The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-10
REALLY FINE PANA.MAS.
Hats That Can he Entirely Hidden in the
Closed Hand.

| The fashion for Panama hats OF the
| last two or three years has made people
commonly acquainted with the fact that
the hats are not made in Panama, that tbs
term Panama hat is only trade name,
and that the best of these hats come from
Jpijapa, in Ecuador But there are other
interesting things not generally known
about Panama hats.
Thus Senior Franco. who candidate
for President at the last election in Ecua-
dor, had presented TO him not long ago by
his friends hat said to be the finest of its
kind in the world, II is to be on exhibit
ton at the St. Louis worlds fair with
other products of Ecuador. .,
The whole hat, says the owners son,
who is at Columbia University, can be :.
pressed so small that it can be hidden en- :.
tirely in the closed hand. When the hand.
is opened the hat will spring back into !
perfect shape just as if it had never been !
touched save in the most careful manner q.
In it's making particular care was used (.
because of the great desire Of Senior frances =
friends to give him n bat that had no equal
1t is very rare that a hat such as Senior e
Francois is seen in the United States. and
when one is brought here it is not III a regu- .
lar shipment meant to be sold, but in the,
Ecuador or who has received it as a gift :
from a native OF the country. .-- .,.. ST., f,,,-
Ernesto Franco, the Columbia student, =.
has one which, though not SO fine as bis .
fathers. is of quality not to he bought Z
in this country. 1t came. to him by, way
of the Minister in Washington. enclosed
in little cylindrical box no more than an i.
inch in diameter. -.
When his fraternity mates at Columbia
were told that there was hat In the long
box they refused to believe 1t. But when /
the box looking just about like neatly (,
wrapped newspaper, was opened the
incrcdulous students were treated to : :
performance something like that Of jump
ing jack. for they saw before them a perl
fectly formed Panama list. .--. ~. st.a.
Soon after he got it Mr.. Franco carried :,
it to one of the best-lnown matters In the
United states TO have leather band put
around the inside. After the expert had :
looked at the hat a few seconds he said: :,
"Ill give you $3.50 for that hat i.,f:
The offer was refused. Mr. Franco
still has the beautiful white straw hat.
and he expects to have 1t for many more
years. He lives not very far from tbs .
cities in Ecuador where the only perfect j.
Panamas are made, and is familiar with ,,
the process of weaving them. -
All the work is done under water. FROM
the time when the two first straws as~
Joined together to the time when the ems
tire work Is done he hat never comes to thS
surface. Moreover, nobody but the aalf-
breed Indians living near the west coast OF
Ecuador has the art down TO the finest
point. They have practically a monopoly :"
In the manufacture of the very best hats.
Ecuador is the only place where tho
proper kind OF straw grows Varieues
much like il cal, be found elsewhere, but y
they all differ little FROM the grass Of :
Ecuador. =
In his country, Mr.. Franco SAYS, hate
that are considered very good here and .
cost anywhere from s,5 TO $40 bring only
80 cents: They are not valued 40 highly, .
even, as the American fiat straw hats.
But the best, even IN Ecuador, roll at big
prices, suh as So o. sG' But when geu
once get ope anything like Senior FRANCOIS
you are fixed in the way OF headwear "
. score Of years. ~ q,