The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-12-11
WHOLE NUMBER 2l0
Seamless Garments.

report of visit to the factories of the
'Seamlcss Garment Company" whose ia.
brics and goods Of all styles arc now fa,r-
ly and fully in market:
SEAMLESS GARMENTS.
A party of gentlemen, including several
members Of the press, were invited on
Thursday last to visit tho works of the
Seamless Garment Company at Mattcawan,
near fislIkill, and we improved the oppor-
tunty to examine the curious and interest
ing processes by which WOODEN garments
are produced without seam, and of great
cr strength, durability and warmth than
cloth made III ordinary manner.
The Company occupy buildings former
ly used as cotton mills. There the we'll
known Mattcawan cottons used to be made.
The locality is beautiful one, nestled in a
gentle valley with bold and thickly- wood
ed hills behind. The water power is abun-
dant. The works now employ some hun
drcd and fifty operatives OF both sexes.
We examined the manufacture from tho
crude wool to the finished garments. The
wool is first assorted, cleaned, picked, dyed,
and partially cardcd as in an ordinary wool
en- factory. The last process of the c,rdiur
machine leaves it in thin layer 1t IS
then put upon al ingenious machine which
forms into what are called batts. These
bats are composed Of some thirty to forty
layers, placed by the machine d;agonally
across each other. The iibrics Of the alter
nate layers are thus arranged transvcrscIy
to each other. This gives the greatest pos
sibie strength to the cloth to be produced,
rendering it as elastic as cashmere and us
tough as leather. The bait, when compile
ted, is passed through fcIting machine, in
which the fibrcs Of the wool arc partially
interviewer so rs to form Il thick cloth Of
considerable tcnacitv. This is then taken
to the tailor, who cuts out in pieces the
garments to Lc made, taken care to cut
them about double the size required. Next
these pieces pass through the hands Of girls
who carefully bcvcl the edges to be joined,
and baste them together with Il cotton
thread.-Ihe garments now exhibta rude
approach to their proper shape. \ cotton
cloth having been inserted within the
sleeves and in the pockets, and wherever
else two thickncsscs come together, in Or
der to prevent their being converted into,
one, the garments arc again passed through
the telting machine, and soon come out
wiki no trace of the seams except the cot
ton basting thread, which is easily pulled
cut They are then treated like so many
pieces OF ordinary woolen cloth, being pass
cd through liu'Iiny apparatus, te;,slcd and
sheared. After this they are put upon cop
per forms, heated by steam, which complete
their shape, and allow the surface to be fin
shed. They then go into the hands of the
trimmer, who binds the cd dycs, works the
button holes, puts on the buttons and fac.
ings and gets them ready for market.
Among the articles which We saw man-.
utacturcd were overcoats, business coats,
vests, l"gyins and mi,tins. The cloth was
subjected TO severe tests Of its strength, and
found to be surprisingly tenacious. 1t diff
fers from felt cloth in being equally strong
in whatever way it is tried 1t is altogetl,-
er of wool, rs cotton cannot be used in the
teiting process. Its advantages over common
cloth are greater cheapness, warmth and dr-
rabllity; II also sheds rain much better.
This invention must rcvolutionize the ma
king of nil garments requiring great
strength, warmth and durability. TO the
laboring classes, it offers vast benefit. The
poor man can get finished coat, and bet
ter and more durable one, for the money
lie has hitherto paid for the cloth alone.
We must add that fleece ofwool may be
converted by this process in single day in
to garment ready to wear.
JOE PHELps's "SSEEzING" DoG.-Joe.
Phelps, who by virtue of long painful
residence in Jersey, has face sprinkled.
with freckles, the result of the sunlight on;
the sandy soil Of that monopoly domain-is
and has been, and always will be-a dog
tancier. His house is a perfect mcnagerie.
OF dogs, of every variety known 10 man.
Lis greatest pleasure consists in, teaching :
the young canine idea how to- shoot; and
the lazness of two brindle; ;erop:ycared, bow
legged, big-headed, l,airIsppcd, Lull-terrie,s,
Which he calls his favorites, is sufficient eyi.
dence that they are indcfatiblc "sctters."
Joe keeps a tavern, a few miles in The rear
of Camden, upon dismal sort Of by-road,
which, by virtue of crossing the Camden
and Amboy Hallway severalsstimes in its
Cut to Eternity" The sitting room of Joe's
tavern was large, airy, com!ortlcss and there,
was an old-fashond fireplace, which occupi-
cd an entire side of tile apartment The
two bull terriers, in cold weather, were con- j.
tinualy roasting themselves at each end OF
the hearth, scarcely ever string, unless temp
ted by hunger to hunt, up stray bone o.
two. One evening n stranger stopped for
the night; and after, his horse was cared for.
Joe. ushefed his guest into the .si,,inz
room, and went ont to '"do np the choresT
The stranger drew, up q chair to tue eentre
of the broad hearth, and then, for the t;rst+
time, noticed that he was the Object Of an
intense scrutiny from two ugly canines, one
each side OF him. =. ',,,f
Presently the stranger gave vent TO yiolan.
sneeze- To. his astonishment, the two dogs
wagged their 'stumpy tails, looked at each
other with q solemn expression Of fcountepance
and then .Sinked away through an r opeu
door, into another room. A moment after
Joe came, lin. ~ - ~