Week of September 20

September 19, 1874 – 150 YEARS AGO

Rockland County Journal

HOWLING DOGS

     Some of our citizens living on the upper part of Main Street are complaining of being kept awake nights by the howls of two or three dogs which belong to parties living in that locality. Why persons living in the village should wish to keep large dogs, is more than we can tell. Surely it does not pay to keep them for hunting purposes, as the food they consume in a week amounts to more than all the game they could hunt in a month in this section of country. At the same time, if parties wish to keep them for that purpose, it would do well enough to keep them out of the village, in charge of someone who lives a long distance from any neighbor, so that no one would be annoyed or kept awake by them. Sound sleep is of more importance to men who labor than all the dogs in the village.

September 18, 1924 – 100 YEARS AGO

Pearl River News

60 SILK MILL GIRLS STRIKE — EMPLOYES OF NANUET SILK MILL QUIT — DEMAND WAGE INCREASE

Sixty employes of the Nanuet silk mill owned by Chottland Inc., whose main plant is in Paterson, went on strike last Monday. They demand a wage increase.

The strikers met at noon in the rear of Arwe’s candy store, where union leaders from Paterson urged them to unionize. After a discussion it was voted to join the union and a committee of five was appointed to manage the strike.

ELKS TO LAY STONE SUNDAY — ORATOR WILL BE JAMES NICHOLSON OF SPRINGFIELD LODGE

The laying of the cornerstone at the new home now being erected by Haverstraw Lodge, No. 877, B.P.0. Elks, will take place at Haverstraw next Sunday. An afternoon service has been arranged and the members of Haverstraw Lodge and visiting brethren will assemble at the old club house on Front Street at two o’clock. A line of march will be formed and the Elks in a body will march to their new site on the State road where the services in connection with the laying of the corner-stone will be held.

A very attractive program has been arranged by Exalted Ruler Howard L.

Jersey and his committee. In addition to the ritualistic service, musical selections by Prof. George Glassing and his West Point band will render several marches. A double quartette from the Police Department Glee Club of New York City will sing patriotic songs. Exalted Ruler Eugene Navin of Queensboro Lodge, No. 878, will sing “Auld Lang Syne.”

District Deputy James T. Hallinan, New York Southeast, will officiate and have charge of the ritualistic ceremonies. The orator of the day will be Past Grand Exalted Ruler James R. Nicholson of Springfield, (Mass.) Lodge, No. 61.

September 19, 1974 – 50 YEARS AGO
The Journal News

COUNT BASIE FRIDAY AT RCC

SUFFERN—Count Basie and his orchestra will perform Friday at 8:30 p.m. at the Suffern High School auditorium on Viola Road, sponsored by the office of cultural affairs of Rockland Community College. Admission is $2 for students and senior citizens and $4 for the general public. Tickets are available at the cultural affairs office or at the door Friday night.

MAYBE IT WAS MADE IN ROCKLAND

[Image: Rose Cusano has worked many years at Sambark Coat Corp. So has Mary Gede, here at her sewing machine. Staff Photo: Ted Neuhoff, Journal News.]

Whether you select your wardrobe from Manhattan department stores or out-of-the-way dress shops, you may be surprised to find that some of those unusual or sophisticated outfits were designed and manufactured here in Rockland.

Hundreds of thousands of dresses, slacks, coats, studded jeans, sweaters --- and even embroidered tee shirts --- are made basically to be sold and distributed by Manhattan-based apparel firms.

         Why are they here in Rockland instead of Manhattan? As one plant spokesman explains, “When we came here, there was a favorable tax situation, and a good employe situation. Some areas of Rockland are really ethnic melting pots, and sewing, printing, cutting - these are jobs that the non-English speaking immigrants here can really do well, since they require strictly non-verbal skills.

“These days though,” he says, “this is a dying business.”

The following is a brief rundown of some of the clothing manufacturers in Rockland.

JACK KELLER AND CO., Hudson Ave., Nyack.

         Colorful screen-printed tee shirts rhinestone studded blouses, women’s dresses. Much of the modish casual wear on the shelves of junior sophisticate shops all over the country is designed, sewn and Nyack or Manhattan plant be Jack Keller and Co.

Frank Loschiavo, manager of the Nyack plant, says that there are three designers among the 40 or 50 employes at the Nyack plant.

“We have complete photography and art departments, skilled embroidery machine operators and screen makers,” he says.

“We show various manufacturers a selection of designs and patterns, and then they decide how much of what they want. Then we just fill the orders.”

K. AND S. DRESS CORP., Spring Valley.

Frank Pettinato, president, says that his firm, which employs approximately 30 people, manufacturers from 500 to 1,000 ladies dresses per week.

“This is one of the oldest firms in the county,” says Pettinato. It was founded in 1912 or 1913 by Klein and Stern. At K. and S., dresses are made under contract to other manufacturers and wind up on the racks of various dress shops with such labels as Don Sophisticates and Leslie J.

NEW CITY SPORTSWEAR, Haverstraw.

This company employs approximately 200 people and has been in Rockland since 1933 ---previously known as S. Hirsch and Sons. Working under contract for various Manhattan apparel manufacturers, New City Sportswear make ladies sweaters, most of which carry the Exmoor label.

RAMAPO GARMENT, CO., Inc., Suffern.

This firm began under the ownership of Jack Gelford, local sportswear manufacturer. After Gelford died in 1971, his wife sold the company to Peter Parlevechio. Most of the approximately 30 employes of Ramapo Garment Co., Inc. are sewing machine operators, since the company receives material from other manufacturers already cut for teen and junior size sportswear.

SAMBARK COAT CORP., Garnerville.

The 75 employes here have been turning out spring and winter coats at the rate of approximately 45,000 per year. The company has been operating out of the Industrial Terminal in Garnerville since the terminal re-opened after the depression --- in 1935. It has been under the ownership of Lawrence Jontow since 1970.

On the coat racks, Sambark products carry a Jackie Stewart, Inc., label.

SOL WALTERS ENTERPRISES, INC., Nyack.

This designer and manufacturer of numerous ladies apparel items has been in Nyack for more than 50 years.

According to Mrs. Samuel Rotfus, secretary for the corporation, most of the approximately 75 employes are sewing machine operators and shipping department employes. Much of the apparel de signed and sewn at Sol Walters is made to fill mail-order stock for such companies as J.C. Penney and Lane Bryant.

SPARKILL MANUFACTURING LTD., Sparkill.

This company has been in operation for approximately six months and employs 28 people. William Hoovis, owner of the company, also operates two apparel manufacturing shops in the Bronx. The junior petite dresses made in Sparkill carry the Patty O’Neil label.

SRM MANUFACTURING CO., INC. Haverstraw.

This firm was formed in 1958 and has been sewing ladies’ slacks under contract for various manufacturers for more than 15 years. Approximately 50 Rocklanders are employed at SRM Mfg.

This Week in Rockland (#FBF Flashback Friday) is prepared by Clare Sheridan on behalf of the Historical Society of Rockland County. © 2024 by The Historical Society of Rockland County. #FBF Flashback Friday may be reprinted only with written permission from the HSRC. To learn about the HSRC’s mission, upcoming events or programs, visit www.RocklandHistory.org or call (845) 634-9629.