The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-08-31

Mexican spurs with Long Roweis and
Others Ia Contrast witt Them

out In the west. but taking all spurs
together, the greatest number are
made Ia Newark, N. j.. which has
long been famous among other things
for its productions In saddlery hard
ware
The great Mexican spurs were orig
inally produced by Mexican workers
in iron. who forged them put by hand.
They were massive and heavy, and
many Of them were inlaid with silver
They had enormous towels From the
ends OF the heel band chain ran un-
der the shank OF the wearer's boot.
and over the top OF the boot there was
strap. Many OF these spurs were
curiously and artistically wrought.
and some OF them cost fifty or one hum
drcd dollars u pair.
The first Mexican spurs made in the
east came from Newark about 1910.
The handmade Mexican spurs were so
expensive that some Yankee merchants
engaged in business In California sent
TO Newark and had spurs made OF
mallcable iron from Mexican patterns.
These were sold at less than half the
price of the hand-wrought Mexican
spurs They soon found their way
along the Pacific coast. and the trade
in them increased largely.
Some Mexican spurs are still sold.
or one style the rowel Is four and
three-fourths inches in diameter, with
six points; another style has a rowel
with ten points. The points are usual
ly blunt and duh. Attached 70 the
shank of the spur are two small
dangling bits Of iron called bells,
which strike against the rowel as the
wearer walks or rides and produces a
musical sound. The bells are also
useful the wearer hooks the
points OF rowel into the hair
saddle girth of his horse, turns his
foot slightly, and the bells drop be-
tween two Of the points of the rowel;
the rowel turns until the bells between
the spolzes bring up against the shank
and stop the wheel from turning; thus
the rider is enabled 10 hold on with
the points of the rowel through the
girth as though it were a claw.
Some heavy iron spurs made for
South American use have rowel two
and a half inches in diameter and a
where the shank springs from it,
through which another strap Is put
and carried over the foot to hold up
the spur at the back
There are many styles of spurs tor
park and for various other uses, and
there are many patents on spurs and
various ways of fastening the spur to
the boot. There are spurs without
heel bands, which screw into the boot.
There is one spur with divided
shank, the outer end, which holds the
rowel. turning aud serving as crank
with which to turn the screw into the
boot heel, and also TO force into the
heel little pin TO hold the heel plate
firmly in position. When screw and
pin are in place little collar is turned
down upon the divided parts of the
shank, making the shank rigid.
Spurs are sometimes made out OF
carpenters screws. The projecting
side of the head OF the screw is cut off
NIL around flush with the smooth part
of the screw. Then the slot Is sawed
down deep enough to admit rowel OF
the desired size. There is spur with
straps upon which the straps first adj
justed TO about the right length, and
then held firmly in place upon the
boot by turning a little lever, clamp
ing the spur on something after the
same manner as lever on modern
skate There is spur called box
spur, the shnnlS OF which It's into "A
deep little metal box set la the boot
heel. This little box has n door that
closes across the opening when the
spur is not in use, to keep the box
clear. When the spur is used this lit
tie door is pushed aside by the end OF
the shank, and the shank is held in
place by contrivance inside
Spurs for women are made with safe.
ty points, so that they will not catch
In skirts. The rowel has n single point,
which is covered with n cylindrical
guard The outer end OF the guard is
held flush with the end OF the rowel by
means of spring inside II this spur
is pressed against a yielding surface,
as like the side Of a horse, the guard Ia
forced back, TO take It's place again
flush with the point when the pressure
Is removed. Safety spurs are some
times made for stage use with rowels
without teeth, and some stage spurs
have rowels of the regular size.
Spurs for race horses are sometimes
made with hardly any points TO the
rowels. so as 10 avoid furnishing or in
juring the horse. Such spurs have
been made with small copper cents for
rowels, with the edge left smooth In
contrast with the great rowels Of the
Mexican spurs are some that are scarce
ly more than quarter OF an inch in
diameter.
The bulk Of spurs nowadays are
made OF steel and iron. Spurs arc also
made OF brass. silver. and OF German
silver. Many spurs are nickel plated.
Spurs are sometimes made of gold;
usually for gifts. A pair OF good steel
spurs costs about two dollars and fifty
cents; iron spurs can. be bought as low
as ten or fifteen cents pair. NAL
leable lron Mexican spurs, such as
have sold for ten dollars pair, can
n. n. 81 n n -