The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-09-12

WHAT THE MAN-ABOUT-TOWN
SAW AND HEARD YESTERDAY.


track has been so much improved, and
the goers have become so meitlesome'
that only those who have passed under
the wire ahead. with the colors OF sue
cess proudly haunting in the breeze.
have time 10 go around using the eye
of observation and revolving IN their
minds the strange sights and pretty
pictures that afford food for detection
in the great. busy whirlpool Of trade
and merchandise.
Yes, there are those whose business IL
Is TO think. whose meat and bread 1t Is
To write 10 set others to thinking, and
there may be those who snatch enough
time frem busy cares to read and rumi-
ate. Perhaps they will say:
"Ihere mcthnks would be enjoyment more
than In This march q mind,
Than in the steamship. I'm the railway in the
thoughts tlat shake mankind
Who knows Of a new industry that
has sprung up here within the last two
wears. and has grown right along from
the very jump
A great many Of our business men, In
fact all OF the prominent ones. have
heard of the Southern Railway Supply
Company. Its general manager here Is
one of the most popular ana widely
known councilman in the city: but the
minu;ja of the business. the character
of the enterprise and the details OF the
work done by the branch house Of the
company here are neither understood
nor appreciated. The TINES man
about-town owns up that no did not
know until in his travels and observa-
tions he passed through the manu-
featuring establishment and saw Tor
himself. and doing this means that the
public shall see also. so far as his ability
TO make them do so rs effective. 1t
may sonpd like harping upon "A
mOuldored strlOg. that rs to those
whose ears are not well attuned 10
progressive notes, but it will be music
10 those who have the development Of
Richmond industries at stake.
The new industry of which we pro-
pose to talk is the manufacture OF lace
leather.
In 1916 the Southern Railway Supply
Company established on Cary street a
manufactory for making the article al
luded 10, and. as before stated, engaged
the services of Mr.. Joynos a. manager.
The building was admirably located
for trade purposes. being right on the
Richmond and Danyille railroad. and
IN few yards of the dock. The house
was fitted up with the very latest and
approved machinery that cOp,d be
found, and business was commenced.
Now you will be told how lace leath-
or is made and 70 what purposes II is
applied.
The hides from cattle are first shaved
by machinery, on the flesh side. the
hair is removed. and the hides subject
cd 10 a process called 'pickling.' The
chemical cont Ouuds of the liquid that
covers the hides in the great watts III
The establishment are kept secret. 1t
is sufficient TO say that after being kept
in the watts for sixty daysl they are
taken out, having been sufficiently
tanned.
The hides when they come from the
picking process look white and nice.
having almost the same appearance as
iripe when it is ready for culinary
purposes. Then they are split by ma
chinerv and subjected TO what is called
shaving. which is also done by ma.
chnery. The hides are then taken to
an apartment above, and there placed
i'm "a driving room. after which they are
well-Oied and made ready for being
cut up into belts aud hame'strings.
These hame-strings are a vast I'M
provemen; upon the old-time ones of
which the daikies in 1.-THE old Virginia
break down sung
ooh, look way over yondcr,
An see ole muster coming,
Hand full o hickNs.
An de Higgers all funnln,
H'ck'rN in one hand,
Raw hide Ia tie odder.
An little piece of hame-string
70 draw yer hands to-gedder.
Brthe way. the tanning is called the
hide process.
They have strings cut by machinery
invented 10y Mr.. Joynes, and they are
made very rapidly one hand being able
to turn out in day forty-five gross Of
them.
The house employs travelling agents,
who introduce and find ready sale for
the lace leather and strings all over the
country. 4 force of hands is employed
that is sufficient To draw from the treas
urer of the company, COUPLED with
ether expenditures here in. Richmond in
enc wear. twenty-five thousand dollars.
All the hides used are purchased IN
our home market. Notwithstanding
strong competition in other places
North. the house has been successful
from It's inciplcncy. 1t is the only man
ufactory OF the kind the city.
When asked what he thought III the
facilities offered here for manufactures,
Mr.. Joynes replied with emphasis:
Richmond is the best place in this
country for such purposes. Other cities
are not favored. as we are. with wafer
rate facilities, and we have railroads at
our doors that give US fair rates. The
wonder is that there are not more
Manufacturing establishments here.
Hoop-poles oiled into Nj. Murphy u
Bro. 5 cooper shop, Nos. 1924 and lo2b
Cary street, and barrels rolled out yes
tcrday.
The TINES man followed the hoop
poles and stood in front of the door OF
a comfortable room, IN which was
seated gentleman with genial face,
aud over which smile of welcome
passed. as in good. old-fashioDed,
genuine Irish brogue he gave the visitor
the top of the afternoon, invited him
and pointed 10 chair. 1t was Mr..
Murphy. the brother of NJ. Michael
Murphy. OF the firm of NJ. Murphy *
Bro.
A chat about the business was at once
commenced.
From what followed the following
information was CLEANED Messrs. Muir
ply 4 Brother commenced business rs
coopers at their present stand IN 1858.
and have been at the old stand ever
since. When men that are born on the
"old sod itself come TO this LAND of
the free and home of the brave. as
Francis Scott Key called il, and set
their hearts on an object they generally
get it. Murphy q Brother were born in
Belfast. Ireland, and when they started
with small means and limited force,
they made up their minds that they
would "stIck close 10 their desks, at
tend To their own business, and if fail
ucc came 1t should not be for lack OF a
fight To keen IL of But digappOint-