Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-05-13
0yElN6 AND BLEACHING.
How The Work Is Done in an Augusta Custom
Establishment.

| The man who operates a nous,
must necessarily carry the colors thai
are in style. He must be one of the
first to foresee what color is to be the
| most stylish, for he is called upon IN
| color the articles of clothing that are
| perfectly good in quality, but the
| owner has become tired of the color.
and wishing to show her neighbor that
she can have something new, sends it
to the dyer to be made new.
The prevailing color just at present
is blue and all its shades. Violet also
Is being called for quite freely.
There is no particular sport in
operating dye house-so a visitor de-
cides when he watches the manipulation
OF the dyes at his work. The Journal
reporter called at the dye-house on
upper Water street, the other after
noon, and saw the proprietor, NJ G.
Beal, as he made new some old cloth
mat was faded, but not badly worn.
by the way, the dyelng is not the worst
part of that profession. for with it
goes. hand in hand, that of bleaching.
The reporter attempted to see how
some Of the bleaching gases smelled,
and as a result he was coughing 70,
the rest of the day. 1t would seem to
be terribly unwholesome job. and YET
the manager of the house says he has
worked at it all his life. and he still
lives to tell the story and is healthy n
that.
But to get back to dyeing. Dyeing is
ordinarily a subject that has a funeral
air about it, but in this case there
was nothing that suggested death. un-
less it was the piece of cloth that was
made black
Years ago" said Mr. Beal lit was
the custom to use a dye made Of wood"
Here he went to several barrels and
bags in one corner Of the room and
took out some Of the old dyes that had
been left over at this place, for it has
been in operation ever since Emil Bar
bier started it in 1864 In one bag is
the IoSwood that was supposed to show
up such a fine color.
The dyes that are now used are SIM
Her in appearance and effect to the
Diamond and Peerless dyes that are
50 greatly used in the families. In this
place they must of a necessity be
bought in large quantities.
Large watts are used. into which a
coil Of stcam-pipe runs so that the heo |
can be regulated to a certain degree
Tho dye and the water well mixed and
heated, the goods are put in. Sticks
are used to handle the goods. After
these goods have been used in the dye.
it is supposed to De clearer than when
the goods are put in. for it is under
stood that the fabric takes up the
particles Of the dye. After being taken
from this water they are rinsed in
clear water. This would seem rather
an odd performance in view of the fact
rinsnS removes none of the dye.
Few watts have to be used, as they
can he rinscd out thoroughly enough !
to allow OF one color being used after
another.
The bleaching part Of the process is |
one that would bother novice at the !
work. In certain kinds Of work there
is weak solution Of an acid that is |
used. a large tank holding $50 gal |
Ions Of water. with only six ounces of |
strong acid is used. In the greater |
number of cases. though. the gases |
1t was one time a custom to use sui |
phur almost entirely in bleaching, but |
that has gone out of practice. |
Chloride Of lime is a great bleacher as |
is oxalic acid.
The fabric. hat or whatever is to he |
blcached. is placed under d box or in |
something Of wood that can he closed !
tightly. The chemical mixture made !
by pouring some sort Of an acid. diff I
fcrcnt kinds being used in dfferen; |
work. upon preparation "f chemicals. |
is placed in 4 vessel within that box |
so that the gases that are thrown off |
will be confined. These gases acting in |
the confined surface will bleach. but |
they cannot hope to remove dirt, which |
in a great number Of cases, is the chief |
trouble with old goods.
STATE NEWS.