Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1898-09-08
HOW FeLT HIS ARE MApE.
Thousands Of Men, womsn and Boys
Employed In the Industry.


Employed In the Industry.
One Of the leading Industries Of this
country Is tic Manufacture - hais. ~
the present time fu-felt hats are made
In el@en states-namely. Connecticut.
Ind Illinois. Maryland. Maine
MasaN 1usetts. Missouri. New Jer-
sey. New York. Pennsylvania and
Rhode Island. says the New York Com.
merclal There are 10 all more than
200 manufacturing plants producing
hats for mems. boys. women's and
children's wear. composed Of the fur Of
the rabbit. beaver. nutria and other
animals The industry employs up
ward Of 5000 men. women and boys.
and the approximate value Of the out
put Is said 10 be S2O.OOO.OOO annually.
Speaking Of mems hats and their man.
ufaeture. a representative Of one Of the
largest firms In this city said
Felt hats include the popular derby
and the various other styles o. soft
hats. an Of which are made from ami
nal furs. the natural coats OF the
coney. hare. nutria. muskrat and
beaver. To manipulate the skins Of
these animals 10 as 70 properly pre-
pare the fur Tor felting purposes IL an
expert chemical operation; In fact. a
trade In Itself. entirely distinct from
that Of hat-maklng. and Is carried on
/ BY 'haiiers' fur-cutters IN London. the
worlds great center FOR that work.
The art Of the Ia; maker includes a
knowledge OF the particular fur or
combination Of furs for making n given
quality Of hats. The proportioning Of
the Different furs requires the utmost
exaciness The quality OF product
having been decided upon. the fur Is
then cleaned and separated from stray
hairs and all UNRELIABLE substances.
This initial process Is accomplished by
q windy machine called the devil
The next process. forming. con-
sists Of distributing BY means Of air
currents a light coating OF fur upon the
oIter surface Of a revolving perpen.
dicular cone. perforated with small
holes When fLr covers the cone sur.
fcent Tor one hat. Il Is wrapped In wet
cloths and given a brief hot bath. then
stripped from the cone. and, after the
stopping process OF adding a little fur
20 weak spots. Is wrapped with other
cloths inside a wooden cloth TO harden
Il fm handling. BY a process called
sizing which consists Of repeated i'm.
merliohs In hot water. together with
rolling and unrolilng. folding and I'M
folding. the cone-shapod mass IS re-
duced DO one-third rs original size. Il
% wonderful how each fiber will twis;
and lniertwine basket-fashlon. with
the other. until the product is a closely
woven mass.
The body Is then shaved 10 re-
move stray hairs IN the fur. and then II
Is H,liened with a coating Of shellac
thoroughly dried and then subjected u
steam. which softens the shellac and
draws 70 into the fabric. when dried Il
Is immersed In hot alkaline solution
u free the surface from shellac. and
then in cold water 10 remove the alkali
Blocking succeeds sdnening. The
fabric is dipped In boiling water ant
/ placed on a block patterned for m,
. hnal shape Of the hat After the dyelnl
process comes that Of finishing. which
consists OF steaming. blocking 20 shap'
the crown. drying, coating with a stiff
fening solution. drying again. ironinl
out wrinkles. after which q iI pounce,
With emery paper and singed 20 re
move the long nap. and oil applied 4
smooth the surface. The curling de
partment cuts the brlm TO the desired
width. rolls up the sides and pitches
the front and rear as the style de-
mands.. With the process OF trim
ming. consisting Of sewing on the bind
ing and band and comenting the lining
the derby Is finished II soft hat II
desired the stlffenlng process Is omit
TED.