Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-03-12

sure are applied. The skins are then
brushed by machine which removes ALI
the dust and other foreign substansos.
Having been brushed the skin next goes
to a cutting machine where revolvlng |
shears strip away the fur, cutting It SO !
close that It appears to have been shaved
off. From this machine the fur is car
ried away on an endless belt or apron.
on which it lies complete. Just as It was
in the pelt. and Il is hard TO realize that
the skin below has actually been re-
moved. This Is TO facilitate the work Of
the sorters who select from the belt as
II passes them just the parts desired for
various grades of hats. The sorting is
according TO color and quality, each sorter
selecting a different part. such as the
side, belly or back, suitable for a partcu-
lar grade OF hat.
Must he Seasoned.
Although It is now cleaned. carrote1.
and sorted, the fur is by no means ready
Tor use; II has TO be seasoned, Just like
lumber, and is stored until ready for use.
Some manufacturers have a million or
two dollars worth of fur seasoning in
storage. When the fur IL properly sea-
soned, II is mixed in certain proportions
10 produce the desired texture and color
ana from hero on the work is not done 1
mechanically but by hand, being mainly
question OF art and skill. After various
portions of different kinds OF fur have
been selected, the actual mixing Is done
by u machine which blows them about in
various compartments until the blending
is perfectly even. certain amour. OF
fur Is then weighed out, according TO The
weight of the hat TO be made. ana blown
upon a copper cone perforated with many
thousand tiny holes. so that 1t looks like
sieve. The cone is about three feet
in height, and as wide as the base. An
exhaust fen operates inside and below
the conc so that the air and far are
drawn from the outside. Tho air passes
through the openings, but the Tin, par
ticles Of fur stick and cover the whole
surface. The cone holding the film Of
fur is enclosed in a snugly fitting iaclct
and lowered into a vat Of boiiing water.
This develops the folting properties OF the
fur, the particles of whicl mat ard loo,
| together. enabling the thin delicate iilm
OF wet fur to be lifted from the coAe.
The resulting cone. of fur Is a very d H.
cate embryo hat. except as to size: in
that respect it might be the hat TO- a
giant "A bundle Of about twelve OF this,
large forms is rolled In a wet ron III ,n
until the fihres KIN together slightly, v
ing the hats hardness and strrn 4.
Then they are put into a sizzling Setu,
where they are shrunk in not wat r.
beaten, and manipulated until they are
between ten and fourteen inches ~
diameter Each hat is then stretchcdS
pulled and blocked with the aid o. hot
water until it takes the form OF q regular
hat with crown and brim.
Finished with sandpaper.
II the hat is to be a soft one. it has
only to be placed on block and finished
with fine sand paper which gives Il /
velvety appearance. The outside band
and binding. and the sweat band are IN ,n
added. after which the brin is curled.
Stiff hats. or derbys. are saturated W II
solution of shellac, before they arc
blocked. They are then put into an o Ell
until they become pliable. when they are
blocked with tremendous pressure on a
mould which shapes and ctirIs them at
one operation. Following which they are
lined, and trimmed.
The museum exhibit includes five cases.
one containing the different raw and
prepared materials. one the hats In the
process Of manufacture. one zach the
leather and silk trimmings, and the last
containing many styles of finished hats
for our own and for export trade. The
firm presenting this collection to tho
museum is the only enc in this country
with factory wherein all parts OF the
hat are made and assembled.