The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-09-30
THE BASKET MAKERS.
VISIT TO A O0LONY Tor PRIMITIVE
AND UNREFiNeo FOLK.

York. and is reached by the New York
New Haven and Hartford r.ilroad, vis
Stanford and New Canaan. 4 colony OF
basket makers there inhabit district be
. ginning about four miles north of New
Canaan, running in length sbout eight
Eiles. and in width about three miles
In this bGiliwck is included another set.
Element called Jumptcwn. BIZ: the whole
district is known as Dantowa. The set.
tlement derives its name from the first
settlers, whose name was Dan. and ninety.
nine hundredths Of the people who live
there now are also Dams.
We drove over to Dantowu to see IL
they were really the uncouth people they
were credited with being The roads are
narrow and full of rocks: in fact. the
whole country is nothing bat rocks and
an almost impenetrable jungle. The
homes of the basket makers are old.
tumble down, ramshackle affairs, I'M
painted, built of oak shingles, one-half
of them fallen off. and the balance in q
state Of irretrieyable decay, fences falling
down, gates with no hinges, the whole
settlement looking as If cyclone had
struck it away back in revolutionary
war times, and not a stroke Of repairs
been put TO it since.
VIEW OF AN INTERIOR.
For furniture of these houses there IS
nothing but the plasnest straight backed
chairs, with basket woven seats, some of
them handed down from great grand
fathers time, and some of late domestic
manufacture, but all presenting the same
style and discomfort. The old fashioned
fireplaces are built of wood and plastered
inside and out The landowners are not
high livers. They eat because it sustains
life. They do not SIT long at table, and
they dispense with all of the convention.
alities of table etiquette. The writer sat
down to dine, or. as the host expressed It.
ito take pot luck, and was told to pitch
in and help yerself, which he did. The
bill Of fare was pork and beans, potatoes.
bread and molssses and apple sauce, the
young girl Of the family remarking: Say.
maar. eff it's dark t'night I'll git nuther
bag o them there apples" Whereupon
mar replied: Dry up yer yawp."
The people I've frugally, because they !
are compelled. A basket maker must I
work early and late 10 make IS week. /
and as there are generally dozen young I
ms about the house this does not 90 7
far, though the young 'uns" were all in
a semi state of nudity
Yet these people are as content with
their lot as a North Carolina clay cater
There Is always market for their baskets (
and they manage 10 squeeze along on the
commOnest food SO that they can indulge
in tobacco and get the little brown Jug
filed. The latter is Of more absolute
necessity 10 the majority of the Dantown-
ars than the sack of flour or the fitch of
bacon. Years ago they were famous for
heir store Of Medford rum. but il is never
seen now. H. It's place is rye whisky. and
not the best, either. and now that New
Canaan is a prohibition town, they are
sometimes put 20 desperate straits for the
gherewithal 10 wet their whistles.
TIE BASKET MAKER AT WORK.
There arc no organized workshops, and
he business Of setting up baskets is car
led on in the kitchen. dining room and
'arlor, which is generally all in one room. ]
-hey are very particular about their tim /
'er. They use hickory. white and black I
sh and black oak. They use tho first cut q
T the log and 10 other. The bark is
eeled off, and the log, which is never
yer ten inches through. is split into sec P
ions, making il easier TO handle. They S
axe section and pound it over log or I
ock until it slivers. II is then segregated S
Y peeling the slivers off. which are used
)r what is called filling for the baskets
he standards are peeled much thicker,
nd have the appearance Of a flour barrel II
oop. They are tied in bundles, and, if 81
Of used when green, are soaked in water ~
yer night, which makes them pliable and III
Isy to weave. If they do not cut this p
God themselves they are compelled 20 II
~ SIC cord for il; but il is said that u b.
eat many cut their own wood and are G..
1t particular whose land they cut it y
ON. Times have changed wish tho bas "a
It makers. and competition has cheap r
ed their product from SIS q dozen A
7enty years ago to $3.50 dozen now be
ld then wood WAS only S. q cord. b.
The mode Of basket making is simple re
rst the thick sticks are cut to the re.
tired length and laid on the ground,
oking like a gigantic starish. st the
int of contact they are fastened. end =.
en- comes the work Of weaving the light -
side strips in and out. Que strip is -
oven IN several times around the basket -.
fore it gives out. when anather one is
Dped on. AS the weaving continues the -
indards are raised and bent or shaped 49,
til il has reached the required height - !.
zen two thicker strips. fiat on one side, -,
lnded with draw shave on the other. -
, clapped OH. The standards. which r 20,
lject above this band, are twisted ~
,und it and securely fastened. Tie
ndles are put on before the band is
csc are made Of q thick strip trimmed
WI smooth, with a notch cut in them. -,
ich abuts against tho band Then the ~,
iket is turned upside down, and an. o. 90,
er star shaped set OF strips is pushed III.
through the wool Of tho basket This eL eli
lone SO that tine basket can sit on its -,
n bottom. A basket maker has to -.
stle - make two dozen baskets IN q ~.
TX. They make all kinds-tho corn, ~,
market and the oyster basket, but the 90 90
Ter takes precedence over the two for 60 49,.
+, as the demand along the sound is -"
er filled.-Dantovn IN. y Cor. New
* Sun. ,
% the Front $50