Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-09-04
DRESSING FURS.
dow They Are Treated From killing to
Articles or Wear.

Articles OF Wear.
In going through Undressing estab.
hshment reporter who was on a tou,
OF Investigation. had noticed the bedrag.
gied, faded, repulsiye-looking skins,
from which the dye was dripping, as he
went up stairs, and was surprised to see
'nere also the same process, only the
mixture was eolored with a yellow
Iroth- This was the ''mordant" or, in
every DAY parliance, ''killing il" Nc
iur can be changed in color without this
treatment which lasts for ten days o,
more, until the hair is dead-or in other
words. has become a mere fiber which
viii absorb any shade.
Every body has noticed smooth.
SOFT brownish-black fur in rnufs tina.
looks like seal. If they ask, when told
the rather low price, rs it real or ini-
tation? they are told it is American
seal 1t is nothing in the world but the
common little mUskrat
A fur really to be much admired i
that OF this same little muskrat The
SKINS arrive at the factory in packs con-
tanning many hundreds, which are stiff
and rough and inside out These are
thrown into huge bin. which revolves
about forty times per minute Two
hammers beat them continually, and,
quite soft and warm with the friction.
they are taken out, rubbed with seal
OIL or butter, and returned to the hop
per. Often the beating turns them the
other side out Twice is the operation
gone through Then they go TO a
man who sits astride of a block, on
which IS firmly fixed a long, up
right knife; over this two skins are
passed thus scraping OF all the super
huous hide, leaving them much thinner.
Now they are ready TO be cleaned. 4
sort of dough is made OF the sawdust
and put into close cylinder, the greasy
skins are put in, a charcoal fire is
lighted and the wheel revolves. The
sawdust absorbs the grease and moisture,
but, of course, remains in the hair. To
get that ont wheel similar TO this, but
with latticed ends, IS employed. the
revolutions are much more rapid and
the sawdUst flies out through the lat
tice. leaving the clean, soft fur-for such
1t has becOme-inside. If not sufficient
y cleaned this process IS repeated.
The muskrat is now ready for the
'evener" This man has big, round
log IN front of him. over which he
throws the pelt, fastening il with a
rope drawn taut by his foot On
his right thumb is thick rubber
tube SIX inches long, and the hand
draws back and forth a sharp steel
comb The ''mordant" IS now gone
through. and the pelt is taken down TO
the dying rooms Here it is dipped
constantly until il is a deep. rich dark
throughout, and finally passed through
a ringer. from which it is thrown ont
almost dry.
=, The skin is now ready for the final
touch or shade. The black fur must
have that brown shade so much ad-
mired in sealskins. y man stands al a
table with pile in front of him. A
rather stiff brush he dips into yellow
bowl filled with the color: he lays the
pelt fur side up on the table, and runs
the dye over II several times Not one
drop must touch the leather. for t would
rot the skin. The fur has now the de-
sired shading. and possesses the true
seal color. 4 visit to the dyeinG-room,
through an inspectors hands. and it is
ready for the marke---Boston Herald