The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-02-13
Where Valentines Are Made.


rs the sale OF valentines decreasing in
the United states?' was asked OF one OF
the largest manufacturers Of these SEN
timeRtal tokens in New York City, by a
Herald reporter.
Contrary to the general opinion. Il is
not, he replied. TO prove this he con-
tinued. Il may say that we have this year
already disposed OF Is. ooo.0oo comic val
eatines and many car loads OF lace and
novelty goods. We control the comic lire
exclusively. but there are other manufac-
turers OF the fancy goods. We have this
year put in a machine for making the
lace paper required in their manufacture.
which is the only one in the country. We
should scarcely have gone TO this expense
with decreasing trade in valentines
The factory at which these facts were
learned Is an enormous siX-story build
ing. II is a severely mercantile looking
establishment, and one would never think
in passing IL that within those sombre
walls such tender signs. blissfui smiles
and idealisiic creations would find their
origin.
In a room on the second floor were about
two hundred young girls. some of them as
dainty looking as the pictures on the val
entines they were making. busily engaged
in putting the sections Of the tender mis-
twenty tables. on which were piled up
before each miss a proper complement Of
Autographed hearts, Cupids Cupids' bows,
lace fringe and paper foundation. With
III aid OF def fingers and paste these
separate parts were being quickly trans
formed into a complete work OF art. At
one machine, used for enclosing the high
~ coiored pictures, a young woman was
seated, while another was busy at ma
chine used for stamping out the perfor-
ated parts.
The work Of Cupid was being carried out
in this room most appropriately and har-
moniously. One could almost hear his
wings flutter to the subdued tones Of the
girls voices. These young people are en-
gagged the year around at making valen-
tines. The travelling agents commence
taking orders from May onward. and the
goods are shipped 10 every state In the
Union. TO Canada, and Mexico The bulk
Of the shipments are made in Septem-
Der, and boat loads are sent west by way
of the Erie Canal and the lakes. The
later shipments go in car load lots or less.
The manufacturers do not sell les than
hundred gross lots. leaving the jobers 10
do the distributing Chicago takes half
the entire output of the comic valentines.
From the lace valentine rom TO the nov
city utpdI OlA lHc MIN iApDl was
quite a journey. involving a tramp over
numerous floors and the use OF three diff
ferent elevators. The scene In this depart
ment was one of the greatest interest
Here, again, large number Of girls were
grouped at long tables with huge paste
pots, enormous spols of silk cord and rib
bon, satin cushions and the various parts
which go to make up the really preteh-
tious valentines.
I'VE must furnish new designs each
year." said the superintendent. "or the
trade would soon die out. We spend as
much thought and care over the prepa-
ration of these trifes as do the milliners
or confectioners over their products. Gel
luloid and tochon have supplanted satin
for the last few years. but satin is being
much used in the valentines this year
The comic valentines are merely cheap
prints of an aggressiyely
personal character.