Martin Landenberger & Co.

Allgemeines

Name	Martin Landenberger & Co.
Ortssitz	Philadelphia (Penns.)
Straße	Frankford Road
Art des Unternehmens	Wollwarenfabrik
Anmerkungen	Lage: Wildey Street (= Bedford Street), Frankford Road und Shackamaxon Street (Nordost-Ecke). Stellt Strümpfe und andere Strickwaren aus Wolle und Baumwolle her. Maschinen: 70-80 Nähmaschinen, 55 Webstühle, 32 Strickmaschinen, 150 Flach- und Rundstrickmaschinen.
Quellenangaben	[Bishop: History of American manufacturers 3 (1868) 54+555] [Hexamer General Surveys, Plates 98+781-782+1619 (1866+1874+1882)] [Freedley: Philadelphia and its manufactures (1857) 242]

Unternehmensgeschichte

Zeit	Ereignis
1851	Bau des Kesselhauses und des westlich angrenzenden Gebäudes an der Bedford Street
1856	Bau des Gebäudes Ecke Frankford Road / Bedford Street
1864	Bau des östlich an das Kesselhaus angrenzende Gebäude an der Bedford Street
1872	Bau des Lager- und Nähereigebäudes jenseits der Bedford Street

Produkte

Produkt	ab	Bem.	bis	Bem.	Kommentar
Baumwollgewebe	1866	[Hexamer Surveys]	1882	[Hexamer Surveys]
Stümpfe	1866	[Hexamer Surveys]	1882	[Hexamer Surveys]
Wollgewebe	1866	[Hexamer Surveys]	1882	[Hexamer Surveys]

Betriebene Dampfmaschinen

Bezeichnung	Bauzeit	Hersteller
Dampfmaschine	vor 1874	unbekannt
Dampfmaschine	vor 1857	unbekannt

Maschinelle Ausstattung

Zeit	Objekt	Anz.	Betriebsteil	Hersteller	Kennwert	Wert	[...]	Beschreibung	Verwendung
1866	Dampfkessel	1		unbekannt
1866	Dampfmaschine	1		unbekannt
1874	Dampfkessel	2		unbekannt
1882	Dampfkessel	2		unbekannt

Personal

Zeit	gesamt	Arbeiter	Angest.	Lehrl.	männl.	weibl.	Kommentar
1874	500						1/3 männliche, 2/3 weiblich
1882	300

Allgemeines

ZEIT	1857
THEMA	Firmenbeschreibung
TEXT	The factory has a fine front of thirty-eight feet, is over two hundred feet deep, and with the basement is five stories high. It is an attractive brick structure, its external neatness vieing with its internal arrangements in every respect. In the basement we find woolsacks upon which the Lord Chancellor of England never took his seat ; for they contain American wool, woolen yarn of every describable shade and color, and goods generally, which are packed and ready for dispatch. Here is also a steam-engine of fifteen horse power. Near the engine is a large Wool-Scouring Machine. The wool is then passed into a drying-room, heated by steam ; after drying, it is submitted to the services of the (devil) picker ; it then passes through two sets of cards, which may be termed breakers and finishers. This process of carding prepares the collected and straightened fibres for twisting. In the twisting department there are ten machines constantly at work, consisting of four hundred spindles. In the spinning department eight sets of mules are engaged, consisting of twenty-five hundred and sixty spindles. The yarn is then warped and reeled ; subsequently it is bleached, dyed, and printed according to certain designs. From the warps the yarn is then arranged upon beams for the loom, and from the reeled yarn large spools are filled by a hand-winding process performed by small boys. The yarn is then ready for weaving, in which process upward of fifteen different kinds of looms are at work. We noticed particularly a new loom, the invention of the proprietor, for weaving neck-comforts. This loom, after much labor and thought expended in its construction, was started some months ago This loom weaves four neck-comforts of a double fabric, and each of a different pattern. The Jacquard principle is about to be applied to this loom, so that by control of the Jacquard index, almost any design will be produced by it. There is another loom of a different construction now in preparation, and will soon be put to work.
QUELLE	[Freedley: Philadelphia and its manufactures (1857) 242]

ZEIT	1868
THEMA	Firmenbeschreibung
TEXT	Is probably the best representative that could be selected, of a class of manufactories that have been established, within twenty-five years, for the production of Woollen Hosiery and Fancy Knit Goods. Even so recently as 1840, all the hoods, scarfs, and a greater part of the woollen knit hosiery consumed in this country, were imported from Nottingham and Leicester; but about that time workmen familiar with the hand loom began to produce them at their homes, and from this small beginning, aided by the cheapness of American wool, the manufacture has developed until importation has almost ceased. Philadelphia has always been the leading centre of their production, and so extensively are they made in one portion of it called Gerrnantown, that this class of fabrics is known in the market as "Germantown goods." Foremost among the skilful artisans, who have been identified with this pursuit from its commencement, is Martin Landenberger, and his factory is now probably the largest that has, as yet, been erected for the purpose. The building, located at the corner of Frankford road and Wildey street, is of brick, five stories in height, including the basement, and has a front of thirty-eight, and a depth of about two hundred feet. The basement is used principally for the storage of wool and woollen yarns, though it also contains the steam-engine that propels the machinery, and a machine for scouring wool. All the operations of carding, twisting, spinning, warping, reeling, dyeing, and weaving are performed on the premises, and each particular branch of the manufacture has its appropriate room. The distinctive feature of the establishment, however, is the great variety of machinery employed, which is a consequence of the immense diversity in the styles of goods produced. In the Weaving Department there are upward of fifteen different kinds of looms at work. The greater portion of the machines are imported from England, but many of them have been improved by the proprietor, who is also an inventor. One of the looms for weaving neck comforts - the result of his genius for invention - will, at one operation, produce four of these articles, of a double fabric, and each of a different pattern. The Jacquard principle is applied to this loom, and by mean's of the Jacquard index, almost any design can be produced by it. This principle of combination, making one machine do the work of several, is susceptible of further extension in its application, and will, no doubt, be availed of to meet the growing diversity of styles, which is a marked feature of this manufacture. There are employed in this manufactory, in the busy season, about five hundred persons, and perhaps, as many more receive employment from it in putting together and finishing, at their homes, the fabrics that are woven here. About 250.000 pounds of American wool are annually consumed in the production of hoods, hosiery, talmas, neck-comforts, scarfs, opera cloaks, which are made in about eight hundred different styles. Besides the establishment mentioned, Messrs. Landenberger & Co., have factories in Chester county, near Avondale, with a water-power that is considered among the best in the State. In one of their factories Whitney Blankets of the finest quality are made; and another, which is provided with a variety of new and recently imported machinery,, is employed in making Shetland Worsted. This is comparatively a new branch of manufacture in this country, but the advantage of having a Mill for the production of an article which is used so largely in their manufactory in Philadelphia, is obvious, giving facilities for the execution of orders promptly within a given time, besides reducing the cost of the manufactured goods to the minimum. There were, in 1860, in the United States, one hundred and ninety-seven establishments for the manufacture of Hosiery, whose aggregate products exceeded seven millions of dollars.
QUELLE	[Bishop: History of American manufacturers 3 (1868) 54+555]