The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-07-08
ALLIGATOR LEATHER.
First Tanned ss . Curiosity. but now Ussd q
Make = Multltnde Of ArtleIes.

large variety OF pocketbooks, card cases,
hand bags. and other articles made Of pecu.
liar mottled leather was seen In a Chambers
street show case. long narrow piece Of the
same kind OF leather hung over them. 1t was
rounded at one end and tapered away t0'n
point at the other. Two fippers projected from
each side OF 1t.
The use Of alligator skins seems to be- In
creasing." the reporter said to the proprietor
OF the show case.
Tho increase Is astonishing" he replied
Twelve or fifteen years ago alligator leather
was tanned as q curiosity. Few articles were
made OF II. About four years ago. however
the manufacture Of alligator leather began In
earnest First II few shoes were made Of II
and the manufacturers Of such goods saw thcre
was som sthing in 1t. 1t is q peculiarly beauti-
fui leather. Thcro are no two skins marked Just
alike. and 1t follows that no two articles made
OF tho leather can be alike. The natural color
OF the leather Is attractive. aside from tho
behuty OF tho markings. It finishes soft and
flexible. 1t is conceded that Americans tan
and ish IL In manner superior to tho best
workmanship Of the old country Hero IL a
pocketbook; American alligator skin forms the
outside:. American calfskin the lining. Any
Judge or such goods will say that it IL by all
odus the handsomestns well rs the best leather
OF tho Kind in existence. sixty dollars u dozen
While tho beauty OF alligator leather il It's
chiei CHARACTERISTIC, its durability Ia OF hardly
less importance. These gripsacks OF alligator
leather will outwcar their owners no matter
how youthful With these two things in its
Iav2r II Is no wonder that the sale of alligator
How many alligators were slaughtered to
satisfy the demand last yenr?"
Not less than half million"
they come from p
40 Most OF them come from Florida and tho
other Gull States. The alligators are shot with
rilies, and the negroes have almost "a monopoly
OF the business. When an alligator crawls out
on the sand for his after-dinner sleep he falls a
victim. The negro gets from fifty cents to one
dollar apiece for alligntors. Tho hunt is car
ricd on so vigorously that. the reptiles are be-
ginning to grow scarce. Laws will have to be
enacted eventually to protect them during the
breeding season and when young.
All sizes from two to eighteen feet In length
are now killed. The choice skin is six feet
six.foot skin and the eighteen: foot skin as
there 70 between q calfskin and an OK hide.
Tho skins aro packed in lime for two months
10 remove the horny scales. The remaining
process is much like that for any leather. It
ia ,0nr months ION to prepare skin There
ligAtor leather p
=, The frauds are in using imperfect skins.
no lime will soften the horns that have stood
the attrition OF red-hot sand for half n century
Those skins do not wear we'll between tho
scales. There are other imperiections in the
skins. The demand for colored goods helps us
OUT however as the colOring matter covers n
multitude OF imperfectione. When you want
an alligator leather article OF any kind choose
mo uncoiored goods pay y fair price and you
and best"