Evening star., 1899-02-04
NANuFACTuRE OF GLOVES.
Fhteen Million Dollars Invested I'm
the Industry I'm America.

From the Woman's Home Companion
The art Of glovemaking, once followed
exclusively by women, is now pursued
largely by men. This is chiefly due to the
introduction OF machinery. used today for
sewing and pressing the seams, and to i'm
proved means for drafting patterns which
were formerly made of paper or wood
Then the glover, laying his pattern on the
leather. would mark out its outline with a
lead pencil end cut IT out with shears The
glove. which was sewn by hand and the
seams pounded, then went through the
process OF pressing. This was done by
placing II between two boards, on which
the glovenaker sat while making anoth n
pair. In the Manufacture of tha modern
grove, the operator, having cut the leather,
lolds II over SO that the back Is larger
than the mont. Then he makes three cuts
through the doubled pieC -, SO that IL may
produce the back and front for the four
1ngers- Next an oyOid hole is cut for the
insertion of the thumb piece. Before COM
pIeunS the work on the first and fourth
myers, long strips, g1lssets, are sewn on
the inner side. but in the second and third
fingers gussets are sewn on both sides
Afterward small diamond-shaped pieces ara
cut. htted and sewn at the interdiEital
folds, or base Of the fingers The Orna-
mental embroidery is then stitched on ths
back, the buttons or fasteners fitted. aud
the wrists hemmed; then the glove Is fin
l5hcu III the sewing a tOOthsG vice Or
clainp is used to regulate the size OF tho
stitches. Gloveworkers are divided into
three classes: Those who seam the fingers
and put in the thumb are called ths
makers; those who hem the edges a the
wrist welters. and those who emh-ailar
the back. pointers. The average earniugs
OF all classes are only 81 a day In our
country no less than Sl5oJDoOo is invested
IN the glove industry, which first settled in
Gioyersville, y. Y. in 1903 At this tima
the skins used were those Of dear received
ny traders in exchange for Tin. Rough
mittens were the first product Of this set
uement, and the first load Of gloves tEat
Went TO Boston was Forwarded in lS25
IN the history Of dress the position Of thu
glove is unique. There was a time when
the glove was emblem of contilenra
Forming a part of the regal habit II b.-
came badge of rank. In the middle aga
the ceremony of investitura in confcrrs..g x
dignities or bestowing lands was consu5n-
mated by the giving of a glove. Likewis.,
the deprivation Of gloves was a ceremony
of degradation. Then, too, il was the ,-,,s-
tom to give gloves in payment Of rent ths
gloves being accepted as a guarantee OF a
retalners service, which was the chief con-
ditlon of tenure. On the Scotch border the
glove held high place as a gage. Here a
glove borne on the point Of a lance pro-
claimed an act Of hostile intent and the
usual prelude TO a quarrel. Throughout
the history of dress they are found sym
hollcal of pledges, cages. gifts or favors
Gloves also form part of burial rites ana
were carried In funeral professions until
the middle f the eighteenth century
W hen maiden died il was the custom to
place IN the center Of the garland which
was borne on her coffin a pair OF white
sioVes-a symbol Of virginity and innocence.