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Farmingdale History Encyclopedia: I

Ideal Chevrolet

Ideal Chevrolet, Inc. was incorporated on April 14, 1970. It was located on 461 Fulton Street.  It closed on September 27, 1995. It was formerly Brune Motors. It is currently the Woodbridge at Farmingdale Apartments.

Source:

“Ideal Chevrolet, Inc.” Farmingdale. http://bestbusinessny.com/company/232466/ideal-chevrolet-inc.html

Independent Silk Dyeing Company

Independent Silk Dyeing Company was located at 921 Conklin Street. It broke ground in April of 1915. The President was F. C. Wettlaufer, R. A. Weber was Treasurer, and future Mayor Rudolph H. Weber was the Secretary. The first goods were processed in September of that year. When the business began, they only dyed skeins, which meant the silk was all dyed in the yard and then sent to weaving mills for manufacture into various types of dress material. It also dyed for the children’s ribbon trade.

In 1915, the company employed about thirty people. By 1938, that total was over 200 employees.  Rudolph A. Weber was the manager until his death in 1920. Following his death, his son Rudolph H. Weber became general manager, then treasurer, and eventually president in 1953.

In 1926, it began to transform from a skein dyeing operation to a piece dyeing and finishing plant. In 1938, the plant specialized in dyeing all-silk and silk and rayon mixtures for the underwear industry; it specialized in cloth used exclusively in the manufacture of ladies’ underwear. In 1947, new equipment for woven nylon and nylon mixtures was added.  It went out of business in the 1950s.

The company’s later names were: Jayne Textile, Kenmark Textile, and Susquehanna Textile. Jayne Textile Printing Corporation began conducting screen and textile printing in 1972.

 

Sources:

Junior Historical Society of Farmingdale. Farmingdale's Story: Farms to Flight. The Society, 1956

Silk, Volume 10. R. H. McCready, 1917

‘Silk Dyeing on Long Island”. Long Island Forum. May 1938

Shakalis, Connie. Historical Vignettes from the Farmingdale-Bethpage Historical Society