The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1865-10-18
RIA COUNTY, pa. WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 1S, 1865

little word has become quHe PIohlhohhJ
associated in the popular mind with the ie-
male toilet. One can indeed hardly peruse
an article on the fashions OF The day without
meeting ii al least half a dozen times, ana
every lady out shopping seems in quest OF
Jet buttons, bracelets, brooches, pins, &c
But when we ask what this jet really is,
whence it comes, who invented it, few are
able TO give satisfactory reply. II may
therefore not be amiss 10 explain here the
nature OF this important and popular arii-
Gle
JET, be it known, is natural, not an arti-
fetal substance. Externally il ranks next 10
lava or polished coal, being in fact spe-
ces of earth coal, nearly related TO the
brown although some naturalists pronounce
il TO be hardened pitch. II burns very redI-
ly, gives out a greenish fame, and diffuses
a resinous odor or cont bustion. Extremely
fragile and brittle,i weighs somewhat heav-
Ter than water. and is found in France ard
Spain in the lower, and in England in the
upper strata of the Jura forma tion, usually
between or in the immediate vicinity OF
brought to the surface in large blocks,
whose handling is very difficult on account
of It's britleness. The blocks are carefully
sawed into pieces approaching in size pref
ty closely The objects for which they are TO
be used. By means of finely pointed sleel
the outline of the shape into which the
piece is to be carved is then traced on the
surface, and the work proceeds TO compile
ton with knife and chisel, like any ordinary
wood carving. Last OF all comes the poll
ishing process, by which the substance, or
iginaIly of brownish color, receives the
bright black lustre that has rendered it so
very popular with The ladies as an article of
ornament.
But as, according 10 Solomon, there is
nothing new under the sun, so ] jet il - nov
city. 1t was known TO the ancients, who
used it for the same purposes as ourselves.
Jet ornaments have frequently been discov-
cred in Roman and in ancient British tombs.
Among the articles lately exhumed in Pom
peii were brooches, bracelets and chains of
Jet, so artslcally wrought as 10 defy mod
ern imitation. England has since remote
times been the chief depositsry of JET, and
manufactures of the article hourished in that
country long ago In the days of Queen
Elizabeth the town of Whitley had already
established quite a reputation for the extent
of lis Jet manufactures. In a manuscript
dated 1890, entitled: "The Journey of
Portuguese Merchant, Don Manuel Gonz-
ales, in Great Britain" the author speaks Of
a JET being found in Yorkshire. In the
course of the last century the use of the
substance for ornaments appears 10 have
rapidly declined, and il was left TO the cap
ricious humor of fashion TO raise its reputa
ton once more in popular esteem.
The manufacture of Jet is of no small i'm
portance TO the places that have engaged in
il as a regula. branch of industry. The
Town Of Whitley continues OF considerable
note TO the present day, and exported last
year over f3O, 900 sterling worth OF Jet or
laments. lis manufacturers got up an exhi-
btion last fall, when the beauty, variety and
finish of The articles exhibited received en-
ihusiastic praise from artistic and industrial
sources. 10 Oviedo, in the Spanish prov
ince Of Asturia, je, is also manufactured, but
its products do not appear to command such
high prices as the English.
,