The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-07-26
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UMBRELLAS.
How They Looked In 1878 and How They
are Made at Present

How They Looked In Is75 and How They
are Made at Present.
The earliest English umbrellas were
made of oiled silk, and were very clumsy
and difficult to open when wet, while the
stick and furniture were heavy and incon-
yenient. Umbrellas first came into general
use about l775. 1t was at first considered
a mark Of groat efeminanoy TO carry one.
The transition TO the present portable form
IA due partly to the substitution OF silk and
Rlpgham for the heavy and troublesome
oiled silk, which admitted of the
rios and frames being made much lighter,
and also to the many ingenious mechanical
improvements in the framework, chiefly
by French and English manufacturers.
Specimens OF umbrellas made in 1645
weighed 3 pounds 81 ounces, and the ribs
we're 81 l.2inches long. The ribs were for
merry Of whalebohe, were cumbersome.
and had but little elasticity. The miro
duction OF steel in place OF whalebone was
tine most important improvement made.
The tips are now n ade in once piece with
the ribs, instead of being made OF
bone, iapanned metal. and other materials,
and fashioned out. With but few excep-
tons, the inventors have not realized the
cost Of the patents. Great opposition was
encountered from the trade and public to
steel ribs. For a long time umbrellas were
only covered with two materials-silk and
cotton, Several materials were tried with
ont success until a fabric called alpaca,
made OF the wool Of the Gillian and Peru
Wan sheep, was manufactured. The ribs
are usually eight 10 number. although six,
seven, nine. twelve and sixteen are ire
Quently made.
Sticks for umbrellas are made from
planks sawed into strip and then turned
and bent or carved. Maple is largely used
for this purpose. The better class are
made Of roots such as bamboo, pimento.
doRs God, myrtle or orange. The handles
are made Of wood. ivory. bone, horn, tor
ioise shell. etc. Umbrel - were introduced
into the United States IN the latter part o.
the eighteenth century. Their msnuiac.
ture began about the year 1900, and is most
IL confined 10 New York, Boston and Pnils.
delphia. The manufacture OF silk fyr um.
breilas IL q special branch Of manufactufs
in Lyons, France.
The parachute commonly in use IL moth
Ing more or less than q huge umbrella, pre-
ssnting q surface Of sufficient dimensions q
erperisnce from the air q resistance equs
20 the weight Of descent In moving at ,
velocity not sxceeding that which . persor
can sustsin without injury. IL u made o
silk or cotton. To the outer edge stronl
cOyds are fastened Of about the sans length
a. tbs diameter Of the machiDe-24 20
feet. A center cord IL attached q
the apsr, and meets the cord from
the margin, sciiug In part 80 the stock Q
The umbrella. The machine Il thus kep
erpanded during descent The car is fest
ensd 70 the center cord, and the whole 81
tschsd 70 the balance IN such q name
that u may be readily and quickly de
tscbsd. eithsr By cutting . string or pullin
a frirfer. In the east u eppesrs 70 hav
been used By vsulters 10 enable them .
jump frou great beiFhfs- i. bss been 81
perinenfed With &, ansver - q Ere sscaT'
but hiLn.rto rithout much suoceEs-