Why Do Some Smallish Towns Have So Many Precancels?

Quote:
The Manchester NH precancels with the CB design were used by Cheney Brothers and they used tons.

Quote:
Cheney Bros., a company that grew from a single water-powered mill in 1838 to become the largest producers of silk velvet in the world, reigned over Manchester for nearly a century. All eight sons of George W. and Elizabeth Cheney were associated with the development of the company: six actively engaged as managers; the elder two, who were artists, invested in the firm. A privately held family business, Cheney Bros. not only responded to the challenges and complexities of the Industrial Revolution, but prospered long after similarly structured companies failed or were swallowed up by national conglomerates. At the height of its success in the early 1920s, when annual revenues reached $23 million, the company employed 4670 Manchester residents and possibly supported as many as 130 members of this prolific family. Among the many factors that contributed to this extraordinary growth and stability was a single-product focus, bolstered by sophisticated technological development, and an unswerving commitment to the social welfare of the workforce.

From the $23 million banner year of 1923, sales dropped to $10 million in 1931. The decline, which had begun in the 1920s and accelerated during the Depression, was primarily due to competition from the new synthetic fabrics, which were much cheaper to produce, but overproduction was also a factor. The company, which had always maintained high inventories of raw silk and finished goods, suffered substantial losses when the bottom fell out of the silk market. In just three months in 1929, the value of goods on hand dropped by $6 million.

A brief recovery during World War II, when Cheney Bros. retooled to weave synthetics and manufactured nylon parachutes, was followed by another decline. The company sold out to J.P. Stevens in 1954.