The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1960-04-21

hides the workmen sprinklcd
shredded rockoak bark to keep
them separated and assure the
liquor reaching all the surfaces.
The hides remained in the tanning
watts up to six months. During this
time the tanners increased the
strength of the liquor. They
judged the concentration with a
"barkometer" which was a simple
hydrometer.
For the early years of operation,
Richters ground their bark in an
upright roller mill powered by one
horse. The horse pulled pole that
turned gears on the top of the
machine as the horse walked
round and round it. Strips of bark
we're fed into the inward-turning
rollers and crushed. After the
boiler was installed Richters used
steam to power the bark mill and
also to heat water that Spceded
up the process of extracting the
tannin from the ground bark.
Steam also replaced the laboriouS
job of pumping water to the
soaking tanks and pumping the
liquor back by hand to the watts.
When tanned, the hides were
shaved to uniform thickness, on a
beam with its working surface of
lignum vitae wood; a wood i'm
ported from Central America and
of exceptional weight, hardness,
and workable to a surface smooth
as glass. Mr.. Richter was an expert
shaver with the straight-bladed
shaving knife held in both hands
which was an operation requiring
accurate judgment and skill to
avoid running the side of hide
being dressed for the market.
After shaving, the hides we're
thrown upon securing table and
Thoroughly secured with fresh
water. bristle brushes and stone
bladed hand tools. This operation
was finished with the "slicker', a
tool with a steel blade that re-
moved worthless organic tissue that
| had been loosencd in the tanning
solutions.
! Now the hides were moved 10
the second floor of the tannery
and set out" Working their sur
faces with various tools, workmen
squared each side and removed
any curvature remaining from the
animal body. Then the squares
we're dubbed. A paste of cod
fish oil and tallow was worked
into the surfaces and assured
pliability in the finished leather.
The dubbed hides were stretched
their full width on square nails
projecting from the overhead
joists. Partly dried, the hides came
down onto the heavy maple and
walnut Worktables again and re-
ceived another coat of Newfound-
land Goldfish oil.
After drying a week, each square
was laid with the hair side up on
the tables and "blackened" with a
solution of iron oxide; given a
light coat of fish-talloW grease and
rehung for complete drying.
Sometimes a full year had pass
ed since these hides had entered
the tannery. When dry. each side
was DECREASED with the slicker
tool on the Worktablcs, and polished
with clean bristle brushes and
wooden rags. They were ready for
shipment.
Ten sides of hide we're rolled in
heavy shipping paper. This hand
made leather from Richters tan
merry supplied local users, and
was shipped into Ohio, Missouri,
Nebraska and as far west as Okla
homa. 1t was quality leather. Be
fore the tannery shut down, pro
duction had reached yearly
volume of between two or three
thousand finished hides.
We asked Mr.. Richter, who has
spent his life on the farm and in
the tanning business, why the tam
ncries shut down. He explained
that it was difficult to keep
skilled help, to obtain tanbark
and other supplies, and that New
York financiers corncrcd the
market pushed the price of raw
hides, after World War |, to I'M
reasonable and Improbable
heights. Then these same inter-
ests, having bought enormous
quantities of war surplus leather
from the army, threw it upon the
market and made it impossible to
operate independent tanneries at
a profit. AS result of this market
manipulation. common cowhlde
that had risen to 38 cents per
pound was forced down to 3 cents
per pound. Such a situation made