New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-08-08
been event 70 ths branch Of the trade One Of he ot

been evento this branch Of the trade One Of the most
important Improvements however which has been intro
duced niohs manufacture that Of wasr prO0ng the
eedes previous To their being mapped The elastic pro-
peres OF the gums used In this process when dissolved
in pure alcohol Dapths npars body TO the mate
RAILS which enables the MAKER to reduce considerable
popOrt1n Of their weight As illustration Of the
value a this Improvement ne may mention that about
twenty Year, since nDeysx ounces Of stuff worked
upiIO dozen ordinary sized hats for gentlemen
al present from ttirythree 70 tbiry.our ounces only
are required to complete the quantity Felt hats
and cOTdts the species the manufacture
being made wholly from inferior woods. COrdies are
however, dstiI gushed by fine covering Of camel or
goat hair Ii is singular fact that the pet of the
GnCents Wss identical, both in material and FORM With
the common felt hat by agricultural aborers the
present day We must not, however, wander into the
Classical literature Of the hat seeing that il has been
htusted in some Of The professional JTochlTes OF our
New-York dealers
As it viii probably be expected that we should say
something regards the machinery used in the process
Of manufacture, may well take this opportunity
Of stating that trade has benefited less by the abOrs
Of the inventor There are tao causes for this. Ia
The fret place many fhe operations are Of delicate
nature that the manipulation Of the hand can hardly
be dispensed With, and in the second such improve
ments have been effected have met with determined
opposition On the part Ot the wOrkInen This is the
lot only here but in England, and in fact the bal
ance Of HbeTaty lies With us. Some few years since
an American named Williams, invented a machine for
forming lat bodies IL economists half the labor pre-
vously expended in this operation aud at least three
iourhs Of the hat bodies made in this country form
ed byit The attempt to introduce it into general
in England proved allure owing to the opposition Of
the body makers who refused assist in the necessary
process termed bosiniEg IL is only used by the
English in the preparation OF the shells required for six
hats A machine has been also invented by a French
man for shaping the brims, but it is very little used
here although il is very effective and can do the work
Of FIVE men.
1t curious fact that the oval form nov given to
hats s Of comparatively recent Introduction da.ing
believe not than twenty years back Previous T.
that time round blocks employ ed aud the head of
the Wearer to its great discomfort, left perform
tie task OF accommodating the bat to It's proper shape
There is manufacture perhaps, which cOHiers
general benefits the communities situated IN the i'm
mediate nsphbsrhODd of its operations from the OppOr
tutes which il affords for the employment of both the
males and females, and sometimes Of the children Of
family In other countries the children may be adyan-
TAI eOusy emplOye ed in puckng the beaver skins crop
ming off The fur sorting various qualities of wool pluck
rc and cutting rabbits fur, shearng the nap VI the
blocked hat picking out unseemy faments Of fur and
even trmnibg-that 70 say binding and lining the hat
Az most if not ALL the materials Imported into the Uni
ted States arrive here ady prepared but few oppOrtC
mites are afforded here for the employment of children
We do not of course include in this Classification ap
prentices whose ages from II TO 90 Ia Enc land
and on the continent of Europe the depression Of the
finer branches Of the manufacture has affected cOnsde
Tnbly the earnings Ol the WOIkmrD engaged IN the as
less amount Of skill and labor is required in the pro-
ducn Of low silk bats than beavers and the increased
quantity produced in the lower description has not fur
ui.hed an amount Of employ ment equivalent to the de-
crease in the higher branch With US, this tendency
towards the use of inferior and more economical art
Gle Las not been much felt, owing to variety of
causes tie principal Of which is doubt the greater
comfort and prosperity Of our working classes
As DO certain data exist, which a correct estimate
can be formed OF the value Of the different branches of
the manufacture Of their aggro gate amount We have
taken the trouble to collect the following particulars
which although moi from ofcil sources, may be relied
upon as tOlerably accurate
HATTFRs MArtHIALs-- ANIMAL IMPORTS.
-Go go wards Of Plush ronct) Of 81
rcr eco
Tie above amount 81 push Will make luUD haA
worth Al reis 81 5000
itOOO
fls amount viii make $4,000 hats, worth A. retail
$4,000.
SO GO ,sIds Of Angola Cotton Plush French AID GerInaD)
tvlotO
200 eco hsts be manufactured cut Of tue above
Coaty spd iIsres Fsrs I nd Germany OooVoO
ma used iOr tie bodies Of htts the
mailing OF CshoTr and sDn hats About 100000 n
these latter descriptions Of hss made -n1uauy
his country. At an average Of 9! my VIII make
scf Of other goods by matters such Innings hind
es bands the greater paot which ported 10000