Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1892-04-09
WEAVING: RAG CARPETS
An, Old-FAshioned' Art, That Ii Fast Be-
coming Extinct. as

coming Extinct. 49, +,
Among the lost arts, such as the tenn
pering of bronze, making flexible glass
and the manufactured Tyrian purple,
we willsoon have to- number another
namely, the weaving of rag carpets. To
be sure, you can still buy the factory
made article, but that is not the sort
that we associate with recollections of
an o]d-fashioned room, with it's high
post bedstead, whitewashed walls, dia-
mond-paned windows and q claw-footed
cheval glass in the corner. In those
days the rags were cut and sewed by
the fire in the long winter evenings, and
often the carpet was woven on the old
wooden loom up-garret. but usually the
material was sent to the old town weav-
er, who was;as important parsonage
as either the butcher, the baker or the
candlestick maker.
! The old weavers are dying OUT through,
lack of patronage, but the other. day a
Washington Star nepSrter-fouudw where
one still works down by the watersitie..
1t is.a queer old one-story; house, with,
squares and panels of carpet hung tap--
estrywise over the. front by way of adj
vertisement. The proprietor is little
dried and withered specimen, much
bent by stopping over his, loom, He
came from the low countriesin Holland
nearly fifty years ago. There he was a
fax,weayer by trade, but American ma
chinery threw him out of work: years
ago, and he has. been carpet. weaving.
eyer SINCE.
! 1t usedito be, a good trade, he saitft to
the, iStar' man. but now'it is dying out.
He stillhas sworkenoughtok keep him, but
Americans do,not use many rag carpets
now; he,Rells the most to his own coun-
trypen,. He works twelve hours a day,
winter and summer, and! d!turns out about
sixteen yards a. day. WEAVING costs
twenty-five, cents per yard, and he fur
nishes, the warp, If he furnishes the
rags. too. it costs abont twice that.
Bags. Of rags were standing around; un-
der the shelves, and in one. corner-was
q apile. of balls made from strips his wife
and children sewed at night,
The, loom was. the. most primitive
model known, yet on one but little
ruder.the Navajos, made their famous
waterproof blankets, and upon enc but
little better the. Hindoo; produces. the
famous woven wind" Of India. It was
really so ancient, looking thnt it. was
disappointing to find, that itwas, built
as late as 1855. The working parts
from much oil and handling. had taken
on the rIch tints Of seasoned. meer.
schaum and. the rest was smoke
Drowned TO deep, SIENNA With thf
background of dark shadows and. the
bright warp threads running through
the center it made study worthy Of ar
artist.
There are no.longer any apprentices
at the trade. No one wants, to o.learr
hand-weaving now. The old man sait
the last pupil he hadwas during, the
spinning wheel craze severallyears ago
One societYgirl. came down. and insisted
en- leaning to, weave, but her enthu
siasm soon gave ont, and since then tht
old man has had his trade to himself.
Curios from Cost, RicS.
Ten cases of curios. and antiquitie
collected in Costa Rica by the Latin
b American department of the World
Columbian exposition are on their,wa,
to Chicago. These exhibits, were col
lected by Lieut.. Scriven,. Of the navy
who, had been specially detailed /
make the collection. The collection
valued at Ave hundred dollars and i
said TO contain. many Of the curiou
products OF the people who ihourishe
j, In Costa Rica before this country wa
discovered. Upon the arrival. of the e1
bibits they will. be stored In the aI
praisers' warehouse and will after
wards be classified by Prof. Putnam
who, has charge Of the antiquities. q
the exposition.