The Clothing Industry in New York

foremen who directed the industry. About 1850 there was an increase in the number of Irish engaged in the trade. They became cutters and foremen?the directors of the industry next in rank to the manufacturer. There was also a large number of immigrant German tailors, who with their families performed the greater part of the labor involved in putting the garments together, thus taking over a large portion of the work formerly performed by the native American and Irish women, who were on this account forced into a lower grade of work. From the time of the introduction of machinery an increased number of American girls were given employment in the large inside shops, particularly those manufacturing pants, vests, and cloaks. Beginning with 187o the Jews made their appearance in the clothing industry, both in the upper and the lower ranks, but in 1880 the technical processes of manufacture were still controlled almost entirely by the Germans, with the exception of the cutting process, which was controlled by the Irish. The commercial processes were in the hands of the English, a few Irish, and the Jews. In the early days of the custom trade the workers were almost all men. With the appearance of the outside shops the employment of women began, and as we have seen, they soon controlled the making of waistcoats and trousers. The introduction of the sewing machine gave a great impetus to the employment of women. In the clothing industry women were from the start an im... --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.