Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-12-29
HOW TO MAKE GLOVES.
THOR Manufacture in a Specimen
American Factory.
The steel Hands Used for CuttlnE-A
Dainty Process for Fine Gloves
No "Back-aches' Ia this
Business.


which We lately entered, VIC 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.
The skins. two or three thickncsses at
a time, after being laid under a 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 table were heaps of
the square cut skins. He showed me,
at Il sign from the fore woman, a
square box open on one side. in which
was shining-steel 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 qucer-looking machine, fixing
il very squarely and evenly. Then he
sliced string which held the handle
of an upper arm, pulled this arm with
it two big iron balls one at each
cnd-twisted il on one side. then gave
il sharp, sudden turn twice, each
time soft distinct thud being heard.
Now you are to look" said my
conductor.
The young man again fastened the
handle of the cutting-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 Us smoothly
and evenly and perfectly in shape as If
done by tho most deXterous scissors
six of them. Each part of the six gloves
was complete; the hand, tho fingers,
the thumb isolated and by itself. with
the little gussct on the under side of
the thumbpiece and the strips that go
between the fingers. The workman
quickly took out and laid aside the six
gloves and repeated the operation with
another set of six skins.
Are all your gloves cut by ma
chincry?" asked.
"All. save those made TO private
orders, where the hand is carefully meas
ured all over and the skin cut with
the scissors. Now, see again. From
the cutting-machine-and all gloves
made for the general trade in Europe
arc cut in the same way-must be taken
out all the shavings, thc little scraps
that ale waste. This is done by other
workmen. Then pairs arc carefully
sorted TO each other and laid together
and marked"
Are they all made herc?'
''Oh, no, they arc carried TO the pri-
yaic houses by the dozen of pairs, all
persons taking them away having a
book in which the number taken and
returned is registered. We make only
the best quality here
The buzz OF scwing-machincs was
audible all over the building; and no
wonder, since the large room was en-
tircly occupied by girls making differ
cnt kinds of gloves There arc several
kinds OF machines used in glovc-scwing,
some of French invention, some of
American, the over sewers all French.
No gloves whatever arc now scwcd by
hand. My guide led mo to one side of
the long-room, in which she said the
finest gloves were made, and where
several girls sat each before a peculiar
looking machine, its needles turned
sidewisc instead of being in hori-
zontal position. This process seemed
to be dainty one. On each machine
lay 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 OPP
orator picked up glove and folded il
togcthcr--from the lower Part of the
thumb TO the wrist il is cut whole
and began the outside seam, a diminu-
tive hook letting down the silk, tho
needle catching it, and thus the bcauti-
ful. even ovcrscam of tho glove was
made. When she reached the top of
the little finger the operator paused,
and picking up a pile of small Sits of
kid, selected one and inserted it in the
scam she was sewing. II you will OK
anime kid glove, this insertion of tho
slit or Gusset between the fingers will
be understood. Down then She went
with the seam TO the inside Of tho little
finger; and so on up and down fingers,
until she reached the top of the fore
finger, where she turned and went
back TO complete the outer seams of
the gussots till the top of the little fin
ger was again reached. The sewing of
the thumb piece and thumb gussct was
an after process.
Now she has done her part of the
glove. remarked the forewoman,
How many pairs docs she sew in a
day?"
Il think she and all the smart airls
can sew six or seven dozen pains
day. The stitching on tho back of tho
glow Is made by another machine
The next group of sewers made q,
different seam in the. gloves--a fiat
scam. II was stitched by another Kind
of machines; and there were still other
kinds. all for line GLOVES for gtntle-
mems and ladies' wear. The lin khing
At the top, whether of biIsling. pink
Ing ~ with gauntlets, was rlll done by