The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-09-12

Few of us who have reached the age at which we but infrequenuy recall the time when we used to lie awake half the night hoping 10 catch the wonderful Santa Claus unaware as he came down 1 the chimney or to catch the sound of his reindeer'S bells they flew through the cold winter night to bring us the presents that for weeks had been promised us If we would "be good" realize the magnl tude to which the toy industry has grown, or the wonderful mechanical in- genuity displayed by inventors and manu- lecturers to cater to the wants of the present generation of children.
 When you and I were young, our toys were simple and the varieties limited in number. But things have changed The toy industry has kept pace with, if it has not gone even ahead of the time, and to day there are literally thousands of va rieties of these playthings to interest, amuse and Instruct the rising generation. There is now in Birmingham travelling toy salesman who carries with him about three thousand samples, no two of which are alike. His sample room is the banquet
 
 into this room reveals scene like a glimpse into Lilliput and Fairyland. There are things there undreamed of even In your most lonesome moments when you had nothing to play with" and was momentarily in danger of trouble with your mother for getting into mis- chief that is always ready for idle hands and idle minds to do.
 Made In Germany.
 i Practically all the toys used in this country and nearly all of those that are used in all of the civilized countries of the world are made in Germany There are several reasons for this, but the most important two are that toy making In Germany is a sort of hereditary trade, being handed down from parents to chill dren, and that labor Is cheaper in Ger many than in almost any other country 1 in the world where the people have the intelligence to be good and industrious mechanics.
 Over there toy making Is Harmed out, J that is. the father or some other member of the family goes to the big factory and gets all the material needed to make ] that particular toy, and takes 1t home with him where each member of the | family shas been taught to make a cer- l tain part of the toy. Suppose. for in- 1 stance, 1t is a doll that Is to be mada | One member of the family will make the head, another the body another the { legs and arms, and if there are enough : in the family, and in Germany there 1 usually is. another will sew on the hair, i another put in the eyes and still another i will fasten on the feet Thus, every member of the family from grandmother to the baby, has some particular work to | do. This is true af all toys that are made | by hand. Of course the are many of the more intricate ones that are made by | machinery and these are made in the fac ! tory; but wages are so low and so expert | have become the German toy makers that no other country can successfully compete with the Fatherland in this par tcular industry.
 Some New Kinds.
 Speaking of new things, there are very few modern inventions for practical use by grown persons that are not now also made in the form of toys for the chill dren. There are automobiles that are as cratic and hard to manage the real ones steam engines that look almost natural enough to whistle and then ex- plode; streets cars and steam trains that run on their own tYacks and are plenty big enough to give the dolls a ride, and houses almost big enough to live in. The modern summer garden has given existence to the scenic railroad and the toboggan slide and these are exactly re- produced In the size of toys On the seen ic railroad the train of cars whlzzes around a circular track at a speed that makes your dolls hair stand on end, and the toboggan slide is so arranged by mechanical device that the two cars are