Evening sentinel, Thursday, January 17, 1924 · page 12

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

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N‘s-to“: ~d141§~ a a

.1. ......ue...

,‘Tells Story of How He

. Kolwuu 1:111111 in 111'r111:1n-1n11_11. So
" 14min waitinszuhn came 21011.1, :11111
Mil faintly 114d not want 111111 to go
dually agun. :o 1111 11~_'1:.'111 to look
airdund 1111‘ :1 11111 111‘1'11. \1111 hr'rc
mum fntv- .ok :1 1.;11111 11 1111111211
19‘51105'. 11111;:11 11 is 1101.1: ful “111.-

‘ lid old 11111111111

11"

A; Box of Broken Bot-
tles Lead to Good
Luck i n Realizing
Boyhood Ambitions

1 LLS JAS. KNAPI’
GREATEST HATTER

 

 

 
 

 

3 Went \Viih Firm and
; 10f Incident at Fac-
§tory

if".l‘heie i! u1\\‘.1\3-‘1 .1 r.c.son “11.1
” ' ft-r 1h1-

fillings 11re 1111:11‘ 11111111. call 1111 reus-
3!’ fate \\ 11111 o4111 rs 1"1- 111.11111'11:
dh it Just 11.111111 111.11'” .\11d hum-
an nutulv . alu:1\ ) 1111111131111 \1, usu-
lily likes to 1111111 1111:1‘1.11~1o.1 “113'
men “110 :illuin high 111115111») ever
thought (If 1:11.111: up 1111. work in
WhiCll N11) 11:11. 111111111011111111110111.

This! lll'llii\ill\1 11115 [‘11’11111. 1111 :111
Ionivw with 21111111 t'.'1\:111:11:11.
an president. .1.. 1111 1'1'11111‘1'5 111' 11111.
sobtinel know 11. 111‘ 1.10111. and
Knflpp, 11. 11:1111r1. 111111, stands for ex-

cellenco in 11:11.1. ..\11d it was to 1rned
{11.111.11.1mx 11f 111'111v1n 11011115 1.111511]

107111 1 'H:111:1:n 1.. 1.110111 .1 11'1111r.
556w 111:11 111:11' 111 :~11:1111.‘11 111111 01'
601111110. 1111 111111 would 1:111:39 1111 r1111-

io'ction 1111111111 111111.111 l111tl|1.~ :11111

113.15. But its 11111'1‘.

5 W “Boyhood .‘nihiliun.

1“Too 1111 31-:11'5 ago the .111111111on

1;1’ ’-<.n(:11'1v 11111 11111 111 .\1.1'V\.1,1k was

{0' 1111011111 :1. 11:11 11" It 11:15 Nor-

wdlk‘a bi: 1111>1111 .1.. 11:1.11-1'5 nevi).
of the helm." here.

pied inuny
Bimini. 5:5 “:11: not >11111v1rs1111‘1ias
1.111 1011:.11. .1111111 1 .1\:1u:11:h .151
lit‘IHNli 11(11-\\\:11111 1 11. 1.11.11.11111 :1 11:11-
1111113111111 14111111 “3:1

it
a»

91+ 1111'. 1111- \141}
shit :11: 11:151' 1111 i111'1111811 '.1 ‘oy 111111
£0.1‘111C11111~,1 first :111 1111111111111 11nd

apprenttvm: were not 1:1k1n in r-xcry
dtil'. .110 .11-1111 1.1111 going 10 srhool
and hem “11111111‘111; “hat in: would
116101111, .11. 511.111 111 111.1 ‘11 1:... 1111)‘
tirlim 11:1111‘1‘3 111111.11 11:13111111'111 to

Jim.

3.1111; 31111111111' 11'; decide-l 11 earn
some money during \acution time.
‘0 he ordr r1111 11'11111 .\c\v York a
Quantity of 1.1111111. 1111;114:1111}; but-
(1113. and 1111111 1.1 11111111 to house-
w'n'rs. (1111' 11:11: 1111 “-111 101111; ruli-
rond station for :1 1'111151K111111'nt of
hi. bottle». 141111111 1111c in 111111111111:
Ute misc 111'1111111'111 11 111111 1111;15:111-11
meat of 1111‘. i~r~11111 .\s 111 1111- out."
o‘i'rtlio story 111 11.11 11111k 111.11, “:13
spilled. John “11:1 111111111.1..11111. 111..
bottles 111 1'11 1111111111 .\'111(1' 111'

couldn‘t 11111 1111111 111151 111.11' 1111:1111 he
picked out 1111' gum] 1111- .1 and start-

ow John Cavanagh
. Began His Career
In Hatting Trade

‘lll\'1':111‘1] "i‘l‘l‘y

 

the brother drove up to the Crofut
and Knapp factorv and slopp-d his
horse.

"Come on John this is the place."
he. saith lie got. off _t‘nc wagon,
took John's tools and walking to
the. door ,of the factory
John's tools inside and remark-7d
againz”

In John wont. There John re-
mained to become president. lie was
only 1a “kid" at the lime. ho says.
liven after getting his job he was
worried. You 500 at that time he
know tliht. James H. Knapp, father of
l'l1ilip, and founder of the firm of
1'rofut :md Knapp. was a stickier

for perfection, or what. humanly
would approach perfection in the
making: of hats. llc wanted the

ilmst hats turned out of his factory.

(1011111 (1.1111 James 11.111:

1N1) one
knew. And 1111: \1011v1n1n 1\111w 111'
knew. John Cuvanaxzh dvclai'es tn-

duy that James l1. Knapp was the
host hatter the world ever knew. if
:1 workman could feel that 111‘ pleas—
ed James H. Knapp he thrillvd 1111
over with satisfacnon. And lhc
workn111n strove to satisfy 111111.
“1111111 brings us to an incidrnt 111
John t‘uvanagh's 11:11'ly 1':11‘1‘1"r with
1111‘. firm (1f (71111111 :11111 Knapp. .11"
had hm-n working in the factory 1111‘
l_v a short limowhcn James 11. came
along. picked 11p one 11 the 11:11::
John had just styled. and look it into
the office. Soon .luun-s 11. returned
willie the 11:11 and 11111111111111: 501111--
thin'; to himself sinnnnr‘d 1111: llztl
hack on 11111 rack. A 1'iliii went down
John1,‘:11:1n:11;11's11:11'k. it! 5:11 :11 his
bench watching James 11. return to
the, office and thinking he 111111 failed
to please lhq‘ boss. Slowly he. un-
tied his apron. Slowly hr.- plm'ed it
on 1111‘ ln‘n1'h and slowly he began [11
walk to 11111 “11311-1111 room. lie was

thruuzh. .\11 old man who was in
charge of the. 1'110111 hurried :1ft11r
111111 and said:

“John. “111-1'11 are you going?"

“111111112" replied John. "111?
dnmn't 111.1‘ 111:; work."

“11:11 ”:1 Suki.

"“111 do you know what he 111111

111e'.‘ lie s:1i1l"you ought to get that

young fellow in lr':11'l1 some. of 1111‘
others how 111 style 11:11.14. 11113 knows-'.' "
"11111 111‘ say that?” usived John.

“5111'1‘ (1111."

“\\'1‘11,l,.;11r" 111 stay.

Not so 111111: after that. the old 111111
in 111:1rgr‘ of the 1011111 failed to up»
pear :11111 John “.1.-1 :isivml to lake
charge of the room.

“I will for :1 couple
til you get 15111111‘ 11111‘. I don't want
1111' 11111. i don't “Hut 1111‘ resp‘ou-
.xlldlity of 113551113 on :1111311111‘ 111:1n':~
work."

it “as arranged that John \1 :13 on-
ly to 1111111 11111 1111111or:11'11y. 1:111
1111111passed:111111111'r311119 forgot tl1:1t
11111. Jtl" 11:13 11-11111111':11'y. Soon other
11111:11'1;11"11t.‘1 11(11'1- :11l1ie1i 11) his
.‘plillrlllllillf‘s and in 1111: 111111 1111 11:11.
111111111 511111-1'11111'11dr'nt of tho t‘lllll't'
factory.

‘1‘111'n came the days of recogniza-
tiun :11111 John Cuvanugh was taken
111.10 1111- firm. 111.1 bought. :13 111111111
«lurk 11:1 1111 111111111 :11111 tiiei'i'uflvi‘Ju)
dollar of his savings
111:;1 111' 11:111. 111' had opportunilics
111 “11151111an othrr 111151111»: 11111 111'
1'1 It 111111 111: km; “1111‘. halting: indus-

of 1111114 or 1111»

 

1‘11011 111.1!111111111'111f1111111'1‘111g1hp5c.
H15 “em to 1111 11111.11: 111' \\'.l‘::1m A.
lh‘ouu “I111 11.1 11111 k111m.1 111'1'1- :15.
u lint 111'111111.111111'11r. 311:4. I‘voun
h-LW' .l11h11 \‘.:11: 11111 11 21.11111 ~1111'1l+:
11ml :wltul 111111 1111 11.151411. 111. loiil‘
her 11110111 1111: 111111.111 1.1112113
"You 111111' 11111111 111111111 1111. 1nd.-
rn 111111111. lot: :11 1111»: '.11 .‘111.
Brown and 111' v.1’l ;1\r: 111" :- 11111
in 1111.1 11.11 l.11't1,>.'1 >1i11 .‘iils.\
Brown. 1
"no you 1111111\ 11111 1.1..» 1111 ""1
it:~k"1.l John. 1.1351 1'1_\. .’
i‘l know. 111 11111," 11.155111'112 31131:.
liroun. 11111'! \11'.1l'1\' :111} 1111.1111‘
11110111. 1111‘ 111'111tv'11 1111:1115." .
Hollie: I‘ol'grllc'n. '
John \v1:llt. 111,1 11:15 1:1k 11 1.1. 1111.
ln'olten hot'lv-s 1111-11 111131111211 tor :1
time—but. Mr. (_‘:1\:1n:11:l1 1'1'111 1111(1's
111cm [1111:13' :13 11111. 1'1:1:.'1,111 1111} 11’
had :1. 1111:1111'1: 11,1 111-conic :1 11:1111‘r.

Not so long :1111'1‘ that John 11.1111
10' worlt l'ot' 1'1‘01'111 :1111 1{1:11111.1
‘b‘ht‘n cmuc trouble. the 1:11.101'3/
and John d11f111d 1 111-1111111311 and
{Implied [or :1 job :1t :1 1'211'111ry lha-rc.
1311;0in 11:11:; :1 Ilillli‘l‘ (1111:1111111 111.5
20b by groin: into '.1 1111-1111.». 1111111111;
011: some l‘1:11:t and than uniting: for
Mid boss's 1'. 1'1. on 111:: ka helm".-

at

thér‘ any 1:111 111111111.1\1.1lt"1t John

11011111.

“130 det'i1l- 11 111 :1111111'

1:11'1111‘5',
111 ‘39

1111111"

{111' .111111 :11
up “here,
calm; llrook 11:-1 :11111 “11111‘1'
“choral l""111.1': now 'lands
1‘1".ch .\\1111.1 11111 1.1'11'11: r then
i. ’the express 1111,1111s:.1. 11.15 112111111:
‘7 \\: tgon :11111 .1111111 lump-d 1111
two“ to ‘nflis 11x11'11m;.111111'111
. t'htr 1111.1 .11 111nm of Philip
and 'llllll”; 1111 1'11111. 1111 hro-
said:
’Vhy «1011‘! 11111 1:0 to punk for

.1'1-:1tl_v

' country

 

finapp. 111's .11 1111.1 ruli'l‘”, 111.:
‘ th] 1 world l‘1n nitl'f. he

' John unildn't make up 1111.1
.d,. lie was rather 111-t on thr-
However

ry ul Gosling Brook.

 

 
 
 

try :11111 1111] not know 1111'. 111151111155 of
111.1:11' who had other111111511111‘1113.

"When :1 1111111 110011111113 :1 stock-
holder in 1111: company for which he
1:. workmg,” 11111'1111‘1‘5 .‘11'. t..‘:1\:111:1,';l1.
"111' 111-1'111111's :1 part of it. 111: is
in 1.11:1111153 for 1111111511111. You
know 1 111.1111: lo 51-1; 1111.1 tiny “112.111
.-\1.>1'y workcr in Crofut and Knapp
is :1 slot'khoidu'. .\t the. pros-1111
111111: twenty five percent of 1111:
stockholders arr: 1111111 working at vt'y
11:13' for 11111. company.

’l‘lll”. \\'l)llKl-2l‘. IN Ill SI) 1.35

".\'11d that is “11:11 industry in :1115
is coming to. ’1'l1c worker is
becoming part of the business. it is
revolution but it is e\o|ution:1ry rc-
10111111111. Labor through it: Work is
getting the management of industry.
[11 1111' old days the control “:15 hold
11y 111.1 homes but now the houscs are
sharing the cunml and the profits
“1111 the workers.

“Look at 1111.1 1.1‘1 .11 Armour plant.
Only 1111:- othurr day I cut this clip-
ping from :1 ll€\\.‘1ul|l"t‘. Listen 10

thir: it status that 11111 yum-sag.) 1111;
mm Armour Packing plant was
011111111 by 1111) Armour family. To-

day 411.000 cmployes hold shares in
1t and much (If it is held in '.’-:1 shme
lots. Certainly that 11110115 the (raid
of labor in industry.

“Th1.- iYniled States Steel Corpord-
lion c11‘ry year sets “title 110 much
stock for its employs to purchase.
Capital wants labor in with it. its :1
good thing for labor.
l1 1.1911113 a. 111-tier feeling around.
1'111'lainly 11111 firm of Croful and
Knapp has profilled by 11.

“111-1‘1: we are going into :1 mil-
lion dollar building and "“1: arc.
putting into that now 111111111117; every
1101-1111110 comfort and convenience
for lheworkers. livery worker 11:15
had a, hand in building up the organi
zatlon as it stands lo—dziy.

"To me it has been a great life and

 

flue with 1111-. endeavor to make
. plant ”161110;! efficient of its
1. all respects the 111a11ugen1cnt
tut and Knapp together with
Jfiglnccrs. F1111«her-Thompson.
" . ve Considerable, thought to
or plant. In 11. 11:11 factory
. o to get power and steam
.. t of power alone provided
annotating unit is us1d. 111.;
{ram which 1:1 “1:11 from all
Lam. Thin condition is oh-
’ Ii" the use of n 2111111111 turbine.
fi‘gum turbine, steam enters
ti“ lbs. pressun: and leaves
5 lbs. prewure. However.
3i- almost no much heat left as
tho nun! entered. in the tur-
_ M steam lone: its pressure. in
' ' .1: gives up energy turning
.43 ”met but losing only a.
' I‘ll flick-11L hat fuc-
filed in a large
» It 61.301111; and

,RY TURBINES GIVE "
‘ POWER TO BIG FACTORY;

a»

Knapp plant instead of using steam
from the boiler, steam from the tur~
him: will be used in such proccsaes
as mixing. blowing. forming for
warm air liumidifying.

in the manufacture of hats a. large
amount of hot water is used. In the
new factory steam from the turbine
will be nscd for this purpose, first
heating the water in a storage heat-
111‘ and the-n keeping it hot in the
tanks. Before 131 i115: r’cudy for finish-
ing. the hats must be dried find this
is done with exhaust. steam from the
turbine. 7

Most lint factories have heretofore
"sod engines and could therefore.
not. use the steam for all this work
because. the exhaust steam from the
engincrlus oil which would spoil the
hats. The use of the'turblnm made
by lllc Terry Steam Turbine Co.. of
Hartford. will accordingly make it

 

possible for; Crufnt and Knapp to
MY‘l/th. lowest power undrlxeat coat:

1h row 1

 
 

urnonar. w. DYKMA '.

Supt. of Making Dept.

 

 

 

Some Facts About
the C. and K. Plant

‘.'ill employ 1.:‘100 workers,
1.11:1;11111113 51,;- hcres. .
{1110,1100 sq. feet of floor space.
:2110 {111-1 front on Van Zant St.
lix'ar on N. Y.. A”. ll. &11. R. If.
11'0111‘ storivs high,

{15.111111 11.1;8 or cement used.
7311 tons of slr‘el.
4 car loads of brick to build

chimnry. -
4 dumbwnitcrs.
'.'»ra-l IL. 1011 elevators.
Nine months to build.
'_'1_:,smi panes of glass.
311111100 lineal feet of pipe;
5.11.0111: 1::1llon paler tank.
i‘ow'm- Mont can develop 1,200
horse power,

 

 

 

 

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1

(i
i

)‘1 Sll‘a.
1:001]

11-

int

Ill.
fur-1 11' ::

l>i(‘\$ii‘.};2

foreman
1:11:51. 11,

Donia-11

partmvnt:
lion
{111‘1‘1'111111 block making;

111:111 straw
L} 111.3513,
111.1115;

woman soil. 11111. trimming

1')

Capacity of plant 1,500,000
llohs 5 Bear. '
Cost $l.(|tiO,0UO.
a. very happy one."
John (‘.'uanugh's hair is snow
white 11111 111.1 is just us much the

my in spirits. 10-day as 1111. was \\ 111‘11
vorknig at 1111' 1111111111. .1111 enjoys 11111
1011111,: 1111511112123 :11111 111: enjoys 1111'
111111 111-1111151111114 of 1111: men who
1:11.; world-d with him then: many
'1'11:1t Urolut and Knapp is :1
plan: in work is attested 115'
1111.1 that many of 11111 men work-
11: :11 1111' bench today and many
11 othur positions lune. been with
he 1‘o11'111n11ylwo or three decades.
3 & K « 3 \

111'

 

Here are Heads

of Department of
(‘ rofut and Knapp

'l‘hv' 1111:1111: 111‘ the.“ unions depaib
11~an of t‘1'11f'111 & Knapp are as
11111111 5: l’vt- 1‘ I‘m: y purchasing
111'. (il‘Of‘ll'! \\'. ilylnnau, super-
~':1dr'ut of the bark shop; James
'1-111.1.1111i. rurmrinlcn'h-nt of the straw

11.11 11111131'11111‘111: llenry (‘rogham
.1u111-1'1111111'111‘nt of the silk hat. fac-
tor); (li'wrzc liouurd, 111118“)? 111c-
1111:111'11; llduurd 1:1:‘1'1'11, in charge
01‘ 1111- 11111111 517111;: 1111111111111‘111; l'.
11. 1111111411. 1'11r11111:111 of 1111: second
sizing «1111:11'111113111: \\'1lliu111 \\‘ard-
well, 1'111'111111111 of 511111 printing,
John .\l1-.\l:1111.111, chief liltilll'k'IUI' of
1111'11111511111};1i-11:11'11111'nl; A. ll. (‘01—
111w. fun-1.1.111 1'111'11111; lit‘jlal‘i‘ntt'lll:
“1111:1111 11411111111. f01'1‘11111n stiff lint
'111'1:1111111.:; \\'1ili:1111 Meilugh, forc-

:-'1111 11:11 finishing; l"r1_d l'ilzer,
11 \'1‘11111'111g; .\1iut11Stvinwald,
1.11‘1-111.;11 wetting down department;
1:111111 1‘111111. foreman of mixing and
1‘11arlcs 11111:.11, fort-mun
Mowing r00 ; Horace. Fulton,
11911.1 'ent; .11 Roberts.
polishing 111.111111'11111‘111: A.
foreman hanging, \\'iiii:1m
v15. f111'1'111un stiff trimming and
~111111-1': Joseph ill'nvdit't. in charge
1' (213111112211 111;:1: stock. Robert.
111 charge of 1111: gray bury
11. H. itczul. chief order dc-
\\'. 1'. Master, product-
111:1n:ig1-1'; \\'i|iiam Milligun,
M. J. Burke,
manager; “'11—

ill

111'
U1112'1111;

11.111. :

ssistant production
:1111 110111.111. finish inspector full
1115', tit-orgc Hayes, assistant pur—
husmg agent; Robert. Howard, :15-

:1islant superintendent of straw hat:
(leorgc 51001;. foreman straw block»

lug 11111111111111.1111, Mark .lvcs, inspec-
tor: Mrs. Susan lloyl, forcwonian of
stiff trimming: Miss Nolan, forewo-

I1:1t department: Mrs.
forewonum straw hut trini-
Alina Duran, 1181115111111. forc-
: Miss‘Doll.
orcwomun sol". hat trimming; Miss
1:111:11 fox'c-11'o11iz111 tipp department:
dith (1111111, assistant in the credit.
epartmen‘t'. Carrie Foster, filing.
111111 Denlun. wo'fnmc and Rita Casey

it'iephunt‘ operator.

 

I’ctcr Foley is
Now a Director

1'1-111' r‘utm, purchasing .ugcnt
1.1‘ L'rm‘ut and Knapp, who has
111'1‘11 with the company many
11' {11:4, \1 .13 1113111; :1. dLrgclOl‘ of the
111111 at the last annual meeting.

'11111'. was learned today.

Mi. l1"'sble3 many friends in
Numnlk are now congratulating
him. .

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

No

 

Edward A.

 

 

Engineers

 

afhcn
en 31 nears,

dent to go by.
the halting industry

days
factories.
the machinery,
ing the work,
during the unions
manufacture,

Overhead

“ 11110111. headgear.

an infant trade.

their own hats,
a. few.
the early
Century
Knapp eoneern

So that. “ hon Edw
g1‘1u‘ml manager

,. Learn Business of
Hatting — "Economy
in. ConStruction and
Methods Keynote

Fletcher-Thompson
took over the contract
for the building of the million dol-
lar Crofiit and Knapphat factory
in East. Norwalk they ‘had no‘precc—
For some. reason
is
last lo~broak shackles of 1110 old
and seek modern,
belts to run
wasted time in rout-

with backtracking
proCessos
have remained part
and parcel of the industry. '

Of courSe halting 3.9111111 industry
is not so old-——iiot that it is meant
to intimate that he world ever went.
But when it is
remembered that the. father of the
present I‘hilip Knapp made the first
derby in America it will he recognize
ed that modern butting is really only

In days not far gone men made
or made them for
Travel was not. so easy in
part of the,
while today the Crofut and
can ship its hats
to California iii-four or five days.
arrl A. innibcrl,

of

 

 

Precedent for

Had to

Inc..
about the
up—lo—dalo

or

nineteenth

 

Jflelcher-

 

’fneers to F ollow
In Erecting Plant»

Lainlmrt,
General Manager of
T 7 Fletcher- Thompson
,, Tells of Building

MEN WORKED IN
FACTORY A YEAR

method of course is applied in such
factories a: the Ford plant . in
Detroit and has served to increase
the' Ford reduction :2.
l . ' .
f0‘(3'Wc 1mve,'xvc believe. erectedrthe
only modern 11:11; factory’ in
world" declared Mr. Lambert in a.
talk about: the new Normal}: struc-
ture. "\Vhat has kopt'. down the
costs most has been Iitgoppormnity
we. haxe had to standardize the
,,.buiiding throughout. Each concrete
post is placed at, a distance of
twenty-five feet. and' this allowed us
to use the same. concrete forms
throughout the building. '
"To us it has been an. achieve-
ment because we had no precedent
to follow. “-11. used many ideal
from fa ctorics of other industries.
For instancu a cord factory game.
us an idea for the handling of hats
in the drying p. “mess. So 3011 set!
in this factbry ihcrc will be found
methods found not. used in aliolhtr
hat fat‘tory in the world.
“‘Xnother factor that has helped
in the. economy of building “as the
fact. that we. placed our contracts
last licrch. If “'f‘. and waited until

.

July the. cost would lune been iii-'-
1‘1‘11ased ‘1" per 1‘v‘r11. owmg to the

increase. in the \olume‘of construc-
tion work.
"Our great job of course was to
insurc economy in the handling of
the hats. And We have done this
from the mmno’nt the rznv material
comes into-the factory from the ears
of 1111.: New Haven road at the rear
of the 'imildinx. .
"The. site is ti1.e.lmsl.1hat coull
l1e. foynd here and 1'3 really ideal
in many 1'1“p4‘e.. ltikr‘epr; the 1:11: -
lor)’ heal the homes of the eniploves
and perhaps few realize this but it
advertising

is wonderful for its

vain/1. Do you know that the New
Haven road carries :1 million per-
sons past that spot every month?
And 11': that million are travellers
frovn all over the nor”

“1 behind the (11111111'1'111 . will find

 

 

1
.
l
1

him he know that be

into. this factory

. fore.

a nd Knapp

a 3 ea 1' studying

be eliminated.
in the new plant that

vansion.

lei. with the. avowed

about 200 dozen hat: a.
new plant production
creased to“668 dozen
nearly'

the old factory that! in
machinery. They had
just how

in the planning there
minltnum of fluid

But now every int will
after 9.
iihen the first. defict 15f

an imperfection- -'m'ay
the firgt process and
$1an"?

 

many things the
hattingdnduslry had never had bo-
no. has 111111 to draw On many
other factories to get the results of
economy and expediency for Croful

The that move of the mm was to
send engineers 41110 the oil ('rolut‘
and Knapp: plant in Water street.
And these engineers remained there
nonconh‘
methods of 11115 company but finding
ways to put into effect new m’ethods‘.
The defects of the. old plant had to
'l‘lore must; be. room

templatcd in Van Zuni: street for ex-
111 fact. the contract

more tluin doubling the output.
the old factory the. production was

200,000 dozen each year.
The engineers. had td'lcarn what:
the way of ‘

wasted in the
progress of the hat from the raw-
felt to the finished prbdugt. 1
In hat factories. they found the;
bats were inspeclhd when finished.

mince“ and eliminated

 

Thompson Inc.. began to look about

had to put

prose nt

was con—

was
purpose. of
In

day. in the

will: be in-
per day, or

to find out;

hats were made. so'that

would be a'

 

be inspected.
found. This,

cop 6 1.1 S m...

it A1113.“ may .

 

General Manager, Fletcher-Thompson Inc.

the factor' an idezil plac'c in which
to work. Special care his been taken
of the venllintion of the. place and
the hundred! of panes of glass used
will give a maximum of daylight.

\Vorkers Present
Bronzeh Tablet

toil; eCompany

A signiilcunt feature of 1:181 night's
program was the .pre. caution as a.
liar. dsome bronze tablet to the com-
panypariy by the factory employee.
as an expression of their good-«viii.

The tablet, now being caret in
bronze, was rtpreseuted inst 3113314
by 11111565 sketches and when com-
pleted will be cemented on the
front of the building as a lasting
token. of 4113 good fellowship that
exists between the. company and its
workers. the majority of whom are
stockholders. .

 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

hundred

the, 3

‘ recall that thousand attempted

 

 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

JAMES J. 'DESMOND. ’
,Sup't. Straw lint Dept.

 

' The Board of
Directors of C. 8: K.

The Board of Directors of the
Crofut a; Knapp Com any is com-
posed of Philip N. I app John
'Cayafiagh, Robert A. Holmes, 1.
R. \‘Viilnot, Thomas Johnstouc.
Fran}: If. James, Joseph 1..
O’Brien. eorgc A. \Villiams
George E. Kunhardt. Nicholas 1‘.
Brady, Peter Foley, Julius Jos-
ephs. James 1:. I'aine, of Balti-
more, Jerome Lyon, of Indian-
napoiia, Mont D. Rogers.

The Oflicers of the Company
are Philip N. Kna‘pp, Chairman
of the Board: John , Cavanagh.
President: R. A. Holmes, First
Vice President; I. R. “ilmont,
Secodd V'lcc President and Sect-:1-

 

tary: Thomas Jolinstone. Third
\‘iec President: l“.~ H. James,
Treasurer: Joseph L. O'Brien.‘

General Manager; George A. “’11-
Ham‘s: General Superintenden“
The Executive Committee is
composed of Mr. Cavanaglx. Mr.
Knapp, Mr. Holmes, Mr. Wilmot

 

and Mr. James.

11111111111131
1111151111: 01
11115 111 201111

In the seventy-five years since.
James H. Knapp began his career
of hat making in Norwalk great
changes have come to the city. Om:

 

 

 

‘ of these changes is the million doi-

lar plant just erectedjor the Cro-
fut and Knapp Company. “Unit will
the next. seventy five years bring.?

Seventy five years ago. there were
no trolley cars. Sid walks were a
novelty and even the derby had not
come into existence in the L'. S.
Beau‘r bats were the big thing and
they were made so Well that. they
were handed down from generation
to generation. True the New Haven
Railroad was running through Nor-
walk, or more properly South Nor-
walk, but California was a long
ways away. There was no thought.
in those days of sending hats to the
coast from the can. And to bring
forth a better picture of distance in
those days it must be remembered
that. 1550 when James Knapp he-
gun his halting career in Nor-walk
men were working feverishly on the
coast. to dig gold from the
For the rush tome land of wealth
began in 1849. And those who
have read about that gold rush will
to
make the trip to the coat and died
on the way. Some of starvation.
some killed by the Indians. others
by the ' robber instincts of fellow
travellers or dissolutc' brigands.

So Norwalk. was a baby; in com-
parison to what it" is 10-day. True
many of its great citizens ii\'cd then
and many more 1111 have gone in. o
historv of the makin of the City and
of the state had goué" before, It
was a my of each man for him-
self rather than of any great com—
binations of men or money.

But those men of years gone by.
men like James H. Knapp. built on
solid foundations. Their spirit sur-
vives 10—day in the city of Norwalk.
It is the men of Norwalk who have
made Crofut and Knapp possible.
John Cavanagh was born here. Phil-
ip Knapp also was.born here. Add
in the factory are many other Nor-
walk-bom men who have been there
for years and years. some thirty or
more. '

And of them one does not hear so
much out each day they are 11cm.
in: then-own way and in their own
sphere to make Nor-walk hisser and
better. helping to give it. a fame that
reaches even .outside the United
States.

Further, look what. the past years
have brought forth in the way of
construction. They .have evolved new
ideas that? made possible the build-
...ing of the million dollar Crofut and
Knapp plant. They have made brick.
iron and- cement to do work never
thought of when James H. Knapp
began his hat: in Namath? _

And it is to be wondered also WE).

 

five years from now. In the last

1nd Went. The derby. became
use, It passed to. a great extent and
odayfin

Of course there 'ia a possibility

back. such are the changes demand-

,in 2300 A. ID. “‘1“ everyone be

in- q. style that befits “ch (fulfil?

W and wear n‘o 11::
No. one tell; N

Int all. .
one cud [a

 

earth. .

the styles in headgear will be ae'ven- '

gummy rive ‘ypars beaver hats came 1

winter the soft hat has the ,-

Just now that the derby may come ‘

ed by human beings: And yet who '
can tell what men Swill be wearing ,

flying and have his head 13th

And while it in not. intended to ho a:
3015‘s comforter, still men may .Jir
the year 2.0110‘1et their hair grow

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hatting Trade L111.
Any Other Work

Joined Father as Soon

 

as He Left School
and Mastered) Every
Branch. of Business

 

TELLS OF EARLY,

DAYS OF HAT’TL' N1;
Elder Knapp B “an. in
Shed Near esent

Horn of General
RussellFrost

Philip \' Km. pp. son of the found—
er of the profut and Knapp om-
pan}, and today chairman of the
board of directors of the company
has been closely identified with the
business since he was seventeen.

Mr. Knapp was born in Norwalk
and attended the schools here. He
was also a. student in the “'iliiston
Seminary. Hotvevei', he r’cmalned
at that instltution only one )ear. for
he was forced to leave School be-
cause of the, illness of his father.

“'hcn he left school and began to
learn the halting business, his
father's factory “ as on Union street.
But a mere youth, yet eager to mas-
ter the rudiments of the industry
which brought fame and success ts
his father. he started in at the bot—
tom. 1N1: served his apprenticeship
just like any other axnbr; o hatter
working in ev ery department.

Step By step.

Step by step, under the tutelage. of
master batters, he advanced, famil-
iarizing himself with operation after
operation. until thoroughly conver-
sant with every phase of the pro-
ductive end of the industry. he went
into the. office to learn he executive
side. Eventually he ook over the
management of the business.

The opening of the new Crofult
and Knapp plant, the largest and
most model-r1, hat factory in the:
world, marks an coach in the lift
of an industry which has cornered
11:: activities in Norwallc. An industry
which in seventy—five years has
grown from a shed to a million doi-
iar plant!

In speaking of his father. who es-
tablished the business. Mr. Knapp
said that he was horn in New York
State but came to Norwalk when he
was 9. young, man. '-

“Around in 1850." Mr. Knapp
said, "the exact year has for the
moment slipped. my mind, my father.
who had widecxpen'encc in the hat-
ting business. decided to open up :1
shop of hip-.mvn. He fitted up a
barn on Garner street. near whorls
now known as the Crofut property
and started in to make hats.

Mule. Their ()“11.

\“In those days nearly ev crv farm-
er was his oivn hatter” Every farm
house had a huge kettle in which
the hats were dyed. Therefore, therc
was nothing unusual in a. man mak-
ing hats in a barn.

“These embryo factories were al-
ways located near streams, so that
the batters could wash the felts in
them. There was a small stream.
near the. General Frost ”estate in
“'est avenue. and to this stream. my
{other used to carry his hats to wash
them.

"As the business grew," Mr. Knapp
went. on, "and the demand for larger
quarters asserted itself, the shed on
Garner street was deserted and the
business was moved to Union street.

"In 1858, the Crofut-Knapp com-
pany was formed. Before joining
A. J. Crofut, my father had had
several other partners and during
that time the business was conducted
under many names.

”Alden Solmans. presid . of the
South Norwalk Savings link, was
for a time associated with him. The
factory was then located on the
present site of the Ciuctt-I’eabody
company.

"At another time the business was
conducted undcnhe name of French,
Gillam and Knapp. I can not just
recall who Mr.‘I“reneh was, but Mr.
Gillam was the father 0; Mrs. Leo

 

 

o

‘ Plant ( alied liaieri.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Learned

 

Davis.

‘Ifnmi .3.
"\Vien 1 21'1'
work th1 1
SU‘BCY. It
about two 11111,
moved 1101.111 7 . .. .. ‘

Blue!) 1111‘ :., r -
to fashion 91;. .
day as “'f‘rr -
velop the S13?

Knapp. ~'
The ('."1'1’ '-
he also and: 1
ten roars
It also 111-'11.

women.

There 1.31: 1.
ure in 111'.;11'11-9
of manufav
three-quunr
C‘rofut and Krnr
making 1:11...

"In the 01d .; » -.
plaincd, “ ' —
by hand.
assistance, 111 -
wen as in 11.. 5 .1 »
cannon r0113;-
the skillwt '1":,

N0 {1011111111
1N 1211111111
1011111111

C. & K. (1111112111 1,‘
Praise to Archit-
and Others for 11‘1,‘
done

MILES

i'~"’i

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 

1...;

 

 

 

j': 1

 
 
 

 

 

1 :

 

q. .

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

0F "‘1 iHES

ization of ideal of 1
Factory Officials

In. f‘t'rrv ,.
a. don-1111.11". 111
ern. r‘fifirl‘.‘
DTOHHU°D1 11"
K ofih‘ia‘s f' .
the. p.311 .v:':; '11 ' .1
occasmns. 1311‘ 11- . 1
milled to 1"1~ ‘1-3' ; . 7 _
et-ssful 111111151: g ' , _..
bring :ho
“17.3?riuil
Ca‘.:1n:1gl‘.. l
seph L. (TIT:
Gilbert Bogar
pan}: 111:“
with the

’i‘l1-1
gineers
son compar-
“Cut. in. ‘.'. ‘ 1'
during 11‘." 1
details ham-
direction {11’ l'
managr'r: ii.
in: enginn'r;
gineer 1n 1E1... ,
ofiicials of 111.n 1‘
plants were \ '
merits in
haxc been 1.
prchtnsivc .
ment 11.151 1‘1: 1. .
fit-1 1; .1-

 

 

 
 
 

2.1".

:11-

‘.‘1.

 

 
 
 
 

 

w

tended.
1'xpr1'ssc'i 1211" .1

beyond c:<p~‘.1.;".
aceon‘iplishv

The 301111111 1.
tion of the 11121.13
the hands of '."1
tion comp ..
superinzcn 1n: .. ._
Byrne. assist;.1‘.: :-' '
the work up '
ceptionalty
was expcri-rn
cidents occur:
of assembling i
raw matcriuls .
into the finish.
complishcd “dill:
point.

 

 

 

 
 
 

 

 

(Contiruc 1‘: 1

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 

 

 

 

"vamp... ....~....._,..,,., _ . . _

1...»... .