The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-02
A FORTUNE FOR SOME ONE
- Dr." ~
The Person Finding a Practical Use
for Refuse Hair Can
Make Money.
In Philadelphia Alone One Thou
sand Bushels Are Wanted
Every Thirty Days.
Female Hair Is Sold to BE Made Into
Bangs, But tho Short Hair Is Not
Fit for Plaster.

There is fortune awaiting the man of
sufficient ingenuity to invent some scheme
whereby practical use may be made of the
refuse hair of the eity's barber shops says
the Philadelphia Record. There are in the
city jast 1866 tonsorial pnrlors, running on
an average three chairs each, and in these
establishments a grand total of not less
than 1000 bushels of hair clippings aooumu-
later monthly. This hirsute mass Of all
degrees of color and quality is carted away
with the ashes and other refuse, no other
use having been found for it.
Those establishments, however, which
have ladies' departments attached occa-
~sionally make use of the shorn locks of a
fair customer who ia generous enough to
leave them behind. They are put through
a long and tedious process OF preparation,
and afterwards made into braida and
switches. There ia also one house in Ken
siugton, where the shorter lengths Of e.
male hair are bought and made into puffs,
curls and bangs. But the occasions are
rare when the customer fails to take away
with her the shorn locks, 80 that tho bar
ber's revenue from this source ia cornpara-
lively light.
Since the Introduction of the banga promi-
nsnt Chestnut street artist has cut over a
million of them, all of which yielded him
only fifty pounds of hair for his own use.
He now cuts and trims an average of 1900
bangs per week.
A curious story is told of the stinginess
of q downtown barber, who engages his as
sistants only with the proviso that they
shall have their hair cut only in his shop at
such a time ag he may indicate, and also
that the clipped hair shall be decided over
to him. This contract having been made,
the man goes to work, and in the course of
time his hair attains a length much affected
by tbs followers of Oscar Wilde. He hints
to his "boss" that it would afford him con-
siderable relief to have his locks ahorn. His
employer puts him off, however, until his
hair has attained a length that makes il Of
clipped and sold. The employer himself
has a thick shock Of hair and a heavy
beard, which he clips s~emi-annually.
In answer to the question as to whether
there was any possible use to which rafuse
han could be put, MIR. Richard Binder said
yesterday:
Il have had many years experience in
such matters, bat l have found that it can
be used only to ornament the ell.
In my young days | on one occasion saved
three bushels Of sweepings from my shop
Tor . Trend OF mine, a plasterer. Two
bushels of the stuff were returned to mo
the n ext, day, however, my friend having
found that il was of no earthly ugs to him
az an ingredient OF his platter. Then there
was some talk of using it in the m]anutac-
tufe OF tooth-brushes. but. of course, that
was all nonsense. So that we can do
nothing but throw the stuff away.
In my ladies' department, Of course. the
hair that is clipped is often Of value, but
very little of il comes into my possession;
tae owners invariablo carry it away, /