The Columbus journal., 1883-08-22
Alligator Leathefs,e

Alarge variety of pocket-books, card
cases, handbags and other articles made
of peculiar mottled leather was seen
in q Chambers street showcase. A
long narrow piece of the same kind of
leather hung over them. 1t was round
ed at one end and tapered away to q
point at the other. Two flippers pro-
jected from each side of it.
"The use of alligator skins seems to
be increasing" the reporter said to the
proprietor of the show case.
1.-The increase is astonishing" he re-
piled. "Twelve or fifteen years ago
alligator leather was tanned as curl
osity. Few articles were made of it.
About four years ago, however, the
manufacture of alligator leather began
in earnest. First few shoes were made
of it, and the manufacturers of such
goods saw there was something in it.
1t is peculiarly beautiful leather.
There are no two skins marked just
alike, and it follows that no two articles
made of the leather can be alike. The
natural color of the leather is attractive,
aside from the beauty of the markings
1t finishes soft and flexible. 1t is con-
ceded that Americans tan and finish it
in manner superior to the best work.
manship of the old country. Here is a
pocket-book; American alligator skin
forms the outside; American calfskin
the lining. Any Judge of such goods
will say that it is by all odds the hand
soonest as well as the best leather of the
kind in existence. Sixty dollars a doz-
en- for such goods, small as they are, is
low price.
"While the beauty of alligator leather
is its chief characteristic, its durability
is of hardly less Importance. These
gripsacks Of alligator leather will out
wear their owners, no matter how
youthful. With these two things in its
favor, it is no wonder that the sale of
alligator leather is increasing"
''How many alligatOrs were slaugh-
tered to satisfy the demand last year?''
:.Not less than half million"
'.How do you get the skins, andtwhere
do they come from?"
''Most of them come from Florida and
the other Gulf States. The alligators
are shot with rifles. and the negroes
have almost monopoly of the business.
When an alligator crawls out in the sand
for his after-dinner sleep he falls a vic
tim. The negro gets from fifty cents to
one dollar apiece for alligators. The
hunt is carried on 80 vigorously that tho
reptiles are beginning to grow scarce.
Laws will have to be enacted eventually
to protect them during the breeding
season and when young.
':An sizes from two to eighteen feet in
length are now killed. The choice skin
is six feet long. There Is as much diff
ference betwee en- the six-foot skin as
there is between q calf skin and an OK
hide. The skins are packed in lime fOr
two months to remove the horny scales.
The remaining process is much like that
for any leather. 1t takes four months
to prepare a skin. There is tannery
for alligator skins in Brooklyn
"Has any one developed an imitation
of alligator leather?'
THE frauds are in using imperfect
skins. No lime will soften the horns
that have stood the attrition of red-hot
sand for half century. Those skins do
do not wear we'll between the scales.
There are other imperfections in tho
skins. The demand for colored goods
helps 0suout, hoXeyer, as the cOlorjne
mat1 covers 6ititudl ppez
tiols. Whea.O6 ID want ~ alligA 4
ticle of any kind chose the uncol6fel
goods, pay fair price, and you will ge1
the cheapest as well as the handsomest
and best.n-N Y. Sun.