The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-20

THE HON. PADDOCK PRATTs LECTURE ON TANNING.
The fourth Of the course of lectures which are now
being delivered at the Mechanics Institute Chat
ham square, was to have been given on Tuesday even
ing by the Hon. Zadock Pratt, who had chosen the
Art of Tanning as the subject of his discourse.
He said This beautiful land in which we now
dwell, surrounded by everything that embelshes
civilized life, has only been but recently rescued
from the dominion Of wild beasts and Indians. Com
pared with that time what is it now 1t is one Of
the most powerful nations in the world. There 10
not people on the earth, connected with other na
tons by commerce, that does not look up to with
every sentiment of respect From thinly populated
States we have extended our empire from near tho
pole to the equator. The that rises ocean
defines empire the Pacific as it sets. We
have population of twenty-five millions Of peo
pie, being under glorious institutions surrounded b.
wealth, and in country with which none other can
compare. There are many reasons why we havo
reached such glorious point We owe our prosperi-
ty to the God OF our fathers, who has smiled on us;
but, as far as human means are concerned, we
must not forget the gratitude we owe to Wash
ington, and the other founders of our republic.
But there is another class to which behOders
and that is the mechanics of America There is no
real wealth that is not the fruit of labor II men
were all educated, labor would be considered the
highest occupation. There must be great dignity in
is truly mistake to suppose that labor is curse.
for without labor men would indeed be cursed.
There is no warm, generous heart where there not
disposition to honor the Creator by services to
fellow-man, leaving the world better than found
it, Labor is a necessity arising from the wants of
man. and thus we see how machinery is invented, in
order to produce what is wanted with the greater IA
city. In England machinery is used to that extent
that there is much done in day than there could
be done by all the men and women on the earth.
Science, then. we see.. has done much. feeble
man, who could not raise ffty-six pound weight.
The subject is infinite and therefore must narrow
my observations to the one point l shall therefore
direct your attention to the art of tanning leather.
which Is the most important ever cultivated. am,
by experience and choice tanner. A very large
proportion Of my citizens have the leather
have tanned, and, if have not made them soles,
have given them understandings, and hope have
enough to give two soles to every one Of my country
men. | am fond Of my pursuit, because it has
contributed to the comforts Of millions Of men.
l wish, now, to make known to you the re-
works haye ad So little about the subject say anns
Other arts have apparently occupied their attention.
And yet tanning seems, in the earlier ages, TO havo
been considered very important art, for in the
Egyptian monuments are to be seen representations
of tanners, and we learn that in Thebes, in partcu
lar, the tanners had certain quarter Of the city to
themselves Although little mention is made in tia
Bible yet there are incidental passages showing that
the Jews possessed and practiced the art in great
lection / am led to believe from reading, that tho
mode of tanning practised by the earliest nations was
very much like that pursued by the American In
dams. hope some of our learned men will make
investigations into the subject, that everything
may be known of the art. We know that the Greeks
were great tanners, because they employed leather
as armor; and Homer has good deal to say about
the bucklers and shields of the warriors Regarding
the modern system, the first thing to be considered
by the tanner must be good location where hemock
or oak abounds, for they the principal elements
Of the art In old times swamps used to be selected.
wn Ind af in CITY
were carried on in the southeast part, where tho
ground was swampy. The Swamp was as i'm
portant to tanners as Wall street is now to fnan-
cers l shall not make any remarks about oak
tanning, for there il very little done in that way.
and have been more familiar with the use OF HEM
lock. The tanner must locate himself near the
trees from whence he gets his bark, and at the
same time he must choose land which will afterwards
be worth more than the purchase money. He viii
also have to do what was obliged to do-to bring
good working men TO live near him, and thus estab
lsh communities, for every American tanner ought
to strive to produce good results to the country round
about. Formerly it was thought necessary to 1.-Two
near water power; but the steam engine has rendered
that supererogatory. have myself been persona
wrought in the art Of tanning. Since the days q
Washington more Improvements have been made
than since the days of Simon the tanner. learned
my trade from my father who had as good tannesy
any then in the country. Occasionally the spring
whence we got water would fail and then had to
bring the water under the yoke, 80 that you see 1
have passed under the yoke An old horse helped MS
TO draw out the liquor every day, but invented q
pump for the corner Of the vat, which produced I'D
yantsges. This is the first improvement remember
in the art otanning and by the aid Of three the
liquor was raised most expeditiously. Tanning now
began TO germ into a better system, with fulling
mills to soften the hides. In 1884, visited the dis
trict since called Prattsville and had an idea
of what would be done in such a wilderness; but
do not mean to trouble you with any Of the parcg-
lars Of the history of that establishment, but will d
rect your attention to the general subject Of tanning
of tanning statistics relative to the trade were
brought forward and the lecturer concluded with an
exhortaton to mechanics in general to gain theorcn-
cal knowledge, so that their minds might be en-
larged and science thereby advanced.
! After finishing the reading Of the MS. Mr.. Della
van moved vote Of thanks TO Mr.. Pratt, which was
seconded by Mr. Gardiner who made several compu-
mentary illusions to Nc, r. and carried unam'
| mousy.