El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-06-15
By
Frederic
]. Haskin

made in the Cost of straw hats amount
| ing 10 from $1.20 to $40 per dozen.
Under the former practice straw braid
coming into American ports was taxed
20 percent duty. Under the ruling just
made, the rate has been reduced 10 10
percent. 1t is said that considerable
difficulty is experienced in securing
girls to sew the braid in mems hats, by
reason of the fact that the makers of
wOmen's hats are willing TO pay more
for their services.
Felt Hats Due TO st. Clement.
The making of a felt hat is one of
the most interesting processes in the
whole field of cIothesmaking. 1t is
said that the credit for inventing felt
is due TO St Clement, and the day sa-
cred TO his memory is still the day of
most of the hatters conventions of the
world. In taking long walks, he wore
the lint off his wool socks and from
this he is said to have made the first
felt. ~
The hare, the muskrat, the cOney
and the beaver supply the most of the
hair used in making felt for hats. The
telling quality OF new cut fur is not
as good as that of old. The season of
the year at which the animal is killed
also affects the telling quality The
fur is cut off, and the pelt is used in
making glue and geIatine. When the
", IL
sent through machine called the
devil" which tears it all apart so
that the next process, passing through
the blowing machine. may cleanse it
from all dirt and other foreign sub
stances. The cleaned hair is then pass
ed on TO the forming machine. This
consists of a casing containing a re-
volving turntable, carrying a copper
comb some six feet high This comb
:
and the rushing of the air through
this causes a deposit of hair all over
It, This mass is then covered with
wet cloths and is immersed in hot wa
ter for a minute.
SheIIac Used In Manufacture.
After this. it is stripped from the
comb and undergoes hardening
process 1t next is sent to its first
sizing, where it is shrunk to one third
e its original size. After this. it is
shaved by a multitude of tiny razors
and then goes to its second sizing
where it is treated to a rolling pro-
cess with a rolling pin like that used
by the housewife in rolling dough-
Stiffening is next introduced, which
consists of shellac and ammonia or
some alkali 1t is then dipped re-
peatedly in water and rolled
After that it takes a bath in diluted
acid. and is then placed in a metal
steam chest. After it's hot bath, it is
blocked. dyed. handbl0cked again,
steamed again. and is then placed in
hydraulic press where il Is given
shape After being dried in q
gas oven il is sandpapered and
the brim put on BY process too
technical to be described here. The re-
suit IS stiff hat ready for the trim
mer- Soft hats are made in the same
way, except that the shelIac is left
out
Top Hat Business Increasing.
1t is said that the silk hat business
this year is better than ever before.
The top hat was originated by a Mr.
HetheringtOn, a London haberdasher
in 1897. 1t is related that when he
went out upon the street, he was fol-
lowed by mob and arrested for dis
turoing the peace and melting a riot
He had to give bond for 500 pounds
sterling The court officers described
the hat as tall structure of shiny
luster. and calculated to brighten tim
Id people The record shows that wo-
men tainted, children screamed, dogs
V"iDed- End the son of COrdwainer
Thomas fell and broke his arm, as a
result OF the excitement
Five Stages Necessary
The process of silk hat making is
an interesting one. including five diff
ACi OAlt StdSFS- WIN the use or but
little machinery. First. the fOunda-
ton, known as the pie crust. is made
from several thicknesses of muslin
stretched around a block. treated with
a coating of shellac and then var
nished- 1t is then passed through a
machine and irOned seven times After
this, the brim is soldered on so to
speak. and the hat is now ready for
the plush cover. This is in two pieces
one circle and the other of q rhOn1-
bold shape. After being put on TIL.
frame, expert needlewOmen sew the two
pieces together and brush the nape
over the seam. 1t is then placed in I
a wooden block OF four sections and /
shaped up The plush is made to ad-
here by means OF wire brush. a /
damp sponge and hot iron.
Many Factories in United states.
There are So establishments in the !
United States making hat and cap ma /
terials, with a product that is valued !
at over S6.000,OOO a year. Sixty /
eight straw hat factories produce hats
worth at wholesale sIO,S56.OOO and
ZIG felt hat factories produce $50. OOO.- /
GOO worth of felt hats a year. Fac |
tories making hats other than felt.
straw and wool, are AS in number. /
with a product valued at $ISOOO.aOA |
1t will be seen from these figures that
the wholesale value of the hats made I
IN the United States amounts 10 more
than S6O,0OO,oOO, which is probably
multiplied by two when they reach the
consumer.
Tomorrow-The Revival of Pagan
try.