Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-11-25
II the man who operates il is not care.

II the man who operates II Is not care
full he will get some of his fingers cut
OIL. Even after the slot cutting ma
chine has done its work. there is yet
something to be done by another man
with knife before the spring can be
put in. After the springs are set tho
fcrulo is put ON. and when natural
sticks are used. as all are of different
sizes. il requires considerable time and
care To find fcrulc To lit the stick, X
well aS in the whiting oil the end OF
the stick To suit the fcrulc. And before
going further We notice here that all
the counters in the various work-roomS
are carpeted The carpet prevents the
polished sticks from being scratched
and the dust from sticking 10 the um-
brclla goods. After the handle is put
on the stick aud the band put on for
finish or ornament the stick goes TO
the frame maker, who fastcnS
the stretchers TO the ribs, strings the
top cord To the ribs on wire which l.
fitted into the "runner notch;' then
he strings the lower ends OF the
strctchcrs" on Il wire and fastens in
the runner" and then, when both
"runncrs are securely fixed the um.
brclla is ready for cover. AS thi, is
very important part OF the umbrella,
several men and women are employed
in making it. In the room where the
covers are cut You will at first notice o
great number OF V shaped things hang.
ing against the wall on either side oil
the long room. These letter VS. are
usually made of wood. tipped all
around with brass or some other fine
metal, and are of great variety OF
sizes. They are the umbrella cover
patterns, rs you soon make out. To
begin with. the cutter lays his silk or
gingham very smoothly out on n long
counter. folding it back and forth until
the fabric lies eight ar sixteen times III
thickness, the layers being several yaris
IN length. Both edges of the material
have been hcmmcd 10y 4 woman on a
sewing machine before il is spread out
ON the counter When the cutter finds
that he has the stuff smoothly arranged,
with the edges even, he lays on his
pattern, and with sharp knife quickly
draws along two sides OF it and in
twiuhling the pieces for perhaps two
umbrellas are cut out. this is 80 when
the material is sixteen LAYERS thick and
the umbrella cover is to have but eight
pieces.
After the cover is cut, each piece is
carefully examined by Il woman to see
that there are no holes nor defects IN
il. for one bad piece would spoil Il
whole umbrella. Then a man takes
the pieces and strcthc, the cut edges.
This stretching must he so skilltully
done that the whole Length Of the edge
be- evenly stretched, and it i necessary
in order to secure u good tit on the
frame. After this the pieces 80 to the
>cwing-room, where they are sewed
together by woman on a sewing
machine in what is called pudding
bag seam" The woman must have
the machine tension just right or the
thread of the seam will break when the
cover is stretched over the frame. The
next step in the work is to fa,tcn the
cover TO the frame, which is done 10y u
woman After the cover is fastened
at the top and bottom. she half hoists
the umbrella. and ha, small tool
which she uses To keep the umbrella in
that position; then she fastcns the
seams TO the ribs, and quick work
woman will do all tins in five minutes,
as well rs sew on the tie. which has
been made by another pair oi hands.
Then the cap /, put ON aud the UNI
brclla is completed. But before it is
sent To the salcsroom, n woman
smoOthS the edge of the umbrella all |
around with warm ilat iron. Then an
other woman holds it up to II window,
where there is a strong light. and
hunts Tor holes in it. Ii il is found to
he pcricc; the cover i neatly arranged |
about the stick, the tie wrapped about
it and fastened, and the finished UNI
brella goes to the market for Il buyer.
From the time the stick is mounted till
the umbrella is finished. it takes but
fifteen minutes. BrOOblyH Eagle.