The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-06-08
MAKING AN UMBRELLA.
The American Trade Flourishes Best
In Philadelphia.

The American Trade Flourishes Best
In Philadelphia.
Some ten thousand people in the United
States are today engaged in making um
brellas, parasols and canes. The call for
canes, of course, comes chiefly from the
cities. The umbrella industry began in
this country about 104 years ago, but for
some time the parts were brought chiefly
from Europe, and America was mostly an
assembling ground. 1t is said that the
first umbrella seen ON this side of the pond
was carried through the streets of Balti-
more, and that at the sight of it horses
scared and the population marveled. Be
that as it may, Philadelphia is the pioneer
home of the umbrealla, boasts the Record
of that city, The Quaker city is still the
greatest in point of umbrella production
though other cities have come to the front
both in the East and the Middle West.
In the making of modern umbrellas the
styles of cloth do not change so much, but
Improvements and innovations in construc-
! tion have been quite marked in recent
years. When man pays S75 or more for
an umbrella large per cent. Of the cost is
represented in the handle 1t may be of
gold, silver or ebony, any one of which
would be expensive. An umbrella with
detachable handle enables the owner to
preserve the most valuable part of his UNI
brella for many years and renew the cloth
| and frame whenever necessity requires.
This is one of the many economies aud
! conyenences represented in modern CON
struction. Another style permits of an
umbrella being folded so that it may be
conveniently carried in trunk or even
valise.
The cloth for umbrellas and parasols
comes to the umbrella factory in rolls.
This cloth is unrolled upon what is known
as splitting table and here fifty or
more thicknesses at time may be cut into
the prescribed lengths by mean of long
sharp baded knife \ slot in the table
assists in guiding the knife The cloth is
now ready for the hemming machines.
The speed of these machines is 3, 600 re-
volutions minute, making it possible for
each girl to hem 1900 yards of cloth in
one day.
Everyone who has ever given the construc-
ton of an umbrella even passing notice can
appreciate the fact that the pieces of cloth
which constitute the cover are triangular in
| shape After the hemming, the strips of
| cloth 90 to another cutter who places tri-
angular pattern upon the goods and with a
sharp knife cuts enc triangle after another,
being careful to waste as little of the cloth
as possible.
When umbrellas were made without the
aid of modern machinery, not only was the
cloth hemmed by hand, but the construc-
ton of the frame was a more tedious oper-
tion Using wood for main rod and whale
bone for ribs has given place to an entire
steel construction. There are factories
/ which make business of turning out moth
| ing but metal rods and ribs for umbrellas
/ The assembling OF the frames is often done
by boys, each one taking in hand tiny
wire and number of ribs, the number
/ differing in different kinds of umbrellas,
and after inserting the wire in the tiny
holes brings the ribs together about the
| rod.
The uniting Of the covers and frames is
done BY force of girls after the triangular
| pieces of cloth heretofore referred to have
been mechanically sewed together. \ part
of this force sews the cover about the rod
aud others work at attaching the covers to
the ribs In some factories the handle is
| put on before the covering and frame are
united, but on the better grades Of um
| brellas this Is usually done afterwards The
umbrellas are next pressed and inspected,
/ placed in covers and packed in boxes ready
for shipment.
| Very great attention is paid to the
| handles of both umbrellas and parasols
nowadays. 1t is said that there are great
/ opportunities for wood and stone carvers in
| directing their attention to these handles.
Carved bird heads are very popular on
parasols. Besides the gold, silver and
ebony handles already mentioned, there are
umbrella handles of china, tortoise shell,
horn and ivory, and a number Of different
kinds of wood Some are even jeweled.
The making of umbrellas is an industry
which continues the year round. There is
greater call for parasols at one season of
the year than another, but with umbrellas
| the demand is continuous, every rain i'm
pressing some one with the fact that he
is in need of new umbrella. One can
not help but wonder where all the umbrel
las 20, but the fact remains that the de-
mand increases with each year.