The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1883-06-07
American Baby Carriages.

Why don't you write something about
baby carriagesP There is more in the
carriage than any one dreams of when
looking at the bright-eyed bundle of
dimpleS it is made to carry during the
warm days Of summer" said manu-
tacturer of carriages to reporter.
''Baby carriages, as an article Of
trade, are modern invention, having
been manufactured in this country but
little over thirty years, y he continued.
1.-The first baby carriage was not much
of beauty, when compared with those
made nowadays. 1t was gig, and
was made in imitation of those i'm
ported, in very small numbers, from
England. 1t was merely small car
riage on two wheels. The tongue was
used as handle to draw it along the
walk, while an iron rod, running down
from the tongue, served to support the
carriage in nearly horizontal position
when it was called to stand alone. The
chief objections to the style were that it
was unhandy and very ugly; that the
baby had to sit up as straight as dea-
con at church, and that it had fashion
Of tipping over backward and spilling
its small occupant on the sidewalk
when he took a notion to throw himself
backward with unusual energy. 1t was
not much of success for the manu-
facturer, either There was no demand
for it. One had to look for a conductor
or a sporting man, or some other man
whose money came easy, to find Gus
toner"
What were the prices in those
daysPn
"Oh, all the way up from eight to
thirty and forty dollars When we
got to making them with one wheel in
front in place of the iron rest and put
the handle on behind SO that they could
be pushed, we also learned to finish
them little better and prices went
higher. With side lamps and silver
trimmings they were very ornamental.
1t was only step more to put two
wheels in front, but it was n long time
before we got the idea that a baby
would like to lie down in a comfortable
position"
did you make any provision for
twins in those daysn
Eyes. The double carriages, having
two tops like regular country top
buggy, looked like Jersey stage coach.
All this time the carriage bodies were
made of wood. Finally baskets were
substituted. Then one man smarter
than the rest of us made an indepen-
dent fortune by inventing that arrange
ment for canting the canopy top for
ward or backward as occasion demands.
Twenty cents carriage is the royalty
paid for using that. The parasol tor
is modern idea and is very conyen.
lent.
"What are the prices now, and how
much can a man pay for carriage
made to order?n
"The highest price ! know Of was
$3.50. This carriage was gorgeous
array of silks and metals. ! have made
stacks of them that sold for $75 and
$50. They are common at $40 and $50.
Good, solid cane carriages run from S2j
t. $50; reed carriages from $l2 to $50.
Carriages at these prices, when made
by reputable manufacturers, are good,
ssryiceable vehicles, warranted to raise
two babies. Where we get rich is in
selling the carriage for the first baby.
The father very foolshly brings his
wife along to help select the carriage.
To her mind no poor, cheap affair will
do for the handsomest baby in the
world. and the father, with pardonable
pride, tells us to send up her selection,
which is usually the best we have The
quality Of the carriage purchased does
not depend on the size Of man purse,
for it often happens that mechanics buy
the best carriages. y
''Do styles vary through the coun-
try9"
"Ob, yes. Out West the canopy top
is in demand. In the East the parasol
is the thing. There is even demand
for few of the old English style wood
en- box carriages. The trade is, of
course, growing with the population.
A baby carriage in the hands of nurse
is short-iyed at the best. There is moth
ing of the kind to equal our American
baby carriages, either in strength,
cheapness or elegance. We make car
riages for the heads that are to be
crowned in Europe. The export trade
takes thousands of baby carriages.-M
Y. Sun.