Thomas County cat., 1886-11-25
HOW TO MAKE GLOVES.
Their Manufacture in a Specimen
American Factory.
The Steel Hands Used for Cuttins-A
Dainty Process for Fine Gloves
No "Eack-aches" in this
business.

In the work-room of glove factory,
which we lately entered. we found
some of the operators cutting
prepared skins into blocks or square
pieces, the exact length and width of
certain sizes of gloves and mittens.
a time, after being laid under cutter,
were chopped square in an instant.
This was the second step in the pro-
cess. In another place young man
stood before machine that looked
like printing press OF moderate size.
Beside HIM on Il table. were heaps of
the square cut skins. He showed me,
at a sign from the fore-woman, a
square box open on one de, in which
was shining-stccl outline of a hand.
On this outline or shape he now laid
six squares of skin, and, slipping a
cover on the box. placed it on the top
of the queer-looking machine. fixing
it very squarcly and evenly. Then he
siezed string which held the handle
of ali upper arm, pulled this arm with
it two big iron bai!s-one at each
end-twisted it on one side. then gave
it sharp. sudden turn twice, each
l.me 4 soft distinct thud being heard.
Nov you are to look" said my
conductor.
The young man again fastened the
handle of the cuttin g-machine. then he
took out the box. He was obliged to
Use hammer in opening it. the top
had become so fast. There in the box
lay the entire glove. cut rs smoothly
and evenly and perfectly in shape rs if
done by the most deNterous scissors
six of them. Each part of the six gloves
was complete; the hand. the fingers,
the thumb isolated and by itself. with
the little gusSet on the under side OF
the thumbpiece and the strips that 90
between the fingers. The workman
quickly took out and laid aside the six
gloves and repeated the operation with
another set OF six skins.
"Arc all your gloves cut by ma
chncry?" / asked.
"Aii. save those made to private
orders. where the hand is scarefully meas
urcd all over and the skin cut with
the scissors. Now, see again. From
the utting-machine-an all gloves
made for the general trade in Europe
are cut in the same way-must be- taken
out all the shaving>. the little scraps
5 that ase waste. This is done bv other
worAmen. Then pairs are carefully
sorted TO each other and laid together
and marked
''Are they all made iIere?'
''Oh. no, they are carried to the pri-
vate houses by the dozen of pairs, all
persons taking them away having a
book in which the NUM- Der taken and
returned is registered. We make only
the best quality here"
The buzz of sewing-machines was
audible all over the building; and no
wonder. since the large room was en-
tirely occupied by girls making differ
ent kinds of gloves There are several
kinds of machines used in glove-sewing.
some of French invention, some of
American, the over sewers all French.
No gloves whatever are now sewed by
hand. My guide led me to one side Of
the long-room. in which she said the
finest gloves were made, and where
several girls sat each before peculiar
looking machine, its needles turned
sidewise instead of being in q hori-
zontal position. This process seemed
to be dainty one. On each machine
lay a pile Of soft dark skins, cut and
and ready for manufacture. The ma
chine was in this instance threaded
with white silk, two spools. The op-
orator picked up glove and folded it
together-from the lower part of the
thumb to the wrist it is cut whole
and began the outside seam, diminu-
tive hoax letting down the silk. the
needle catching it. and thus the beauti-
ful, even overseam of the glove was