The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1910-02-04

from shell, the number varying ac-
cording to the size and the thickness
of various parts of the shell. Small
buttons are cut from small shells and
large ones from the larger shells
Operators are paid for cutting 16S
buttons, which is termed a gross; an
allowance of twenty-four being made
for culls. Wages average from 81 to-
SO per day. Here also a chance is
had for finding pearls which are i'm
bedded in the shell. The cause of
these pearls is the introduction of a
grain of sand or some other foreign
substance; into the shell Of the mussel
which causes an irritation of the
tissues and the muscle deposits the
pearly matter for protection. Pearls
are found both in the body and the
shell of the mussel.
These blank buttons are then put
into large rotary churns with a mix.
ture of fine sand and water and are
churned for four hours. This process
smooths their edges. They are then
taken out, dried and classified accord
ing to their tickness. This is done by
the buttons being fed into a classify
ing machine which drops the buttons
of a uniform thickness out together.
They are then ready" to be ground,
centered and eyed.
These three processes are done by
large automatic machines, very ex-
pensive and very complex. These
machines are operated by girls, who
place the buttons onto them continu-
ally, one by one. They are first
ground down to the desired thickness
by passing under an emery wheel
They then continue their journey,
dropping into a rotary line of vices
which holds them tightly while the
centers are followed out. They then
pass on, coming in contact with tiny
bits which bore their eyes. They are
now buttons in the rough.
Next they are again put into churns
with a mixture of fuller's-earth and
pumice-stone and are churned six
hours to smoOthe their dull, rough
surfaces. After this they are given
the acid bath which consists of being
boiled in muriatic and acetic acids for
one hour. This is to polish and give
them glazed appearance. They are
then mixed with sawdust and a pol
ishing powder and put into shakers
for one hour to give them the final
polish.
There is also a bleaching process
for certain kinds OF buttons. This Is
done by peroxide of hydrogen and
other chemicals. When the manufac-
turer desires a colOred button the
white ones are smoked to the desired
shade.
The buttons are now finished, but
they must be assorted according to
sizes. This is done with much dex-
terity by girls who get to be adopts In
the business. Those that are to be
sewed on cards are let out into homes
and the sewer is paid by the gross.
These are sold to large wholesale
firms. But a great many of the but
tons are sold in the bulk to manufac-
turers of garments.
When one thinks of the millions and
millions of buttons made by one fac
tory alone, and knows that there are
three stages in the process OF making
where the button must be handled
singly, one can imagine what a vast
amount of work is expended on them.
One can also get some idea of the ex-
pense of making them when, In large
factory, it takes $4,000 worth of ma
chinery to bore the tiny eyes. In view
of the great expense of making, ten
cents per dozen doesn't seem so high
for buttons after all.
There is one more thing we wish to
notice about the shells and that is
their unlimited usefulness. After the
buttons are cut out they are crushed
into chicken feed and the dust made
from grinding down the button is put
on the market as a securing powder.
Many Of them are made into novelties
such as souvenir shells, heads for hat
pins, stick pins, watch charms, etc
Muscatine's pearl novelties have found
their way as far as Paris.
However, there are so many shells
that not all of them can thus be
utilized.