Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-02-27
SOME VANISHED INDUSTRIES
Raising of Flax.


Barbour County fields? They know
the medicinal qualities of the flax
seed poultice and how the Elusive
sleek seed will chase the particles of
dirt from the eye, they have per-
chance seen small scraps of the old
home-woven linens. But they have
never seen its blue flowers. unfold
to the summer sun--they have not
seen its stems broken or it's textile
fibers woven into cloth. Nor have
they seen its fabric evolve from loom
to garment. The cultivation of flax
was probably introduced by the hardy
Irish and Dutch pioneers who
brot with them, like other pioneers
who came to this country, their Gus
toms and habits. Flax is an annual
plant which was sown in the sprin of
the year like oats when ripe it was
cut or pulled and left upon the
ground until to all appearance it was
rotten, after which it was dried,
placed upon a framework and broken
with flax break" which took out
the very coarse stems and left the
fiber. The flax was then hacked
which process separated the coarse
fiber from the fine fiber. The fine
fiber being used for the making of
fine clothing while the coarse was
used for making rough clothing.
Hackers consisted of of about 100
very sharp spikes 4 TO inches long
fastened in piece of wood which
made a sort of q rude comb. The
hacking was done by taking a bunch
of flax in the hands and striking the
sharp teeth of the hackle with
beating jerk. The fiber was then
spun into yarn or thread and later
woven into cloth which was called
linen4 The spinning was done on
foot power wheels of very fine mec-
hanism most Of the early wheels in
this part of Barbour County being
made by Richard Phillips and Jacob
Thorn. The weaving was also done
by the busy house wife, on looms
most of these looms were built by
Alph Smith and were also hand made
by the aid of turning lathes. The
old fashioned loom has disappeared
from our midst sleeping with the
dust Of those who piled the shuttle.
The stories Of home weaving and
spinning are fast becoming mythical.
Here and there lone spinning wheel
decorated as parlor ornament or
heirloom may be found but its whir-
ring spindle is idle and like the lost
arts of other worlds it's usefulness
sleeps in the past. The blue flower
ed fields of flax are refreshed no
more by summer showers in Bar
bour's fields and it's hundreds of acres
which once yielded this fiber now pro-
duce fields of waving grain. Fac
tories have set pace in the manu-
facture of clothing, carpets, blankets
and linens which has forever Danish
ed the spinning wheel and loom from
the West Virginia homes.
Candle Making.
Few people who see candles of
various colors glittering among the
boughs of Christmas trees or she'd
ding light about affairs of worship
ever look back far enough among the
years to the primitive ways by
which they were made or the val
liable service they were made to per
form, when church and home alike
were content with smoking candles
for lighting purposes.
The first candles were made by
taking a wick of the desired length
dipping it into hot tallow, raising it
up for the cooling process, re-dipping
again and again until the desired size
and length was obtained.
Necessity being the mother Of in
vention some thoughtful one dis
covered the quicker method of candle
moulds whereby 6 to were made at
time in tin moulds the wicks being
dropped down in the center of each
mould when ready for use the can
die was set in shallow vessel or
candle stick for carrying
The mere turning of a button
the lighting Of a jet-fash lights. /
acetylene lamps and various pro-
cesses of lighting has buried the
making Of the old tallow candle in |
the cemeteries of the past. The can
dies have gone out--their flames
have vansihed-just an, occasional set !
of old fashioned moulds or snuffers
are found hidden away in seclusion,
relics of the pioneer homes and the
comforts thereof.
How Wolf Run Was Named.
! desire to add to this article other
facts found-The spring above the
Sugar Creek Church was deer Lick
knovn as the Fix lick If was at this