The Washington times., 1902-05-05
PANAMA HATS JUMP
into GREAT FAVOR
Popular Form of Headgear for
Men and Women.
A WIDE RANGE IN PRICES
Genuine Article Costs as High as sr5o-
Some Which Can Be Put in a Cigar
Case-How They Are Made and the
Method of Buying Them.

"The cheapest straw hat to buy" said
a man who owns a beauty. ''is. after all,
| a Panama, like this. Look herei" He
took down his big white hat. which was
creased down the middle like a pair Of
trousers. and rolled it up tight; then he
tossed 1t in the air. With a cracking
sound 1t spread open and futtered down
to the floor in its original shape. deep
center crease and all.
You could soak this hat for a week."
he continued. "and iron II out fiat after
ward. but when you come to put 1t on
again it would be just as you see 1t now"
With the first days of the warm season
and the attendant blossoming of the
straw hat all over the city the observer
is struck most forcibly by the extraordi-
narily large percentage of the Panama"
hats which have already put in appear
ance in the moving fields of light head
gear on the street. Fashionable hatters
say that this summer the Panama the
lightest, coolest, and perhaps the most
accommodating type of masculine head
gear. is once again to be de rigueur. 1t
is already prominent In the windows Of
the fashionable toggery shops. and the
dealers say they would far rather handle
1t than Its straw competitor. for the OBJ
vious reason that in the one case the
price may run anywhere above the $40
mark, while in the other it is usually
matter Of a few dollars. The Panama"
craze-and all the local hat dealers ad-
init that the demand fer 1t has already
assumed the proportions Of a craze-gave
a slight warning OF its coming two sea-
sons ago, when a sudden and unaccounta-
BILE demand developed for this style of
summer headsear.
The Panama" is largely the product
of the republic OF Ecuador. where it is
manufactured in enormous quantities
and of every variety of shape, texture
and quality. and sold under the general
name Of "Guayaquil'' hats throughout
Mexico. Central America. and South
America, at prices varying from 80 cents
upward.
Wide Range in Price.
The hat, however. that is known to the
wealthier classes of those countries as
the Panama hat is quite different af-
fair. yeritable 'article de luxe" SELL
ing at prices varying from $40 to S150
according to their fneness. They are
worn indifferently by either sex. without
ribbon or other adornment, as they come
from the Indian makers hands. without
of starch, and are the more |
highly priced from the fact that their |
closely woven texture not only renders
them impervious to the suns rays, but |
likewise waterproof. which last quality |
is highly esteemed when 1t is deemed ex- |
pedient to keep the head dry during the /
constant equatorial showers.
The hat differs from the ordinary straw
hat, in that it is made of a single piece
of straw, and in its extreme lightness and
fexibility. The plant from which 1t is
made is the jipiiapa, which resembles
the palm in appearance. the leaves OF
which are gathered before they unfold,
all the coarser veins being removed, and
what is left being reduced to a thread.
After exposure to the sun for day or
two. the thread is tied into knot. or
hank. and immersed in boiling water;
then hung In the shade to bleach. and ia
then manufactured into card cases and
cigar holders. as we'll rs into hats.
These hats are made by Indian women,
md require infinite patience and delicacy
" handling, the very finest quality often
occupying many months to bring to per-
ection. They are made on blocks placed
between the knees. making 1t necessary to
,e constantly pressed close to the breast.
The plating is extremely difficult. COM
nencing at the crown and ending at the
rim. The mart, or headquarters. for the
purchase OF the bona fde Panama hat Is
It a little mountain village in Ecuador.
allied Monte Cristi. Here the dealers con-
,regate at certain seasons, when, strange |
o say, their purchases. often amounting
o thousands of dollars. are made in the
ark: they being entirely guided in esti-
mating the value of the goods through
ense of touch.
Awaiting the Purchasers.
The Indian women squat in a circle
round the little plazuela, or market place.
i'm oil lantern only indicating their pres
there they await the purchasers
rom all points Of the continent. As an
vidence of the fexibiity and fineness of
hese hats, some years ago a present Of
hat was made to the president of Mexico,
lclosed in a small cigarette case of the
nme material without any injury to
ither.
In recent years the hats were made in /
heir entirety by the natives, and conse-
uently the shapes were always about the
anne; rather high crown and turned up
rim. and were becoming only to middle
ged and old men. This fact and the ex-
eeding expensiveness of the hat initiated
sainst its popularity. a man looking for
hrst-class Panama hat was expected to |
ay anywhere from $50 to $50 for it ac-
ording to the perfection OF the weave.
This season, however, not only the
Ugh class hatters, but nearly all hat
ores, and even the furnishing goods
ouses that carry hats as a side-line.
splay Panama hats" and at prices as
w as 1915. Several well known hat deal
s say that while there has been a slight
'crease in the value of Panama hats. the
al article of the first class is still an
,pensive luxury.
The reason for the decrease in price is
at the natives who make the material
1w simply weave it as cloth. and this
aterial is sent here and made into hats
here are more natives engaging in IL.
Id the work is done n little more hur
edly, and Is not quite so good as in the
Id days. The manufacturers now make
he material into hats of every shape.
nd suitable for young men as well as
Id, thus increasing the demand. Even
DIV, however. good Panama" cannot
bought for less than s12. and the
ices range UP to $50 and even higher
The cheaper kinds. selling for sS. Sc,
I'D as low as 50. are known as Porto