davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

company which, by the process OF
manufacture and machinery utilized
in Austria and Germany, succeeded IN
making the enterprise success.
The tools needed in the manufac-
ture of shell buttons were of the sim
plest character, consisting, for the
most part, of turning lathes worked
by steam or foot power; consequently
it was not long before the Mississippi
river was lined with button factories
all the way from Red Wing, Mimi, to
Louisiana, Mo. Muscatine became the
center of this new industry. A lew
years ago there were more than Az
factories in that city for the cutting
of blanks and for the making of but
tons, but the tendency toward concen-
tration has made itself felt, as has
also the need of improved machinery
and large capital to withstand the
tremendous competition, and all along
the river the smallest concerns are
being eliminated.
The difference in price between the
ocean shells and the Unios has been
an important factor in the develop
ment of the fresh-water button in
dustry. A few years ago the mussel
shells were delivered at the factories
at about so to 60 cents per 100 pounds,
while at the same time ocean shells
were worth from $50 to $50 for the
same quantity. In February, 1898,
prices went up to SIS to $40 per ton
for "niggerheads," but in July of the
same wear they were cheaper than
ever before or since, selling at 80
cents per 100 pounds. The cheapest
grade of ocean shells are the Panama.
which sell at 1917 cents per pound.
The improvements in machinery in
recent years have been SO rapid that
some manufacturers have exchanged
their machines three times in three
years, each time practically reequip-
ping the entire plants.
The following is short resume of
the mode of making pearl buttons:
After the mussels have been cooked
and the meat removed, the shells are
taken to the factories and stored in
sheds. They are then sorted into
three different sizes and soaked in
barrels of water from three to six
days to render them less brittle. They
must be used while wet, otherwise
they crumble under. the saw. The
next step is the cutting or saving of
the rough blanks. The shells are
usually held with pliers while being
cut, but some sawyers hold them in
their hands. The saws are hollow,
cylindrical pieces of steel, two inches
wide, and with diameter corresponds
ing to the size of the button. At one
end these cylinders are provided with
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

in the front. Flounces continue in IA
vor, but short, plain coats and skirts
are la mode for morning wear. For
afternoon and visiting, the long skirts
are in evidence. Very trim are the
short skirts with curved seams, or
made with one or two shaped frills,
or sometimes they have a short kilt,
or two crossway folds of SELMA
terial.
Sleeves are the greatest difficulty
We have to contend with, but on gen.
eral outlines they may be sorted thus:
For ordinary outdoor costumes, the
bell7s'haped and bishop sleeve, and the
ordinary sleeve full from the elbow,
and caught into cuff, are the best
to adopt. For visiting dresses the
plated sleeve full and loose over the
elbow, banded into a very deep Charles
1. cuff, or, for stout figures, the plain
sleeve, full at the back from shoulder
to wrist, caught in at intervals with
straps of silk and velvet or tiny but
tons. For full evening dress the Vic
torian and the elbow sleeve are in evil
dence.
Bodices are less pouched The
crossover style is gaining ground, and
there is quite possibility of the
plain-ftting habit bodice being taken
into favor once more.
Collars are all on the lines Of
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

ries in a wide
open town" of which the slot ma
chine is an evidence. He supports
at the polls the candidates who
stand for such a reign in municipal
politics. The other element of the
city society is against wide open
town" and supports at the polls the
candidates who he believes will abol-
ish the slot machine and other forms
of gambling.
The coming of the slot machine be-
fore election time is unheralded. It's
going is loudly acclaimed. It's com
ing need not be heralded, for the in
dividual interested in it's appearance
hears of it's presence with lightning
rapidity; he frequents the places
where they are kept when kept at
all. To serve the purpose of it's go
ing the fact must be acclaimed, for
those interested in it's disappearance
would not otherwise be aware that
it had gone.
In Chicago, as in every other city,
this game is worked with success.
The politicians know the full value of
catering to the different elements of
society at the proper time, and are
well advised as to the most ap-
proved and successful methods of
such catering. 1t is not wild guess
to say that 10000 votes can be turned
by the introduction of the slot ma
chimes at the proper time.
WRIGHT A. PATTERSON.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

colorings of the autumn foliage men
had been arrested and fined for pre-
Stunning to appropriate the city street
paving blocks for fuel with which
to drive the chill air out of their
homes. Even fear of the "copper""
and the courts will not prevent
general theft of the wooden street
paving for fuel when the cold blasts
OF winter are sweeping down from
the north, and coal is selling at I'M
attainable prices.
The coal merchants say that it will
be impossible to prevent fuel fam
inc in the city this winter. Even
though the miners are again at work
the reserve stocks are all gone, and
places nearer the mines will reap the
first benefits of the resumption of
work. They say the best they can
promise is a fairly adequate supply
by the first of next March. With the
thermometer at zero and below
fuel famine has quite as many ter
rors as a bread famine. Even with
a plentiful supply of coal the very
poor must gather theirs bit by bit
from that fallen from wagons, or
along the railroad tracks. When the
employed tradesman with an assured
income of from $18 to $50 weekly
finds it hard to solve the fuel prob
lem what must be the fate of those
whose incomes are computed in cents
rather than dollars?
Ten thousand people sat through
a heavy rainstorm at Marshall field
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

fine teeth; they are adjusted to
lathes in which they revolve: As the
saver holds the shell against the saw.
the blanks are cut out and passed
back into the saw and saw holder and
drop into receiver. The next step is
the dressing or grinding of the back
of the blank to remove the skin and
make an even surface. To accomplish
this, each blank has to be held with
the finger against revolving emery
wheel. Then comes the turning, by
which the front of the button is given
it's form, including the central depres-
sion. When the holes are drilled the
button is complete, with the exception
of the polishing process, which brings
out the natural luster which was lost
in the grinding. 1t is this, luster which
gives the buttons their chief value.
The polishing is effected by placing
the buttons in bulk in large wooden
tumblers or kegs, in which they are
subjected to the action of chemical
fluid as the tumblers revolve. BY mu-
tual contact, combined with the effect
of the fluid, the buttons become high
ly lustrous. Then they are washed,
dried and sorted into sizes and grades
of quality. After being sewed on
cards and packed into pasteboard
boxes, the buttons are ready for the
market.
The shells are secured from the
bed of the river both by steam dredges
and by the use of rakes. Owners of
steam dredges have found it profitable
to engage in the work of securing the
shells with their machines, and so
have offered serious competition to
the men who gather them in smaller
quantities by the use of common
garden rake.
The majority of factories in the
west do not finish the buttons, but
merely cut the blanks. These are then
sent to the factories in the east, which
are supplied with improved machinery
| for the finishing of the buttons. Some
| of these eastern factories formerly
made buttons out of imported mother
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

and the illusion is due to trick of
the weaver's art.
Tucking, cording and strapping, are
all much used for trimming.
The tailor-made costumes have, hap
PLY, returned to that severe simplicity
which constituted their greatest
charm. The relief of little gold and
touch of red, give some of them
quite military appearance.
We are all truly thankful for the
revival of the short walking skirt,
whether it be plain, killed, or made
in a three-decker style. Skirts
are no longer plain over the hips.
They have yokes of passementerie,
cording, tucking, or three rows of
ribbon or passementerie, the third one
forming a sort of ceinture or belt.
The cut of skirt now becomes a
study for the dressmaker who wants
to, suit her customer. She may elect
to have several narrow cores, or only
two seams, one in the back and one
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07
THE BLOTS MUST STAND.
BIOtting-Paper or Erasers May Not
Be Used on Birth and Death Reg
listers in England.

It may not be generally known that
registrars of births and deaths are
hedged round with restrictions issued
from Somerset house by the registrar
general. If, for instance, a registrar
makes an accidental blot on his regis
ter, he must not remove it with his
penknife, nor yet may he erase 1T
with ink eraser. The blot must stand
and, however strong the impulse may
be to make it non-existent, the
temptation must not be yielded to,
says London Tit-Bits.
An error or misspelt word must be
altered strictly in accordance with
regulations. AS with the blot, no
erasure of any kind whatever may be
made. Supposing, for example, will
lam be spelt "Williem," the Offend
ing 'e'' has to be struck through
with perpendicular line and "a in
serted above it. If more than one
letter in a word be incorrect, the
whole word must have horizontal
line drawn through it-leaving it still
legible-and the correct word insert
ed.
Registrars are provided with print
ed instructions to the effect that
their writing must be distinct and
bold. Flourishes are not permitted,
neither should blotting paper be APP
piled to the entries in the register
books. Any registrar using it for the
purpose named is acting contrary to
the instructions of the registrar
general.
A special kind of ink, approved by
the government chemist, and no 9TH.
er fluid, must be used. The ink in
question is known as "Old English
Record Ink" Inspectors of registra-
ton, who periodically inspect the
registers, would at once detect the
use of any other.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

Hawaii. He saw the volcanoes from
the deck of ship, and the globe trot-
ters see Chicago either from the top
of tallyho or the inside of a cab.
That Chicago has impressed these
distinguished travellers differently is
evidenced from the difference in their
writings. Some seemed pleased with
decentralization of provincial manners
and cosmopolitan hustle. But wheth-
er they were or not Chicago has &C
cepted both praise and criticism with
an equal evidence of pleasure, fully
understanding that being talked
about at all was good advertising re-
CARELESS of what was said.
But Chicago's provincialism is rap
idly passing. It's cosmopolitanism is
as yet noticeable only in spots, and
one of these spots is along the down
town section of Michigan avenue.
From Jackson boulevard to Hubbard
court on this street is the Fifth avenue
of Chicago. The length of this cos
some four blocks-but upon it front
many of the fashionable millinery and
dressmaking Establishments Of the
kind that display a Frenchy looking
crest upon their windows, and whose
proprietors are known by Frenchy
names. Upon it also is the exclusive
Chicago club, the Fine Arts building
with its esthetic tenants, the Auditor
ium hotel and theater and annex, and
two or three more fashionable hotels.
1t is upon this short length of ave-
nue. that fashion disports itself on
sunny afternoons and pleasant even
ings. Here one can see elegant equip
ages, dashing automobiles, richly and
perfectly-gowned women and fault
lessly men. Save for one it
yet lacks the elegantly7appointed res
taurants, but the crowds and the
money they represent will bring
these, and in few more years this
short section of Michigan avenue is
destined to be as famous as resort
of fashion as is New York's street of
millionaires.
There are a few other sections of
sol>
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

the many fabrics from which stout
women may choose. There are also
ranges of silk and wool crepolines,
silk-lined Pekins with stripes of all
dimensions, from that of a hairs
breadth to wide two-inch band; pep
per-andsalt mohair serges, and goods
with spots varying from the size of a
pin, point to pea, on dull granite
grounds.
All the new dress materials are sup
pie, sinuous, and soft; they fall into
all the natural lines and curves of
the figure. Some of the latest ma
terials from Paris look like summer
dress canvas, with a colored silk lin
ing, but are really quite substantial,
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

q EARL buttons at eight
M " cents gross, and even less
than that. But few years
KM ago such prices were un-
HNl heard of or unthought of
W. in this country. To-day
hundreds of thousands of
buttons are sold at such figures, and
more might be sold if they were manu-
featured.
And the reason for the change is
that to-day we are making the pearl
buttons, while a few years ago they
were coming from Germany, from
Austria and from other countries of
Europe.
In 1890 there was not single pearl
button being made in the United
States; to-day the making of these
buttons constitute the second impor-
tant branch of the button industry in
this country. In 1890 there was not
a single factory for the manufacture
of pearl buttons in the United States;
to-day there are SO of them, of which
IS are in Iowa, seven in Illinois and
five in Missouri. These So factories
are turning out product valued at
million dollars annually.
In Europe shells of the mussels
found in rivers have been utilized for
button making for the last so years.
To Mr.. J. F. Boepple, of Muscatine, Ia,
belongs the credit of having started
the industry in the United States, and
row it is the source of income for
thousands of persons. In 1891 Mr..
Boepple, who is a native of Hamburg,
Germany, where he learned the trade
of making pearl buttons, formed a
partnership for the manufacture of
buttons from the ''Unio," or niger
head" shells, as they are called locally,
which were banked up for miles along
the river in front of Muscatine, Ia.
After experimenting for some time
this concern found the business I'M
profitab BILE, and it was dissolved. Moth
ing daunted, Mr.. Boepple continued
making the buttons, on small scale,
at his home. He finally organized a
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

of-pearl shells, but now their princi-
pal work is the finishing of the home
product.
Notwithstanding the enormous
progress this branch of the industry
has made during the last five years,
it is yet in it's infancy. The only dis
quieting circumstance is the injudi-
cious and wanton depreciation of the
shell deposits. The beds in front of
Muscatine, Ia, are already exhaust
ed, and unless something is done to
protect the mussels, it will not be
long before the raw material for this
industry will be exhausted.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07


ty down to defeat at the same game.
Both scenes are typical of Chi
cago, for the people of the city are
football mad, and men whose purses
will scarcely permit of the buying
OF a ton of coal to keep away the
chilling blasts of winter will spend
freely of their limited incomes in
order to see the Saturday games.
Coach Stage, of the Maroon eleven,
is cursed and praised in the same
breath these autumn days. The foot
ball-loving public do not like Stage;
they do not hesitate to say SO; they
swear at him personally, but they
praise his team and his methods
just at present-for his team and
his methods have brought victory to
Chicago thus far this season.
That is very much like the Chicago
people. They glory in success; they
may not like the man who succeeds,
but they like his success; they have
but little use for failure.
Chicago took violently to football
with the coming of DIR. Harpers
school. The people have stuck to
football ever since. The great ma
jority care not half so much for the
success of the intellectual side of
the Midway university as they do for
the prowess of it's freshmen and
seniors on the gridiron. They glory
i'll the arrival of new student with
the sturdy build of possible center
rush or an end tackle, and they are
at all times ready to worship at the
shrine of the successful player-pro-
vided, of course, that he wears the
Maroon colors.
The slot machine, whereby people
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

!: ! !: !: :: !: !. !; :;
A@H EW materials are matter
NJ of moment just now. We
A have to choose our winter
SSXSN dresses, and if we are not
SW gifted with the purse of
No Fortunatus, this matter is
weighty one.
We must be guided, not only by fash
ion, but by our own individual style.
The woman who is slim cannot dress
like her stouter sister, for the ma
terial chosen often affects the appear
ance of the figure to a great extent.
Therefore the slim woman may in
dulge in the new furlike Zibehnes. The
snow-fecked foule, and those ma
terials which have a sort of shot sill
very surface, also all varieties of
checks, are permissible. Of these
there is an endless variety in brown
and blue, red and green, purple and
golden brown, while some are in the
crudest colorings. The deep reds now
so much worn are, in reality, best
suited to blondes. We have them this
season in every possible material.
Satin cloth, with it's rich, glossy sur
face, is. a great favorite; but, here,
again, the slender ones carry the day,
for all shiny surfaces increase the
size of the figure.
Fine serges, dull cloth, corded pop
lin, and a new hopsack, are few of
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

in order to see
the Maroon eleven
of the Chicago
university defeat
the boys from
Champaign of the
Illinois university
at football.
The week be-
fore 1000 people
paid from one to
two dollars for
the privilege of
seeing the same
eleven drag the
purple of North
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

new cosmopolitan
ism has penetrat-
ed. Among these
p | a C e S may be
m emit on e d the
east side of State
street from Ran
dolph to Adams
along which is To-
Gated the fashion
able shopping dis
trict. Monday bar
gain sales are I'M
known here now.
They passed with
III -
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

overgrown provin-
cial village it has
been for so many
years.
For a number of
years it has been
fashionable f OF
European globe
trotters to ''do"
Chicago in a day,
and then return
home and write a
book upon it, much
as the late DR..
Talmage did of
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

of any and all kinds that can be Sc
cured will be prominent feature in
the fuel of t : poor.
Almost before the first frosts of
the coming winter had changed the
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

or cigars, is due
to d i S a p p e a +
again. 1t comes
with. the opening
of each political
c a m p a i g n and
goes with the
passing rof each
election. It has
become a feature
of city politics.
It's coming makes
votes and it's GO
ing makes votes.
T h e S por t y
UO1JnO man nIn-
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

toward co S m O.
politanism t h e
fuel famine is
driving another
class f u T t h e r
backward toward
primitive villa ge
methods. T h e
S a w b or S e and
wood saw are
common i m p | e.
ments in use in
the city to-day,
and promise to
C o n t i n u e S o
throughout t h e
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07
SOME TIMELYCH CHATTER FROM
THE STREETS OF CHICAGO

Chicago is changing. 1t is becom-
ing a cosmopolitan city instead of the
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

There are a few other sections of
Chicago into which this evidence of a
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

The slot machine, whereby people
gamble for small amounts of cash
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

Ten thousand people sat through
a heavy rainstorm at Marshall field
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-11-07

But while one class of Chicago So
ciety is tending more and more
The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1902-11-10

The Autumn Tea" given at the
scholhouse Saturday afternoon to raise
funds to pay for new song books for
the high school, was a social and f.
naDcial success.
The committee, consisting Of Mrs. +.
M. Lee, Mrs. j. f. Canady, Mrs. q. II.
Nease, Mrs. w. G. Dwyer, Mrs. G. w.
Muller, Mrs. p. b. Roberts, Mrs. w. l..
Samuels, Mrs. w. s.. Porter, Mrs. e. A.
Stauffer. Mrs. G. s. Nixon, Mrs. r. T.
Evans and Mrs. j. La Voy, assisted
by the teachers and the tenth and elev-
enth grades, did everything in their
power to make the afternoon a success.
A choice musical and literary pro-
gram was given and greatly enjoved
by those present. Among the numbers
were recitations by Mrs. j. f. Canady,
vocal solos by Mrs. +. M. Lee, Miss
Lucia Robins, Miss Norma Warren and
Mr.. Clifford Rooms and choruses by
the pupils of the high school. During
the afternoon the orchestra, consisting
of Prof. Hibbins, Mrs. A. e. Lothrop
and George Hill, played several selec-
tons In excellent style, the music ad-
ding materially to the afternoons en-
tertainment.