In 1887, Messrs. L. W. Sumner, G. K. Thompson and D. Whitney, as the firm of Sumner, Thompson & Whitney, commenced the manufacture of ladies' and misses' straw goods, locating their factory at 317 N. Howard street. At the present time there are in Baltimore, apparently in prosperous condition, eight straw hat establishments, giving employment to eleven hundred hands, male and female, and producing annually, manufactured goods to the value of upwards of a million dollars, in the distribution of which Baltimore is brought into close business contact with every State and Territory of the Union, and the city's importance as a manufacturing centre is enhanced by the character of articles sent forth by those engaged in this class of business. GROWTH OF BUSINESS. No. 14. For many years the Mackinaw took precedence of all straw hats as the most desirable summer article for gentlemen's headwear, far out-rivalling in its success as a fashion any other straw product ever introduced to the American people. Having attained this prominent position mainly through its successful management by Baltimore manufacturers, it forms an important factor in the prosperity of the straw hat industry of Baltimore. In fact it is the actual foundation of the present large and increasing straw goods business of the city to-day. While the Mackinaw hat had previously found favor with a few prominent retailers, it was not until the year 1868 that Mr. W. T. Brigham, then of the firm of Wm. R. Cole & Co., observing the merits of the article, concluded to undertake its introduction to the trade, to whom it was generally quite unknown. Among those who had used profitably the Mackinaw for their retail trade were R. Q. Taylor, of Baltimore, Charles Oakford, W. F. Warburton and Louis Blaylock, of Philadelphia. Though it was an article of domestic production, the beauty and commendable qualities of the Mackinaw were indeed a surprising revelation to the trade at large. Each year added to the popularity of the Mackinaw, until it became the acceptable American straw hat, without which no first-class retailer could consider his stock complete. While the great demand existed, Baltimore continued to supply the larger proportion of all the Mackinaw hats sold, and taking advantage of the reputation thus gained for such goods, her manufacturers produced other kinds of straw hats, and by the exercise of proper care and attention acquired such skill as to secure for the straw goods products of Baltimore the worthy reputation of being the best made in the United States, consequently and beyond contradiction the best in the world.