The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-02-18
TO HAVE
RABBIT FUR
HAT
representative Sinnott Orders
One Made from Ore.
gon Pelts.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1S.-Within a
month Representative Sinnot, OF Ore
gon expects to be wearing fine felt
hat made largely from the fur Of Ore
gon jacRrabbits.
Through Representative Edmonds,
of Pennsylvania, the consignment OF
Oregon jackrabbit pelts received by
Mr.. Sinnot have been turned over to a
Philadelphia factory which manufac-
lures high grade felt hats. With the
pelts went Mr.. Sinnots head measure
ment.
The manufacturer has written Mr..
Sinnot acknowledging the furs, say
ing they will be thoroughly tested and
promising him the first hat made
from them. If the Oregon jackrabbit
fur proves suitable for hat manufac-
ture, Mfr. Sinnot is prepared to put
the manufacturer in touch with vari-
Gus Of his constituents who will find
a market for product they have
heretofore regarded as worthless.
BY coincidence, while Nj. SfnnOt is
having experiments made with Oregon
jackrabbit fur, the Smithsonian In
stimtion has published a bulletin de-
scribing the process by which felt
hats are made. The story is as fol-
lows:
"ln the manufacture of one OF the
most popular brands of American
hats the fur of North American beaver,
South American nutria, Saxony hare
and English and Scotch coney are
used. When the pelts of these anil
mails are received at the factory they
are first washed with whale oil soap.
after which the long, coarse hairs are
removed, since they would tend to
make the felt too rough.
1.-THE skins are then treated with
nitrate Of mercury, process called
'carroting,' which gives the fur its
Telling properties, making it knit to-
gether when hot water and pressure
are applied.
Skins and Fur Separated.
1.-THE skins are then brushed by a
machine which removes all the dust
and other foreign substances.
'FIaving been brushed the skin next
goes to a cutting machine, where re-
volving shears strip away the fur, cut
ting 1t so close that it appears to have
been shaved off. From this machine
the fur is carried away on an endless
belt or apron, on which it lies COM
plete, just as it was in the pelt, and it
is hard to realize that the skin below
has actually been removed.
"This is to facilitate the work OF the
sorters, who select from the belt as
it passes them just the parts desired
for various grades Of hats. The sort
ing Is according to color and quality,
each sorter selecting a different part,
such as the side, belly or back, suit
able for particular grade of hat.
although it is now cleaned, car
roted and sorted, the fur is by no
means ready for use; it has to be sea-
soned just like lumber, and is stored
until ready for use, Some manuiac-
turers have s1.OOO0OO or $2,OOO,OO0
worth OF fur seasoning in storage.
when the fur is properly seasoned
1t is mixed In certain proportions to
produce the desired texture and color
and from here on the work Is not done
mechanically, but by hand, being
| mainly a question OF art and skill. At
ter various portions Of different kinds
of fur have been selected the actual
mixing is done by machine which
: blows them about In various compart-
e ments until the blending is perfectly
e even.
, "a certain amount of fur is then
: weighed out, according to the weight
of tho hat to be made, and blown upon
copper cone perforated with many
1 thousand tiny holes, SO that it looks
4 like sieve.
Material Sticks to Cone.
t "The cone is about three feet in
} height and as wide at the base.
r An exhaust fan operates inside and
below the cone so that the air and
, fur are drawn from the outside. The
air passes through the openings, but
} the fine particles Of fur stick and cover
! the whole surface.
} "The cone holding the film OF fur
| is enclosed in snugly fitting jacket
and lowered into q vat OF boiling
water This develops the telling prop
critics OF the fur, the particles Of
!, which mat and lock together, enabling
the thin, delicate film of wet fur to
J. be lifted from the cone.
, 1.-THE resulting cone Of fur is very
\ delicate embryo hat, except as to
, size; in that respect 1t might be the
\ hat for giant. A bundle of about
| twelve OF these large forms is rolled
I in n wet condition until the fibers knit
!, together slightly, giving the hats hard
ness and strength.
'"Then they are put into sizzling
, Kettle where they are shrunk In hot
: water, beaten and manipulated until
o they are between ten and fourteen
/ inches in diameter. Each hat is then
stretched. pulled and blocked with the
r aid Of hot water until 1t takes the
) form Of regular hat with crown and
J, brim.
/ "If the hat is to be soft one, it
: has oqfy to he placed on q, block and
) finished with fine Sand paper, Which
, giyesFft a yelvety appearance. The
4 outside band and binding and the
|, swaziland are then added, after which
r the brlm is curled