The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-02-16
AMERICAN MADE HATS.
styles That Are Popular with
Men In Different Parts Of
the Country. -

styles That Are Popular with
Men In Different Parts Of
the Country.
The stiff, or derby hat, is the prevail
ing characteristic headgear of the east
for ordinary wear, as it has been for
30 years or more, or since the close of
the civil war. Before the war soft hats
were commonly worn here, made in va
rious styles and in different shades of
gray, black and other colors. The
styles were sometimes distinguished by
names. A soft. hat named for Louis
kcssuth when he came to this country
obtained very wide favor and came to
be very commonly worn. Soft hats con-
tinue to be worn in the east, and in con-
siderable numbers; and there has been
at least one season since the common
adoption of the derby in which there
were worn here perhaps more soft hats
than stiff hats. The soft hat now worn
here is very different from the old
style Straightforward and almost fiat
brimmed soft hat once worn. 1t has
brim that curls up at the sides and dips
more or less at the front and back, the
top is creased and the sides of the
crown crushed in. 1t is variously de-
scribed as alpine, tourist, and SO on.
In the south the prevailing head COW
ering is the soft hat; perhaps to the ex-
tent of so per cent, and the soft hat is
worn largely in the west, if not more ex-
tensively than the stiff hat. Through
out the country everywhere the derby
is worn more or less in cities, and con-
stantly more and more commonly in
southern cities; so that the area of
derby predominance may be said to be
constantly spreading. In the country
the soft hat prevails. In some outlying
districts of the remote west the soft hat
is practically the only hat worn through
wide territories,
The fine soft hats sold by city dealers
in western, northwestern and south
ern cities are many of them admirable
examples of modern hat making, grace
full in design and excellent in quality,
many of them, indeed. expensive, retail
ing at five dollars and upward perhaps
to ten dollars. There are soft hats that
sell for higher prices, up to SIS and $40,
and more. Hats at SIS and $40 while by
no means articles of common sale are
still things of steady and regular sale.
Such are the hats worn in this country
by cowboys and plainsmen, among 9TH
ers, and the price is not by any means
a fancy price, but it stands for the very
best of material, and necessarily in a
hat of that size, good deal more of it
than would be put into an ordinary hat.
These hats are the best that can be
made, and will outwear half dozen
cheap, common hats, a consideration of
some Importance to man who might.
have to go hundred miles, or maybe
500, to find hat store.
For long time some American straw
hats have been exported to Latin Amer
lean countries south of the equator,
such as Brazil, but not many; that trade
ismostly supplied from Europe. Ameri-
can straw hats have found fair market
in the West Indies, and more have been
sold there since the close of the recent
war with Spain than ever before. The
straw hats seen in Havana are, many of
them, like those seen in New York;
and such styles are spreading out on
the lines of railroads and supplanting
the native palm hats.
In soft and stiff hats there has long
been some export trade, chiefly to Mex
leo and the Central American states
and the West Indies, with some to South
America. For some years New York
city halter, who is also a manufacturer,
has had agencies for the sale of his hats
in three European cities, number soon
to be increased. The American hats
sold at these agencies have been sold
presumably chiefly to American tour
lists; in fact, hats bought in these for
eign cities have been worn into the
store of the maker here. But few
years ago a widely-known American
hat manufacturing concern, sent a man
around the world with some samples,
with the result that American soft and
stiff hats are now sold, to some extent,
at least, in practically every civilized
country on earth.
Hats can be produced and sold in this
country nowadays very cheap, but
American manufacturers do not vet
seek to compete in foreign markets
with the still lower-priced Belgian, Ger
man and English hats. On the trip re-
ferred to-, there were carried only the
very finest grades of hats. In such
grades the American manufacturers
now have no rivals anywhere. The
finest American hats may cost more
than the best foreign hats that come
nearest to them, but they are distinctly
superior in style, finish and lightness.
They are the finest hats produced in the
world, and they commend themselves
to men of taste and discernment wher-
ever they are seen, whether in Buenos
Ayres or St. Petersburg. When the
travelling man with these goods got to
Europe, hatters in cities there said to
him: "Why, we can sell the best Eng
fish hat for what yours would cost u.s.
but when they saw the hat, they bought
them nevertheless.
Many American hats are now sold in
Canada, and also in Mexico and the
peighbcring countries, and there are
many sold in South America, largely in
the Argentine republic. Considerable
numbers are sold in South Africa, in
GLIDING big soft hats bought by Amer
lean and other herders and miners. The
number exported to Europe is not
great, but it is enough to count, it has
doubled within year, and is still in.
creasing.-N. Y. Sun.
Discerning Youth.
The cleverest daughter recently