The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-06-29
The Panama Hat Craze

Among the false notions regarding
Panama hats, and there are prevalent
great many, Is that of its origin. The
name, In the first place, would lead one
to think that the fabric is manufactured
in Panama, whereas the fact is that
Ecuador Columbia ard Guayaquil pro-
duce two-thirds of all the Panamas In
the market The city of Panama is mere
ly shipping port for these hats brought
from other places.
Another illusion that prevails generally
is that the natives weave these precious
hats under water, but the photograph
shown here conclusively disproves this.
The rumor probably started from the
method of soaking the raw material in
water prior to their being woven. There
is nothing extraordinary about this, the
object being merely to soften the
etrGw The MT tot - =
ufacture is either the stem Of the palm
leaves or a rare sort of grass that grows
In South America. The natives are VI. y
deft in curing and weaving both of these
products. The palm they tear in shreds
vAth their teeth until 1t spreads out fan
snaps. After long soaking the palm
stem is taken out of the water and nailed
on a rought looking block, at which the
workman sits for weeks at time care
fully putting place shred after shred. 1t
is this length of time and tediousness
in labor that accounts for the high price
placed on Panama hats.
There is one distinction In Panamas Of
the utmost Importance, a distinction that
If noticed, stamps the wearer as a real
swell or on the other hand a pretend
er. Your genuine. high-priced Panama
is made in one piece and has no lining
while the inferior style of hat made for
the most part in Antioquia, Columbia,
is woven in two pieces and has a lining
That style Is regarded with contempt by
South Americans, though It oftentimes
passes in the United States for the real
thing and Is priced accordingly.
The perfect Panamas are woven by the
women of Ecuador, and those that live in
the two provinces of Tolima and Suaez
Columbia. The men can rarely be in
duced to work. no matter how consider
able the pay, and contractors have near
ly ceased trying to galvanize them with
energy.
The value of hat depends entirely up
on its texture and pliability. One that
costs $500, for example, should be so
closely woven as to appear practically
smooth to the naked eye. 1t is, Of
course, made in one piece, and II the
owner has not been cheated he should be
| able to squeeze the hat through finer
| ring. But a hat capable of this treat
ment is about as rare as blue diamonds
There Is no telling where the Panama
| hat 'craze" will end or the amount Of
money that will be spent thereon this
| season. The masculine population seem
| to have gone quite mad over 1t and deal
| ers are taking advantage of the moment
| to reap a harvest. I'm other years"
said Broadway halter, IT would have
| sold several thousand stiff brimmed
Mackinaws in the first part of the sea-
| son, but this season have sold less than
| hundred. Only Panamas are wanted
Women, too have caught the infection
| and you will find that before the sum-
| mer is half over fashion will decree that
| to be up-to-date a woman must own a
Panama hat.