The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-01-28
ExPEpIENTs IN WAR TINE.
How Salt Was Obtained Down South
Palmetto Hat AIanufacsure.
=. l.. 20.

Palmetto Hat Manufacture.
l'A=new'' in Detroit Free Press
Perhaps with us who resided in tho
portion of the COnfederacy skirting the
gulf of Mexico, the first necessity, after
the small supply on hand was exhausted,
was salt. This was a need soon felt,
and it is unnecessary to add that a
pound of it soon became very precious
Id brine that had done duty until il
could be used no longer was boiled
down until every particle of saline mat
ter was extracted from it, ana the salt
thus obtained was again in its turn used
in the same manner. As the supply
became scarcer and scarcer, the next
method, or rather recourse, was to dig
up the smoke houses and to filter water
through the earth thus obtained, this in
turn being subjected to the usual pro
cess of boiling in order to obtain the
precious condiment. So scarce did it
become as the war wore on, that when
beeye was killed, instead of sailing
down in barrels as at first, it became
more economical to cut the flesh into
thin strips and dry it in the sun. 1t
must be confessed that beef treated in
this manner is more palatable than most
persons would imagine.
They who lived near the coast Jared
somewhat better, for taking the boilers
from the various saw mills, they sepa-
rated the shells from the flues, and
splitting them into equal halves, a
strong head of wood was fitted into the
ends and thus treated they were placed
over a furnace and filled with the salt
water from the gulf. OF course the
business had its reverSeS, for sometimes
the blockading squadron attracted by
the smoke, would move up and with a
few shells completely demOlish the salt
works. The salt kettles, being made of
old boilers, were too heavy for the
enemy to carry of, and as no damage
beyond knocking out the wooden heads
could be inflicted, the salt manufactur-
erS would, with interchangeable energy
when the hostile feet removed to a safe
distance, gether up the debris, make a
few repairs and recOmmence boiling.
The ingenuity OF the people was to
replace the various articles of clothing
and the different domestic luXuries.
Old dresses and coats were turned and
made over, remodeled and cut down.
The writer remem bers we'll what pang
of envy was awakened within his bosom
going to ball one night to find that
the attentions of the fair ones were all
bestowed on an acquaintance who made
his advent that evening in a bright,
spick, span new pair of pantalOons,
made of new ticking, with broad, blue
stripes, cut bias.
Perhaps the easiest problem for us to
solve amid our various troubles was that
of making hats. Fortunately the sup
ply of palmetto in our southern swamps
is in manner speaking ineXhaustible,
aud from this source we were soon com
PEELED by the course of events to draw
our supply of hats. We soon learned
to improve upon the first rude models,
and when the war was brought to a
acquired the taste and proficiency The
palmetto hats they made would not
have reflected discredit uEOn a fashion
able halter
The heart of the palmetto is gener-
ally selected as being still held to-
gether, and not bein =, ~1,rontad ont
and unfnldaflcv,91,,o ~ o. Pebo,Sod Lot
s1zSs,-@o-c1cu into the fan-Shaped leaI
so familiar to travellers in the south.
While in this condition the folds lie
one upon another, and are perfectly
white andpliable. After being severed
from the main trunk it is opened out
and hung in the shade to dry. About
weeks drying Su!Iices to prepare II
lOI uOC IL 10 hON OOPeAAteNOOS SShSi
fold from the other, and cut into con
venient length, then divided into little
strips about an eighth of an in b in
width, and these in turn plated OF
braided together into one continuous
braid until of sufficient length to make
the hat. The hat itself was always
commenced from the center of the
crown by sewing the braid together in
slightly overlapping circles The rim,
as a l nishing touch, was generally
bound with raid.
keenIy felt was the need of ammunl
ton. ewing to the Stringency of the
blockade it soon became almost impoS
sble to obtain either powder or lead
The latter was the first to give out. anC
in order to supply their need all the
machinery within reach was taken apar
and all the old boxes, filings, ETC., were
put to a new uSe-converted into shot
AS there were no shot towers the favor
tie method was TO climb the tallest tree
one could find, melt the lead as we'll a!
We could in the top, and let the li4uiC
metal drop into tub of cold water be
meath. The result thus obtained woulC
scarcely have awakened envy on TIT
/ part of some of our modern shot manu-
! facturers, but in the language of al
! old "moss back" who was compelled
to resort to this expedient, lit bea
! nothing all holler."