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New York State Joint Committee on Industrial and Labor Conditions Business Migration Survey Files

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Overview of the Records

Arrangement

Organized into five subseries: 1) Business migration survey correspondence and report files; 2) New and terminated businesses summary lists; 3) Business migration surveys completed by banks; 4) New business survey file; and 5) Terminated business survey file.

Subseries 1: Alphabetic by subject.

Subseries 2-5: Alphabetic by county.

Scope and Content Note

The series consists of records compiled by the committee in investigating the extent and causes of industrial migration to and from New York State during the period 1930 to 1942.

In 1942, the committee made a special report to the Legislature on industrial migration. With the assistance of local governments, statewide business organizations, and others, the committee surveyed thousands of businesses in the state. The series contains completed survey forms and summary cards compiled by the committee from survey results. The records provide information on individual business, products manufactured, number of employees, and reasons for business migration. The series represents a unique source of information on economic activity in New York State during the Depression years of the 1930s.

Subseries 1: Business Migration Survey Correspondence and Report Files. These records relate to the committee's survey and report on business migration in New York State. The subseries contains correspondence relating to administering the survey, survey forms and lists used in compiling the report, and a draft copy of the final report. The following records contain the most significant information: approximately 30 pages of lists providing information on employment of workers in factories in New York City and vicinity, containing name of industry, number of factories (with five or less employees and six or more employees), and total number of employees in each industry; approximately 100 one-page survey forms from businesses leaving New York State providing information on why the business left the state, what state government could have done to prevent them leaving, and what state government can do to encourage the business to return; and lists of approximately 300 business migrating from metropolitan New York City including name of business, type of business, where business moved to, and number of employees.

Subseries 2: New and Terminated Businesses Summary Lists. Contains lists of approximately 20,000 businesses that either began operation or terminated operation in each county of the state between 1932-1940. The lists contain: name of business; address; owner; number of employees; and material produced.

Subseries 3: Business Migration Surveys Completed by Banks. Contains approximately 500 survey forms completed by local banks in New York State providing information on businesses terminating, leaving, or coming into a particular community from 1930 to 1940. The sheets provide: date, name of firm; either old or new address; and reasons for termination or migration.

Subseries 4: New Business Survey File. Consists of approximately 6,000 5"x 7" cards containing summary information on businesses established in the state from 1930 to 1940. The cards contain: name of business; address; year established; products manufactured; number of employees; and source of business (i.e., migration from other state or another community within the state, merger, reorganization, or name change).

Subseries 5: Terminated Business Survey File. Consists of approximately 6,000 5x7" cards containing summary information on businesses terminating operation in the state from 1930 to 1940. The cards contain: name of business; address; year terminated; products manufactured; number of employees; and cause of termination (i.e., migration to other state or to another community within the state, voluntary liquidation, reorganization, merger or consolidation, or name change). The majority of cards do not indicate cause of termination.

Alternate Formats Available

Microfilm is available for use at the New York State Archives or through interlibrary loan.

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.

Access Terms