Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-08-23

OF commerce.
The fur is next taken 10 bulk to weighing table, where
quantity for each bat weighed in scales delicate
ss those necessary for weighing gold For the finest hats
from five allowed according to the taste OF
the market in which the finished hats to be Sold For
New York city use for instance, the best quality Of silk hats
have but of fur in the body, while to please the
fancy Of the taste of the city Of Mexico five ounces are re-
quis the light hat being by long odds the BEST by the
by On being thus weighed the fur for each hat placed
in separate compartment. box tray, which, being filled,
taken the Wells machine, which in turn makes il In
about minute into form" "body." In this process
tits first spread by boy endless apron, which carries
it in to covered revolving brush, making two thousand re-
voutons per minute The air being admitted to the brush
by aperture only, underneath, tremendous current Is
generated which blows the fur pcked by the brush into par
tes almost minute be by the naked eye) into
triangular psm-a tunnel chamber Of triangular shape
about three feet long, Immediately in front of which the ho
low copper revoves This is the form upon which the
body shaped. l. is perforated all with small holes,
hundred and fifty the square inch, and revolves with
great rspdity hollow base from which the air IS ex
haused by castron fan working under cover at ts sde
The daugh of this fan creates which sucks IN the
from the tunnel chamber the mouth Of which stands
drawing upon the surface Of the at the time all the
fur which adheres there As the allowance for the
hat is sucked into the cone, boy covers It with two wet
wooen cloths over which be places second light perforated
copper cone then takes it thus prepared and dips
in hot water for half minute The application of the water
80 sets the fur as permit it, in this first shape ofthe hat
body to be pulled off the under copper form.
then lightly folded and passed hand, Who, wrapping
in woollen cloth blanket passes four times between
weighted rollers which press out the surplus water These
four DRESSINGS do occupy than half minute of time
next passed TO INSPECTOR who opening its fods, holds
between and good light to where asght patch
may be wanted where may be somewhat too thick
He instantly any such flaws and then passes
other hands, who rolling in woollen Cloths manipulate
for minutes which process quickly shrnks somewhat
and thus gives greater consistency II then be handled
though cloth. hand next inspects and
folds il preparatory to the packing. This done under
press Of great weight from which tquckly Hundreds
bundled together) ready to be sent off to order.
In Burr and St Johns city establishment three Of these
"Wells" machines constantly work. making nine hum
ded hat bodies per diem They require in all
hands At Newark where they have eight machines in ope
ration, they work present seveny-one hands They
building very extensive factory at the of Cliff
and Frankfort Streets which is to be their headquarters,
wherein they preparing work three hundred hands,
with engine Of l2Ohorse power being built for
them. Seven Of their hands their city works and ten Of
those employed in Newark dug Of the ruins after the
Hague street catastrophe in which it will be remembered
sixynne persons killed. thiryseven Of them being
their employment It is worthy Of remark that up that
time not than half the hat bodies worked up in New
York made by machinery That accident having de-
soyed all the machines the ourneymen handbody makers
Immediately demanded twelve and half cents per body
higher wages, which paid until new machines were
made when the master workmen abandoned the handwork
so generally that not than fifth Of the hats fin
ished New York and its environs made upon bodies
formed out of the establishments Of Burr and ST. Johns
This increase of custom, with rapidynceasing demand
from hat nishers located in all quarters of the Union, will
compel them keep their present establishment 10 operation
after completing their progressing mammoth factory
Cliff and Front Streets When that is finished, they calcu-
late be able form FIVE millions Of hat bodies annunly
furnishing the trade for ahaf cents for the work
upon it far beer-made hat body than be manufactured
any where by hand at less than sxtywo and half cents
Mr.. VIM B. Tom, Of Washington, whose work is well
known all your home readers Of the first extern
haters who abandoned the hand making process for this
far more substantial satisfactory, and economical method of
doing the work. Burr and ST. Johns by the by, have
the fate Of the Of really valuable patents in
this country legal friend told few days since that
they have been obliged spend $4,000 within the last five
years prosecuting infingers, and though to gain all
their cases, they multiplying upon them.
In the form which hat bodies sent from this house they
returned the factory Of Beebe Co.. who next send
them to their sizing factory in Brooklyn, where thirty
constantly employed the huge kettles in which
the forms" dipped time and again. until they shrink to
the dimensions and acquire the consistency necessary for fin
ishng them up. They again brought the river
and hosed on dumb waters the sixth uppermoa story
of the factory where they sened proper blocks with
sheac in apartment and roned and vanished in other
These processes though requiring great care gone
through with dispatch ten men being all perceived at work
upon them the day inspected the premises On being
dried thoroughly they ready for the hands Of the first
of nisher" Those be covered with silk then land
ed BY sleampowe the story below, which occupied by
wokmen who fasen the plush, all of which material used
by them being imported from France Very few other
fine hat pushes brought into this country, there being lit
tie demand for hem except to supply this single factory
The plush fastened by the touch Of the hot iron, the
shelac being here compounded and distributed upon the
body make certain that the silk covering will stick
curely and equally every where in spite of rain changes
Of climate. noticed ourneymen at work in put
ting the plush and veuring the hats 10 Of
this story This last process is done here wholly by
chne, worked BY the engine in the basement which
connected by bands similar machine in each finishing
The body il placed block which is made to
volve with great rapdy UNDER rather in, hair cloth called
veure imported for the trade. The friction Of this cloth
any Irregularities in the nap, all
substances from it, and poshes give it the remark
ably glossy and perfect finish which distinguishes the highest
l ob hate tho