The Palatine Dyeing Company, one of the newest comers to St. Johnsville industrial circles, had its inception in the Palatine Dyeing Company organized in January, 1921, and established at Palatine Bridge. The founders were Richard W. Ritter of Amsterdam, New York, George R. Pensel, Harry Underwood and Lewis M. Fowler. After three years of operation the company moved to St. Johnsville, with E. A. Shineman, president and treasurer; Horace B. Hodge, vice president; and L. M. Fowler, secretary and general manager. The enterprise has already made for itself a place among the prosperous industrial establishments of the community.
The work of the concern is the commercial dyeing and finishing of tricot and Milanese fabrics, mixed silk and cotton fabrics, artificial silk and wool goods. In this connection the firm operates a bleach house and weighing plant, the latter being used to bring silk up to standard weight. This business is the first of its kind to be established outside of New York city. Its rapid and successful growth, however, has entirely justified the owners in their contention that this phase of the textile industry does not necessarily depend for its prosperity upon its location in the overcrowded New York industrial district and that the Mohawk valley with its large textile and manufacturing interests offers attractive possibilities to men engaged in this line of work. The Palatine Dyeing Company's business is capitalized at ten thousand dollars, while the output of the establishment totals one million, seven hundred thousand dollars annually. The plant is fully equipped with all the modern devices for dyeing and finishing and is operated by electric power, fifteen motors being used for this purpose. The number of employes averages about forty-five.