San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-12-15

neaIySvery bird Gi'1t.s dies, from the tfny
cumming bird to the majestic eagle. There
are the long, slender tail flanents of the
bird Of paradise, the bright feathers of the
red ibis, of the ptar1nigan, peacock, tro-
gan, paroquet argus, pheasant, white vul-
tIre, owl, heron, gull and pigeon. The
groupings Of these feathers into single hat
adornment, such as is seen occasionally,
would set a naturalist wild with rage, it being
no uncommon thing to see such combina-
ton as the head and neck Of a tanager, the
wings of gull and the tail feathers of pea
cock and heron. So, too, the coloring of ma !.
tures own is lost in the multiple dyes OF thel
chemist
Nor do TIE interest and Importance of thei
feather end here, its utility being fully equal
to its beauty. Daily, or nightly rather, does
it minister to mans comfort, and it is the |
object upon which he lays his head when the
vital spark is leaving its clayey tenament. |
OF late years there have bean many subSti- |
tutes offered for the feather bed, but it roy
ally holds its own In popular demand, despite
the wire wove horsehair, wooden and the
numerous vegetable mattresses that are made.
Mans ingenuity finds no substitute for feath-
ers in pillows and holsters, 50 that with the
demand for their use in beds for the thouands
who win have no other, and for the head
rests named, the trade in these, as a manufac-
turer declares, is constantly on the increase.
Some idea OF the magnitude of this industry
may be had whom it is stated that two manu-
facturers in Chicago sell nearly three millions
Of pounds annually.
Most Of the feathers used in this way, say
from 90 to 70 per cent, are plucked from live
geese of the gray and white varieties They
come mainly from Kentucky, Tennessee and
points farther south, and from portions of
Ohio, Indiana. Illinois and Missouri. Feathers
plucked from dead geese have no value, and
are not purchased. In some localities the in
dustry is very large indeed, there being in
dividuaI farmers who own as many as 10000
birds. The plucking process might be hui
name but for the avarice Of the growers,
who insist on picking the feathers and
down from four to six times year, often be-
fore they are 'ripe." All feathers received
by the manufacturers contain a number
with the lower parts Of the quilts filed with
blood, sign that their withdrawal entailed
suffering upon the birds Still, 1t is not
taken much to heart for 1t does not abridge
life, there being famous old geese which have
undergone this ordeal for a full score of
years, and that yet can pasture as lively as
those that have lived but two seasons The
average of goose life, however, is scarcely
more than from eight to ten years.
YIELD OF EACH BIRD
The quantity of feathers yielded In a year
varies somewhat Some have given as much |
as two pounds; the average is fully pound |
to each bird. Nashville and Louisville arel
the chief headquarters for goose feathers, |
which are shipped there to commission mer-
chants and sold by them TO manufacturersl
here and ell over the country. They aTivel
h somewhat bad shape, but Of late their con-
dttton has been greatly improved When re-
ceived at the factories they are steamed and |
deodorized and the unripe separated from the
ripe feathers
Besides the goose the domestic chicken,
turkey and duck furnish material for beds, |
bolster and pillow. These, differing from the
goose, come invariably from dead birds, |
which are picked in a dry state. Illinois,
Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin supply the
Chicago factories in great part These
feathers are much inferior to those Of the
goose, and are sold largely to boarding. houses
on the frontier and to those whose circum-
stances will not permit investment in the
more desirable. 1t is just possible, as Chi
caSo dealer said, that some boarding house
keepers nearer home buy the inferior goods
Besides being subject to the same treatment
as the goose feathers, they are 'crushedn to
add to their elasticity.
The total Of trade In these feathers can
scarcely be estimated, but it is very large
and growing. The older manufacturers
show constant increase in business, while
new ones are coming in from time to time.
At the south and among the Germans the
feather bed is preferred before any other.
Many of the latter sleep under as well as
upon one, the upper one, however, being less
heavy. Down, which is very fine, is not
used for beds. Whether of the goose or of
elder, it is imported. 1t has much greater
power to retain heat than the feathers, and
hence is used mainly in comforts for the bed.
Chicago Herald.