Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1885-01-21
Alligator Leather.

large variety of pocket-books, card
cases, handbags and other articles made
of peculiar notified leather was seen
in 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
point at the other. Two flippers pro-
jected from each side of it.
1.-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 leatheris attractive,
aside from the beauty of tile markings.
1t finishes soft and flexible. It is con-
coded that Americans tan and finish it
in manner superior to the best work
manship of the old country. Here is u
pocket-book; American alligator skin
forms the outside; American calfskin
the lining. Any judge, of such goods
will say that it Is by aliiodds the hand
soonest as well as the best leather of the
kind in existence. Sixty dollars 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 yearp"
"Not less than half a million"
"How do you get the skins, andFhere
do they come fromp'
'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 VIC
tim. The negro gets from fifty cents to
one dollar apiece for alligators. The
hunt is carried on so vigorously that the
reptiles arc beginning 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 much diff
ference between the six-foot skin as
there is between 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. II takes four months
to prepare skin. There is tannery
for alligator skins in Brooklyn"
"Has any one developed an imitation
of alligator leatherp"
"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. Those skins do
do not wear well between the scales.
There are other impcrfcctions in the
skins. The demand for colored goods
helps us out, however, as the coloring
matter covers a multitude of Imperfect
tons. When you want an alligator ar
ticle of any kind chose the uncolorcd
goods, pay fair price, and you will get
the cheapest as well as the handsomest
and best. IN Y. Sun.