The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-04
MAKING LACE PAPER.
MINNEAPOLIS HAS THE ONLY FAC
TORY OF THE KIND HERE.

Nice Work For Women.
Minneapolis can claim IL MONOPOLY in
TT least one industry There is mono like
it i'll 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 be established
here and tho development of certain
possibilities in regard to it make ouito
an original story
n certain business man tolerably well
known i'll Minneapolis once upon n time
loaned some money and material to a
Russian Immigrant who was irving TO
start greenhouse in st. Paul. The flo
rlst was very grateful for the help, but at
the end of six months had not repaid any
or the loan. The business man hunted
nm up and inquired wherefore this neg
Igence. The florist explained his difficult
ties ut some length, and sorrowfully
averred that in addition to other bur
dens he had to support his brother.
why doesn't your brother 70 to
work.
Pardon. sir. He is honest and indus
trious, but can find no work Mt his trade"
What trade can that be-"
are are no factories of that sort here. and
he has not much chance ut other trades
where no has no skill"
An interview with the paper maker re-
vealed some interesting facts. and after
some investigation several Minneapolis
capitalists concluded to start n factory
TO evolve the dainty confcctions that
modern ingenuity says may be made
from paper. The industry is 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
special department which was not at
first contemplated. Grape paper devcl-
ops i'll all the soft, dainty sheen of silk
Women are specially good ut this branch
OF the industry, as it requires patience
and that peculiar "knack" which no man
ever had, AM. the woman who possesses
It 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
we'll if Il woman has tho 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 crane paper
form the leaf. 1t is cut in the proper
shape, and Il delicate wire forms the mid
RIB OF tho leaf and makes the shade sub
stantlal enough to stand wear -Four
long leaves and four shorter ones droon
from common center and make the
daintiest shade imaginable. saw a tiny
one OF this same pattern for an mean.
descent light The red leaves were lined
: with pale yellow, and how the electric
light did glow through the blended col
ors! y slillful workwoman can only
construct four or five of these shades Il
day. Their price consequently doesn't
exactly bring them within the reach Of
all. but they promise to largely take the
place of silk and illusion. The operative
earns from So TO $40 Il week III the shade
department.
Lace paper for lining the edges of
boxes really forms tho important part
Of this industry. Look at bit of this
dainty paper and see how faithfully il
Teproduces every thread of the lace from
which it is copied. When people are
told that these delicate patterns are
stamped from engraved metal plates,
they arc apt to look incrcdulous. Still
that is the process.
For many years Germany has con-
trolled this industry. The consul mt
Berlin in his last annual report states
that 1000. coo pounds of lace paper are
exported annually 10 the United States
One fine day good fortune befcll the
industry. n man came in and asked for
employment. He was Il designer and
engravcr OF plates from Germany. He
declined To give any information as to
low he knew the factory was in Mime
apolis or why he came. He simply said
they could try his work. and if they were
satisfied he would stay. He has re-
manned ever since. saw him several
times and didn't wonder that there was
some hesitancy about engaging him. He
weighs about 325 pounds The face is
intelligent and refined. but the bushy
beard and long hair combined with the
muscular frame, give the man the APP
pearance OF one used to vigorous manual
/ labor. Appearances are deceptive in this
case. for he is an artist as well as an en-
graver. and knows every detail of the
business.
He first sketches the design on paper.
1 then takes Il block of lead composition,
similar to that used for newspaper cuts,
\ and draws the exact pattern with sharp
. steel point. Then. with finely graded
\ chisels. he hammers out every little de
tail SO exact that the tiniest thread of the
l finest lace pattern is visible.
Il To see the workman hammering ont
| an intricate pattern one would think it
4 an endless task. 1t is not, however,
t nearly so tedious MS it looks This en-