Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-04-12

81.
this city, bat now it Is OF enormous extert, aud
,.mr,oys vast amount of capital. There are
tweaty or more wholesale houses thus engaged,
some of which are importers, while others are
obbers and manufacturers. Others connect
these branches so as to improve all ways of
profit The price of the genuine human hair
is regulated by its length. Tresses of twenty
Inches bring three dollars per once, while those
of forty inches are worth more than double
this price. At such rate it will pay to cult
yatc this crop; but many are Induced to part
with it on much lower terms.
BUYING HAIR.
This business is extensively practiced in Eu-
rope, and is there managed very adroltly For
several years the hair importers Of this city
have been in the habit Of fitting out peddIcrs
!chichy French or Gcrman) whose stock in trade
and general outfit are sent from this port.
These men, when they reach the old country,
travel through scqucstered districts, offering
ther wares for sale Whenever they meet
farmers wife or peasant girl with fine head
Of hair they cudcavor to obtain the precious
locks, eeucrally iu exchange for calico dress
md few o:namcuts In thlSway large stock
is gathered at small rates, and this, when
brought to New York, commands high price.
1t is a remarkable fact that human ha
grows nearly twice as fast in Europe as 1t does
in America. Hence the product of the torner
country is much greater relatively to It's popu-
lation than that Of the latter. All Europe Is
now carefully canvasscd in the manncr refer
red to-, and the trcsses which may once have
adorned some Suabian housemaid are made to
grace the head OF Fifth avenue belle.
SUBSTITUTE FOR HAIR.
Tie enormous price of genuine hair has led
to the adoption Of many substitutes, the most
popular Of which is jute, species Of hemp
This was very largely used in the manufacture
of waterfalls and chignoDS. When properly
dressed jutc looks very well, but although
cheaper than hair it is high priced article,
aud hence Yankee ingenuity has been exercised
to find another substitute. This was discover
cd few years ago by an enterprlsing man
CONNECTICUT boru) in bark Of the species Of
the Eastwood tree. When dried, combed out
and oiled this looks very well. The cheap coils
which are 50 well known as Japan hair are Of
this material.
WATERFALLS.
Waterfalls are now out of fashion, but in their
day they had their eloquent apologists. The
waterfall at its largest size, seldom weighed
more than twelve ounces, that is if it was prop
cry made. 1t was woven over light wire
frame and thus made as light as possible, but
stlIl it was found to pull the head backward,
and hence Was in degree tiresome. Water
falls, shgnons and the present French twist,
cost irom two to ten dollars and sometimes
great deal more. The single curl cost from
three to six dollars
CoLoRING HAIR.
The art of initiating almost every shade of
hair is now nearly perfect. BY sending small
sample of natural hair one may have curls,
switches, coils, etc, made to match it in a manner
which dcfies detection. Sometimes the natural
hair is coored to suite the fashion, although
the process is often Injurious.
The fashionable colors, which are frequently
changed, are technically called ''art colors. A
few years ago the art color was red. Then 1t bt :
came gray-not the gray of age, but u tancltul
tint easy of detection This did not become
generally popular just now, we believe, the
art color is haxen.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS.
The hair trade is a safe and remunerative e
business. Iiair-drcssers charge from 81 to IS
for dressing lady's head for party, q ID they
aloo charge handsomely for cleaning the dust
out Of artificial looks. \ lady recently had her
hair cut off on account Of i'll health, and gave
the locks to the hair-dresser for braided watch
afterwards sold the hair for SIS.
In this city the hair dressing shops each
Keep from three to six hands for serving their
customers al their homes, and during the gay
Sa>on they are kept very busy, their charges
oeills - per huur. The writer of this knew q
poor clerk who married a girl who understood
mc IN naW M business, who opened small shop IN
Me o'Xth avenue, and speedily became rich
'ln'h the profits Of the trade, and his success
was not Unusual.
udi - nc great establishments in this city are
;oa,s 10 lesch the business to all who are will
'"s 10 pay Tor tuition, and fee demanded being
'G, J". no!lar'd d and fifty dollars Any one of or
Ingenuity can learn to dye hair, to weave
,.na, a.o r 70 40 the work in popular demand. The
inosl u'thcuit things to make are imitation
SrAlHs 'r parting There are generally got
~ 10 Fans and made Of fsh.skin, though
Isome'imcs s silk fabric is used Thus far
>nrIlcan Ingenuity has failed in this respect to
Ia "A century ago the largest amount of hair
r '.ss'ns was va; done tor men, now it is done for
~ .u' inen every gentleman wore large
Iueuc' which was invariably powdered, and
IIulreu the attention of professional hair
"'esSeFs'-Aoo York paper
Virginia is awakening to consciousness of
r "rr great resources Commenting on the need
y, y. lastorles and the advantages to be derived
LURE ",IW9r'etron, the Richmond Enquirer says =
-" nerever there arc many manufactures there
NC lew idle people, and there too, money is
Fe ".Fe pleuhtul, business is more brisk, and en-
s'Pii>e more active. There is no reason why
Ss should not have them in Virginia as they
ma'e them in the North. In some localities
W." w. nave water pow er unsurpassed in this coun-
u!' and, where there is an absence of water
r"~sr, p", steam may be as easily and as cheaply
"pphed to the movement Of machinery here as
t,;;Se1|here. ,;s1 We have forests full of the fines,
;s".0er We have immense deposits of coal and
,I;u IIIu We have everything, or almost every
r,ae, r''ae, at our doors that is necessary for manu-
,b, Is'Utes as abundant and cheap Us in those in
,"e Northern States" These sentiments assure
"cIrulal Hrlcnmn To Markham canitalists in.