The Penn's Grove record., 1883-11-24
Making Straw Braid.

dustries Of Detroit, and is carried on
exclusively by the French peo-
pie. OF the millions OF yards that are
bought in small lots TO Detroit every
year not more than one per cent. Is
made 10y native Americans, or Ia fact
by any except the class mentioned.
For miles up and down on both sides
of the river, but chiefly in Canada,
there are sc res of "Muskrat French
who devote their little plot of ground to
raising wheat, the straw of which Is
utilized as their main source of income.
81 don't think 81 is very generally
known" said a prominent dealer in
Detroit. "that in this city is the most
important market for straw braid In
the United States. The business has
been carried on here for over half a
century, aud although the manufacture
of hats is not SO extensive rs it was
some years ago, the amount OF braid
handled has not diminished, but has
rather increased. When / went Into
tie business, over forty years ago,
Machinaw straw goods, as they are
technically called, were almost unknown
in the Eastern States. and for u long
time after they came in the market
Detroit and one or two other points
had q monopoly of the manufacture.
Now, my factory here is the only one,
aside from those attached to the large
Va ~ h.ssd baina n1,~St ta hroh.
10 nj. -. ~ 49, Sh;iaJ
~ W. III - soarn noanrfao'
-
wi 80 H.
npot;to &C., -, S,,a;oh and
:. Tnsaa. "aa-IaLa
GIa,r Thasa &c amaIi -sa,.iansnts
a. .hasa no;nts whoso nLahitants for a
aenarat;an haci have danandad ON the
. Isa9 SO ~ po.s 80
80, III 80 - - anS .t,a straw nsa5
-n.aus -. 49, Lostau ~
ssso 80 oa"nooa s,hs.;,n;aa Co.
: ,nsas;or 80 ~ hra;51 - oa,barsd
;,at Lafora a. - 40 rna Thosa
u,ho a. ~ xa;s. e sha,aso,vas on hacL
- AZ tarmnr n-anmmn;tn and nv
srnD saIs 49, a.ana - aorn ~ arow;ng
a,rau n,tan nan;no mucb mopa tban
the grain itself is worth. The heads
have to be cut off and left behind,
though there amt many farmers who
wouldn't Jump at the chance to throw
in the whole crop If they could sell all
the straw at the price that is asked for
acre OF 1t. 1T is surprising what
money these French people can get out
a small patch of straw. / can recall
one instance of a man who raised eight
bushel of wheat on half an acre, aud
sold $3.50 worth of braid that he and
his family made from tine straw. The
cut the straw into pieces about
eight inches long, tie it up in small
bundles, and pack il away in garrets
and other dry places"
"Brald 1t ut their leisure, / SUPPOSED"
Yes; during the winter all the fam
from the children to the grand
parents, work and tnrn out an amount
IN a few hours that would seem in
credible to a person not used to the
business, OF the seyen-ply straw braid
so to rs yards is a fan, average for one
aud there are experts who can
make 100 yards in II hours.
kua,.t q, &if ma
,,snsIv masa tw;ca % mpeb 49, thay
MI cbonn,no wooa at tna rnl;no
'seT, flor. ia an mpob monov in II.
,v,,v an no, o,i,Sr class.s ut. st,ar
hra,dy'
s.1,,at orastin, ~, r.ver bao,,
n ansr hnt !, 10 navar,hatass a
that tbav non't Even the Indians
viii ali their skiIl aud tasts M mak1no
hasLat WI mats etc raw never r.
Snos,adse hraided anv straw A.
go thav never soId If in Datroit
III ;mnrsss;on nrevo,,s in the East
rom the word .uack,naw hat the
indians all make II INIT the name /
a oood many other commercial annel~
Iati,,,,s bas mo s~ectional sionificance
M 10 or;o;n was nnrelv sccidanta1
About 5o years 400 n ph;IsdeInbia hat
uhiIe yatproiny, from a trim tn St
Marv stoone5 over at Detroit He saw
of nnr hand made straw mats for
The era tin,e and tnongh he wasn't
verv favar. "A l u, ara. aad with 4I,em NJ
nvestaa in . don % he said sinsl for
mex and 20 zee What the natives down
IN his own Ststa wrnld think of tbem'
Whan ba cot hon he disnIav.d them
IN his sbow window and soon an old
Onaker dropned in.n
WAT daes tbae cali this new sbaad
roorSD 10 asSsa sicr;na ~ NJ 81 lie
Pr and axam,ned Il
.sTha batter had never heard anv
,ronar name annI;ad IN tham hnt
sf,ar . momant,s nsnse ran,;ad. .Mack.
80 hats Thay ara worth * aach "
.Tha zan so,dsssoisis at ,,,as nr;ee
=, 10 80 naa,nn1nn ~ m,at ws
"oao ..ade ~ 49, East
ph;,aalpoh.a 49, ~ nraar,na a.
ai,aass rsfarrad 20 them as The
.Mack;naw hats and the name thus
became Gxad 81
Are imitation of the Mackinaw hats
put in the market"
eyes. any Q of them. and the
worst OF it is that the shoddy can be
made more attractive than tine genuine.
and the average customer at retail
couldn't to save his neck tell the
difference. Rice straw goods can be
sold at q large profit of so per cent.