The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1868-09-26
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Ter this performance tic haSs are OBJ 3tbd md
unfoldcd, aid aBdsrgo il eloao d xafIIs iaat
asd II ths fslting b. progressing sncnsssi sihiI
As ho opsus The Shiny iiibrsy bodies, xs hsr.
ceivo that thoy have biScouia Hrassiy seSaesil
in siEs, slthough retaihiag their usntcsl sfsps..
a beautiful proceeds 81 ithisf iciti8g S4ks
action Of motion, heat and water, each Hbfs 10
brought closely together, and 50 firmly knitssd
that they will not part, 1atil fis Wsaf aknd
usage Of It's future owner crumbis tlaihso
pieces. Hour after hour doss thiS falting and
fuliing process continue, until the bodies afuso
small that you can but comfortably draw them
over your head. AL the time peIfS Ssbings shas
contradiction Of terms, growing kmsIles.',
We pass to another room, whore around x Sstt
Of ,planks fastened together in an outagonsi
forE:, with kettle Of boiling watsr Id tbs aan.
tre, stand group Of workmen, who g taIks the
felted hats and dipping them into ths sstcr,
stretch and pull them over blocks of wood,
poatly turned to the exact size and shape fe.
quired for the hat when completed. This pro-
cess is called BLOCKING by hatters, but look
ers on find more satisfaction in calling Ii ntoast
ing" 1t certainly requires some service to
enable these workmen to dip their hands 80
frequently in the boiling fluid The next
place we visit is the dying room, whore the
hats are thrown into kettle of liquid, and
colored black. Hats of q lighter shade are
generally died in the wool. Aftor this is done,
the hats are again blocked, and then faksnto
the drying room. When dry they are assorted
into dozens of different sizes and quslties, the
assorter being directed by peculiar notches cnt
in the edge Of the hat, at q former stage Of the
work. From the drying room We follow the
hats to the finishing department.. where thsR
receive the polishing touches. The hats are
for third time drawn over block, and hot
iron dexterously applied to its surface. the
heat taking put the wrinkles In the crown, Hat.
tening the btim, and giving the. hat shape and
comsllness. lis then slipped upon revosl.
ing spindle, performing several thousand Teyo-
lnsions per minute, while Is applied % the sar-
fare of thu hats q piece Of xory fna snpry pa.
per, which gives The hats 3 beautiful yelvety
appearance. The hats are nov, ready fos tie
finishing touches, which are given them ID the
trimming room, where girls are employed. In
this department are employed both hand snd
machine work. Here the lininga are pnt into
the hats, and the band and binding put on,
and also the ornaments, Il any are used. The
trimming room" is better known, and 10 10
more pleasant memories are attached, than 10
any other department in the manufacture or
hats. We pause here long enough 10 remark,
that some Of our weal.hiest ladies were once
hat trimmers. Our final stopping place IS the
packing room, where the hats, separately CD.
closed in paper boxes are laid away BY dozens
in wooden cases, and are nowl, j for ship
ment 10 market
Thus have we closely followed the sleadily
| advancing fortunes of our new acquaintance,
tho Wool, and seen Il emerge from clay ahd
grease into handsone and Useful addition 10
the comfort Of man.D Danbasy ttes.) fssseA
49,