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- The humanist philosophy of Lester Mondale (3/12/24)1
- Cape Osteopathic Hospital opens its doors (3/5/24)
- 8 killed and a million dollars damage done in 1924 tornado (2/27/24)1
- Jackson's militant priest, county recorder at odds over marriage licenses (2/20/24)
- Streaking fad comes to Cape (2/13/24)2
Lamenting the passing of the harness maker
An article published on the front page of the Southeast Missourian in January 1923 caught my eye. It lamented the passing of the harness maker from among the ranks of Cape Girardeau's manufacturing establishments.
Alas, the popularity of the automobile drove the trade to extinction.
The article was filled with names of former harness makers and where they plied their trade. I was unable to find a photograph of a Cape Girardeau harness shop, but I did locate one of Daniel Klein's operation in Jackson.
Daniel Klein, harness maker, operated a shop in Jackson from about 1901 until his death in 1921. This image was taken from a booklet of photographs published about 1900. (Southeast Missourian archive)
Published Jan. 6, 1923, in the Southeast Missourian:
WHAT HAS BECOME OF THE HARNESS-MAKER?
GIRARDEAU BOASTS OF NO SUCH CRAFTSMAN
ONCE IMPORTANT BUSINESS HERE NOW IS OBSOLETE;
WORKERS WHO ONCE PLIED TRADE HAVE GONE, OR ELSE TOIL ON AUTOMOBILE TOPS.
The coming of the automobile has sung the swan song for Cape Girardeau's harness shops.
On streets where once could be heard the tramp of old Dobbin's hoofs, now can only be heard the raucous note of automobile horns and exhaust, and the harness-maker has given 'way to the trained automobile mechanic.
Harness-making as an industry in Cape Girardeau has passed.
Less than 20 years ago there were at least six well-equipped harness shops in Cape Girardeau. Today there is not one. Small repair shops, run in conjunction with local hardware stores, are the only evidence left of what was once a flourishing business in Cape Girardeau.
Harness-makers, who had grown old in the game, in less than 20 years since the coming of the automobile, have been forced to seek other employment. Some have left the city, seeking other places to ply their trade, others gave up the job and died, and still others are engaged in putting their knowledge of harness business into repairing and making tops for automobiles, the factor that drove them out.
Half a dozen shops
Thirty years ago, a time still in the remembrance of many Girardeans, harness shops could be found in all parts of the city. There were two on Broadway, two on Main Street and as many in Haarig. And, they enjoyed a good business, too.
Louis Wittmor, city commissioner, recalled that harness shops here 20 and 30 years ago were up-to-date in every respect, employing from two to five men regularly. They cut their own leather, and made the harness, and it was recognized everywhere for durability.
Henry Pott, one of the well-known old harness-makers, now dead, had a well-equipped shop on what is now Main Street, at the present location of Bohnsack's store. He employed one and two men regularly, and was recognized as one of the town's most prominent business men. He passed away before he saw the final ebbing of the harness business.
Herman Brandis operated a harness shop on Broadway, back of the present location of Brinkopf's Furniture store. His shop was as large as Pott's, and he received a good trade from townspeople and farmers nearby. Brandis also died years ago, before the business began to decline.
Herman Steinbach had a harness shop at Broadway and Sprigg Street many years ago, and operated it there until his death, 18 years ago. His business was taken over by a man named Morton, and later by Mr. (O.O.) Bowers, who is one of the few harness makers to bow to the prowess of the automobile, and accept its offers.
1912 advertising from The Daily Republican newspaper.
Bowers now has a shop in the Norman L. Hely garage, making tops for automobiles.
Business dwindled
Will Sailer, who died about 12 years ago, operated a harness shop at the intersection of Broadway and Main Street, in which the Boston store is now located. His business had begun to dwindle at the time of his death.
The most recent harness-maker to give up the game here was Al Shivelbine, who had a harness shop near the corner of Broadway and Main. He left here three years ago for a visit to Oklahoma and has never returned to open a business.
Probably the oldest harness-maker in Cape Girardeau, who can recall the harness-making industry when it was in its prime, is Ernest Schaefer, who now works in the harness department for Rau Hardware company. An expert harness-maker at one time, now he does only repairing.
Most of the harness now used by farmers is purchased from mail-order houses. Harness can be bought in various Cape Girardeau stores, but it is no longer made here.
The Southeast Missourian returned to the topic of the demise of the harness-making industry in its 1956 Sesquicentennial Edition.
Published Aug. 18, 1956:
HORSE COLLARS, $6 A DOZEN, MADE BY HAND: CAPE'S HARNESS SHOP SPECIALTY
Keeping horses in collar, harness and saddle was big business in the town's early days. Today these equestrian accessories have given way to auto safety belts, shock-resistant seat covers and non-blow-out-tires. Kids today recognize a service station two blocks away, but would they know what the inside of a saddlery shop looks like?
Girardean Ed Sailer could tell them thing or two about a harness shop if they're interested in knowing. And they probably are. Modes of transportation have changed, but children's tastes are about the same in any generation. Horses still remain an undisputed favorite.
Mr. Sailer, 707 N. Henderson Ave., remembers the harness shops of Cape Girardeau because they played a part in his "growing up." His father, William Sailer, worked in harness shops all his life, and had his own shop for many years.
Will Sailer started out in his uncle's business, (Herman) Steinbach's harness shop, located on the northeast corner of Broadway and Sprigg Street. Here he learned the harness trade, and in later years went into partnership with Henry A. Pott. Their shop was located in a building at the new First National Bank location (Broadway and Main Street). The business faced Broadway.
Apprentice in 1854
Mr. Pott began his apprenticeship in the harness trade in 1854. After his death in 1906, Mr. Sailer operated the business as sole owner. He employed an expert craftsman, Ernst Schaefer, a meticulous worker who turned out perfect handmade harness and collars.
Sailer's harness shop manufactured its own horse collars and for a time made harness by hand. Most of the other shops here ordered merchandise from big companies out of St. Louis. The J.B. Sickles Saddlery Co., of St. Louis, one of these early-day companies, is still in business today.
A harness is comprised of three parts — the head harness, breast harness and body harness. The collar, also called a breast band, is a part of the breast harness and has hames with straps and traces or tugs. This collar fits over the shoulder of a draft animal and bears the stress of drawing.
Took know-how
Making these horse collars was a time-consuming process. However, Mr. Sailer remembers his dad telling him he could make three dozen collars a week. A collar brought 50 cents, or $6 a dozen. In a good week Mr. Sailer could earn $18, providing he sold 36 collars.
Steps in the collar-making process were: First cut out the pattern, place it on leather and cut out the pieces. Sew leather together with leather thread. Then soak collar in water to soften leather. Stuff collar with rye straw. Place collar on wooden block and pound into shape with mallet.
These collars hung on racks in the shop, much like suits or dresses are displayed on racks in department stores today. The collars varied in size, and usually the customer had his horse outside for the collar "fitting."
Sailer's shop also sold buggies, some were priced at about $60. The harness, some hand-made, ranged in price from $6 to $60, or higher, depending on the type of leather and trim.
Trade dies out
Sometimes Sailer would load a couple dozen collars on a wagon and peddle them around the country to farmers. Harness shops did a good business until about 1910 when automobiles began pushing the horse into the background.
Will Sailer died in 1913, and his shop was closed then. Equipment and fixtures were sold to shopkeepers elsewhere.
The old Steinbach shop changed hands several times, being operated by a Keller, a Morton and a Mr. Bauer. The original building is still intact, and is owned by Ed Sailer who leases it as a radio repair shop.
Herman Brandis, Martin J. Bock and Al Shivelbine were also craftsmen in the harness business of Cape Girardeau. When the harness-making trade went out, many of these craftsmen went into harness repairing, harness selling in hardware stores, or switched to the field of automobile mechanics. The last harness shop in Cape Girardeau was closed in January 1923.
Ed Sailer has two souvenirs from his father-s shop -- a whalebone buggy whip and an oil buggy lamp.
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