The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-06-30
Making straw Hats.

not peculiarly American, mas aItalneu I'M
mense proportions in this country. Over
in Brooklyn, in some of the quiet streets
between the city hall district and Broad
way, are number of straw hat manutac-
tories, some of which give employment to
more than two hundred hands, besides
lot of the most ingenious and skilfully de-
vised machinery. Most of this machinery
is of American invention. With it ten
times more work can be turned out by the
skilled operative than by the old hand pro-
cess, and yet better wages made at less
labor
The straw hat of civilization is nearly a
century old, and its manufacture was not
begun in Brooklyn to any extent until
about eleven years ago. The raw material
is all imported, and, in fact, reaches the
manufacturer here in a considerably adj
vanced stage of preparation. 1t comes
from China, Japan and southern Europe
chiefly. Years ago, when straw goods
brought higher prices, braids woven with
Tuscan straw, and that from Bohemia and
Switzerland were exclusively used, but
they are now employed only for the finest
grades. The cheaper qualities for the
masses, such as the "Mackinaws;" are al
most entirely made with the straw braid
imported from China This was found to
be less expensive than any other, because
the cost of living among the producers
amounts to almost nothing.
The Leghorn hat is made entirely In
Italy, and only the finishing is done in this
country. Chip and Panama hats, although
sold under the general denomination of
straws, are made in fact from entirely diff
ferent material. The chip is SO called be-
cause made from the splints of the Lom-
hardy poplar, out of which the sap has
been dried by burial in the ground for
three years-a precaution taken to prevent
it from turning red, which happens when
dried in the air. The Panama is made
from the immature leaves of palm tree
Indigenous to South America.
The district of China where straw braid
is made lies in the region of Canton, and
many millions of people are employed IN
its production. Living principally on fruits,
Yields, and with no inclination to do more
profitable work, it is often the only occupa-
ton that all the members of the family
engage in. The average wages earned are
penny a day. When the species of grass
or wheat used for making the straw has
attained its full height, and before it is
quite ripe, it is cut down, left on the ground
and allowed to bleach in the sun. This
process being completed, the stalks are
bound in sheaves about foot in circum-
ference and then drawn out as wanted
After severing them at the joints into strips
four or five inches in length, they are put
into kind of sieve and sorted in equal
sizes Those at the top being finer have a
greater value than the lower or coarser ones
These pieces are in turn separated and tied
into bundles of convenient size. Those Of
good color are laid aside for bleaching
while those spotted or discolored are dyed
and used with the bleached to make Farie-
gated braids, The solid colors are all dyed
in America to suit the leading fashion
The bleaching is done by inclosing the
stalks in box with burning birthstone
The plating, next in order, is done mostly
by women and girls, while the straw is in
damp state, and after the braids are
pressed fiat they are put in rolls of sixty
yards, packed in bales and ready for expor-
tation. Encouraged by their government
the japanese, with their characteristic
energy, have recently begun this industry,
When the rolls reach the manufacturer
in this country the braids are slightly
moistened and then sown together, begin
ming at the crown and working round un-
til the whole is finished. On the top floor
of the straw works are the sulphur rooms,
where some of the hats are bleaehed. 1t
is found that nature or science has provi-
ded nothing so powerful in this regard as
the sun, and all the sulphur baths and
other processes of bleaching are not COM
parable with the sun bath. Ladies often
feel disappointed because their straw hats
turn yellow, but this is the natural result
of sulphur bleached goods. Such thing
never happens after sun bleaching. When
practicable and the weather permits this
latter process is used at all the works, and
on fine day rows of hats may be seen on
the roof undergoing whitening by the
operation of the suns rays. After being
dipped in French glue they are placed in
drying room where the temperature is
about 1l5 degs. and where the moisture is
extracted by means of rapidly revolving
fans, driven at high speed. This leaves
the hat in a very pliable condition.
The blocking process is next in order.
Looking at a numbered tag which has
been previously scwed inside, the work
man places the hat on the proper steam
heated sectional expanding metal block and
presses it into the required size and shape.
This blocking machine was invented at the
straw works. The bat is then place on
solid metal dies corresponding in size 10
the blocks above mentioned, and subjected
to powerful hydraulic pressure, which
gives it its proper form, If for men and
boys, the swaziland is then sewn in, and
meanwhile the lace tip for the interior of
the crown is prepared by an ingenious
machine which has an attachment fof cut
ting it the exact shape and size, as well as
for sewing. Putting on the band, the only
process requiring handiwork in the
making of these goods, is the last opera
ton, and the hat is finished ready for box
ing and shipment.-New York CONNER
cidl Advertiser.