Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-01-07
.THRns ron IINERY.
49, - - e1snAss DennnA xAnn
Dves DocnBA



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- pusean1 sss6s u ostrich tsstAs~
= sknssG unprecedented ~ . nsDr
hsr q ysers - deaand ~ - small
90 ~ raasing Il ~ ostrich dseseazed
- - extent II forty psr ssaf-. end
featAer woshsss lad 70 tsra shcis
ssosasiou % other channels Of iadnstry-
~ nov &c demand tsx sktkisd iahos
~ exceeds ths saspay. Daring tAs
spring snd ssmEnsr rAasaf2csassD we're
ssrisaAiy embssrssssd b. the Lack of
competent hslp.
A glance az wonsn's toilets Jest
new. Gays the New York Sun. Is saf-
ficient 70 explain the unusual demand.
Hats are piled with feathers One
shown IN broadway josbinz house
supported foxty-two tips Bennets are
edged with bands and tri.Amed with
clusters Of various sixe; boas sad cola
rettcs Of every lsnssA. taiekness and col
orsre shown in all the millinery, dress-
making. aad dry-goots houses and re-
cent inportss1oas Of costumes disclose
tho fast that act only ars oiosks, wraps
ard jackets trimmed with feathers. but
gowns also. Carriage cloaks have huge
yokes, collars and cuffs of ieathers sup
piemsnted with wids bands Of tho same
bordering the front and lower edge.
Frequently they are faced inside, some
distance from the front edge, with os-
trich feathers, the fronts being rolled
back from a tight-Stting vest. In
Guided In the decoration of jackets and
gowns is the wide Aediei collar, COW
cred with feathers Even ia ball dresses
the delicate fabrics are festooned around
the feet and fastened TO other parts Of
the skirt with punches of tips; long
plumes are coiled about the upper part
of the arm TO take the place of a sleeve,
while others garnish the cersage.
Perhaps more than one-haf of the
feathers used in America are imported
in the natnral state and prepared here.
South Africa Is the principal breeding
place of the ostrich. Ostrich farms have
been started In Australia aad San Diego
County, Cal, but the supply OF feathers
from these sources sent TO the New
York market is scarcely preceptible.
The great distributing market is Lon
don, where auction sales are held every
other month. and are attended by buy
ers from all parts of the world. Feathers
sell from fifteen to one hundred
and Fifty dollars a pound, the highest
price representing "blood primes
feathers taken from the wings and tail
of the male bird when four or five years
old The plumage of the female bird
Is considered less choice than that OF
the male. At the present time values
in ali grades arc fifty per cent in ex-
cess OF those prevailing for several
years
The past season was SO prosperous
that many manufacturers in this city
employed between four and FIVE hum
dred hands most of the time since last
April A feather mandatory is not q
very inviting place, with great watts,
sloppy floors, intense heat, and steam,
bat tho work is interesting through the
heroic measures necessary to evolve
from the feather In It's natural state the
dainty thing of beauty. In the natural
state most of the feathers are of dirty
gray color, shading to black, and are of
al engths-from three to perhaps
twelve or more inches. The quill IN
thick, and the flew lthe curly part)
straight and lustreless. The darker
shades are sorted for black feathers,
and tho lighter for those of colorcd
tints, tied in punches Of about couple
of dozen, and strung few inches apart
La sections about one and one half yards
in length To remove the natural ola
the feathers are soaked for several
hours In q strong solution of soda and
soap, and then scrubbed and thoroughly
rinsed Those for light colors are
bleached with chemicals before being
dyed, bat those for black are only sub
jected to Q triple dip in jet dye. Shaded
|. feathers arc made by inclosing parts in
rubber Shields after the solid color has
been acquired, and dipping them in .
contrasting dye and combing while wet
They arc dried out of doors and In the
sun If possible, and in a room where the
thermometer registers $50 degrees.
Aftcr the starching and another drying,
wooden tables, or partitions, to remove
superHuom starch So violent is this
process that one expects to see the
pAumes fall apart in hundred or more
piscaA The only effect, however. of
10 rough usage Is 10 make them look
o1cassr and iufier than ever. At this
pofut tho work, which thus far has been
dugaa nv Mon n turned over En- vyomeu
who. IN another part Of The factory, be-
gin the moro delicate operations.
Feathers Of all hucs, In different stages
Of development, are scattered over long
tables The lunches are separated, and
tho Quin Of each feather is scraped
thin by . bit Of glass. Afterward they
are sewed together 10 form the various
designs, steamed over boilers having
numerous spouts, and curled with an
implement like the blade Of IN ordinary
jackknife- Although apparently sen-
Pie the task requires considerable skill
TO avoid breaking the few. Long
paumes, boas and coIlarcttes arc only
slightly curied, the ordinary tip moro
20, while those called "Priucess," and
She narrow bands for the edges OF hats
and bonnets. are curled la fine tight
earis. Preparatory to boxing. the tips
are punched and marked, the longer
feathers boas, etc, having separate
boxcs-
TIE Hour when Deash occurr-
From . study Of fifteen Thousand
| cases extending oser a r,~ria<1 of twelve