Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-09-23
RATTAN AND IT'S USES.
A Business of Which the Public Knows But
Little
Brooklyn Union.

Brooklyn Union.
Among the smaller, least known and
most profitable local industries Is the prep
aration of rattan for the various uses to
which it is applied. There is but one
rattan mandatory in this city and that
is located in the Eastern District. There
is said to be only five other establishments
in the country, the one in the Eastern
District being the third largest. A re-
porter DESTROYS of learning something of
the rattan industry, went to this factory,
and soon found there was an air of sec
recy about it. He was met at the door
by pleasant gentleman, who, observing
the reporter closely watching the splitting
of the rattrn into fine threads as fine al
most as whipcOrd. by being run through
a curlous-looking machine, asked him if
he had any special business with the es-
tablishment. The reporter simply said
he had been attracted to it by curiosity.
The Rev. DR.. Talmage, he added, had
once said in his hearing that he always
when abroad made it a point to enter
any and every place upon which he saw
the warning sign mo Admittance" posted
for then he felt assured there was some
ting within worth lookingssat.
'but my instructions are to admit no one
who Is not armed with permit from the
firm in New York"
"Only two weeks ago." he continued,
there came here, as you have, two very
innocent-look1ng gentlemen, and they
were so reserved in their manners and so
full of curiosity that [ forgot to be suspi
cious, and whenever they inquired about
Or hat of
unhesitatingly explain its cOnstruc-
ton, how it worked and the class of cane
it turned out. I have since learned that
the two inquiring gentlemen we're seek
ing information about certain combina-
tions, and that it was their intention to
open like mandatory in Newark"
The reporter explained why he called,
and then his attention was attracted to a
machine, through a hole in which rattan
followed rattan, each not less than twenty
feet in length and about a quarter of an
inch in diameter, were thrown in and split
and CHARTERED and thrown upon a receiv-
ing shelf for the hand of the chair-mak-
er, Or for baskets Or other classes of that
ware.
II notice that there was thrown out on
the left of that splitting machine very
fine fibrous threads of rattan. They are
so thin I should say there were valueless
for even the finest work"
"Much of it, the foreman answered,
'helps to get up steam, but those fibers
nearly as fine as your hair, by deft hands
are used in making what I call miracles
of art You would be surpriaed at. the
range of uses to which rattan is applied,
and the demand for 1T is yearly growing
of
dressed for hat Innings. Formerly whale
bone was used, costing, when dressed, not
les than 81 the pound; but this fine rattan
crod quite as good for the purpose, as
tough and elastic, can be prepared at a
much lower figure, probably for about 81
the pound. That is quite saving to the
hat manufacturer, particularly if he is
largely in the business"
at must be costly to import. It is so
light, ship could never take in a full
cargo of it?" remarked the reporter.
at is not so light when in bulk as you
imagine" was the reply. 1.-THE last ship
that came to this port had about eighty
ton of it snugly slowed away in the orig
inal packages -each package weighing
between sixty and seventy pounds"
"From what part of Asia do you leading
ly import your cane?"
''Our rattan usually comes to us direct
from ports in Borneo, Sumatra, the Ceie-
bes and the Moluccas, and from the Ma
layan peninsula. The rattans of Borneo
and Sumatra are considered the best for
the purposes to which we devote the
cane. We do not import many tons of
the thicker growth, which often has a
girth of six inches. What we seek are
the finer grades such as are worked up in
to chairs, bedsteads, carriage bodies, bas-
kets, picture frames, brushes, brooms,
sweepers for streets and so on. The old
er or coarser growth, say of half an inch
or so diameter, are made into walking
canes, whip handles and other useful
things. Good fishing rods are also man
ufactured from it. In this and for many
other things it is preferable to the BAN
boo, another, as you are aware of East
India growth
"Have you any idea of the tonnage
of the rattan that is shipped to this coun-
try?"
Il roughly guess it at about four-hun-
dred tons''
Il notice." continued the reporter, find
ing the foreman in a communicative mood,
and no longer distrustful, "that you make
OhOOAO VI o11O 1oUUclIl OOAOAISo SOdLSO OlCS
for stables and yards.
eyes, there is great demand for
them," he continued. ''That young man
over there is stented. His task is to make
six and half dozen each day. He finish
os his work in about nine hours for which
he receiver 49,"
"Do you manufacture chairs, baskets,
and SO on?',
mo we take them in exchange for pre-
pared rattan. The firm in New York
finds no difficulty in disposing of them
to lobbers and dealers in furniture. There
IS large business transacted in that way.
There is little col ony of workers in will
low and rattan goods in Fifteenth and
Sixteenth Wards, and they regard such
as an accommodation
"Then, beyond making these brooms
for yards and stables you manufacture
but little that can be put Immediately on
the market?"
at is not necessary that we shouldn
was the answer. 'Our leading business
is to prepare rattan for the different
trades that use it. Of the prepared canes
we always keep market able stock on
hand. For example we have rattan enough
fnr hot