The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22
Changes in Umbrellas.


said he remembered going ION the road
from New York 20 New England. and be-
ing told by the head Of the house that II
was absolutely useless for him TO put
any silk umbrellas in his sample trunk,
because people would not buy them
Now" he said Il can't sell anything
else there The great majority of people
now buy umbrellas which are covered
either with silk or with fabric which :
silk mixture. Going back a very long
way. one finds no umbrellas except silk
for the exceptional few. and cotton for
the kind affected by Mrs. Camp. Succeed
ing this time. however. there was con-
siderable period in which alpaca and
Bingham were largely used as an improve
ment on cotton. Alpaca was given up be-
cause it was heavy and clumsy 70 roll.
and Bingham also gave way 10 more de-
sirable substitutes. Among the latter was
the Gloria silk. made OF silk and wool.
which was once used and held equal 10
real silk, but has now fallen out OF favor
with manufacturers because of the eX-
pense of wool in silk mixtures. as COM
pared with cotton.
The leading fabric today for the cover
ing of medium priced umbrellas is the
union taffeta, made of silk and cotton.
the fneness of which, in the different
grades, depends chiefly on the cotton
fibre
The steel tube. ,or rod. as it is called,
running through the umbrella stick, was
first imported TO this country from
France. II was used for women's para
soils as far back as the sos. but it did nor
become an important feature of umbrel-
la manufacture here until about 1880 At
first il did not find favor with retailers.
who objected that if man leaned on
IL IL. -
as the tube permitted. the umbrella
would break. The manufacturers perse-
vered. however, and now the great ma
jority of umbrellas are made with the
steel rods. This change was decidedly i'm
portant allowing umbrellas 10 be made
much smaller and lighter than before.
The ribs of the umbrellas were formally
Solid and this pattern is still used in the
cOmmonest grades, but the hollow ribs
were introduced by a London firm previ-
Gus TO 1910 The latter were at first en-
piOyed very sparingly. but they became
general in the COS. The same firm, il
is said. still makes the best ribs in the
market, having peculiar process Of tenn
pering the steel to just the right degree
of elasticity and strength. In conse-
quence. its ribs are largely imported for
the best grades Of umbrellas made here.
although very good ribs are now manu-
featured in this country. About twenty
years ago an improvement was made in
the shape of the umbrella frame, so as
to make il fit close TO the stick when
closed. This pattern. which is called the
lock rib. is only used in the better class
of goods. Most readers will remember
the time a number of years ago. when
many umbrellas were supplied with meta
cups 10 slip down over the tops of the
ribs when closed. These cups went out
of use because of an improvement in
ribs, causing them to be bent so as TO
make the tips lie close 10 the stick.
In the sizes of umbrellas the twenty-six
and MISREPRESENTATION makes have long
been the most populas. but in the last
few years a twenty-six-inch size has been
introduced which has steadily gained
favor. Sizes of thirty and thirty-two
inches are also made, chiefly in inferior
qualities for the jobbing trade. Most of
these are sold, it is supposed, to farm
ers. who wish them TO shelter several
persons at a time, when riding in an
open wagon.
The variety Of umbrella handles is i'm
mense, including natural sticks plain and
mounted. silver. gold, ivory. horn and
gun metal. The latter material. which
was introduced for the purpose last year,
Is eAptCteu 10 DC pOpuldI IOf StNtidi
years to come. with some changes in the
style of ornamentation. With all the i'm
provements in umbrellas a first-grade
silk one commands as high a price now as
it did twenty-five years ago; but, owing
to the cheapness of other desirable fab
RIGS for covering a very good umbrella
can now be bought much lower than for
merly. An excellent. servceable uIp
brella, of neat appearance, can be pur-
chased for a few dollars. and trade eX-
pert said that $40 would secure at retail
the very best plain umbrella that could
possibly be msde-ths fhest natural stick.
the finest ribs and the finest quality Of
silk. Anything in excess of that. he de-
clared. must be paid for the handle.
1t is likely that most persons suppose
an umbrella is manufactured. in ali
parts, in a single factory There was a
time, long ago, when manufacturers made
their own umbrella ribs and sticks, just
as carpenters once made their own doors
and sashes, instead Of buying them from
a factory where they are turned out by
machinery Even as late as the sos. in /
one factory in New York city everything !
was done on the premises except the man |
ufacture Of ribs and rods. SILK was taken /
from the bolt. the stick from the log, and /
the silver. for mounting, from the ingot /
Under these conditions, 70 see what could !
De done. an umbrella was once completely 1
made in four hours. Now, however, the !
work Is widely divided. One manufac- /
facture makes ribs, another rods. others /
caps. ferrules and runners. while stiE {
others supply sticks and handles. The /
regular umbrella manufacturer simply
puts these materials together with the
silk or other covering.
Speaking ofthe vast growth Of the trade.
an old salesman said that he remembered.
in 1855. seeing umbrellas peddled from
cart. on rainy days. az Broadway and
Fulton street. New York. Formerly he
added umbrellas were sold in this CITY
at but Jew places except hatters and
haberdashers' shops. while now stores Tor
Il he sale Of umbrellas exclusively are mui-
tiplying. and immense quantities are sod
bv the department stores lie said that /
according to the United States census
the value Of the umbrellas manufactured
in this country was s.. cOo 90 in 1880 and
s10 900 90 in 1870 The increase since the
latter years must have been enormous.
The time was when nearly all the first
class umbrellas IN this country were i'm
Dorted from Europe. chiefly from Eng
land although some came from France
and Germany. The inpOrtations began
10 fan of ABOUT $50. partly owing 20 the
influence or the FfLlade ipDlA EAPpstl+'H-
and partly 20 the Introduction u the low
nriaed good fabrics for covering A.
present the imports are said 20 De very
small. Beng principally Cor few fashion
ab,e hstters. bsoeTashers. ard jewelers..
T,xports Of umbrellas have been CORE
spondingly light. out manufacturers have
recently shipped cousignments 20 Cuba
and Porto Rico. and tAey believe that.
vith The present tsri6 conditions, good
-sde can be built Up Fl tEose quarters.