Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-04-17
HAWTHORNE ESMERALDA COUNTY, NEVADA, APRIL H. 1895

For the cosrser hats fine wool is
sometimes mixed in.
The pelts usually reach the hat-felt-
ing factory with the hair turned inside
and as we'll preserved as possible.
After thorough washing they are
dried out and sent to the Turing ma
chine. This consists of swiftly re-
volving wheel armed with knives which
neatly shave the hair from the pelts as
the workman holds them down. Back
of the machine suction pipe catches
the fur and carries it swiftly to an
upper floor. where it is stored in bins
and left all the way from six to ten
years. This curing process dries out
the fibers, gives them elasticity and
makes the saw teeth more prominent.
When it is ready for use the differ
ent kinds of fur are brought down from
the storage-room to mixing machine
known to the trade as the ''devil. :"
Here furs are mixed to make the var
ious grades of hats. For instance,
otter hair is heavy and expensive and
in order to make the best grade a
proportion of lighter and cheaper coney
or rabbit hair is added to it. Mixing
is good deal of an art, each manufac-
turer having his own secrets.
From the "devil" the fur. all mixed
for the grade of hats to be made, goes
to big bin. in the bottom of which
there is long, narrow slit.
Vuct af ef1 Nf I'D 1,a1 -
there is copper cone about four feet
high which is perforated with great
number of small holes. Underneath
the cone there is swiftly revolving
suction fan which sucks the air through
the holes with great force.
When the felt-hat maker is ready to
begin work he touches lever and the
perforated cone begins 20 revolve with
tremendous velocity. Then the fur is
shaken down from the bin and sifts
slowly through the slit. falling upon
the cone. Here it is held firm by the
suction, the fibers being crossed in
every direction. When the cone has
been entirely coated with fur damp
cloth = coffee-sacking - is wrapped
around it, wire cone is substituted
for the copper cone. and the embryo
hat. which is about four feet high and
a foot or more across the base, is carried
away to the shrinking-room. Here it
is immersed for few minutes in
bath of dilute sulphuric acid. Then it
is taken out and a workman rolls 1t
down and rubs the fibers closer togeth-
er with a batters stick made of the
tough wood Of the arbor vitae. This
continues until the felt cone has grown
much thicker and smaller, resembling
dunce-cap in shape.
As soon as it has dried out it is sent
to the dye-room, which is filled with
copper watts. each of which contains a
rich dyestuff in liquid form. Here
the hat is dipped and allowed to re-
main for some little time. The man.
ufacturer takes great pride in his color
book, and there are many secrets for
mixing dyes to produce the rich browns
and grays so much admired in summer
stlyes. A peculiar thing about the
dyeing process lies in the fact that the
colors while in the kettles are greatly
affected by variations of weather. Two
successive stocks of hats from the same
bath. dyed under precisely the same
conditions, will be several shades differ
ent in color. For this re ason only the
most skilled workmen can be employed.
and even they are not always success
full.
Up to this time the dunce-cap has
been limp and flexible. To stiffen it
bath of "'vine." as the felters call it,
made of shellac cut with alcohol. is
prepared. and the hat is dipped quickly
into it. For cheaper grades water"
an ammonia solution of shellac-is
used. Great care and skill is required
to get the felt stiffened to just the
proper degree.
When the dunce-cap is dry-and
drying takes only few minutes-lt is
passed along to the shapers. who are
charged with giving it the general
form of hat.
This work is performed with the aid
of most ingenious device. modifica-
tion of the hydraulic press. The
dunce-cap. being first moistened and
heated, is placed point down in a
mold just the size of the future crown.
Inside of it relaxed rubber bulb is
crowded. and then the upper part of
the mold is brought slowly but forcibly
downward. At the same time the bulb
is slowly distended with steam. which
serves the double purpose of distending
the crown and keeping it hot. The rim
is spread out fat by the pressure on
flanges which extend outward from the
edges of the mold.
When the hat comes from the press it
somewhat resembles a western SOM
brero and the felt is rough and woolly.
After being "baked" in drier for a
time the "hat.body,' as it is called,
now goes to the hat.shop proper, where
it is shaped for the trade.-Chicago
Record.
"Now. jedge," said the sworn
colored witness, I'm a.gwine ter tell