The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-29
NOT ENOUGH FLAGS FOR ALL.

There is flag famine. Ten million edl-
lions Of Old Glory are said 10 have been
sold since the hattiesh.p Maine Was blown
op. aud such a scarcity Of bunting exists
that even the war department is having
trouble 90 procure a sufficient supply.
Flags wear oat pretty rapidly. and the
number required annually for various pur-
poses by the government ss astonishing
oae firm makes Sli the flags for pubic
buildings ali over the United States under
contract with the treasury department. as
We'll as for thu revenue cutter service
The navy manufactures most OF its own
flags az the Brooklyn navy yard but the
code signals are furnished outside, Uncle
Sam furnishing the bunting. These signals
consist OF nineteen flags Of different
ehapes and colors. They form a sort OF
alphabet. and with them a whole language
has bsen made up. so that vessels can
talk with one another At distance OF
miles as plainly as II they spoke English.
Trss is the international code. which sail
crs 81 81 countries comprehend
The business Of making American flags
employs thousands of people nearly all q:
them women and girls in various PARTS of
che United states Hundreds Of thousands
OF them are manufactured every year ia
ahs city OF rhlsdsiahia. but there are
flag towns" in New England also which
contribute largely 20 the patriotic output
yeoien material GENES from New Eng
land: K Is OF a loosely woven texture SO
that the wind may blow through IT, The
stun for the finest Tags reaches the flag
makers In big rolls. some red some
white and some blue. The blue. 81 course
Is for the union in the corner willis tina
red and white are for the stripes
Each roll % red or white bunting IL
wound az tightly as possible. antl Is then
riaeet under a raxor-sdsed knife, by
which IL Is cut snto series 81 measured
slices. hSe q piece of meat. Zach slice
on being unrolled, Is a Tong strip exactly
tho width ~ she aag stripe taz. Is want
Ell. The strips ars next cut into the requj-
rgte lengths for the stripes Of the flag
that IS 10 ee. ana are sewn together by
machine. with tho blue "1nicu" in
one corner Tne Waite stars. however.
are sewn upon tire rpt9n BY hand. ana THIS
work has 10 BE- deue with she greatest
care each star being firsr haStsd on and
then having is edges tGFnyd n0ier hefora
Che fra, sewing IS performed. The stars
ere cut our cg white f}Neu. and Sewcd up
on each side az the Nlue Tela tArv arc
made very simply. w.sh pair os scissors
ana a tn pattern
This IS the way 81 which the very hest
Tags are turned eat. The Kind next IN
saal.gy are she se-calaed woven flags.
which are produced complete by a loom.
ShartSeA ckRsRsFFS Utt&3N ana aAt- A3E IS uk
this sort come from the loom III Il sonlia-
nous strip or piece. which $ tAeTeupa1
cut up into separate editions ~ tae na-
tleEal eosogs. the latter being &emnled.
end tfss finished SIS f&st as they are
enhsSed sram the machine. No particular
ska such as is needed in the ether case
Ter making the copies % 0si Glory sygsl-
sssetr.cal ana perfect. * here required. tsa
machine does i ali Tac material how
ever. IS the same. a13 u NAV as weH be
explained rieht here JA4t bunting = the
best stun Ter flags. because 4; : safl ana
to0e not whip IN TIE wind Ike a S;lE
nasssr.xls bs1iass. Il holds is ecioT wels.