The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-06-23
TRUNKS OLD AND NEW.
First One Made in This COuntry-Im-
DrOvement by Woman. -. q

| Eyes, I've been Sixty-three years
manufacturing trunks inf New York
Icity," said a veteran in the trade.
l'"That's a long time, but never real
lie it until I look at this article" and
he gently pulled an oilcloth covering
|off small, dark box, which, when ta-
lken out into the light. revealed what
was acknowledged at the time of it's
New York city. It looked like a veri-
liable antique, the shriveled little OBJ
|ject omitting musty odor, which for
the moment carried one away to the
New York of sixty-three years ago.
II keep it always here with me,'
Its owner said, stroking it thoughtfuny
and almost fondly-"just to watch the
Ievolution of the trunk in my own fac
tory"
The old-fashioned trunk is covered
with leather four times as thick as the
article now commonly used to cover the
wooden frame. It is strapped round and
round with iron bands fastened with
big, black k-headed nails, and inside the
two trays, neatly papered, have bot
toms of latticed tape. The trunk fits
easily in one half the trunks of mod
ern make surrounding it. -
The little trunk stood beside the la
test sent out by one of the leading fac
tories in New York-the "bureau'
trunk, so called because of it's resem-
blance when opened to that piece of
furniture. The trays are in the form
of drawers Of graduated depths, an
upper one sufficiently deep to contain
large hats. The top tray, however,
which turns up against the lid in the
Ordinary way, has various small COM
partments, and the inside of the lid is
similarly equipped on narrower
lscale.
! When this trunk first came out of
the factory year ago Chicago wom-
an purchased one, and asked for per-
mission to take out patent on a pro-
posed improvement, which was grant,
ed her. She fitted the fall of the top
tray, which, when dropped on it's
hinges, exteded few inches over the
tiers of drawers or trays below, as a
writing table, and pigeon-holed the lid
of the trunk for letters, writing ma
terial, etc., until it resembled the face
| of a writing desk. She received the
patent and presented trunks to vari-
Gus friends, who find them useful as
travelling secretaries and trunks COM
bined, and, although one of the larg-
est trunks manufactured, it weighs
only a little over fifty pounds. The
trunk is covered with the new canvas,
| which is almost as durable as leather,
and inside it is a model of neatness
and strength in it's fine linen Innings
and fittings. s..
Cali our finest leather for trunks
| comes from England said the manu-
facturer Of trunks, because the Am
lerican is, in too great a hurry to make
good leather Quick chemical processes
:
no such sole leather as England, where.
the old methods Of tanning are still
employed. In fact. canvas, which is
| now especially manufactured for the
purpose and paited and treated until
| it is as strong or stronger than the
split leather used on trunks, is taking
| the place of leather for reasons Of
economy and saving of weight. The
| ideal trunk today weighs from forty
eight to sixty pounds. It must be
strong and it must be light. We, have
tried aluminium, but it becomes in
dented if not made so thick that it is
too heavy and too expensive at it's
present market price. The frame for
an average trunk of this metal cost
$16 New York Evening Post.