No. 13.

A STRANGE fact is that the Civil War, so disastrous in its effect upon the industries of Baltimore, was followed at its close by the rise of a new enterprise, of manufacturing straw hats, which so increased and extended that in number of establishments and volume of production it soon outrivalled those of fur hats in their most prosperous time, thus securing to this city a kindred business, greater in extent and importance than the one which had, by force of circumstances, been wrested from her. The good reputation which the products of the new industry has acquired in every part of the country has contributed not only to the prosperity of the city, but has assisted by adding credit for the high standard of its manufactured goods.

In the year 1866 Mr. G. O. Wilson and Mr. Albert Sumner left their homes in Foxboro, Mass., in search of a promising field for establishing the business of renovating straw hats. Without any definite place in view, one city after another was visited, Baltimore being finally their chosen locality. Messrs. Wilson & Sumner associated with them Mr. W. C. Perry, who also came from Foxboro, and the firm was made Sumner & Perry, establishing themselves in the rear of No. 71, now 10 West Lexington street.

Mr. Sumner withdrawing from the firm the same year, the two remaining partners continued the business at the same place as the firm of Wilson & Perry. At that time the retail price of straw hats was such as to allow a profitable business to be done in renovating and altering styles, and in that branch these persons met with success.

Previous to this, however, others had been engaged in the business of bleaching and pressing straw hats. Among the first who entered into the business, as far as can be learned, was the firm of Rosenswig, Davidson & Ash, about the year 1848; they were cap manufacturers, and added the pressing of Leghorn hats as an auxiliary business. Mr. Samuel White, who learned his trade of the previously mentioned firm, afterwards carried on hat bleaching and pressing in connection with cap making, at No. 78 South Charles street (present No. 132). From 1850 to 1865 extensive importations of German straw hats came into the port of Baltimore, and Mr. White did a large business in finishing these goods. In 1857 Mr. White commenced the jobbing hat business, forming in 1861 the firm of White, Rosenburg & Co., and is now in business at No. 9 South Howard street, of the firm of S. White & Son.

Richard Hill, at present in the retail hat business at No. 5 South Liberty street, was formerly engaged in hat bleaching and pressing at the same locality.

Messrs. Wilson & Perry continued to prosper in their enterprise, and, increasing their facilities, gradually developed it into straw goods manufacturing, confining their business for several years almost exclusively with two prominent Baltimore jobbing houses, who supplied sufficient patronage for their constantly increasing production; one of their patrons being Cole, Brigham & Co., the other Armstrong, Cator & Co., one of the largest millinery firms in the country.

In 1877 Messrs. Wilson & Perry purchased the premises No. 101 West Lexington street, now 104, where they secured more commodious quarters, and, with an admirably equipped factory, continued to do a large and prosperous business. Mr. Perry died in 1880. In July, 1887, the firm title of Wilson & Perry was changed, Mr. Wilson associating with M. Frank, J. D. Horner and A. Levering, formed the firm of Wilson, Frank & Horner, and occupied the warehouse No. 204 West Baltimore street, in connection with the factory on Lexington street.

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 associated 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 spacious 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 associated 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 finishing of straw hats, having the hats sewed by others, while he did the finishing and trimming, 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 spacious 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 partnership, 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 anticipated 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 fashion for thirty-five consecutive years is a remarkable record, an accomplishment that plainly shows ability as a leader of fashion, 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 establishing for "Taylor's Mackinaws" a national fame.

In addition to the manufacture of men's and boys' straw hats, which class 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 assuming interesting proportions, promising to become a valuable addition to this industry.

Messrs. Wolford & Shilburg 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 class of business.