The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1891-01-14
HOW LEATHER Is MADE.
bNE TRADE IN WHICH ANCIENT
METHODS ARE EMPLOYED.

Modern ingenuity has changed the
character of almost every business in
existence within the last fifty years, but
there is one which still retains its prime
val simplicity. That is the manufact-
ure of leather. The one thing needed to
make good leather Is time, and as modern
machines tend to eliminate that element
they are of no use here. The ancient
and honorable occupation of the tanner
stands proof against innovations.
Notwithstanding that fact there is an
immense amount of leather made, and
Cincinnatis output for year reaches
the enormous quantity of 432, 900 hides.
valued at 81 $50, 900. OF this fully half
is made at one tannery. which is the
largest in the world
1t was to this tannery THAI reporter
betook himself yesterday to see how the
old fashioned business was conducted.
The obliging superintendent took him in
hand, and for one hour and half the
pair marched steadily onward, upstairs,
down elevators and through villainous
smells.
FORESTS OF BARK.
The first room entered was the bark
store room, where there was an immense
pile of 40, 900 cords Of chestnut oak bark.
This is obtained from Kentucky, Ten
nessee and Alabama, and enough is kept
stored for years use. AT one end of
this room is machine, into which two
men are kept busy feeding the bark to
be ground up. The tan bark was left
for awhile and the hide room was visit
ed. This is below the level of the rail
road track, and trap door opens in the
ceiling, through which the hides are
dropped from the cars. Most Of the
hides come from Chicago, but for pat
ent leather those brought from Paris,
France, are the best, as they are larger
and thicker. Rough hides range in value
from 50 to $40, according to grade. They
are here sorted, weighed and Put into
packs of 1874 hides each. and one hide Of
each pack is numbered. The whole pack
is started at once, and comes out finished
at the same time. BY means of rope
attached to the numbered hide the loca-
ton of any pack can be ascertained at
any time.
Next comes the beam house. Here
the hides are soaked in clear water for
three days, receiving four changes Of
water in that time. Thus thoroughly
soaked they are plunged into lime water
and left for five days. One more day in
fresh water and they are run through a
machine at the rate of sig daily and have
all the hair removed. Next they go to
the beams, which are boards about five
feet long, inclined to an angle of forty
FIVE degrees and having longitudinal
convexity upward and being covered
with zinc. Upon these the hides are
thrown flesh side up, and the flesh side
scraped off with broad bladed knives.
The bits of meat go to the glue factories
and the hair is used by plasterers. An
other soaking in fresh water and they
are taken by the strokers, who work
them three times on beams to remove
any short hairs or lime that may remain.
From here they are put into fresh water
again, then suspended on sticks in very
weak tan liquor for two weeks. They
are perfectly white when introduced into
this liquor, but come out slightly tanned
or brown.
IN THE TAN LIQUOR.
They are then taken into large room,
the floor of which is simply planks laid
over large watts. Into these watts hide
is thrown, fresh bark is scattered over it,
and another hide is placed on top, etc,
until the vat is filled The whole is sub
merged in the strongest tan liquor.
While these are soaking let US see how
the liquor is made. In large room
there are thirty-two leeching watts, each
16 feet in diameter and 10 feet deep. In
a new tannery these must be filled with
fresh water and ground bark, but in an
established tannery liquor is used. The
fresh bark is flooded with strong liquor,
and when this is drawn off weaker liquor
is put on the same bark. the vat being
allowed to stand eight days each time,
and then weaker liquor is placed on the
bark, till at the thirty time it is
pure water; or, in other words, fresh
water is put on worn out bark, then
transferred TO fresher and fresher, until
when put on new bark it is strong
liquor. The exhausted bark is burned in
heated ovens and generates an immense
amount of steam.
The hides taken from the watts were
packed with bark and suspended on
frames in tan liquor for two weeks.
Here as in the leeching process an old
tannery has an advantage. The fresh
liquor is put on the hides that have been
longest tanning, and as the strength is
taken out by the hides the liquor is run
over fresher hides until at last it is run
over perfectly fresh hides and into the
sewer. Thus the longer hide has been
tanning the stronger liquor it is subject
ed to.
From the watts the hides are taken to
be secured by brush and stone in a
machine. They are then dried. When
perfectly dry they are tempered by be-
ing dampened with fresh water. They
are then polished with copper wheels
worked by machinery in the manner of
a huge fatiron. This is the last touch
given to sole leather. Betting leather Is
sold in the rough without this last pol
iahinQ Reltin0 ia however made here