Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-07-18
NEW INDUSTRY TO
USE SHEEP SKINS
Frank F. Gormley
Manufactures Lin
ed Overcoats.
FACTORY IN RUNNING ORDER
Fifteen People Employed
Facilities to be Extended
Soon.

A new industry, that OF the manu-
facture of sheep skin coats has been
started In Santa Fe, and promises to
be a paying investment for its origi'
nator, Frank F. Gormley Mr.. CORN
ley is proprietor and manager of
merchantile business near the first
ward school house on Canon Road. He
has been buyer Of hides for some
time, and few weeks ago conceived
the idea of making coats with sheep
skin lining. He at once put his plan
into execution with the result that
he is now the manufacturer of a
warm, waterproof coat, substantial
in every respect that competes favor
ably with those of eastern make.
In the manufacture of these coats,
Mr. Gormley has employed about fif'
teen persons, over half of whom are
women. When he conceived the idea
of manufacturing these garments, he
ordered a lot of heavy duck coats
made especially for the purpose, These
coats, in the rough, are well adapted
for his use, being of the first grade
Of ducking, and provided with cor
duroy collar, which can be turned up
around the neck Of the wearer.
Skins Bought in the Rough.
Mr.. Gormley buys the sheep skins
in the rough, and his employees pre-
pare them. In the tanning of the
skins, he has three large watts, filled
with clear water, In which the skins
are thoroughly soaked, so as to make
them soft and pliable. They are then
taken out Of the watts, and put through
cleaning process After the skins
are cleaned they are scraped, When
this is done, the hides are taken to
the tanners, who with the aid Of sand
paper and tanning machine, make
them soft and smooth on the under
side. The tanned skins are next sent
to the cutter, who shapes them to the
iproper sizes. The skins are then
ready fer the ssewing department.
There the women take the prepared
skins and securely sew them to the
inside of the duck coats with the wool
side of the skin on the outside, next
to the body of the wearer. One skin
of full grown sheep is necessary for
each coat lining. The coats thus
made, are we'll adapted for wear in
this country being absolutely water
proof, warm, and capable of long
usage.
Good Location For Plant.
In the manufacture of these coats.
Mr.. Gormley has his plant peculiarly
we'll situated being in the heart Of
the sheep raising district, where both
water and labor can easily be Sc
cured. Up to the present time, he
has not made the coats extensively,
but it is his intention to interest east
ern capital in the industry, so as to
enable him to purchase up-to-date ma
chinery, erect larger building, and
employ skilled labor. With the nat
ural advantages that Mr. Gormley has
he expects to be able to make a bet
ter coat, and to sell 1t at a lower fig
ure than can be done by the eastern
manufacturer
Mr.. Gormley makes two grades OF
coats. The first grade is one lined
fully with the sheep skin. In the
second grade, the body of the coat
is lined with the sheep skin, but in
the sleeves he uses the best grade Of
blanketing, which is also soft and
warm. He proposes to sell these coats
to the local market at first, but as his
establishment grows he will be pre-
pared to turn out larger output Of
, coats, and place them In the wholesale
market.