The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-09-20
KANGAROO LEATHER.
1t Il Soft and More PIiable Than Calf-s

1t II Soft and More PIiabIe Than Calf-skin
or Kid.
why don't you wear shoes of kanga-
roo skim" asked the old shoemaker.
as he knelt to take the measure of his
customers foot
II don't KNOW" responded the GUS
toner, unable to construct a line of de-
tense on that very moment. And then,
percelving that something more was
expected of him, he queried rather
helplessly. "Why should L? what is
the advantage of them?"
IF you ever have tender feet" an
swered the shoe man, .'you would
fully appreciate kangaroo skin. Why,
the leather is soft and pliable-very
much more so than calfskin or kid.
That makes the shoe ever so much
easier. to the foot. Then it is
great deal lighter than those
other materials. and that's an advan-
tage. and, as for wear. why. kangaroo
skin is far ahead. Look here" and 90
ing to his bench. he picked up two
scraps of leather. ''Now. this is kan
CARGO skin" and with his sharp shoe
makers knife he made two short Incl
siOns from the edge. Now tear from
these But this the customer, though
not man OF weakness. was unable to
do. The same experiment being made
with calfskin, that was torn with
ease. That" ended the old man.
''shows the difference in wear, and the
price is just about the same"
But the customer was newspaper
man. Immediately he turned Swamp
ward. and within half an hour stood
in the presence of one of the city's
largest kangaroo men.
The kangaroo" began this gentle
man, ''is, as you know, native of
Australia. Prior to ten years ago
they existed in untold numbers. They
became such a pest aud so disastrous
to the sheep pas+nS>s that the colonial
gov. rnmenJ offered bounty for their
destruction. Now, up to that time
there had been no permanent or set
|
go back a little, however, say twelve
to fifteen years age, these skins came
to America in considerable quantities.
But at IT, at time their value was I'M
recognized. Strange as they certain
ly were to American manufacturers.
their disposal was only possible at
ruinous loss. The parties interested
in the scheme withdrew; worse off by
some 100000
''Now. about this sime-say 1880 a
new process u. Scanning was devised
by which kangaroo hide was made
into o. shoe leather, superior in
strength, durability, softness and
fineness to any tn ng of like weight
and nature ever before used for the
purpose. Then was the manufactured
leather trade-marked under the name
'camelopard.'
From that time forward did the
merits of kangaroo skin become more
generally recognized. At the present
time the sales are enormous, the
material having in q large measure.
supplanted waxed calf. gloved calf,
French calf, kid and similar goods
used in the manufacture of the lighter
and finer foot wear And the manu-
facture of foot wear. you know, has
reached it's most magnificent pro-
portions in America. Here more
taste is displayed and money expended
on this article of attire than any
where else on earth.
''Only in America has a successful
system of tanning been devised. Over
in European countries kangaroo skin
is tanned. it is true. but it is in COM
paratively little use. Here the tan
ming is not by any means solely of
the 'camelopard brand. Other MAUI
facturers have devised systems very
like unto it, and the product of these
is in very general use.
LAS is always the case when any
thing meets with extraordinary sue
cess. as this very truly has, many imi-
tations have been brought into the
market. Often and often have women
especially bought boots OF Dongola
goat under the impression that they
were of kangaroo skin. Again has
the manufactured product of sheep
hin been passed off in imitation.
The trade in kangaroo skins shows,
indeed. great and gratifying in
crease.-N. Y. Mail and Express.
Pasturage For Colts and Cattle.