Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-07-21
ALLIGATOR LEATHER.
FIRST Tanned as a Curiosity, but now
Used to Make a Multitude Of Articles


Used to Make a Multitude Of Articles.
From the New York Sun.
large variety Of pocketbooks, card cases,
hand bags, and other articles made of pecu-
liar notified leather was seen in q Chambers
street show case. A long narrow piece of the
same kind of leather hung over them. It was
rounded at one end and tapered away to q
point at the other. Two lippers projected from
each side Of it.
1.-The use of alligator skins seems to be in
creasing," the reporter said to the proprietor OF
the show case.
1.-The increase is astonishing" he replied.
twelve or fifteen years ago alligator leather
was tanned as curiosity. Few articles were
made OF it. About four years ago. however. the
manufacture OF alligator leather began in
earnest. First a few shoes were made of t.
and the manufacturers Of such goods saw there
was something in it. 1t is a peculiarly beauti-
1ul leather. There are no two skins marked
just alike. andst follows that no two articles
made of the leather can be alike. The natural
cofor OF the leather is attractive aside from the
beauty of the markings. 1t finishes soft and
flexible 1t is conceded that Americans tan
and finish 1t In manner superior to the best
workmanship Of the old country. Here is a
pCcketbook; American alligator skin forms the
outside: American cafskn the lining, ANY
judge of such goods will say that it is by all
odds the handsOmest as well as the best
leather of the kind in existence. Sixty dollars
dozen for such goods, small as they are, is a
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 outwear their owners, no matter
how youthful. With these two things in It's
favor, it is no wonder that the sale of alligator
leather Is increasing"
How many alligatOrs were slaughtered to
satisfy the demand last year,
Nvt less than hall & million"
'How do you get the skins, and where do
they come frOm?'
Most OF them come from Florida and the
other Gulf states The alIigatOrs are shot with
rifles, and the negroes have almost monopoly
OF the business. When an alligator crawls out
on the sand for his afterdinner sleep he falls a
victim The negro gets from fifty cents to one
dollar apiece for alligators. The hunt is car
ried 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
long. There Is as mucn difference between the
six foot skin and the eighteen-foot skin as there
Is between calfskin and an oXhide. The skins
are packed in lime for two months to remove
the horny scales The remaining process is
much like that for any leather. It takes four
uOutliS u prepare b SIKH. mere Is tall0rV
for alligator skins In Brooklyn"
''Has any one developed an imitation of alli-
gator 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 a century,
Inc skins DO not wear well betweenth the scales.
There are other imperfectiOns In the skins. The
demand for colored goods helps us out. how
ever as the cOlOring matter covers a multitude
of imperfectiOns When you want an alligator
leather article OF any kind choose the uncolored
goods, pay fair price, and you will get the
cheapest as well as the handsOmest and best ="
The Morality Of Concert Gardens.
New York Letter in Albany Journal
Well, scandal is a hard thing to deal with. and
the difficulty reaches so lowsdowp as the keep
ers of summer beer gardens. The problem pre-
sented to those among them who desire to keep
respectable resorts is how to accomplish their
purpose Of discrimination. The fact being that
neither rags nor finery are any criterion of
character, they cannot adopt the rule in vogue
at certain east side dance house. where no
man is admitted without shirt collar. nor any
woman whose hair does not give evidence of
having been dressed on the same day. The
course OF pEetentious music gardens in this city
has Invariably been downward. beginning on
a level with fashionable decency, and ending
are thousands of respectable New Workers who
like to ameliorate the ills of hot weather with
beer and music. The proprietor Of large up
town garden is making a curious effort to give
them the liquid and harmony without subject
ing them to the elbOwing of bad folks The
stranger who presents himself at the entrance
is informed that tickets are not to be bought.
and that he can't get in without one Formali-
ty is not carried to the point OF excluding him.
however, or the woman whom he may have
brought. unless the dOorkeeper dislikes the
looks OF them. He is told that he can procure a
season ticket. His name and address are taken
down In a big book, and the blanks in a card
filled out with a show of careful precision
Thus he is qualified to 90 In, with any party
for whom he is willing to vouch. and buy all
the beer he has any use for. And this red tape
really means something. A Adjective is employed
to look into the personal concerns of fire.
quenters whose conduct rouses his suspicion,
and II the investigation goes against them they
find the door shut to them the next time they
come. This garden is especially resort for
German Jews, and the evening gathering which
l saw did not number less than 1900 men,
women and children.