The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-04-02
OUR MANUFACTURERS.
TIE WISCONSIN LEATHER cos
TANNERY.
The Largest Institution Of the Kind In
the West.

concern would be difficult undertaking,
and 1t is truly the case. There is so much
of interest to every one that uses leather
and who does not, in some way ?-that
we hardly know where to commence.
We would be happy to give correct de-
scrlptlon of the process by which leather
is made from the raw hides. as obtained
from the butchers, but this would require
three years apprenticeship in the bust
ness which we cannot afford just now
However, those who have the patience to
follow this matter of fact statement all
through may, perhaps, learn something
just here we wish to return our thanks to
Mr.. G. Whitcomb for his kindness in ac-
companying US over the whole establish
ment to the exclusion of other affairs
To the clearness with which he explained
matters, that otherwise would have been
totally obscure to us, may be attributed
any merit which this account may possess
The only trouble inexperienced was want
of time. We had less than two hours to
see what we could easily have employed
two days in going over.
The first building we visited was the
one the company erected in the fall of
1850. At that time dense pine forest
covered the ground where now there is
an extensive settlement, rapidly extend
ing. In those days, too, all the provis-
ions the residents required were brought
from the South; now there are large ex
ports. The building referred to is two
stories, about SO feet wide and 300 feet
long, with a capacity of making into
leather 5000 hides per month. Come
with us into that open front door where
just now lot Of stuff was taken portion
Of which you may some day wear on your
feet. Lord a-moses, how it st-mells !!
Never mind you will get used to that :;
don you see that small army of men at
work there? They stay here every day,
and enjoy good health at that. Look out
there, don't step into that vat; if you
should you would be in liquor for once,
if you never were before, and if you
didn't lose your wind you probably would
your hair Those watts are the ante
rooms where the hides pay their initia-
ton fees. There are 80 of them, seven
feet wide, nine long and five and one half
Of
for soaking hides others contain strong
lime water in which the hides are placed
to loosen the hair. While going through
this process they are kept in motion by
wheels called England's patent handling
machines. There are eight of these be-
fore us. And you would like to know
what that fulling mill arrangement is for
Why that's the Hide mill; the hides are
put in there and given lively shaking
up to soften them, make them pliable
and take off the dirt that may adhere.
We are now in what is termed the Bean
house. Why is it called the Bean house?
Oh don t ask too many questions. Those
men over there in front Of the windows
scraping away with long knives are tax
ing the hair off the hides, a process
which has been facilitated by the use of
lime, before spoken Of One man will
scratch the hair off from so to 70 hides,
if he works industriously all day, which
is generally the case, as men the tanner
les work by the piece and not by the
hour. We will now look into the Yard
There is no partition between it and the
Bean house, but it is called the Yard be-
cause here the hides are left to get thor
oughly tanned. The Yard contains 10
watts the same size of those in the Bean
house, and Is of the patent handling ma
chimes also mentioned above. Every
thing is done by steam power that can
be. adjoining this long building in
which the yard is located is an addition
containing IA large teaches from which
the liquor is taken to the watts in pipes
and used at will But let us commence
back little and get new start. We
will go up over the Engine room and see
them grind bark, what kind Of bark?
Why don't you know that hemlock bark
is almost always used in tanning leather?
Well you know it now. Yes, Oak bark
is used in certain localities, but it is not
in use outWest here, for it is not as strong
as that which grows at the East. Here
the mill-iooks like the inside of coffee
mill, only a good deal more So That
thing as small as it is will grind three
cords an hour; what do you think of
that ?-grinds it into sawdust too 1t is
one of Beach, patent 10000 cords of
this bark are used each year and there is
that amount now on hand. Well the
bark is ground; now to get supply OF
it to each of those teaches running out
there some three hundred feet. A long,
box arrangement about foot in diameter
is run the whole distance over the leach
es. In this box is an immense screw
turned by steam. 1t requires great power
but that screw conveys the ground bark
to the watts where its essence is extracted
by the use of steam and this essence is
termed liquor. Of course you must see
where the power lies which, obedient to
mans will, keeps everything in motion.
Here's an engine room, adjoining the
Bean house part of the main building.
Ii is % by 80 and very comfortable
room IN which to witness the workings
OF that ever strange strange mysterious
sonnet ninlr which We COLL ctann, Dc ~,