The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1900-10-12
Thelemnrrat- Star
HISTORY OF PANAMA HATS.
THREE TO FIVE MONTHS DAILY TOLL
NEEDED TO MAKE THE FINEST
GRADES.

ohabL1s 1
Perry NJ. de Leon, consul general In
Ecuador, has sent in a report to the
State Department - Washington,
giving some interesting particulars
the manufacture Of the Ma
navi, or Panama hat.
The Manavi (Panamal hat was first
made 10 the province OF Manavi, Ecua'
dor, about 275 years ago, by a native
named Francisco Delgado. The finest
hats ever made were by "a native
named Palma, and were exhibited at
the Paris exposition when Napoleon
III was emperor. The two best were
bought by a French gentleman for
1000 francs (sl93) and presented to the
emperor and Marshal MacMahon.
Palma is now dead. but there are two
or three Others who possess equal
skill.
The present centres OF the industry
are Monte Cristi and Jipijapa, In the
province OF Manavi, and Santa Elena
and Cuenca, in the provinces OF Qua
vas and Azuay, respectively. They
came to be known as Panama hats
years ago, when that city was a dis
tributing centre. In Ecuador, Colom-
bia and Central America the hat is
known by the natives as the "Jipi-
japa" pronounced Hipyhapa), but as
they are made elsewhere In Ecuador,
principally in the province of Manavi
(Mahn.ah-vee), and as the name is
easy to pronounce, it seems to me it
might take the place OF the present
misleading appellatiOn.
The plant which supplies the raw
material is a native grass or species Of
cane. 1t is cultivated in the provin.
ces OF Manavi and Guayas, and is
known as papa toQuilla." In appear
ancc it resembles very much the
American saw palmetto. 1t is fan.
like in shape.
Low-lying, wet land is selected and
the seed planted in rows during the
rainy season. When the grass attains
a height Of four and half to five feet
1t is cut, just before %ripening, boiled
In water, and, after being thoroughly
sun dried, is assorted and is ready
for use.
The straw is first carefully selected,
dampened to make it pliable, and then
very finely divided into requisite
widths, the little finger or thumb nail
being used for the purpose. The plait-
Ing commences at the apex OF the
crown and is continued in circular
form until the hat is finished. The
work is carried on while the atmos-
phere is humid, from about midnight
to I a. m. II the strand breaks. it
can be replaced and so plated as not
to affect the work or be visible to the
naked eye.
1t requires from three to five months
daily labor Of three hours per day to
make one OF the finest hats. The
business in its highest development is
really an art. requiring patience, fine
sight, and special skill-qualifcati0ns
few OF the natives possess. The plait.
ing completed, the hat is washed in
clean, cold water, coated with a thin
solution OF gum, and polished with
dry powdered sulphur. They are so
pliable that they can be rolled up
without injury and put in ones pocket;
they will last for years and can be
repeatedly cleaned.
Natives of both sexes and all ages
are engaged Ia this work at odd times,
the business being IA side issue. Chill
dren make from raw, %undressed straw
about two Of the common hats per
day.
The Cuenca hat WHOLESALERS at from
IL to 60 sucres 1872 to $26 4O) per
dozen, finest, at ~ TO Is sucres 1856. %
to $500 each; the Manavi hat brings
3 to so sucreS (sl.32 to 1922 per dozen;
inner hats, 10 to 40 sucres ST. 40 to
sl7.6W each; fancy hats, so to 100
sucres 1922 to S44) and more each.
The principal markets for hats are
Cuba and Central America, nearly all
for the United States being sent in
transit for Cuba. Peru has been tax
Ing IA large quantity of the straw from
which she manufactures hats, COM
peting sharply with Ecuador and caus.
ing a decline in the industry; but the
export duty imposed by the last Con.
gress is reviving the business, exports
in 1899 being 10000 sucres more than
in 1899. Since the Germans have been
running a line of steamers from Ham.
burg to San Francisco some shipments
are going to that city.
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