Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-08-12
l Visit to q Hair Factory.

We were recently shown through Il hair
factory in Boston. and watched the inter
esting processes the article goes through
in Its preparation. Nearly all the raw
hair Is worked up in European establish
ments, and this is one of less than half
dozen factories in America. The raw ma
terial, in great bundles, that from each
head tightly bound up by ITSELF is first
thoroughly cleansed by washing in am
monia, and sometimes securing in sand.
This is simply to get off the dirt and the
fatty matter of the hair, the nits being left
for Il subsequent process. The locks are
then hung up 10 dry in an airy room, those
from each head being separate.
To pass through the hitting machine, the
hairs in each leach or lock, must be of
the same length, because the nits adhere
to the hair so closely, and in such Il man.
ner, that the leach must be drawn through
the comb from end to root before they will
rive way. As they are cl. from the head,
of course the hairs are of all len gthS.
Accordingly all the locks Of each shade
are put together, and the longest hairs are
drawn out by themselves, then those Il lit
tie shorter, and 50 on. Next the teaches
are pas ell. over and over again, through
stout steel cards, to be nitted. 1t is rarely
hat lock of hair is found entirely free
from these nits, but the foreman of the es-
tablislmcnt informed us, that, in Il twenty
years experience. lie had never seen any
lhing alive in the hair. 1t is at this stage
that the gray hairs, of which there are
some in tso-thirls of the locks that come
to market, are picked out, one by one. the
high price obtained for this shade Just
about plying for the trouble.
After this there is little to be done to the
hair but 10 tie each tress neatly with Il nib
bon. \ lock rs it is finally sold may in
clule hair from II dozen persons. The
waste of hair during these processes is
, from twenty-five to thirty three per cent.
WHAT MAKES THE VALUE.
The value of hair is determined by its
| length. color and tineness. Common dark
or black hair is worth from so cents to IS
IN ounce, the latter figure being Obtained
! for fine har a yard long, prepared in France.
/ The Neapolitan hair we have spoken OF
brings 81 80 an ounce, though last year,
when there was Il greater glut of it than
now, it sold for : 80 4 pound. A kind OF
coarse black hair, imported from China.
sells for : 80 IN ounce. 1t is very long,
and if it were II little finer would bring
! louble that price. As n general rule deal
ers find that the longer the mir the coarser
it is.
Very light hair, from gray to pure white
which is the most difficult of all to obtain
and for which there is Il continual and
urgent demand, always commands fancy
prices. One of our dealers recently had II
switch of fine white hair, Sc inches long
for which he asked 81 80 an ounce A
distinguished actress was willing to pay
another dealer here 800 for switch tC
match her own hair, which is of a peculiar
bluish-white tinge. Several switches have
sold here rs high as Si00 apiece, and il
New York it is common thing to pay
from $500 to $500. One old lady there
with whom money was an altogether sec
ondary consideration, sent to Europe for !;
pure white switch for which she pait
81, 200, the highest yet.
Years ago wig-maklng was the princi
pal part of the hair business, but now tn,
vast wonans hair trade has pushed it int
Il secondary position. At present there are
some 80 persons in Boston engaged in wi!
making. The wig hair is woven on thread
of silk, and sold by the yard.-Cona. B~lie
tin