proportion, as also the best quality, is the product of the Canadian territory. Nature seems to have provided a small community with unusual advantages, for within a limited territory has been produced all the large quant.i.ty of straw plait required to supply the popular demand that for many years existed for Mackinaw hats, and all efforts elsewhere to produce material combining the peculiarities of this straw, from which these hats were made, invariably failed.

The claim of the Mackinaw to antiquity and long use is perhaps as strong as that of other plaits with which the trade has become familiar, for no doubt the natives of the country made use of these hats as a head-covering long before they became an article of trade.

The Mackinaw was for many years after its first introduction sold under the designation of the "Canada" hat, the name given to a similar but comparatively degraded article produced in Lower, or Eastern Canada; and the t.i.tle Mackinaw was first applied by the late Mr.

Charles Oakford, of Philadelphia, or by Mr. R. Q. Taylor, of Baltimore, each of whom were among the first to make it a fas.h.i.+onable hat.

The makers of these goods are wholly the poor, ignorant half-breeds, who spring from the Canadian French and the Indian. Finding that hats, as well as the skins of the animals they trapped, could be traded for, the family talent was brought into use to produce something that might contribute to their meagre subsistence. So during the winter season, while the men hunted the muskrat, the Indian women and children plaited straw and made hats, which, on the opening of spring, were carried with the skins obtained by the hunters, to the towns, where they were exchanged for food, drink, clothing and ammunition.

To the advantages of soil and climate is attributed that purity of color, brilliancy of enamel, toughness of fibre and elasticity of texture which are recommendations of the Mackinaw. Added to these natural qualities was the advantage of a peculiar treatment given to the straw by the natives, who employed a whitening or bleaching process without the use of chemicals, giving increased beauty to the article.

During the prosperity of Mackinaw straw plaiting, a prominent character among the half-breeds was one Madame Lousseux, a st.u.r.dy, aged matron, with twelve hearty daughters, who, inheriting their mother's prolific nature, were in turn each the proprietress of a family of a dozen boys and girls. They all appeared to inherit the old lady's natural ability and wonderful expertness, and surpa.s.sed all compet.i.tors in the plaiting of the straw. The choicest products in braid and hats came from the Lousseux family.

In 1834, and for many years after, these goods were sold and used only as ordinary harvest hats. It now seems surprising that an article possessing such attractive merits should have occupied a secondary position and been so long in establis.h.i.+ng the reputation it finally secured. The first person, as far as discovered, who used this article for retail purposes as a genteel and fas.h.i.+onable hat, was Henry Griswold in the year 1845, who did business in the then little and obscure town of Racine, Wisconsin. The Raciners must have been people of an appreciative and refined taste, as it appears that Mr. Griswold sold the hat for several seasons to his own advantage.

Prior to 1846 these goods were sold in New York by Leland, Mellen & Co., at that time the largest wholesale hat firm in the country. Mr.

Mellen retired from business in 1851. In reply to a personal inquiry of the writer in the year 1874, Mr. Mellen wrote from Framingham, Ma.s.s., as follows:

"The Canada straw hat from the region of Detroit was sold by our firm as early as 1845. After being blocked and trimmed, they were sold as an ordinary staple hat. We sold a few to John H. Genin, W. H. Beebe & Co., and Charles Knox, then the leading retail hatters of Broadway. I think, however, they were sold by them only as a fis.h.i.+ng or harvest hat. We continued to receive these goods from Detroit for several seasons, until an article from Lower Canada, of inferior quality and less price, made its appearance, and stopped the sale, as far as we were concerned."

The exact date of the appearance of the Mackinaw in Philadelphia cannot be accurately determined, but it must have been as early as 1847. Messrs. Beebe, Coster & Co., a prominent retail firm in Philadelphia, in 1849, sold the tapering crown, wide brim "Canada straw hat." From about 1855 to 1860 the Mackinaw became so very popular in the Quaker City that it was recognized as a leading article. The prominent retailers then using it were Charles Oakford, W. F. Warburton, Louis Blaylock, and Sullender & Pascall; each of these firms themselves finished the straw hats, taking them as they were sewed by the natives, which was with a taper crown and wide brim, making little pretence to any variety in style or proportion. Messrs.

Sullender & Pascall made an advanced step and undertook one season to sell the Mackinaw to the exclusion of all other straw hats, preparing them in various shapes and for the first time adapting them to the requirements and tastes of a "n.o.bby" trade.

In 1847 William Ketchem of Buffalo, E. B. Wickes of Syracuse, and John Heywood & Sons of Rochester sold these hats. In 1848 L. Benedict & Co., prominent retailers of Cleveland, handled the goods. This firm was followed next season by Messrs. R. & N. Dockstadter, then a very prominent concern in the same place. In 1849 they were sold in Sandusky by C. C. Keech.