Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-08-29
THE USE or oLo HATS.


one o. the MoSt important PaVtS 0S WoUO
Costume.
Formerly the United States imported
the major part Of the hats used within
its borders from Europe, especially
from England, Germany and France,
the latter and Vienna furnishing the
best quality Of silk hate. To-day the
hat industry in the United states has
assumed such enormous proportions
that 1t not only supplies the home de-
mAnd, but many thousands Of Ameri.
can hats find their way across the
ocean to foreign customers. There
are factories in this country, like the
StetsOn company in Philadelphia, that
produce in the neighborhoOd Of $4,000
dozen a year, while the American styles
are freely acknowledged to be supe-
rior to those of Europe. The quality
of hats manufactured In this country
ID also superior to that manufactured
abroad, with the exception Of the silk
hat, the consumption Of which has Of
late decreased considerably. The fact
seems to be that foreign hats are i'm.
ported solely for a certain class Of
American consumers who prefer any.
thing foreign to a domestic article.
For what with the quality, style and
quantity Of hats produced in the Unit
ed States. there seems to be no neces.
sity for importation.
The material from which the better
class Of hats Is made Is imported
largely from several European coun.
tries and from South America, the lat
ter furnishing the exceedingly fine
quality Of nutria fur. Russian and Ger
man hares, white and yellow carrot,
and beaver In raw and carrot state.
also enter largely in the manufacture.
Considering the good material hats
are made Of, 1t will be interesting to
note what becomes Of the millions Of
hats that are annually, or even month
~, discarded by their owners In con-
.dition which should allow their con-
tlnucd wearing for considerable time
to come.
The discarded hats Of the rich man
rarely fall into other hands than those
Of his valet. who either uses them
himself or dlsposcs Of them, togetheE
with other pieces Of his masters die.
car,led wardrobe, to friends or dealers
In secondhand clothing. As these
hats are generally In very good condi'
ton, they Ind ready sale without
tho process of renovation which othel
hats coming from less distinguished
sources have to undergo, and hey
share their fate only ut q sec )nd
change Of owners.
The average professional and bust
ness man does not trouble himself
abOut the disposal Of discarded hats
They generally remain In some closet
In the Office or Mt home until nm appli
cant for the same appears. But there
are many men Of this class with On
economical turn OF mind who do moi
dlsdain to enter into negotiations will
the hat doctor. This Individual makes
canvass In the downtown Office
buildings, where he contracts for thu
rejuvenatlOn of worn headpieces
guaranteeing to return them, for Ger
tain consideration, ''as good rs new
He does not buy hats; he IL only
sort Of broker, rs the actual work o.
rcjuvenatlng hat Ii done by SOM
dyeing and repairing establishment
which makes u speciality Of this bust
ness.
These establishments form the mael
from toward which IRE drawn the dis
cardcd hats from all sources. Herr
the hat Of the plutocrnt mixes will
that Of the lawyer, the merchant ant
the dry goods clerk, undergoing thu
same process Of cleaning or dyeins
All distinctions Of rank disappear II
the dyeing vat, where nutria, hair ono
sh0ddy are on an equal footing, nj
soaking In the new color, which, to
gether with fresh binding. assurel
them new lease Of life.
The career Of a hat IL a short one
Its average Of life after leaving tn,
factory and up to tho time 1t gets Int
the hands Of the hat doctor being no
more than six months. The silk Ia
lasts somewhat longer, and IT. q
perience 10 generally u little more val
led than that Of the derby or soft hal
When q silk Int reaches the rejuvenat
Ing stage 1t n more pliable subjec
than any Of Its comrades.