Evening journal., 1889-05-15
THE CID RAG CARPET.
A WEAVER OF BROOKLYN RECALLS
THE DAYS OF ITS GLORY.

Not long since, had pleasant interview
with Mr.. James Early, an old time Brooklyn
man and skilled rag carpet weaver.
mo, it's nothing like it used to be-" said
Mr.. Early, pausing for time from his labor,
in order to rest and also to answer the many
questions which curiosity prompted me to ask
FORTY years ago, when | started for myself
in this basement
"Whati so long ago as that" I interposed
LAW, yes; that doesn't seem 80 long to mo
camo Eerc just after the big fire in as. II
started below here where the feather store is
now, just opposite the bridge. remember it
well. IL was on Saturday night, Sept. Il, of
AS, and when the alarm sounded ran down
TO see tho fun 1t spread Like forty, and be-
Gore l got there the whole block back to
Henry street was a roaring, crashing mass Of
flames over which the then small force of fire.
mon had no control whatever. Tho wind was
blowing up from the river and before the fire
was checked it had swept everything clean on
this side Of the street clear up to Concord
street. They finally stopped its progress by
destroying the two corner buildings at Con
cord street by use of explosives-razcd them
to the ground-thus putting 50 much space be
tween tho approaching fire and the buildings
beyond that they had chance to work and
so got tho best Of the blaze"
"But it was carpet weaving was inquiring
about" / ventured
now THEY USED TO DO.
"Oh. so it was. Wen, as | said, forty years
ago it was one Of the best trades boy could
learn and there was good money in it. It's
different now. You want 10 know how the
things done, chr
Mr.. Early was seated before frame work
abont five feet high, extending back about
six feet, with a huge cylinder in under for the
cord. Before him was swinging wire screen,
called sley, which by means Of quick jerk
with the arm forces the rags into position
after they have been placed between the rows
of cord which he now explained the use Of
Swung over q shaft in the center of tho franc
back Of the sley, was twine screen OF per
haps fifty orsixty strands and in each strand,
between the shaft and the floor, was inserted
a small copper eye Each side Of this screen
connected with a separate pedal near the
floor, and thus as first one pedal was pressed
one row Of eyes would be raised, the other
lowered, and rs this was released and the
other one pressed the two rows of eyes would
exchange positions. This was his machine,
devoid Of material
"Now, you sec, said Mr.. Early, "the twine
is first put ON that cylinder behind there, just
below that stationary beam. That beam,
you see, is on Level with the two rows OF
copper eyes hung in the center, and also du-
plicated on this side Of the frame Well, the
twine is separated into two screens Of as many
strands each as there are eyes IN theswingine
screen, and being passed over tho beam OF
that side is stretched directly across to thh
beam, each Of the two horizontal screen
passing through different row Of the swing
ing eyes, and from here it is passed 20 thl
cloth cylinder by my feet, where the carpe
comes forth completed. Now, as each row 0
eyes has a differeut screen Of twino passin,
through it, and as can reverse tho position
, of tho eyes by apresSure Of tho foot, this mus
, necessarily cross and recross tho strands regu
larly as 1 work tho pedals alternately. See
Well, talle this shuttle and pass the rag tnar
row strips Of cloth joined together into o con
, tinuous string through between the horizon
tai screens. Then jerk back this sley, whicl
! hes a wire passing between eaoh strand, whicl
forces the rag firmly INTO place. This done,
, press thepedal, crossing hestrands back as ia
4 as the rag, and then return the rag betwee
the screens TO the side it started from. l con
tinue changing the rag from side to side, eacl
a time crossing the strands and keeping the edg
even and firm by means Of the wire slcy an
thus, yousee, eachstrand passes first over, the
under the alternate rows of rags, throughou
\ the entire length Of carpet. The stripes ar
\ effected by alternating balls Of light colore
q rags with those of darker and brighter shades
, The twine cylinder holds 100 yards Of cor
d and makes nearly as many yards of carpet. "
\ "But what do you do when tho twine run
, outgo
N 81 never allow it to run out As the end
I come into sight insert a fresh cylinder Z
? twino and tic each strand Of the old lot {
the ends Of the new strands and thus make
an endless rolln
ONE HUNDRED YEARS IN SERVICE
It "This franc looks very substantial D
5; they wear out quicliyla
4 "Wcn not 50 very. bought this secon
"a handed when l started to work forty-for
IL years ago, and reckon it's been in use mig
ic onto hundred years and you can see thasn
It started 70 wear out yet"
lt "What is an average days work-ho
y, many yardsgn
Of "Ien yards Is as good as want 70 40 nov
Of though when / was younger could turn ol
s. twelve or fourteen. used to get from fort
in to fifty cents per yard for my work, but no
IN twenty-eight cents is all charge for my be
er grade and haven't any too much to do ev,
tn at that low price. Improvements IN machi
lr cry have brought down tho prices Of ingrat
ID and brussels to such low figure that mo
ly folks have gono back on tho good old fas
ir ioned rag carpet which was 80 popular m Il
time, and there's barely living to DO sQueez
out of 1t now. The old fellows who laid t
solid foundation have to stand back al
"a watch you young ones with your modern ii
be prcvanents building higher and higher {
"a monument Of improvement over tho renal
n Of the rough but substantial modes Of man
IL facture which served our purposes 50 well
"a Mr.. Early ascended the stairway with I
RS as was leaving, and, wishing me a chee
be good night, proceeded to oloe his little she
ot brooklyn Eagle.
- There is widow near 0lilledgeville, @
I'd who has seven daughters, but no sons
,lf oHFns somo land, which she and her daue
d. ters cultivate. Last year one of the daue