The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1889-04-26
RAT-sKINs FOR GLOVES.
Manufacturers Claim That They Are Neve
Used for such Purnosea.

Manufacturers Claim That They Are Never
Used for Such Purposes.
We are still being taught to feel what
respect we can for rats, on account Of
their skins being used, very largely
used, for gloves. This venerable fc-
ton was revived lately in the CORE
spondence columns of a lively eontem-
pUrary, and was at once contradicted
by a practical glover at Grenoble, prin-
cipally on the score that rat-slzins were
not large enough for the purpose. Still
tho statement was adhered to, objection
being taken that not one but many
skins might be used in making one pair
Of gloves. The Grenoble workman
wrote again, saying that 80. 600 skins
passed annually through his hands, so
that he had some authority to speak
upon tho subject, and he protested that.
TO practical man, the thing was quite
absurd, and, for another thing, the
skins were not only not valuable be-
cause Of being so thin, but were actu-
ally too thin to be Of any value. Still
the statement was maintained, and the
testimony OF two authoritative works
on natural history and three encyclo-
pedias-all, We suppose, unanimous in
affirming that rat-skins are very large
ly used in glovemaking- triumph
antly appealed to. although. by the
way, the titles of these volumes were
not quoted.
1t is of no use to put up encyclopedias
or works on natural history as de-
Tense upon point of manufacture when
people actually engaged in the work
assault them with a fat denial. Rats
are very interesting in narratives Of an
imal sagacity, which is as near an ac-
quaintance with them as most people
desire, and their skins, like those Of
moles, are delicate to a degree, and the
nap delightfully."- soft and fine. Mole
skins make fine waistcoats, and have
been made up, with some perseverance,
into mantles for ladies, and doubtless
rat skins might, with considerable
pains, be similarly utilized.
There was, some years ago, an in
genious individual of Lisl1eard, Corn
wall, "who exhibited himself in u dress
composed from top to toe Of rat skins,
which he had been collecting for three
years and half The dress was made
entirely by himself; it consisted OF hat,
neckerchiof coat waistcoat, trousers,
tippet, CATERS and shoes. The number
Of rats required to complete the suit
was go. Tho tippet or boa was COM
posed of the pieces of skin Immediately
round the tail OF the rats, and was a
very curious part Of the dress contain
ing six hundred tails, and those none
of the shortest
This proves the possibilities Of rat
skins, but very remote possibilities for
all that Gloves may have been so
made as curiosities, but not CONNER
cially We meet with statements in
books to the effect that rat hunts are
regularly held in Paris sewers, and the
privilege of gathering the slaughtered
animals on these days sold by the au-
thorities. but the Project OF the Seine
knew nothing about it, and wrote to S.
William Beck saying so. We have
statements, also, both in books and pa
pers, that rat-hides are generally used
in making the thumbs or thumb-gus-
sets of kid gloves, and we have our
largest glove manufacturers quite una
ware OF the circumstance. Hard facts
against book tatemcnts-which wins?
Diapers Trade journal.