Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1893-03-28
MAKING LACE PAPER.
MINNEAPOLIS HAS THE ONLY FAC
TORY OF THE KIND HERE.

Minneapolis can claim a monopoly IN
at least one industry. There Sc aono like
4 in the country. Germany Is the near
est competitor. The lace paper factory
here Is the only one In the country. How
the industry came to Ls established
here and the development of certain
possibilities in regard to Il make quite
an original story.
A certain business man tolerably we'll
known In Minneapolis once upon a time
loaned some money and material TO a
Russian immigrant who was trying to
start a greenhouse in st. Paul The 40
Tist was very grateful for the help, but at
the end of six months had not repaid any
of the loan. The business man hunted
him up and inquired wherefore this neg
ligence. The florist explained his difficult
ties at some length, and sorrOwfully
averred that in addition to other bur
dens he had to support his brother.
Why doesn't your brother 60 to
work."
Pardon. sir. He is honest and indus
trious. but can find no work at his trade"
What trade can that beg"
He is a lace paper maker and there
are are no factories Of that sort here. and
he has not mnch chance at other trades
where he has no skill"
An interview with the paper maker re-
vealed some interesting facts. and after
some investigation several Minneapolis
capitalists concluded to start a factory
to evolve the dainty confections that
modern ingenuity says may be. made
from paper, The industry il still SO new
that its present condition may be re-
garded as only an earnest of the future.
The fad for fancy lamp shades makes
a special department which was not at
first contemplated. Grape paper devel-
ops in all the soft. dainty sheen of silk.
Women are specially good at this branch
Of the industry, as it requires patience
and that peculiar "knack" which no man
ever had. and the woman who possesses
II is luckier than if she had beauty
though she never thinks so herself.
Now. this business Of making lamp
shades and flower pots and paper flowers
and dolls is light. clean work and pays
well If woman has the bent for that
kind of work
The prettiest lamp shades ever saw
were being made at the factory. The
tobacco leaf forms the latest model.
Two contrasting shades of Grape paper
form the leaf. II is cut IN the proper
shape and delicate wire forms the mid
rib of the leaf and makes the shade sub
stantial enough to stand wear Four
long leaves and four shorter ones droop
from a common center and make the
daintiest shade imaginable. | saw tiny
one of this same pattern for an incan
descent light. The red leaves were lined
with pale yellow, and how the electric
light did glow through the blended col
orsl A skillful workwoIuan can only
construct four or five Of these shades a
day. Their price consequently doesn't
exactly bring them within the reach OF
all. bat they promise to largely take the
place of silk and illusion. The operative
earns from IS to $40 week in the shade
department.
Lace paper for lining the edges Of
boxes really forms the important part
Of this industry. Look at bit of this
dainty paper and see how faithfully il
reproduces every thread of the lace from
which it is copied. When peoI le are
told that these delicate patterns are
stamped from engraved metal plates,
they are apt to look incredulous. Still
that Is the process.
For many years Germany has con
trolled this industry. The consul al
Berlin In his last annual report states
that 1000. 900 pounds Of lace paper arr
exported annually to the United States
One fine day good fortune befell thu
industry. A man came in and asked fol
employment. He was a designer anC
engraver Of plates from Germany. H,
declined to give any information as Il
how he knew the factory was in Mime
apOlis or why he came He simply sai'
they could try his work, and If they wer
satisfied he would stay. he has re
mained ever since. l cav him severa
times and didn't wonder that there wa
some hesitancy about engaging him. II
weighs about 825 pounds. The. face /
intelligent and refined. but the bush.
beard and long hair. combined with tn
muscular frame. give the man the ap
pearance Of one used to vigorous manua
labor. Appearances are deceptive in thi
case. for he is an artist as well as an en-
graver, and knows every detail Of tn
hT,Siness.
He first sketches the design on paper
then takes a block Of lead composition
similar to that used for newspaper cuts
and draws the exact p9ttern with sharl
steel point Then. with finely grades
chisels. be hammers out every little de
tail 80 exact that the tiniest thread OF tn
finest lace pattern Is visible.
To see the workman hammering on
an intricate pattern one would think /
an endless task. II Is not. however
nearly so tedious as II looks. This en-
graver viii make a plate 20 inches lonl
by 2 inches wide in four days. All tn
edges Of the pattern have TO be made II
sharp relief instead Of being cut into tn
plate. rs In ordinary engraving. Thi
has 70 be done so that the sharp edge
will perforate the paper when the cylin
der passes over the plate.
Lace paper has It's styles Just the sam
as the real article. The young lady VIII
gets her daily box Of bonbons from tn
confoctiOner wants the lace edged hOide
to DO in the latest mode. She can ais
select torchon. valenciennes, spanish
guipure. breton or any other style 4
the paper just a. she can in the thread.
Among the pretty imported notions
that Of cornucopia with q deep lac
edge and closed with dainty bows (
satin ribbons. This is TO hold matine
or theater allowance Of candy and wi
probably bo very popular. - Eva Ml