The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-08
SMYRNA RUGS.
An Important Oriental Industry Of Which
Little is Known.

SMYRNA KUGS.
An Important Oriental Industry OF Which
| Little is Known.
The following is taken from Smyrna
letter to the Levant Herald: Zone OF the
most important manufactures OF Asia
Minor, rs it is also one concerning which
little is known by the general public, is the
manufacture of those carpets which have
acquired a worldwide reputation under the
designation of Turkey carpets They are
principally made in the towns OF Oushka,
Ghiordes, koula, Demirei, Melas, Ladik,
Pergamos and Sparta, and are exported for
the most part to England and America.
Oushak, the seat of the trade, is pleasantly
situated in the midst of fertile plain. It
is town of some x, 600 inhabitants, most of
whom are directly or indirectly occupied in
carpet making, the actual number of looms
at work being 500. Koula and Ghiordes
have populations Of about 1900. Demirgi
has become carpet-weaving town within
the last six or eight years, owing TO an accl-
dent.
Years back the town was destroyed by
fire, and the inhabitants, too poor to recon
struct their habitations, emigrated to
Ghiordes, where they learned the art OF
carpet making. Assoon as they had gained
some money they returned and rebuilt their
native town, setting up looms of their own.
Their carpets were not a success at h1ss,
but they managed to improve them. and
now they rank superior both in texture and
color to the Ghiordes. Ladik, Persamos
and Melas are reproducing centers. At
Sparta the industry has just been intro
duced. The manner of weaving the car
pets is primitive enough. The wool, which
is obtained from the fat-tailed sheep reared
by the Turks on the highlands, is washed
by the men in the neighboilng
streams. and then spun on the wheel
by the old women of the town; 1t
is then Sent to the Boya Hane to bo
dyed, after which it is sold to the manufac-
turer. Three cakes of spun yarn are re-
quired for square pic of carpet. The
looms consist of two thick poles t1ed nrm-
/ ly in the ground at some pics distance
from each other: two others are Joined ). one
above aud the other below. and to these the
warp or chain of the carpet IS attached.
/ sat the foot of this loom the Weavers SIT
cross legged. sometimes as many as ten III i
row, each working at a two-foot width Of
carpet. The yarn ia taken from bobblns
suspended above their heads and tied to the
warp; it is then cut with a sharp knife and
the pile and wool driven together by means
of a comb. A carpet can be made OF any
length, but its width depends on the size OF
the loom. If the loom extends to ten pics
III width the carpet can be one, two or
ten pics wide. The largest loom in
Oushak is at present twelve pics wide, so
that if a carpet Of a greater width is re-
quired new loom must be made, although
this, as one may judge from the structure
is not difficult. Notwithstanding that this
is, as have said, primitive mode Of pro-
ceeding, it is not without its advantages,
for inasmuch as the texture must perforce
be looser than the machine-made carpets,
the colors can blend more easily and the
carpet or rug becomes softer and more
plant to the tread.
1.-THE carpet weavers are all women; they
are daily chaperoned to the looms by an old
woman, who sees that they work diligently.
, can do in a day is about pic. for which
they wero paid, from four to five piasters
, Although the cold in winter is intense and
, the workers suffer considerably, they will
,, not accept the humanitarian efforts made
! to procure them some comfort. Mr.. DAN
dria, one of the largest carpet merchants
: in this town, offered to build for them a
, large factory, with glass windows wherein
they could work comfortably though it blew
, tempest without. Whether from fear Of
, they refused this kind offer, and continued
to work in wretched novels barely tit fol
, pigsties, warming their frozen fingers over
the smoldering contents of a brazier. Dur
ing the rein of Abdul-Aziz bright colors
i were in vogue, and the, manufacturers had
! ever, the fashion has gone out and
, they have reverted to vegetable pigments
-volonea for white and brown, yellow Der.
ries for green and yellow, lnadder roots and
, cochineal for reds. and indigo for blue
These carpets come to Smyrna principally
by two routes: the first from Oushak tc
, Alasheir the terminal station of the Cass-
aba railway, distance from Oushak OF
twenty four hours by camel, and the other
from Oushak to Chivril, the last station on
the Sutlej branch of the Adm line, which
is distant from Oushak only six hours.
Reduced Rates to Butte Account Republ lean
Convention.
On account of the republican convention
which convenes at Butte Sept. 8 to IA, the
, Northern Pacific railroad will make a rate
! of one and one fifth fares for the round triI
; from all points on the line in Montana
for going trip, taking agents receipt fol