The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-12
TO BUILD A TANNERY.
A Movement Toward q New Indus
try IN Savannah.

A Movement Toward q New Indus
try IN Savannah.
A movement L. on foot TO establish q tan
merry in Savannah or at some point near
here. Savannah exports 100000 pounds
Of hides year valued at $3.50, coo. The plan
to establish q tannery is backed by q lead
ing harness manufacturer aud number OF
leading business men. For several months
an experienced German tanner has been
tanning here on an experimental scale and
has produced excellent leather. He has
tried palmetto, aud in his opinion 1t Is an
excellent tanning material. It's coloring
power he pronounces superior to any known.
He sees no reason why it should not be sue
cessful on a large scale
Mr.. G. B. Warrand has given the tam
ming enterprise considerable study. The
question has often been asked, be says, why
it is that flint hides sell for TO cents per
pound while we have to pay from 80 to 40
cents per pound for leatherl 1t has been
claimed, too, he says, that the climate here
is not adapted for tanning, which is errone-
GUS. The process of tanning cannot be car
ried on during frost, as water at or near the
freezing point cannot dissolve tannic acid
It is true that humidity OF climate has
something TO do with drying the leather
after it is tanned, but small ventilating
".
will overcome this trouble
Material for tanning Is more abundant
and far cheaper south than north. There ia
| an abundance of oak, sumac and palmetto
all rich in tannic acid, which can be
| gathered for oue-half what it costs north.
| All refuse in tanning or rather in dressing
the hides for tanning ia merchantable. The
best hair is used for coarse blankets. The
| inferior quality Is used for plastering and
the stutting Of horse collars, ETC., and will
| realize from 8 to cents per pound. Lined
| trimmings from the hides bring from TO 6
cents per pound or about az much as flint
hides cost These are manufactured into
glue. The hide itself gains in weight during
the tanning process, and the better 1t is
tanned the greater the gain.
With raw material Is TO so per
cent. cheaper south than north; no
loss In weight Ia the manufactur-
ing; no climatic causes sufficient
to be a drawback; nothing to interrupt the
| running Of tannery the year round: the
selling prices of the manufactured products
also in our favor by l0per cent. MIR. War
rand thinks other causes than impracticabll-
ity must be looked for why the tanning in
dustry has been so long neglected here.
The main reason. he believes, is that the
majority Of the people likely TO take
hold OF it have no knowledge of
tanning; their training having been strictly
a mercantile or professional one. Another
reason is that tanning requires class of
trained mechanics, who would have to be-
imported at first. until home labor is
trained. Imported trainers, mostly Ger
mans and Swedes. are, as a rule, hard work.
ing men and make desirable citizens. A
good tanner north for seven or eight months
in the year earns from S12 to $50 per week,
or Sl5 on an average. On account of frost
he is compelled to be idle four months in the
year, with heavy rent and fuel expenses,
whereas south he need not lose day, and
with cheap raw material he ought 10 be
paid as good if not better wages than he Is
north medium sized tannery, employ
ing 100 hands, would put about 500. 900 in
circulation the year around. A tannery
with sufficiently large capacity TO begin
with will cost about $1,000.