The morning times., 1897-02-18
FALSE HAIR BECOMING SCARCE

Nearly ali OF the false hair used for wigs,
switches, ard bangs has for years been
obtained in France, but the supply in that
country is running so short that agents Of
Partisan dealers have been dispatched to
Il number OF either countries. one or two
cutters, as they are called, have located in
the United States, where they will endeavor
to supply the local demand, besides ship
ping largely TO Paris. At least 500 cutters
are employed by French houses, and they
20 from house to house and from farm to
farm, seeking women who are willing to
sell their hair.
A good cutter must obtain four or more
p, ople a day to make fair living, and
hc pays fiom fifty cents TO SO Il head. It's
estimated tlsat the average weight of
luXuriant head OF hair viii be about orc
round. While the cutter gives the owner q
mere pitfauce for the lfair it sells when
placed NJ on the market for fancy prices.
Tie III ost expensive false hair is the silver
white that has reached this stage of its
growth naturally and not through an
pIocesS of dyeng. One reason for this
is that very few people who have reached
the age where their lair gets silver white
are willing o part with their tresses
II is estimated that every year the wEo.c
territ ory of France is gone over 10y the
cutters, and every woman of humble CIR
cumstanccS has been given a chance 10
make money by selling Ter hair The
prices oflcIed by the cutters is very small,
but if the oman has fine head Of lair
and understands bargaining she may raise
his price to a gcod one AS high as fifty
francs have been paid Tor the tresses Of
one peasant girl.
The false hair thus obtained direct from,
the heads OF living subjects always finds its
way into the expensive braids and switches
OF the fashiona bic hair-dreSser. but a good
deal loftheinferior stuff used eomesfron less
desirable quarters. Hundreds Of rag-pick-
ers are out in Paris early in the morning
raking over the garbage anu ashes collected
the preceding day. In these barrels they
find the combings of hundreds of thousands
OF women. This hair is all mixed to-
gether, representing all lengths, colors and
degrees of finencss. Nevertheless, this
mixed and dirty hair is purchased by the
professional hair cleaners at the rate OF
$3.50 per pound
The hair cleaners have no easy job to
cleanse and straighten out the tangled
masses purchased by them. The hair is first
busted and cleaned of the worst of the
refuse, and then it is soaked in water to
further clcanit. After this il is rubbed into
sawdust until it shines once more with its
pristine gloss and then it is secured out.
This work seems an endless one to an on
locker, but skilful hands do itrapidly Each
individual haIr is placedin a frame with the
roots all one way, and then they are az
ranged, according to colors and lengths
When the long hairs of one color have ac-
cumulated sufficiently they are made into
the beautiful braids which are displa yed
in the windows These braids are high
| priced and sell readily to customers of high
standing.
The same cutters who make a business of
securing their raw material from the
young maidens of the country and small
villages do not hesitate To approach the
relatives of deceased member and ask
\ to purchase the tresses before interment
| Sometimes very poor family will sell
| the hair, considering it no disgrace to dc
so. There is no law to prevent this unless
| the physician signs a certificate to the ef-
| feet that the disease of which the person
| died is contagious. in which event the cut
| ters are not allowed to have their trophy.