Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-14

skins are brought to the factory they are
dumped into pits which are filled with wa
ter and lime and kept there for two or
three weeks. From the minute they are
placed in the pits the skins are carefully
watched, and the workmen move the skins
about with iron tongs, handling them ten
derby for fear the delicate skins may be
torn. When they are removed from the
lime water pits the hair is easily removed
and then the flesh on the under part Of the
skin is taken off. After every hair is rub
bed from the skins and all the flesh has
been scraped away they are placed in clear
running water to remove the lime which
has soaked In. After this the skins are
placed in wheat bran mixed with warm
water, which has the same effect on the
skins that mixture of bran and warm
water has on the human skin; 1t makes the
skin soft and pliable and removes all the
dirt and impurities.
The Use of Eggs.
At this stage OF the operations the hens
come into play, for the dresser or curer
prepares a mixture of the yolk Of eggs
flour, alum and salt and places IT with the
skins in drum which revolves on a shaft
or axle. The turning over of the skins in
this revolving drum works the egg mixture
into the skins, and the process is kept up
for an hour. The skins are then hung
separately on hooks In a hot room and
dried. The next step is to wet them in
clear water again and work them by hand
over q curved pOllSheQ TOOL, on which the
soft skin is stretched back and forth, and
pulled and worked until the skin is wider
and longer than it was originally, and ex-
ceedingly pliable. The skins are then
turned over to the shavers, who with
knives as keen as razors, shave the under
part This is one of the most delicate
operations in the process of curing and
none but the most skillful workmen are
shaVers The shaving makes the skins
thin and delicate. Then they are coated
with mixture OF flour, oil and the yellow
OF eggs, and are turned over to the bare
footed boys. The lads put them in clear
water. and then walk back and forth over
them, patting them with their feet for
hours, and then the eggs are used again
for the skins are treated to a coating of
the yellow OF eggs and laid away for a day
SO.
After that they are ready for the dyer
He first brushes ammonia over the skin
and then applies the dye. The color is put
on only one side The dyer is an artist
He is as proud of his art as any painter of
landscapes, marines or portraits, and puts
on his colors with as delicate a touch as
that used by the painter of miniatures
He goes over the surface until his color is
perfectly even and uniform in tone. When
he is satisfied with his work he sends il to
men who go over the skiing and remove any
unevenness in grain or texture which NAV
have come through undetected
The sorters next take the skins and as
sort them according to size and quality
The undressed or suede finish is given to
the gloves by shaving off a layer of the
outer side of the skin. The smooth, glossy
finish is called glace, and is given to the
skin by polishing the hair side of II. For
cheap suede gloves the flesh side of the
skin Is used for the outside
Each kidskin Will supply material for
about three gloves, and one man can cut
about three dozen pairs day. The gloves
are nrst stitched on the back, and then the
fingers are stitched in on a sewing ma
chine, in which the needle moves hori-
zontally instead of up and down, as in an
ordinary sewing machine. The best gloves
are hand-stitched. 1t is said that the
French dyers can give $50 tints to skins
and new tints are constantly being put on
the market. VII