The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-31
SHIRT WAISTS FROM OLD MAPS.
Discovery Of New Dress Material BY q
Civil Engineers WIfe.

! Discovery Of . New Dress Material BY .
Civil Engineers WIfe.
1T Is a pretty waist replied the wife OF
the civil engineer, shut II you had seen II
two weeks ago its beauty would have not
affected you to speechlessness 1t was then
q map
| The young woman was arTayed In all the
fluffy GOODNESS Of the American summer girl
at her best and the trim tailor-made shirt
waist Of pure white was In pleasing contrast
to the deep blue Of her skirt. Apparently
It's texture was Of the finest lawn, perhaps a
little heavier than the usual run Of that
diaphanous material, but marked by its
even weave and smooth appearance.
When therefore, she said that two weeks
ago the waist had been a map, everybody
smiled In the superior manner Of people
who want others to understand that they
are too clever to be caught in Joke. The
civil engineers wife insisted.
1T was q map two weeks ago. she de-
clared with emphasis. "Also,' she con-
tinued, extracting a small handkerchief
from her chain purse and holding 1t up for
inspect ion, this was Q section OF q town.
ship
Just then the civil engineer himself ap-
peared upon the scene from the Office, where
he had been plotting maps.
Edward Dried his wife, 'these clever
people here refuse to take my word for the
statement that this waist OF mine and also
this handkerchief were maps not longer
ago than a fortnight. Please come to my
rescue and explain
The OWL engineer did his wife'e bidding.
'She is telling the truth with oommendable
exacthess.' said he. They were maps.
you zee. in the course OF our business
we make use Of blueprint plottinRs. They
are for the most part rough triangulations
and preliminary survey records, photo
graphed from the original diagrams. The
use TO which they are put is generally pretty
hard and uncertain, 80, to avoid tearing
which would result If they we're printed
upon ordinary paper, a peculiar and spe-
cially prepared material 10 brought into
Use.
This consists Of an ordinary blueprint
coating spread upon large rolls Of linen
which IL the toughest and most servioeable,
In point of texture, Of any common cloth.
These large rolls are cut into the desired
size, and upon them by the usual photo
graphic process tho maps are copied.
Every surveyors Office is packed with
yards and yards Of there blue prints, which
in course of time become valueless and
bothersome, being nothing more or less
than litter and waste. do not know who
first discovered IL, but for several years the
wives Of Office employees have known a
use to which these back number blue print
maps could be put, and nowadays our Offices
are kept in clean and roony condition.
Here the wife told her story in turn.
'When summer is in sight. or for any rea-
son feel the need OF a lev shirt waist, or a
dozen pocket handkarchiefs. ] go to Ed
wards office and he finds for me a bundle
Of disused blue prints. take them home,
put them in big boiler and boil them out.
That cleans them thoroughly Of the coat
ing and the lines and when they come out
the water Is very blue. but the cloth backs
are very white. The quality is durable and
fine, and as you see, shirt waists made of
maps are quite the equal of shirt waists
made OF real drygoods store linen at pre-
postnrous prices.
Edward and know Of a surveyors wife
who made all her baby s clothes o! blue print
MAPS, and there was not more prettily
dressed baby in the town.
All her listeners wished their husbands
and brothers and brothers chums were
civil engineers.